Buying a Taylor without playing first - how consistent are they?

[Prizen]

Hey all

I played a 2015 Taylor 614ce today and I really liked it. So much so that I want to buy one. However, I prefer 1 & 11/16" nut widths. As Taylor offers this option for a $200 upcharge, I will order one with this spec.

However, I have two (related) concerns:

1/ How consistent are Taylors in general? I would have loved to buy the one I played in the store today, however I worry that the custom order I get may not be quite as good and I might be stuck with it!

2/ Would the change in neck (1 &11/16" nut width instead of the standard 1 & 3/4") make a difference to the sound?

Appreciate your views!

Thanks

[jalbert]

IMO/YMMV/etc:

1) When you played the one you really liked in the store, were you able to compare it with other Taylors? If yes and they all sounded good to you, it's a safe bet that a special order will turn out fabulously. On the other hand, if some of the Taylors sounded better/worse than others you're more likely to have a negative reaction about a minute after cracking the case open for the first time on the new guitar. Personally I've given up on buying a guitar without trying it first in person.

2) Practically speaking, no. I'm sure there's some quantifiable difference in nano-units because of less mass in the neck, but I doubt human ears could tell. It's far overshadowed by variations in the wood. Don't worry about that aspect making a difference to the sound.

(What was that old Bob Womack quote from Tolkien on the other forum about "not going to the elves because they'll answer both yes and no"?  )

[Prizen]

Thanks for the reply. One other question - if I order a custom with the 1 & 11/16" nut width - I also assume that the neck itself will also be smaller, rather than just a smaller nut and narrower string spacing?

[azslacker]

Not long ago, I played two 614ce's head to head. I noticed very slight differences in the sound. Enough that I would have chosen one over the other. But both were great. The 1 11/16" neck is slightly narrower.
I have a Larrivee Parlor that has a 1 3/4" neck. I had it in for a set up and discussed with the guy having a custom nut made to reduce string spacing. He held a narrower nut up to the original and the difference was pretty small. He suggested a custom made one with the treble E string staying the same distance from the fretboard edge. The bass E would move inboard, but not too noticeable. I think I'm going to try it.

[ronmcc4]

My thought is that since Taylor uses a lot of automation in their build that the guitars would be pretty similar. The difference, I think, being the specific wood you happen to get.  I have a 2015 614ce that I absolutely love.  It is my "go to" guitar even among the other Taylors I'm privileged to own.

[CodeBlueEMT]

 The guy I bought my Martin 000-28EC from said he played about 30 different ones, yet he sells it within a year. I thanked him for doing all my homework and left with the guitar.

 I need months, not hours or days to really learn a new guitar. If my first impressions are favorable, let's dance. Taylors are consistent in my mind, but I don't have absolute proof that holds true. I rely on those with more experience to share their thoughts and knowledge on such matters. Consistency and quality seem to be a recurring theme.

 I've got new and used Taylors. Several were purchased sight unseen without being played first. I haven't returned one yet.



   

[M19]

Anyone who does a BTO is taking this risk. However, with Taylor I consider the risk absolutely minimal. I did an all mahogany 12-fret GC BTO and the sound was spot on with what I was expecting. I wouldn't worry if I were you, unless you are ULTRA ULTRA Picky.

[Earl]

IMO, build quality will be the same whether stock or BTO.  Playability and set up should also be quite consistent.  (I've never felt the need to have the setup changed on any of my Taylor's).  The only real variable is the individual pieces of wood used, which will vary by some minor amount.  It does happen, in both directions.  As an example, my 414ce stood out among all other examples I encountered, so it was purchased on the spot. 

25 years ago I took a risk with the Martin custom shop, and had the same worries.  It worked out well.  Best of luck with your order.  Another thought just occurred.  Most (but not all) of us prefer the 1-3/4" neck width.  Selling later might be a bit tougher because of that.  More than one used guitar here in the Marketplace has intrigued me, until I got to the 1-11/16" part.  But buy for you, not for resale.

[beachbum205]

I have bought many Taylors sight unseen, and haven't found a dud yet. No guitar builder does a better job of building consistently great guitars than Taylor does IMHO. I would bet that you will love your BTO- I wouldn't worry about it one bit.

[MB]

When I got my first Taylor, I had been playing mostly electric guitar.
The width of the Taylor neck freaked me out at first....then after spending some time playing it, I learned to love the wider neck!
I now have a hard time playing the skinnier necks, especially on acoustic guitars. Point is, odds are you would grow into that guitar you tried and liked so much? When you find one that plays and sounds great, that's the holy grail of guitar buying! If you buy online site unseen, then you are risking the unknown. With a Taylor, the odds are with you, but I once got a lemon online from a reputable dealer and had to return it at a considerable cost.
I would hesitate to put a skinny neck on an instrument that was designed and tooled for the 1 3/4 neck. My 2 Cents....

Best of Luck!!

[Prizen]

Thanks all. I went back to play the 614 again today and to give the 1/3/4 neck another shot. I think that I might just be able to handle it. The profile feels a little slimmer to me on this than other 1 & 3/4" Taylors I've played.

[jalbert]

Thanks all. I went back to play the 614 again today and to give the 1/3/4 neck another shot. I think that I might just be able to handle it. The profile feels a little slimmer to me on this than other 1 & 3/4" Taylors I've played.

Since this specific guitar speaks to you, I think this is a really good move. Plus, you won't have to wait a couple of months AND you save a couple hundred bucks. Win, win, win!

(I switch back and forth between 1 3/4" and 1 11/16", and even 1 7/8" neck widths. It does take some effort to get the muscle memory able to do that, but it's not insurmountable.)

Finally, regarding an earlier question: a narrow nut does not automatically get you short-scale. Most short-scale Taylors have 1 3/4" wide nuts.

[martingitdave]

Good.  Personally, I've decided to buy a guitar in hand for here out.  It's not that buying sight unseen is "bad", but there are enough variables, that I feel comfortable buying what I can audition.  If you determine the spacing is too generous, a new nut can be made to tighten it up.  I had difficulty because I had 1-11/16" and I was playing more finger style and preferred the wider spacing.  You can make it smaller later, but it's not to easy to make it wider later. 

[George]

I've bought 2 Taylors recently, and they are both fabulous.

My first was my 816ce.  The boys in the shop told me they didn't fiddle with it at all, and I haven't touched it in the +/- 9 months that I've owned it - everything about it is just perfect.
The second was my Mini Koa.  I couldn't find one anywhere to try (I'm in Belgium, and I looked here, in The Netherlands, France and Germany), so I did something I wouldn't normally recommend, and bought one blind.  But straight out of the box it was also perfect, and I haven't felt the need to tweak anything since.

So based on my experience, Taylors are not just good, but consistently good.  I guess if you're looking at the 600, there might be some aesthetic variations, such as the wood graining, the twinkliness (is that a word?) of the abalone etc., but the build quality should give you nothing to worry about...

[dcasey1]

I have played several of the new 614's and they were all consistently good.