322ce 12fret vs 522ce 12 fret

[Coyoteone]

Is the price upgrade worth it on the 522ce, l play an 1986 HD28 , love it bought new , but I'm getting older need something in short scale? 12 fret? Played both of these, liked both, so tell me which is the one , thanks guys

[zeebow]

which tone do you like better?
they are different woods with slightly different appointments

the 522 is full gloss

if you're in the 522 price range, i'd look long and hard at the 712ce 12 fret

[jkm]

which tone do you like better?
they are different woods with slightly different appointments

the 522 is full gloss

if you're in the 522 price range, i'd look long and hard at the 712ce 12 fret

my personal preference would be for the 322 over the 522.  the woods are a great combo and i have yet to pick one up that i didn't want to take home.

+1 vote for the new 712 12 fret model.  it's a personal favorite.

[Coyoteone]

Have not looked at the 700 series but will , thanks

[jkm]

Is the price upgrade worth it on the 522ce, l play an 1986 HD28 , love it bought new , but I'm getting older need something in short scale? 12 fret? Played both of these, liked both, so tell me which is the one , thanks guys

Only you can determine which is the one. But the 322 is not a downgrade. Just different. I love the satin finish on it, both look and feel. It really lets the wood move when played, and is great for many styles.  The 322 wood combo has a voice that is unique from the other Taylor series.

[Coyoteone]

Thanks guys I will look closer at the 322 now , I liked both it and the 522 just thought it might be better going with the 500 series, never heard of this Blackwood,but what I have read people seem to like it , as a tone wood what is it close to. Thanks

[jpmist]

I've owned several spruce top Taylor concerts but switched to Larrivee 12 fret OO's a few years ago. One is an all mahogany, the other spruce/mahogany.  The 322 I played at Sam Ash was amazing because it had a lot of the tone of a mahogany guitar with the crispness of a spruce top. Given how bad my hearing is, the brightness that the blackwood back and sides has was a revelation to me so I snagged a used 322 off Reverb with no regrets.

So, I guess I'm cautioning you not to think of the 522 as the same as the 322 only with an all gloss body. They're  going to be two different tones. The 522, being all mahogany is going to have a darker, more fundamentally focused mahogany tone distinct from the 322 mahogany/blackwood combination.

And as usual, I pound the table once again for all you mahogany top owners to try the Earnie Ball Aluminum Bronze. For me they add just enough  brightness a mahogany topped guitar needs to not sound too dark or muddy. My used 322 came with Elixar phos bronze mediums that I ripped off immediately after a brief play - the difference in tone was pretty dramatic with the Al/Bnz.

And a note about the matte Taylor finish.  I'll never really like matte finishes, but Taylor finally figured out how to lessen the white chalky look the older matte finishes had. The blackwood and mahogany grain on the 322 look really great and the burst on the top is perfect.

[Coyoteone]

And yes drove 70 miles to a music store to try out the 322ce 12fret again, sold before I got there didn't have 522 ce 12 fret , so will see who within 100 miles or so has them in stock , and try again.
Thanks