Taylor 522 12 fret v High end OOO/OM's - Help!

[oldcountrysinger]

Thank  you very much for all the replies and enlightening comments, after much travelling and trying out I think I've found the guitar for me sound, comfort and playability wise in the form of a Santa Cruz OM.

The trouble is the saddle showing was slight, at approx 1/16" it had only about 1/3 of the saddle showing on most other guitars in the shop.

I didn't measure the action at the 12th fret but it was very low, easily the lowest of the ten or so high value guitars I played in the store (at a guess it was about 5/64" or 2mm) and it played like a dream all the way up the neck - it was the easiest to play guitar I've ever had my hands on.

The 'but' is I'm worried this guitar may need a neck reset soon, something I don't really want to have to go through - do you think I should take a chance on this guitar?

Positives
I prefer it to over 200 other OM/000 guitars I've tried.
The price is 5/8 the cost of a new one.
New ones are not available in my country.
I bought my 1979 Guild with only 1/32" of saddle showing (half that of the Santa Cruz!) fifteen years ago and it has never moved or needed any adjustment.
I keep guitars tuned in DGCFAD so the string tension in future would likely be much less than its had up to present.
The neck appears straight and true.

Negatives
The guitar is only 8 years old, if its lost this much saddle in that short time (although some may have been sacrificed to obtain the very low action) I would suspect the 'folding up' may continue and a neck reset could be imminent.

This guitar is expensive for me, costing more than my car! I'd hate to buy a dream that turned out to be an endless source of frustration.

I can't understand why someone would want to sell such a nice guitar unless they suspect imminent problems with it.

I'd be extremely grateful for any advice given, I'm hopefully going to the store next week in the company of a more experienced friend for another look and don't worry I'm not looking to blame anyone if I make the wrong decision! I suppose it all boils down to a balance of probabilities.

Regards

Stuart

[fretted]

The trouble is the saddle showing was slight, at approx 1/16" it had only about 1/3 of the saddle showing on most other guitars in the shop.

Stuart, Because the Taylor bridge is straight and the saddle curved, it can appear slight at the ends. Personally it wouldn't scare me. In my experience the NT necks' tolerances are exceedingly precise and very stable with proper humidification. The action on my 522 12 fret is so very low, but there's not a buzz to be heard. If the action were up where Martin delivers their guitars the saddle would appear significantly taller. And I would venture a guess that with Taylor style action, a Martin would sound like a hive of bees.

[Earl]

Stuart,  I have not read the entire thread, but you have obviously done a huge amount of research.  (I've been playing for 45 years, and cannot say that I've handled 200 total OOO or OM sized guitars in all that time.  Impressive).  After all that, the Santa Cruz OM seems to be "the one" for you.  Having one that "speaks" to you is worth a lot.

You are right to be concerned - but not paranoid - about the low saddle.  1/16" of exposed saddle is fairly low.  That may simply have been the way the previous owner had it set up, for super low action.  Take a straightedge and sight along the plane of the frets.  If the line hits in the upper third of the bridge (not the saddle) then the neck angle is probably OK.  Best to get an opinion from a good repairman that you can trust, though.  If you are getting a really good deal, then the cost and hassle of a neck reset is not insurmountable, as long as the guitar is priced accordingly.  FYI, my custom shop J-40 Martin needed a neck reset after eight years, so it happens even with fine instruments.

[I can't understand why someone would want to sell such a nice guitar unless they suspect imminent problems with it].

People sell really nice guitars all the time without them being lemons, or with impending problems.  Sometimes it just doesn't fit.  For example, once I hit age 50, my left hand no longer liked 1-11/16" necks.  As a result, I have sold all the Martins in favor of Taylors with 1-3/4" necks.  Playing a Martin neck for 30 minutes leaves my hand aching for the rest of the day.  But I can play any of my Taylors for hours without any pain.  A little dimension change and a different shape makes all the difference.

[Sprintbob]

Stuart,

I own a 522e 12 fret and an 814ce. The biggest difference between the two is that the tonal response of the 522e is very even/balanced which means you get a lot of mid range response that could be even more enhanced by the 12 fret scale. This is what you get with the all mahogany construction. It works well for solo fingerstyle, blues, country, or a musical piece where you want that even response.

You stated you want the guitar to do well light strumming and for vocal accompaniment. You should consider the 512e 12 fret (cedar/mahogany). It probably fits your needs better. Anytime I play along with a song with vocals, the 814 (spruce/rosewood) seems better than the 522. If I want the guitar's voice to jump out, the 522 is the better tool. There's certainly overlap for both dependent on strings, pick choice if applicable, and technique. I'd consider a 412 (spruce/ovangkol) or 512 series based on what you describe.

Good Luck,

Bob

[fretted]

People sell really nice guitars all the time without them being lemons, or with impending problems.  Sometimes it just doesn't fit.  For example, once I hit age 50, my left hand no longer liked 1-11/16" necks.  As a result, I have sold all the Martins in favor of Taylors with 1-3/4" necks.  Playing a Martin neck for 30 minutes leaves my hand aching for the rest of the day.  But I can play any of my Taylors for hours without any pain.  A little dimension change and a different shape makes all the difference.

I agree with Earl. I sold a luscious late 60's D-18 because as good as it sounded, the 1 11/16" was not comfortable for my mostly finger style playing.

[Strumming Fool]

Stuart-

As I said in an earlier response to this thread, Santa Cruz or Bourgeois would be my choice if I wanted an OM. Santa Cruz OMs are quite elegant and guitars for a lifetime. That said, do you have a trusted luthier who could look at the guitar and give an honest appraisal of what work might be needed? It sounds as if it would be worth the extra "homework" to confirm whether this guitar could be your lifetime friend.

I wish you the best - perhaps you are almost at the end of your search!

[oldcountrysinger]

Thanks Earl and Strumming Fool, I took your advice and returned to the store with a friend who has 40 years playing experience and has done some guitar repair training, his thoughts were  'lovely guitar but I'd be concerned about that soundboard bulge' so with that I was able to put that particular example out of my mind, and hopefully keep looking for a similar model.

Thanks Sprintbob I'll try to check out a Taylor 512.

I'm sure you're right fretted and Earl about people selling nice guitars for all sorts of reasons, I think my Guild is a lovely guitar but at least two people have sold it previously and its not perfect for me either, if it was I wouldn't still be searching now!