I like a guitar with a story or two behind it. Most of mine have or had one, I'm sure many of you have guitar stories too. (Share them below if you like!) Like, did I tell you the time I had to buy my GS Mini at 30,000 feet in the air?
When I show this guitar for the first time, I explain that the Sinker Redwood top started out life as an old growth Redwood in Northern California, then cut down as a log, sent downriver to the mill only to never finish the journey. Sank instead, almost like it dug in it's heels, awaiting a better destination. And then, oh, over a hundred years goes by, and someone hauls it up, dries it off, and sells the wood to Taylor. Who would imagine (before it was discovered) that the silt and minerals which invaded that wood would only strengthen it and make it prettier? And spectacular as a guitar top? Amazing stuff.
I've always had in the back of my mind that my final keeper guitar would have very rich overtones. I don't sing, so they would help make up for that. Plus I wanted a louder guitar, one that could project fingerstyle playing but also could handle a decent amount of strumming. Cedar fails on that last account, but this Sinker redwood doesn't. In fact, maybe it's the V-Class bracing, but this top has as much headroom as Sitka spruce as far as I can tell.
Then there's that beveled armrest that Taylor doesn't put on any guitars these days other than Custom BTOs and some LTDs like this one. It'll set you back in the neighborhood of $1,500 to add it it to a custom guitar, because it takes a lot of labor to make and Taylor doesn't have many artisans who have the skill to make them. It's as functional as it is pretty and really helps with comfort on the GA size body.
What does it sound like? Well, everything I've ever wanted and needed. Plus the sustain is magnificent and while I've been ambivalent to V-Class bracing in the past, I only see positives from what I can hear in the tone and playability all the way up the neck.
And she looks good too.
I had dyed bone bridge pins handy, they go great with the top!