Taylor GT 811e

[DennisG]

I really don't understand the complaints about the price.  I mean, it's an 800-series guitar, with all the wonderfulness that implies.

[zeebow]

I really don't understand the complaints about the price.  I mean, it's an 800-series guitar, with all the wonderfulness that implies.

a lot of folks have the misconception that smaller guitars should cost less. same argument for folks who look at wee lowdens.

[SoCalSurf]

I really don't understand the complaints about the price.  I mean, it's an 800-series guitar, with all the wonderfulness that implies.

a lot of folks have the misconception that smaller guitars should cost less. same argument for folks who look at wee lowdens.

I think you are right here, Zee. Probably because it is being described as a size larger than the GS Mini, people associate it with a travel guitar, which tends to be priced as such. This is an all-solid guitar with its own bracing pattern and 800-level appointments. Perhaps they could have used the Grand Concert as a size reference and the association with the GS Mini could have been "avoided." I haven't played it yet but the price seems in line with other guitars in the Taylor line-up with respect to quality.

I am fascinated by this new body shape. I think I will wait until they roll it out into the other series, as I would be interested in this with a different wood combination.

[donlyn]

I am one of those that expressed some issue with the price. But I also wrote I want one. For lack of a better reason, I love the sound of my 818 Grand Orchestra, and view this one as a GO mini, but with solid wood. So I certainly would like to play one for myself to check it out.

Is it worth it? I dunno. Without mentioning $, I paid a lot less than the 811 MAP price when I bought the 818. And with a hardwood case too. Yes, I realize that was 6 years ago, but . . . if I were to pay MAP for the 811 it would be the most expensive guitar I have ever purchased. Ever. This includes the first 4 in my 'heard' that I bought new and the rest I bought used. And I was happy at the point of owning six, but there was that reclamation project Epiphone, and then I had some hand issues and got the short scale 412e-R GC, and then the lovely 458e-R 12 string GO at a price that I just couldn't pass up. Man, I can feel that one while I'm playing it, which I co-incidentally happened to be playing today.

So I'm still on the fence with the 811. At a lesser price it would be far more attractive, and I even figured what the 'must buy' price would be for me. But I still need to play one. And it's not like I don't have some spruce over rosewood guitars already, not to mention guitars in general.

And Epiphone has released a solid wood version of their 200 jumbo very recently. Would be a great time to hit the lottery. With maybe enough for an x-braced 552 too? Hah!

;-)

Don

[boneuphtoner]

The price per se, isn't the issue here in my opinion - this is the going rate for an 800 series guitar, and I get that it isn't any less expensive to build this versus an 814 even though there will always be an association of this with the GS mini.  The issue as I see it is the wisdom of rolling this out in the 800 series when they could have put it in the less expensive 400 series - you would still have sitka/rosewood, but with less bling.  They would almost certainly sell more of them than this new offering.  But Taylor's marketing team are second to none, and I'm sure they have done their homework in factoring all of this into this new release.

[SoCalSurf]

I certainly wasn't trying to single out anybody on here. I have seen comments in YouTube in which people expressed concerns over the price compared to a GS mini. And personally I like how they displayed this model in the 800 series, as it shows what it can be compared to some of Taylor's higher-ended guitars. The full 800-series appointments on this model really showcase what it can be.

Of course, I haven't played one. But would love to give it a try. Donlyn, I'm with you on the want vs. need! But as I said before, I would wait until it comes out in the other series before consider buying one.

[Coco Kid]

I really don't understand the complaints about the price.  I mean, it's an 800-series guitar, with all the wonderfulness that implies.

I'd say it comes down to tonal expectations. If it sounds tonally similar to the Urban Ash model but just an Indian Rosewood tone instead of Urban Ash (e.g., same C-Class bracing), then you would have to compare it to other 00 sized guitars in a similar price range. How does it hold up to Martin's 00-18 model? Or Eastman's? If it is in a similar tonal ballpark in terms of responsiveness, volume, sustain, overtone content, and the only difference is tone signature which is a matter of personal preference (i.e., bright, jangly Taylor sound rather than deep, bassy Martin sound), then perhaps it's worth the price.

However, if what many reviews of the GT I've read are true, that it sounds boxy, not much better sounding than a GS Mini, underwhelming, etc... Then having 800 series inlays and wooden pickguards and gloss finish etc. doesn't really make it worth the resulting price.

[SoCalSurf]

I really don't understand the complaints about the price.  I mean, it's an 800-series guitar, with all the wonderfulness that implies.

However, if what many reviews of the GT I've read are true, that it sounds boxy, not much better sounding than a GS Mini, underwhelming, etc... Then having 800 series inlays and wooden pickguards and gloss finish etc. doesn't really make it worth the resulting price.

You have to judge for yourself and not "listen" to what you read. But I wouldn't make a determination and/or criticize a new guitar model because of what others may write about it.

[zeebow]

I certainly wasn't trying to single out anybody on here. I have seen comments in YouTube in which people expressed concerns over the price compared to a GS mini. And personally I like how they displayed this model in the 800 series, as it shows what it can be compared to some of Taylor's higher-ended guitars. The full 800-series appointments on this model really showcase what it can be.

Of course, I haven't played one. But would love to give it a try. Donlyn, I'm with you on the want vs. need! But as I said before, I would wait until it comes out in the other series before consider buying one.

agreed, you were speaking in generalities, as was i. andy powers and bob taylor actually addressed this in a primetime or podcast recently on the launch of the GT, the labor is still the same (if not more) for the GT urban ash and 811 GT. the 811 actually comes in less than the other 800s due to probably the aerocase and lack of armrest that is standard on the 800s now.

apparently the GTs actually gave solid kerfling, which is something i’ve only seen on boutique guitars.

people in general usually associate smaller with less money in a lot of things; but the comparison isn’t an apples to apples when comparing to a gs mini, which is laminate back/sides and manufactured in mexico. i guess a more even comparison would be to a single 0 martin or a wee lowden, and the wee lowden i have costs significantly more than this GT...

[donlyn]

Hey guys,

With the proviso that I would need to play an 811 for any real comparison, here is a re-stating of where I am coming from. Want, need, and price are the main factors in any decision I would make. And I fully realize that this is an 800 series model. And any comparisons with a GS mini aren't really good comparisons, especially for solid wood vs laminate.

And I will stipulate that want is the key factor, simply because I recognize it exists. But I will not rely on YouTube alone. That is just one piece of information. And I like the spruce over rosewood wood combo, as is simply evidenced by owning 4 different guitars with that combo, my Gibson Jumbo, 6 and 12 String Grand Orchestras, and a Grand Concert.

For a general comparison, it may not be out of line to compare my 412e-R Grand Concert with the 811. The 412 GC is a short scale. The 811 GT is a shorter scale. And the 412 is a slightly bigger body size. Exactly how much larger is unknown to me. The 412 came with Elixir PB HD Light strings and that is what I continue to use on it anyway. Unknown what the 811 is strung with. So until I actually can play an 811 GT, I really won't know if this new model is something that is better and / or more different than the 412 GC, and thus prove its worth it to me. So the price may well be the most important factor. Maybe if a 411-R model is introduced at some point, It might do the job. But as I paid less than half of the 811 MAP price for my slightly used 412-R, the 811 would really need to show me something to consider purchasing it.

But I still want one.

Don

[zeebow]

Hey guys,

With the proviso that I would need to play an 811 for any real comparison, here is a re-stating of where I am coming from. Want, need, and price are the main factors in any decision I would make. And I fully realize that this is an 800 series model. And any comparisons with a GS mini aren't really good comparisons, especially for solid wood vs laminate.

And I will stipulate that want is the key factor, simply because I recognize it exists. But I will not rely on YouTube alone. That is just one piece of information. And I like the spruce over rosewood wood combo, as is simply evidenced by owning 4 different guitars with that combo, my Gibson Jumbo, 6 and 12 String Grand Orchestras, and a Grand Concert.

For a general comparison, it may not be out of line to compare my 412e-R Grand Concert with the 811. The 412 GC is a short scale. The 811 GT is a shorter scale. And the 412 is a slightly bigger body size. Exactly how much larger is unknown to me. The 412 came with Elixir PB HD Light strings and that is what I continue to use on it anyway. Unknown what the 811 is strung with. So until I actually can play an 811 GT, I really won't know if this new model is something that is better and / or more different than the 412 GC, and thus prove its worth it to me. So the price may well be the most important factor. Maybe if a 411-R model is introduced at some point, It might do the job. But as I paid less than half of the 811 MAP price for my slightly used 412-R, the 811 would really need to show me something to consider purchasing it.

But I still want one.

Don

yep, i still haven’t played one, i don’t want to like it too much

i bet it will be fun to play, and i’m mostly avoiding it so i don’t want one

[tdavis]

I'm kind of amazed at some of you justifying the exorbitant $3000 price point of this guitar model by saying "well, it IS an 800-series" or that the price is in line with an 800-series model. Come on...this is NOT at all an 800-series model. It's a GT with a rosewood back/sides, and some blingy inlays...but all in a satin finish and none the high end components of a true 800-series Taylor. It's part of Taylor using their marketing prowess to hype a new guitar "right in time for Christmas".

All that said...I still really want one.

My 2-cents. 

[zeebow]

I'm kind of amazed at some of you justifying the exorbitant $3000 price point of this guitar model by saying "well, it IS an 800-series" or that the price is in line with an 800-series model. Come on...this is NOT at all an 800-series model. It's a GT with a rosewood back/sides, and some blingy inlays...but all in a satin finish and none the high end components of a true 800-series Taylor. It's part of Taylor using their marketing prowess to hype a new guitar "right in time for Christmas".

All that said...I still really want one.

My 2-cents. 

it does have 800 series appointments:
gloss 4.5 mil finish
single ring abalone rosette
maple/rosewood inset purfling
maple binding (although not on the neck)
element inlay and headstock inlay
ebony fretboard and bridge with a abalone dot inlaid ebony end pins

the above appointments are standard on the 800 series, although the new 800 series have radiused (small armrests)

i still don’t want to play one, for fear of wanting one

[donlyn]

I'm kind of amazed at some of you justifying the exorbitant $3000 price point of this guitar model by saying "well, it IS an 800-series" or that the price is in line with an 800-series model. Come on...this is NOT at all an 800-series model. It's a GT with a rosewood back/sides, and some blingy inlays...but all in a satin finish and none the high end components of a true 800-series Taylor. It's part of Taylor using their marketing prowess to hype a new guitar "right in time for Christmas".

All that said...I still really want one.

My 2-cents. 

it does have 800 series appointments:
gloss 4.5 mil finish
single ring abalone rosette
maple/rosewood inset purfling
maple binding (although not on the neck)
element inlay and headstock inlay
ebony fretboard and bridge with a abalone dot inlaid ebony end pins

the above appointments are standard on the 800 series, although the new 800 series have radiused (small armrests)

i still don’t want to play one, for fear of wanting one

"i still don’t want to play one, for fear of wanting one "



Umm, yeah. !?

I hear you.

Don

[zeebow]

I'm kind of amazed at some of you justifying the exorbitant $3000 price point of this guitar model by saying "well, it IS an 800-series" or that the price is in line with an 800-series model. Come on...this is NOT at all an 800-series model. It's a GT with a rosewood back/sides, and some blingy inlays...but all in a satin finish and none the high end components of a true 800-series Taylor. It's part of Taylor using their marketing prowess to hype a new guitar "right in time for Christmas".

All that said...I still really want one.

My 2-cents. 

it does have 800 series appointments:
gloss 4.5 mil finish
single ring abalone rosette
maple/rosewood inset purfling
maple binding (although not on the neck)
element inlay and headstock inlay
ebony fretboard and bridge with a abalone dot inlaid ebony end pins

the above appointments are standard on the 800 series, although the new 800 series have radiused (small armrests)

i still don’t want to play one, for fear of wanting one

"i still don’t want to play one, for fear of wanting one "



Umm, yeah. !?

I hear you.

Don

i’d be lying if i sahd i wasn’t waiting for a custom GT to be available!