Welcome briguysm, sounds like you've got some better times due you, hope they come your way soon! I've got to ask you about your new Taylor! I'm curious, I've heard alot of good things about Sinker Redwood but I've never heard Sinker Redwood and I'm totally ignorant about Macassar Ebony, what made you chose that combo for your BTO?
Well, to be honest, after the demise of my Koa, I started prowling on Taylor's website to see what I wanted to do. I thought about getting the same guitar again because I loved the way it looked. However, I wasn't blown away by the sound. It sounded great, don't get me wrong, but there was something missing for me when I got to strumming hard (which I do quite a bit). My Koa would get lost in the mix when I was playing with a full band. It just didn't have the umph I wanted.
So, as I was searching for the next big thing, I happened to see the front page banner Taylor had up about their 2012 Fall Limiteds. I clicked on the picture of the PS14ce-FLTD and it was all over.
I started reading about the Sinker Redwood, described as "cedar on steroids" with a big bold response, and the warm overtones with extra brightness and headroom. it just sounded like the top I had been searching for. Then the story of how they get the Sinker Redwood and how it's pulled from old growth logs sitting in CA rivers for centuries...well, that's just icing on the cake.
I read further, and found the description of Macassar Ebony to just seal the deal. A hardwood with a lot of presence and clear loud dynamic range. Strong bass and lower mids, yet clear highs just sounded like it would balance out the extra brightness of the Sinker top perfectly. Then I'm almost dancing in my chair when I read the description that it's perfect for "old school strummers" who like that thick old school sound and that the wood likes to be played hard.
These two woods together create an incredibly striking visual experience that will captivate anyone immediately. What else could I possibly want? A beautifully balanced instrument that projects well without getting muddy, is very difficult to out-strum, and looks like the wood version of a rare gemstone. I became absolutely obsessed with this guitar. I probably stared at pictures of it 20-30 times throughout the day as I was working on other things, keeping a web page up to search for pictures, specs, reviews, options, etc. from time to time as something would pop up in my mind to check out. I almost couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about different ways I could get my hands on one of these!
I soon learned that Taylor built only 60 of the Fall Limiteds, and that there weren't many out there to be purchased. I couldn't have that guitar, but I quickly decided I didn't care about the guitar, I just wanted that wood combo.
My guitar rep suggested to me that I build a custom guitar with those woods. I then began the 5 week journey to building my dream guitar. I went back and forth many times, changing this or that, even down to the last possible second with big and small changes. Now I'm absolutely thrilled to see this guitar and play it.
In hindsight, I realized that the abalone trim around the entire guitar would have been a bit much for my taste and style. It is beautiful, but I would prefer a slightly more understated presentation. Thus, my BTO will be everything I need and want, without anything else. I doubt I will ever sell it, as I feel like it's so uniquely me that I doubt I would ever find an axe worthy of being its replacement. I might, however, feel the need to add to my arsenal once this guitar has settled in at home...
Anyway, that's my experience and journey so far.
