Gloss v Satin

[a1terrier]

Hi All
Newish member here looking to buy my first Taylor fairly soon. I not a pro player so cant justify a real top end guitar. I`m going to get rid of a 12 string Takamine I never play and a Line 6 amp to part fund the purchase. I was looking at getting a 314/6 CE but I have just seen the NAMM video showing the new 214 Koa. WOW!!!! If it plays half as good as it looks I would be seriously tempted.
My question is, the 316 is solid wood, satin finish back and sides, the 214 Koa is laminate back and sides but gloss finish. What effect, if any, will gloss on laminate have on the tone of the 214 Koa?
Taylor say the 214 Koa should be in the UK at the end April.
Thanks.

[shaberd]

I think the wood difference (sapele vs. Koa Lam.) will have a much larger difference than gloss vs. satin. play both if you can first and decide which one sounds better to you. also look at difference between x14 vs. x16.

[cigarfan]

I don't think you will hear speck of difference between gloss and satin finish on any guitar. Decision should be on other factors.

[Louis]

I have the same attitude as you being not a pro player, so i researched till i was blue and came up with a decision  that a 314 ce would be perfect for me, and low and behold i got one for Xmas and just love it . The sound your talking about i wouldn't know but i would say your on the right track.

[a1terrier]

Thanks for replies. I like the look of the 314/6 but not played one yet as all the Taylor dealers round here seem to have different models in so not possible to compare at the moment.  That 214 Koa is beautiful though. Will have to wait till end of April to try.

[PureTone]

One does not have to be a 'pro' player in order to be able to discern and appreciate the difference in tone of different guitars.

All solid wood compared to a solid top with laminate back and sides can be more significant tonally than a satin finish rather than gloss.

Some guitars are made with an overly heavy polyurethane gloss finish and that can be a tone deadener over an open-pore satin finish.
Some all solid wood guitar have a thinner, more hollow tone than solid top/laminate models made by other builder.

Comparing a 114CE to a 2013 214CE BLK with Sapele laminate back and sides and neck will likely show the tonal variance between two different guitars rather than the difference between satin finish and gloss, and there may be a 114CE that sounds 'better' than a 214CE or vice versa, but based purely on that criteria, that's about as close as comparison that can be made.

If a cutaway and electronics are not a necessity, you can save a bit of $ by opting for the 316, if that is the guitar that sounds, plays, and feels the best to you. The 310, 312 and 314 are the same $ as the 316 as well.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

There will be absolutely no tonal difference between a Taylor finished in gloss or satin and also no difference between laminates covered in different veneer. IMO you would be better served by the all solid 314ce but you really can't go wrong with either guitar.

[a1terrier]

Got to thank you all for your helpful replies.
I feel like a bit of an intruder on here, not owning a Taylor yet, but it will happen, hopefully soon.

[Jason Paul]

Ha! Don't worry about not owning a Taylor yet. 

I did a pretty thorough comparison between the 314ce and the standard 214ce when I was shopping. I liked everything about the 314ce better, and just had to decide if I liked it so much more that it was worth the cost difference. I thought so, and bought the 314ce. The tone was noticeably fuller (especially when hearing it played by the store clerk - from the audience's perspective), plus with it being all solid, there's the chance of it opening up in the future. Add to that the full ES, hard case, plus some minor things personal to me. For example, I like the shape of the cutaway on the 314ce better than the 214ce, I like the black binding better than white binding, and I think I like the 1-3/4" nut better too.

I know you're talking about the koa 214ce, so it's a little different than the standard I was playing, but the tone would probably be about the same, since both are laminate.

Funny thing though, just a few hours ago I was in my local store and they have a couple of koa 214ce's. I wish I would have played one just so I'd be more prepared for this thread. I've played it before, but don't remember what I thought about it. I agree though, it sure looks nice.

Jason

[roadbiker]

Your decision should be made as if y9ou could play each one blindfolded. The Koa looks great for sure. I don't think you will hear a difference between satin of gloss. Each has their own advantages. Satin doesn't show fingerprints or smudges, but I prefer the look of gloss. Aside from that, my preference is always going to be an all solid construction - regardless of finish. As a matter of fact, my Epiphone is all solid and came with a satin finish. I bout it instead of a Taylor 114 because of the construction. I recently buffed the satin into a gloss finish.

Anyway, I think you'll notice more of a difference in the sound between solid and laminate than you could ever detect between satin and gloss.

I guess you know by now which guitar I would choose...
Jim

Welcome to UTGF! When you get your new guitar, you are obliged to show us with pictures :-)

[MDS08]

I played a lot of 214's a few weeks back between two different stores. I played the Koa, Sunburst  and the regular 214. Some were cutaways and some were not. I did think the Koa sounded a little different than the others, also the non cutaway was what I was after. I was very impresses with the gloss top satin back and sides, its very light weight and the tone I was after. There was one 214 that  for some reason just had that sound which was better than any ot the other 214's. The satin might let the sound vibrate a little more, I would not pay tha much for a laminate guitar. I did buy a new 214 and got the best sounding one out of the bunch as least to my ears. I sold my Mini and made the deal. I was happy. I think the gloss might hold the sound in a little more because its a sealed finish. I don't think the average person could tell or an average player. I'm no pro by any means but I can play well enough to please a lot of people including myself.



edited for price

[oatordeal]

agree with most of 'em. an all solid back and sides makes a whole lot of difference than a laminate one. so go with the 314/316. you should try it for yourself if it's possible

[Nomad]

I think the gloss might hold the sound in a little more because its a sealed finish.

Could you explain in more detail what you mean by that? It doesn't really make sense because satin finished guitars are sealed, also.

[maritimer]

A thicker finish will slightly slow the vibration although most would not notice it.   The result would be a slightly dampened sound and is much more apparent with the top vs the back and sides.  Take a snare drum for example.  Put a piece of tape on it and see what it does.  Obviously a lacquer or nitro finish would not have as drastic effect but an effect nonetheless.

[Nomad]

I think the affect, if any, is one that could only be measured with sensitive electronic test equipment, and not ever perceived by the human ear. The "gloss or satin" debate is one purely of aesthetics.

Is it possible to glob on enough laquer to deaden the sound of a guitar? In theory, sure it is. No guitar company in their right mind would do it, though, so it's a non-issue. That said, I'm still interested in MDS08's opinion, as he's the one who brought up the "sealed finish".