What model(s) are you playing & what do you enjoy most about it (them) ?

[michaelw]

Michael, you have a ziricote Taylor?!! Do you have any pics? PLEASE! I've seen a few pics of Ziricote but not sure if they were Taylors. Would you believe when I was narrowing down choices for my BTO, I asked a Taylor rep about ziricote? They didn't have any.

hi Cindy,
if i recall correctly, i think a music store in SC (Woody's) said that a BTO guitar
they had made (it may have been 3 years ago) with ziricote was the 'last set'

here are your pics
02 814ceLTD CustomShop - single ring ab rosette, progressive diamond inlays

mexican ziricote back, mahogany neck, gold Grovers with ebony buttons

old growth redwood top - heavily silked & grain lines so tight, it's about impossible to count them

close up of the back - now i know why they use the term 'Disneywood' (it looks like it was 'air-brushed')

cutway (treble) side with flamed koa binding

close up of the fretboard - the neck binding has so much figure, the flame can be seen on the edges

last one - yep, had a Fishman OnBoard Stereo Blender in there - an LR Baggs iMix OnBoard took its place


as far as i know, i believe this is the only redwood/ziricote GA Taylor has ever built (this one's 9 years old) -
if not, i don't know of another one with a cutaway, pre-Standard II bracing, fingerjoint headstock & onboard EQ

if you think you might be interested some time in the future, i'll keep you in mind -
if perhaps, some day in the future, your 914ce might be looking for a new home ...
anything's possible

hey Tom,
i noticed your avatar & your sig ...
did you get your Kenny back ?

cool 

[davwir]

That Ziricote and Redwood 814 is phenomenal..
What a great and unique rarity indeed..
Was that a one-off, or a limited series I havent seen before?

[cjd-player]

here are your pics
02 814ceLTD CustomShop - ziricote headstock overlay, progressive diamond fretboard inlays

 

Michael, that is a phenomenal looking guitar.  I just love old redwood tops.  That one reminds me of the redwood-topped custom 812ce I once had.

[Cindy]

Michael, your is one phenomenal looking guitar! Thanks for posting the pics! And I bet it sounds wonderful, too! My 914ce has been up for sale on the other forum for a while now. I keep getting requests to send it overseas, but I don't want to risk it. Now that Josh has a for sale section, I'll have to get it moved over here. I came down on the price and had expected it would sell quickly. Oh well...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233174

[Cindy]

Michael, how would you describe the tone of the ziricote/redwood? I've only heard audio clips of ziricote, but I don't think they had redwood tops. How might it compare to rosewood/spruce or even ovangkol/sitka? More or less lows? How about mids? Is there treble to it? I've heard the 514 and 714 with cedar tops. How does redwood compare to cedar or spruce? Thanks for any info! I'm definitely interested!

[Saxacat]

I play a GA-Ke and it’s hard to describe what I enjoy most about playing it; it just makes me smile. The action, the sound, even the smell it's just wonderful.

As I'm not very good at playing I also enjoy listening to someone else playing it. When my daughter visits with her fiancé (who is a good guitar player) I get the Taylor out for him to play and for me to listen, and even though he’s an electric guitars player, he never has to be asked twice to play the Taylor. He doesn’t quite drool, but it’s a close thing (wouldn't let him play it if he drooled for real  )

Not the most artistic photo, but does the job. I'm thinking-up better compositions for the competition.

[michaelw]

That Ziricote and Redwood 814 is phenomenal..
What a great and unique rarity indeed..
Was that a one-off, or a limited series I havent seen before?

thanks dave

it is a 'hybrid' of sorts -
it's based on a 02 814LTD, which had the single ring abalone rosette, sitka top,
cocobolo back/sides & headstock overlay, with a choice of either koa or maple binding

here's a link to the 'standard' LTD - (that one has maple binding
http://artisanguitars.com/2002-taylor-814ce-limited-edition-sitkacocobolo-w-fishman-pickup/

the sitka top was upgraded to redwood, ziricote took the place of cocobolo (headstock overlay also, added the option of
ebony buttons (no fingerprints & less weight than the metal ones) & i decided to go with the koa binding because i thought
it would be a better match with the darker woods & with the satin neck, the neck binding would contiue to look 'clean'

it was an 'untried' & 'untested' combination - i liked the warmth of the redwood top on a 814ce i'd tried &
i liked the presence & 'directness' of the ziricote on a engelmann top GC GSST model that i heard, so i figured
why not put the 2 together with the GA body & see 'what happens' ... it took some getting used to initially

[michaelw]

Michael, that is a phenomenal looking guitar.  I just love old redwood tops.  That one reminds me of the redwood-topped custom 812ce I once had.

thanks, cjd

i remember seeing your guitar over at the other place -
there was some pretty nice redwood available back then (02-03)

much of the 'non-sinker' redwood i've seen more recently is more like a cedar top in appearance,
but darker in color & i like the 'snappier' response of a stiffer redwood top - more 'headroom' too

[michaelw]

Michael, your is one phenomenal looking guitar! Thanks for posting the pics! And I bet it sounds wonderful, too! My 914ce has been up for sale on the other forum for a while now. I keep getting requests to send it overseas, but I don't want to risk it. Now that Josh has a for sale section, I'll have to get it moved over here. I came down on the price and had expected it would sell quickly. Oh well...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233174

thanks, Cindy

good luck on the sale of your 914ce -
that is a very nice guitar & i especially like the tobaccobust engelmann top

i hope it finds its new owner soon

Michael, how would you describe the tone of the ziricote/redwood? I've only heard audio clips of ziricote, but I don't think they had redwood tops. How might it compare to rosewood/spruce or even ovangkol/sitka? More or less lows? How about mids? Is there treble to it? I've heard the 514 and 714 with cedar tops. How does redwood compare to cedar or spruce? Thanks for any info! I'm definitely interested!

i'll try my best - what i've experienced is mostly Taylors & mostly GA bodies

redwood, to me, sounds like taking the warmth of cedar & the 'snap' of sitka spruce, but like ovangkol
with it's 'mahogany like mids & rosewood like lows', it takes a little from both without sound like either
in that it still has a very unique tone & response - like a cedar top that can be strummed as aggressively
if not more so, than sitka, while retaining warmth, clarity & definition with a 'darker' overall voice

ziricote is a very dense hardwood, but it has deep bass, very direct mids & more 'fcoused' trebles -
compared to brazilian rosewood, i think the ziricote has a 'thicker' tone in that it is more direct &
 more fullness in the low end, the mids are warmer & the trebles are not quite as 'sparkly'

i would venture to guess that the closest standard LTD model i've heard tone-wise would be
cedar/cocobolo, with that combo having more 'shimmer', with an overall 'lighter' tone & not as much
'depth' or 'heaviness' - it is really difficult to describe because the tone is very 'un Taylor-like' ... in a good way

[michaelw]

... I play a GA-Ke and it’s hard to describe what I enjoy most about playing it; it just makes me smile. The action, the sound, even the smell it's just wonderful...

hi Saxacat
WELCOME !i think the first reason that you stated is the best one

the figuring on the koa of your GA-Ke is absolutely beautiful -
it is very pronounced & the detail readily seen, even in a small pic

good to have you here

[Saxacat]

Hi michaelw,

Thanks for the kind comments, I do like the koa. Originally I was after a 614, but there were none in stock, so I cast my eye around and the koa stood out straight away. The deal offered because of the roadshow, meant I stayed in budget (more or less  )

[dcarey]

A shoulder injury forced me to sell my large bodied guitars and the -12/GC series are VERY comfortable for these old bones!
Stick a Larrivee Parlor in the soup and I'm quite happy thank you!






Dan

[jrporter]

I'm cheating a little because I don't actually have a Taylor right now although I've owned a 214, 455, GS8, and an 810. When ever I go into Guitar Center to audition guitars, I kind of feel like Goldilocks when I arrive at the 814ce (closest thing to the GA8 I want), and declare it to be just the right combination of tone, playability, and comfort...

[cigarfan]

My short scales and 12-fret get the most action because they are so comfortable to play. Doesn't mean I don't share the love.

[BlackCats]

Not knowing much about guitars other than I wanted a good quality entry level I purchased a DN210. It’s been a great guitar to learn the basics on plus it handled my hard (newbie) strumming. I also like the no worry laminated back and sides. My interest has shifted away from strumming and more towards Travis picking so I’m thinking for retirement a 12 fret GA with no cutaway or electronics may be in the future plans.