2015 612ce 12 Fret FE

[milo_otis]

I've now had a chance to spend a few days with a re-voiced 612ce 12-fret. Though I wish that I was as impressed as most folks seem to be with the changes to the series, I'm not. However the time that I got to spend with it just made me even happier with the three Taylor's that I do have. Maybe the body size and/or 12-fret configuration just didn't do it justice. After about a day and a half comparing it to my 522ce 12 fret I came up with a few key differences and similarities. The 612 had a very solid and present bass, was even across the register, very responsive and was effortless to play. The 522ce had a spongy bass, great immediate attack, nice blooming and focused mids and crisp highs. The 612, while even across the spectrum, was almost fuzzy in the mids and the treble was definitely lacking giving my ear the impression of imbalance while the 522 though technically more focused seemed balanced by its drier tones. The sustain was pretty even since the 612ce would hold a note for roughly 5-7 seconds and then quickly decay. The 522ce would hold a note for 4-6 seconds and slowly decay for 1-2 seconds more. For Gypsy jazz and blues, the 522ce handled that type of thumping and picking with ease while the 612ce didn't really seem like it wanted to hold up and just didn't having that driving focus. Finger picking was so easy with the 612 and a light touch had great results. What kept getting at me were those fuzzy mids and cut highs. It really didn't do justice for pieces where I wanted sparkle and every note to be heard with out fighting each other. So though I have to push my 522ce a bit to get to the same volume, I have absolutely no fear about the notes not being clear enough or the highs not sparkling.

I also got to compare the 612ce to an 812ce 12-fret and though there are similarities, I felt like the 812ce had just a touch more volume. Yes, the bass wasn't as solid, but those sparkling highs and slightly dampened mids make it a much better guitar for finger style, allowing note separation and allowing then to swirl, mingle and intertwine more musically.
Maybe the bigger body sizes are better. What did Timfitz call the new 600 series, Rosemahogany? I totally agree with that.

[Jersey tuning]

A little of the silk purse/sow's ear analogy, eh?  Surprising that the treble was lacking, although the 12-frets are definitely warmer than their 14 fret counterparts.  Have you tried 80/20 strings instead of the factory-installed PB's?

[krugjr]

your thoughts on this are greatly appreciated...

[timfitz63]

... What did Timfitz call the new 600 series, Rosemahogany? I totally agree with that.

"Rosehogany..."

It's good to hear your thoughts.  I haven't had an opportunity to try the 612ce FE 12-Fret, but my impressions were largely the same with every other configuration I have tried (614ce FE, 618e FE, & 656ce FE):  impressive bass from a Maple-bodied guitar, excellent clarity -- but something lacking on the treble end.

[Frettingflyer]

Your killing me, 812ce 12 fret delivered tonight, acclimating now! I have loved the 812 12 fret so much I didn't wait to try the 612. Thanks for your thoughts.

[milo_otis]

A little of the silk purse/sow's ear analogy, eh?  Surprising that the treble was lacking, although the 12-frets are definitely warmer than their 14 fret counterparts.  Have you tried 80/20 strings instead of the factory-installed PB's?

I guess so...well, it's not that I find maple to be unpleasant. I really enjoyed the legacy maple guitars and had wished that I could have found a 12 fret version of those, but as far I knew they weren't produced. I briefly did put 80/20's on this one and though it tightened the mids up slightly, the treble was still the same to my ear. I actually prefer 80/20's with maple and koa guitars and pb with mahogany and rosewood. Though rosewood also sound good with 85/15 mix to me.

Your killing me, 812ce 12 fret delivered tonight, acclimating now! I have loved the 812 12 fret so much I didn't wait to try the 612. Thanks for your thoughts.

I definitely am considering the 812 12-fret at my local music store to really round out everything. I'd be thrilled if the 812ce 12 fret or the 522ce 12-fret were my only guitar. There is just something so special about those guitars. That and the cedar topped 512 12-fret for folks with a light touch who are exclusively finger style players.

I forgot to mention as well that though the 600's are tonally linear and are more responsive to playing style variations, the 612 didn't respond well to a strict "classical style" right hand technique for me. It did just fine with a looser fingerpicking approach.

[Maximus]

Your killing me, 812ce 12 fret delivered tonight, acclimating now! I have loved the 812 12 fret so much I didn't wait to try the 612. Thanks for your thoughts.

Ha! I had the exact opposite experiance, in that I was waiting for the 612 12 Fret, but when I tried the reglaular 14 fret 612, I loved it so much I bought it without trying the 12 fret.    So far, I really love the new 612.

[Psi]

Out of interest milo_otis, do you play fingerstyle with nails? I have been thinking about a revoiced 612ce as my first Taylor and play fingerstlye with flesh rather than nails, and wondered if I may get a different sound to you, or maybe you also play with your finger pads? Thanks.

[Sprintbob]

I definitely am considering the 812 12-fret at my local music store to really round out everything. I'd be thrilled if the 812ce 12 fret or the 522ce 12-fret were my only guitar. There is just something so special about those guitars. Thatand the cedar topped 512 12-fret for folks with a light touch who are exclusively finger style players.

The 522 12 fret and the 812 12 fret have distinct personalities. I'm glad I can own both. I play fingerstyle with flesh tips and I've thought a 512 12 fret would be a nice addition. I believed the 612 would too similar to my 812 so I want to try out a 616 at some point.

[milo_otis]

Out of interest milo_otis, do you play fingerstyle with nails? I have been thinking about a revoiced 612ce as my first Taylor and play fingerstlye with flesh rather than nails, and wondered if I may get a different sound to you, or maybe you also play with your finger pads? Thanks.

I play finger style mostly with my nails, but I keep them just long enough to "brush" with my finger pads if desired for harmonics or for a mellowed out tone.

[milo_otis]

I definitely am considering the 812 12-fret at my local music store to really round out everything. I'd be thrilled if the 812ce 12 fret or the 522ce 12-fret were my only guitar. There is just something so special about those guitars. Thatand the cedar topped 512 12-fret for folks with a light touch who are exclusively finger style players.

The 522 12 fret and the 812 12 fret have distinct personalities. I'm glad I can own both. I play fingerstyle with flesh tips and I've thought a 512 12 fret would be a nice addition. I believed the 612 would too similar to my 812 so I want to try out a 616 at some point.

Yes, I find them very distinct and both being equally great. I still prefer the 522, but only by a small margin. The 612 was just too in between sounding. It was neither cold not hot just lukewarm. The legacy 616 was a great guitar and maybe the revoiced version will be great too. I'd get the impression that it would sound similar to a K26 with a bit more bass and touch less mids.