NGD - 2010 Taylor 315ce... I drove from Denver to Rapid City to get her!

[dsamuel24]

That's funny Cindy, that you should (lightheartedly) focus in on the MILEAGE I get in my Suburban right off.

Hee-hee! I always loved math, and as soon as I started reading your post, the wheels started turning in my head.

You mentioned the high winds with your son driving...parts of the New Jersey turnpike don't have any trees or buildings on the sides for protection. During high winds, they sometimes ban trailers and motorcycles. I've found that when I open both back side windows about 4", it allows some of the air to pass through the vehicle which stops most of the buffeting from happening. Of course during heavy rains, this isn't the best thing to do. If no one is riding in the back, the cold air shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Your son sounds like an exceptional young man with all his musical talent!

Thanks for the remark about my son... yes, truly amazing, that kid.

Regarding the drive (especially in high winds), I'm not sure opening the windows would help much (maybe it would), but I'm also not sure if I'd trade the buffeting for the noise and the cold??    Interesting. As far as mileage goes, I decided going in that I'd take this gorgeous looker in exchange for some $$ at the pump... as with guitars, I'm as much about aesthetics as anything else. 

[michaelw]

nice looking ride
i had the 04 model with the silverado 'truck front end' & having driven shorter wheel base SUVs & pick ups. i have
found that this size (LWB) seems to be most stable & on pick ups, 4WD is a must (for me) for all-weather traction

the 300 series was african mahogany (khaya) from 04-06 & these models did not have bound fretboards -
i would love to find a late 06 310 model, as i feel khaya is more reminiscient of mahogany in terms of density/tone

there are other builders that are using sapele more widely now & i believe that Taylor
stopped using khaya due to a uncertainty of supply for instrument grade quality wood

enjoy that 315ce

[dsamuel24]

nice looking ride
i had the 04 model with the silverado 'truck front end' & having driven shorter wheel base SUVs & pick ups. i have
found that this size (LWB) seems to be most stable & on pick ups, 4WD is a must (for me) for all-weather traction

I agree... in Colorado, 4WD is mandatory, and I love the wheel base/footprint of the Suburban vs the Tahoe/Yukon & other smaller SUV's. I owned the 2001 Yukon XL before this 2008 Burb, and I love the new body style and amenities so much!

the 300 series was african mahogany (khaya) from 04-06 & these models did not have bound fretboards - i would love to find a late 06 310 model, as i feel khaya is more reminiscient of mahogany in terms of density/tone

there are other builders that are using sapele more widely now & i believe that Taylor stopped using khaya due to a uncertainty of supply for instrument grade quality wood

enjoy that 315ce

Thanks for the info, but I am a bit confused. My 2010 315ce does NOT have a bound fretboard, and the wood on the back and sides of my 315 looks very much like the mahogany on my Alvarez, Ventura, and Cort/Parkwood Jumbos/MJs, and not at all like the "stripey, orangey" wood on the back of the 314s and GSminis I have seen that are, to me, what Sapele looks like. I am pretty sure that the wood on my 2010 315 is not the same wood that is on the back of ANY 314/310 or GSmini I have ever seen.

Any chance Taylor used a different wood (a different Sapele, or an African Mahogany) on the Jumobs vs. the GA/DN models?

[michaelw]

nice looking ride
i had the 04 model with the silverado 'truck front end' & having driven shorter wheel base SUVs & pick ups. i have
found that this size (LWB) seems to be most stable & on pick ups, 4WD is a must (for me) for all-weather traction

I agree... in Colorado, 4WD is mandatory, and I love the wheel base/footprint of the Suburban vs the Tahoe/Yukon & other smaller SUV's. I owned the 2001 Yukon XL before this 2008 Burb, and I love the new body style and amenities so much!

the 300 series was african mahogany (khaya) from 04-06 & these models did not have bound fretboards - i would love to find a late 06 310 model, as i feel khaya is more reminiscient of mahogany in terms of density/tone

there are other builders that are using sapele more widely now & i believe that Taylor stopped using khaya due to a uncertainty of supply for instrument grade quality wood

enjoy that 315ce

Thanks for the info, but I am a bit confused. My 2010 315ce does NOT have a bound fretboard, and the wood on the back and sides of my 315 looks very much like the mahogany on my Alvarez, Ventura, and Cort/Parkwood Jumbos/MJs, and not at all like the "stripey, orangey" wood on the back of the 314s and GSminis I have seen that are, to me, what Sapele looks like. I am pretty sure that the wood on my 2010 315 is not the same wood that is on the back of ANY 314/310 or GSmini I have ever seen.

Any chance Taylor used a different wood (a different Sapele, or an African Mahogany) on the Jumobs vs. the GA/DN models?

hi dustin,
i am a bit confused as well, as the 07-11 300 series models i've seen have had black fretboard binding &
the scarfjoint headstock - your 2010 315ce is the very first one i've heard of that has a unbound fingerboard

from your pics, i know yours has the scarfjoint headstock & i'm trying very hard to look, but i
can't seem to make out what looks (to me) to be uncovered fret ends on the neck of the guitar

to me, your guitar appears to be made of sapele, as the ribbon figuring is quite straight -
there is always the possibility that there may be wider wood sets (2 piece back with 17" lower bout) that have varying
grain patterns from the GA/DN models & once there are more 316ce's available, it may be apparent in those models also

here's a pic of a 98 314ce - the sapele on it has very little/faint striping in the grain pattern

here's a 04 314cL30 - some of the khaya models had a good bit of arched 'ribbon' figure

& this is a pic of a mahogany (perhaps honduran?) 96 410

the figuring on the back of this 316ce looks more reminscent of khaya, to me (nice bear-claw top too)
http://davesguitar.com/products/taylor/316ce-2012-version/

whereas the back of this 316ce is closer to the grain pattern i've seen in most recent sapele models
http://www.myfavoriteguitars.com/product.php?productid=17357&cat=0&page=1&featured
the case on that one looks like it is a deluxe hardshell, made in tecate, unlike the other GS cases i've seen

sorry i can't be of more help -
calling Taylor Customer Service with your serial # would verify with the
utmost certainty the wood that is used on the back & sides of your 315ce

i also like the bookmatched, spherical areas of figuring near
the top & bottom of the lower bout on your 315ce ... very 

[Cindy]

the figuring on the back of this 316ce looks more reminscent of khaya, to me (nice bear-claw top too)
http://davesguitar.com/products/taylor/316ce-2012-version/

My 2011 314ce has the same type of wood on its back like the 316ce has, Michael. I always wondered what it might be. And it isn't all red either...more brown mixed in with the red.

I once asked Taylor's customer service if they ever used khaya on their older models, but I was told no. I believe I was told they've used African Mahogany though (if I am remembering correctly).

[michaelw]

the figuring on the back of this 316ce looks more reminscent of khaya, to me (nice bear-claw top too)
http://davesguitar.com/products/taylor/316ce-2012-version/

My 2011 314ce has the same type of wood on its back like the 316ce has, Michael. I always wondered what it might be. And it isn't all red either...more brown mixed in with the red.

I once asked Taylor's customer service if they ever used khaya on their older models, but I was told no. I believe I was told they've used African Mahogany though (if I am remembering correctly).

hi Cindy,
i believe that there is good amount of variation in coloration/grain patterns &
on that particular example, it reminds me more of khaya in appearance

although this not an 'official' link, it is from 2007
http://topguitars.info/guitars/view/500/27/default.html
the description of the 300 series matches the info that is current
http://www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Acoustic-Electric/300/

i don't want to make it seem like i'm disagreeing with the CSR that you spoke with &
there is always the possibility the information on the website was incorrect, just
as specifications can change without notice (materials used for inlays, for example) &
based on the 04 314cL30 i had, that guitar did not feel or sound like sapele to me

african mahogany (khaya anthoheca)
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/WoodType.aspx?type=African+Mahogany

it is entirely possible that there could be some wood/sets left from 2006/earlier,
as i've seen some 03 800 series guitars that had a red purfling back centerstrip,
which was the same purfling as the one on a 97 814c i had a few years back

in 98, the 300 series was shown as being made with sapele 'mahogany'
http://www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Archive/Older/archive/300.html
& the description was unchanged through 2000 (also in printed catalogs)

in 01, the 'mahogany' part of the label was dropped & it was simply sapele
http://www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Archive/Older/300.html

this seems to be the most recent description - i wish the scentific names were listed here
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/BodyWoods/?bw=sapele

a non-tonewood site (entandrophragma cylindricum) - noted 'no real relation' to khaya
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sapele/

but here, sapele, khaya & mahogany seems to be 'in the large family'
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantklm/khayaantho.htm

i don't know ... i  got nuthin

[beachbum205]

Awesome guitar and story!

Taylor jumbos sound great- I used to have a 415 and really enjoyed it- sort of wish I never let it go.

Best wishes with your new guitar!