200 series Grand Auditorium

[Airborne]

New to guitar and basically just strumming basic open chords and learning strum patterns. In the future if I were to be interested in finger, and or flat picking, would the Grand Auditorium be a good choice? I do not gig, nor do I perform for others, just for my own pleasure. At present I have a Mini GS and would not part with it because all summer I'm in a camper rv and the reduced dimensions are a bonus. The Taylor website lauds the GA for its versatility. What is the opinion of the experienced? Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

[timfitz63]

I understand your trepidation with what might seem on the surface to be a manufacturer's marketing rhetoric about one of its products.  But the GA really is quite versatile and handles all playing styles quite well.  If you buy a GA, it will serve you just as well today for strumming as it will if you find yourself gravitating toward finger-style playing in the future.

[TaylorGirl]

I'm a 100% fingerpicker. I love the GA body size, because it is a nice all-around guitar for what I do. It gives that extra volume (from the GC) when needed, is comfy to play, and if I feel like strumming, I can do that too. It is a nice workhorse, imho. For me, it's my most widely used.

[Strumming Fool]

Same here - see my signature - all grand auditoriums.

[MrYelnats]

You cannot go wrong with a grand auditorium! Plenty of volume when fingerpicking...and the 214 is a great guitar for the money 

[Dakell]

I'm lusting mightily after a GS I've commented at length (some might say ad nauseum) about on this forum. I played it fingerstyle with a thumbpick and was impressed with its response over a typical dread. Now I'm reading yet a bigger Taylor body style might be better? I went to a store in town yesterday to look at Taylors and all they had was a baby and a few GS's. I'll have to say I'm ready to sell my belongings to buy one, but I'm still scheming on how to acquire my first love, that being the Custom GS with red cedar top and myrtlewood B&S. I fall asleep at night hearing the exquisite tone of that guitar!

[Dakell]

I'm lusting mightily after a GS I've commented at length (some might say ad nauseum) about on this forum. I played it fingerstyle with a thumbpick and was impressed with its response over a typical dread. Now I'm reading yet a bigger Taylor body style might be better? I went to a store in town yesterday to look at Taylors and all they had was a baby and a few GS's. I'll have to say I'm ready to sell my belongings to buy one, but I'm still scheming on how to acquire my first love, that being the Custom GS with red cedar top and myrtlewood B&S. I fall asleep at night hearing the exquisite tone of that guitar!

Figured it was time to let y'all see object of my desire!

[jrporter]

You can probably tell from the guitars in my signature what I think about Taylor Grand Auditorium models...

[Frettingflyer]

Although I prefer my GC's I strill love the GA guitars too. That said, make sure you check out the 214ce DLX models, I have seen a couple that held their own with the upper level Taylors and Martins in the room.
Almost can't go wrong with this one,

[tenbender]

A 214 would be a great choice for your next guitar. Bob Taylor refers to the Grand Auditorium as the Swiss army knife guitar. I played a 214 at guitar center recently and it had the best sound plugged in of any expression 2 I tried

[Gordo in OZ]

My 714 CE gets played a lot. It is indeed a Swiss army knife guitar. A great fingersytle instrument and a good strummer. I don't play bluegrass but I suspect that it would be good at that too. I like the CE because the cutaway cuts a bit of treble out and makes the guitar more mellow if that's the right word. Without the cutaway some Taylors can be a bit too high end dominant for my taste and style.