Hi,
This was my guitar week last week (I'm catching up)...
I purchased a new 114e walnut because it sounded really good that day at the mega-store, but I sure wasn't planning on buying. Should not have gone to the back room. Sigh. Well, I was able to fingerpick on it with ease and I couldn't believe it, like it came back from nowhere. So Taylor got me there.
Coincidentally, awhile back I had already become intrigued looking at the '90s string-through bridge / smaller body / all solid-wood / one-piece neck Taylor guitars. I have a '60s Harmony Sovereign that is string-through and ladder braced, and it's really a great guitar, besides giving your palm a very comfortable place to rest via the smooth bridge top. The Jimmy Page/Pete Townshend one.
So it happened I acquired this '90s 412 mahogany (on the left) and this '96 rosewood 422R (far right, showing the back). They were entirely reasonable in comparison to higher model Taylors. Coming back to fingerpicking after many years, I thought these guitars suited the bill.
In order, I like the brand new 114e with laminate ("layered,", lol) walnut the best, and the rosewood 422R almost as much. BUT...I don't mind the mahogany 412 at all. It's really even, great sustain, but just not as "deep"sounding as the other two. I plan to use the other two for retired rock star acoustic gigging.
So for a guy not much into Taylors (I'm into the other ones, you know), I have to say I super like everything I've purchased. They are really fun to play. And I like variety, at a lower price point.
What's the bracing on those 400 series Taylors from the '90s? And actually I would keep those all tuned down one whole step (and slack all the strings when stored).
