after almost 50 yrs of 12 strings I wanted to start playing a little 6 string ( playing with tracks and capo issues with the 12 string)...first tried a GS8 but after yrs of 12ers the sound "seemed" a little dull to me and I couldn't adjust to the med strings, sent it back.....several of you here kept suggesting the 514e-FLTD so I ordered one and hit a "home run"...absolutely love that guitar...so much so I didn't want to gig with it so I set out to find me a less expensive workhorse guitar...bid on a couple used 314s and kept losing the auction at the very end...hmmmm, must be a sign...ordered a 414ce next but wasn't really moved by the ovangkol sound either..sent it back too....michael turned me on to the WW CVs...sent for the 516ce WW CV and it's pretty awesome...thought that would be the one but every time I pulled out my 514e-FLTD I realized I was spoiled by that sound and nothing I had tried in the store or bought on line had come close...just figured there was no Taylor for 500-1000 less than my 514 that would have a sound I could live with.....started thinking "crazy" like maybe bite the bullet and buy another 514 LTD and beat the heck out of it and save one for special occasions (little bit insane I know)...don't know exactly how the all hog thing came about, maybe it was the wife who said one night while I was explaining all these guitars with all these woods and sounds (she's so nice to listen)... she suddenly blurted out "why do they all have white tops?" well, so I get the highs I like cuz I was thinkin' I had to have spruce.....but I started reading the W&S on mahogany and askin' you all about the 52X series and then I asked my buddies at my local store if they had any coming...they didn't but they called Taylor and changed the order and got me one to try.....you know the rest...so close to my 514...best way I can describe it so far...a light strum on the 514, all 6 strings ring out and all 6 equal in volume and sustain.....then a light strum on the 524, all 6 strings ring out but the middle 4 have just a touch more volume and sustain.....but I can even make up for that by strumming a little closer to the bridge and a little heavier strum...that's it......and when I use my percussion style rhythm that bluesy bass sound is more than I imagined could come out of the 524, and the highs are still there.....these new ones have the HD Lights too, so I don't know how much, if any, that changes the sound of previous 524s.....I'll probably try the standard lights next while waiting for the HDs to hit the stores.....what I find magical about the 524 is how well it plays through my Bose L1 along with tracks...that slight diff from the 514 make it a perfect fit to gig with....and it doesn't hurt that even though I didn't "pick this one out" with on line pictures, the grain in this hog is beautiful.....yeah, magical...I believe this one was just meant to be.....I've become a GA believer and a Mahogany believer.........(for now) ha ha.....thanks a million again to every one of you who has read my ramblings and given me opinions and advice! Make music, my friends, and put a smile on someone's face!
