Taylor 614ceFE First Edition First Play

[Jersey tuning]

I am still a 614ce owner.  Compared with my other key 6-strings (Custom Taylor, Froggy, Tacoma), its' sound disappoints me.  I would love to hear the new model, but my local GC's are criminally devoid of quality Taylors (yesterday there was nothing higher than a 400 series at GC).

[guitarsrsoawesome]

I am still a 614ce owner.  Compared with my other key 6-strings (Custom Taylor, Froggy, Tacoma), its' sound disappoints me.  I would love to hear the new model, but my local GC's are criminally devoid of quality Taylors (yesterday there was nothing higher than a 400 series at GC).

LOL, is it wrong that I actually thought reading your post that it's better that a GC not have the higher end Taylors because they can get so mistreated hanging in their high end acoustic room for people to just pull down from the wall and throttle and bash?  It would be tough for me to buy another high end guitar from our local GC (that's been there any length of time) just knowing what goes on in that room...as far as large box stores go, I think Sam Ash is onto something by keeping their high end acoustics behind a counter for the sales person to pull down by request.

[Jersey tuning]

Yet one of the east's foremost guitar stores, Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island, allows guitarists unrestricted access to all their instruments, including 50G+ guits in their highest end room(read 1930's Martins, D'Angelicos, etc)

[guitarsrsoawesome]

Yet one of the east's foremost guitar stores, Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island, allows guitarists unrestricted access to all their instruments, including 50G+ guits in their highest end room(read 1930's Martins, D'Angelicos, etc)

Wow, that's amazing!  I guess what goes wrong at my local GC is that a lot of times what goes on in that room is unsupervised and guitars get banged up in there.  Maybe that's a product of the room being hidden in the back through the cheaper acoustics.  I'd love to see Mandolin brothers.  Maybe all their guitars are out in the open where sales people can make sure those expensive guits are being properly handled?

PS. Maybe I'm a little more sensitive about this issue because a GS8 I bought at GC had to be returned due to damage.

[guitarsrsoawesome]

Just got this link in my email from Taylor with their web page discussing all the ins and outs of the 6 series:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/series/600/story?utm_source=Insider+-+Jan+2015+-+600s+V2+&utm_campaign=2015+600s+Insider+-+Grp+B&utm_medium=email

[Jersey tuning]

Yet one of the east's foremost guitar stores, Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island, allows guitarists unrestricted access to all their instruments, including 50G+ guits in their highest end room(read 1930's Martins, D'Angelicos, etc)

Wow, that's amazing!  I guess what goes wrong at my local GC is that a lot of times what goes on in that room is unsupervised and guitars get banged up in there.  Maybe that's a product of the room being hidden in the back through the cheaper acoustics.  I'd love to see Mandolin brothers.  Maybe all their guitars are out in the open where sales people can make sure those expensive guits are being properly handled?

PS. Maybe I'm a little more sensitive about this issue because a GS8 I bought at GC had to be returned due to damage.

I would have to say Mandolin Brothers customers appreciate fine instruments and treat them accordingly

[AVTaylor83]

Concur.  Everyone has their own tastes -- which is seemingly why Taylor offers so many different lines with different wood combinations.  I guess that I tend to be a purist, and would prefer to just let Maple be Maple, and Mahogany be Mahogany, and Rosewood be Rosewood -- and let the consumer choose which tone suits them best -- rather than offering a 'Rosehogany'-sounding Maple that gives no one an option for that really bright tone...

Eh, I guess the sales numbers will ultimately decide this debate...

I too share some concerns about the direction Taylor appears to be taking.  I haven't gotten to play a 614FE yet, so I can't speak from experience yet on that one.  However, based on my test of the new 814, and the description of some reviews I've heard from other posters on the 614FE, and the sound clips...it appears Taylor is moving in the direction of bracing its guitars for a more mellow "traditional" sound closer to Martin and Gibson (not all the way but more that direction).  After reading all the marketing materials and hearing the talk...that's what I'm taking away from it.  That just doesn't appeal to me.   I discovered Taylors in the first place because I loved that contemporary 'sparkle' that set them apart from Martin and Gibson.  With the CV bracing and GS models, Taylor was looking to add more low end to their tonal spectrum...and those were widely successful.  It enhanced their characteristic tone that was already there.  But now I get the impression they're almost trying to remake that tone.  I can see the logic in making maple a more viable tonewood option for the future...but I'm wondering if some of these newer adjustments are change for the sake of change.  I just hope they don't revoice EVERY series this radically.  Tweaks are good, giving everyone options is good.  But making every guitar more 'mellow' and calling it tonal enhancement, unless you want to build your own, doesn't excite me.  But that may not be what they're going to do.  I'm just a bit suspicious.  I don't want Taylor's tone to become the new ES...if you know what I mean.

[Guitarsan]

This is a really great summary and just out. Right from Andy's mouth. Do yourself a favor and play through powered speakers or good headphones or earbuds.....

https://pegheadnation.com/instruments-gear/new-gear/taylor-announces-new-600-series/

[Guitarsan]

....and I was just told Taylor won't have my 656ce-FE ready until mid-February.... time to play what I got! 

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/656ce

[guitarsrsoawesome]

....and I was just told Taylor won't have my 656ce-FE ready until mid-February.... time to play what I got! 

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/656ce

guitarsan, I love, love, love the new stain on the back and sides.  I know you must feel like there's been a break in the space time continuum waiting for it and that  t  i  m  e    i  s    m  o  v  i  n  g     v   e   r    y      s    l    o     w    l    y...

[timfitz63]

Great conversation. Have either of you read the Acoustic magazine articles?

No, I haven't, Scott.  I don't dispute that you've accurately paraphrased what they've reported.  So regardless of how the tonal changes are being portrayed by Acoustic Magazine, or by Taylor in the latest issue of Wood & Steel, I've played the guitar for myself, and I'm sorry, but I'm just not that charged about it.  I've given my opinion of what I think is the rationale behind the new 600 Series, and I think I've defended my perspective well enough -- regardless of what Acoustic Magazine has to say on the topic.  It's all opinion -- and I've never portrayed it as otherwise.

I appreciate that you're enthusiastic about the new 600 Series, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your new 656ce when it finally does arrive.  But the bottom line is that I like Taylor's bright-sounding Maple guitars -- whether or not that bracing is technically 'ideal' for Maple -- so I'll just keep my 'legacy' 656ce, and we can both enjoy our respective Taylor 12-string guitars.

[guitarsrsoawesome]

Great conversation. Have either of you read the Acoustic magazine articles?

No, I haven't, Scott.  I don't dispute that you've accurately paraphrased what they've reported.  So regardless of how the tonal changes are being portrayed by Acoustic Magazine, or by Taylor in the latest issue of Wood & Steel, I've played the guitar for myself, and I'm sorry, but I'm just not that charged about it.

I appreciate that you're enthusiastic about the new 600 Series, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your new 656ce when it finally does arrive.  But the bottom line is that I like Taylor's bright-sounding Maple guitars -- whether or not that bracing is technically 'ideal' for Maple -- so I'll just keep my 'legacy' 656ce, and we can both enjoy our respective Taylor 12-string guitars.

I'd bet they'd sound amazing played together   Would probably blend like a dream.

[timfitz63]

Great conversation. Have either of you read the Acoustic magazine articles?

No, I haven't, Scott.  I don't dispute that you've accurately paraphrased what they've reported.  So regardless of how the tonal changes are being portrayed by Acoustic Magazine, or by Taylor in the latest issue of Wood & Steel, I've played the guitar for myself, and I'm sorry, but I'm just not that charged about it.  I've given my opinion of what I think is the rationale behind the new 600 Series, and I think I've defended my perspective well enough -- regardless of what Acoustic Magazine has to say on the topic.  It's all opinion -- and I've never portrayed it as otherwise.

I appreciate that you're enthusiastic about the new 600 Series, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your new 656ce when it finally does arrive.  But the bottom line is that I like Taylor's bright-sounding Maple guitars -- whether or not that bracing is technically 'ideal' for Maple -- so I'll just keep my 'legacy' 656ce, and we can both enjoy our respective Taylor 12-string guitars.

I'd bet they'd sound amazing played together   Would probably blend like a dream.

You might be onto something there...

[Huw1952]

Just a quick comment. Having listened to the demo of the new 618 from the Taylor link I have to agree with previous posters who say they have made the maple guitar sound more like a Rosewood/Mahogany guitar. I compared it to a demo to the previous 618 and that sounds much brighter than the 2015 model which has a warmer/richer sound. To my ears I prefer the previous version sonically. I own Taylor 110E and 210Es so love the ringing highs they have. The new 618 looks great, but I'll be looking for a 2013 model soon!

[guitarsrsoawesome]

Just a quick comment. Having listened to the demo of the new 618 from the Taylor link I have to agree with previous posters who say they have made the maple guitar sound more like a Rosewood/Mahogany guitar. I compared it to a demo to the previous 618 and that sounds much brighter than the 2015 model which has a warmer/richer sound. To my ears I prefer the previous version sonically. I own Taylor 110E and 210Es so love the ringing highs they have. The new 618 looks great, but I'll be looking for a 2013 model soon!

FWIW, Huw, I personally would want to A/B the guitars in person, rather than going by recordings.  There are so many variables in recording that could change the actual tonaity of the guitars. particularly if recorded in different settings/rooms with different mics and different engineers, that I would definitely want to see them in person before making that kind of decision.  Just my two cents