Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: Strumming Fool on February 11, 2012, 11:14:25 AM
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Since I acquired my first Taylor in 1997, I have continued to experiment with different premium guitar brands. The other brands have come and gone while I continued to acquire Taylors. Yesterday, my last "other brand" guitar was placed on consignment at Martin Music, Memphis TN. It was a beautiful Larrivee OM10K with Jean Larrivee's reserve koa. However, it had to go so I could pick up the guitar now listed first in my signature. This 17 year old beauty doesn't have a scratch on it from the original owner.
For those who are not familiar with the history, Taylor first introduced the grand auditorium (IMO, Taylor's most iconic guitar shape) in 1994 on its 20th anniversary as a limited edition. In 1995, Taylor continued to offer limited editions of the new shape in sets of 100 of different wood combinations. The sitka/koa guitar pictured below is #62 of 100 of this series. Its 17-year-old sound is big, bold and so-o-o-o sweet! And its looks are special. This is the first time, Taylor used what we now know as the koa series inlay. The binding is rosewood with blue purfling, and the soundhole is also bound in rosewood. The abalone is very rainbowish green heart. The koa looks almost edible like good caramel should! I love the wide-diameter rosette and "smiley" bridge that typified the mid nineties Taylors. And the pink poodle case is in near-mint condition as well! Here are some photos:
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Dorafullfront.jpg)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Dorafullback.jpg)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Dorathreequarter.jpg)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Doracloseupback.jpg)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Doracloseupfront.jpg)
I'm psyched!!!
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Congrats - She's a beauty!!!
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Wow. I can see why you wanted to buy that one!
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Gorgeous! The koa looks like smoooooth satin, what a beauty.
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Absolutely stunning. Makes you want to pick it up and play it. You made the right decision, I'm sure.
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Yessssiree, that's a beauty, no doubt. Extra special just because of what it is; congrats!
BTW, I miss the Taylor "smiley" of old ...wonder why they ditched it? Perhaps they thought it was not "serious" enough for a fine acoustic, or that they wanted more "traditional" ...whatever the reason, I miss it. Thanks for sharing SF!
Edward
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Yessssiree, that's a beauty, no doubt. Extra special just because of what it is; congrats!
BTW, I miss the Taylor "smiley" of old ...wonder why they ditched it? Perhaps they thought it was not "serious" enough for a fine acoustic, or that they wanted more "traditional" ...whatever the reason, I miss it. Thanks for sharing SF!
Edward
As I recall, the smiley bridge was more difficult to tool on a mass scale, and Bob Taylor felt that it offered no real advantage as far as tone, intonation, etc. However, I think that it remains a part of the allure of 90s Taylors...
Thanks to all for your supportive replies!
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That's a stunner! Congrats. The more pictures I see here makes me realize that we all need to get together so we can experience them in person ;D
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Wow. I can see why you wanted to buy that one!
That's a stunner! Congrats. The more pictures I see here makes me realize that we all need to get together so we can experience them in person ;D
i agree :D
congrats on the 'time-capsule' GA-KS, strumming :)
when i started reading your thread & saw that your larrivee was on consignment,
i thought 'it must be a pretty special guitar to warrant letting the larry go' ...
then i scrolled down & saw the pics :o
i'll bet it has the tone to match ... very cool 8)
so ... when are we gonna have our first unofficial 'jam event party extravaganza' ???
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had to wipe the drool of my phones screen, thanks alot!!!
lol awesome, wish I could hear it!
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:o :o :o :-*
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That's a stunning guitar! I bet it sounds as good as it looks.
JIm
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That's a stunning guitar! I bet it sounds as good as it looks.
JIm
I've had a chance to play her a bit more now. She has aged beautifully. The tightness or muted tone of koa when new is all but gone. She sounds somewhat mahogany-ish, with a bit more chime - not as woody. Taylor had access to some nice sitka spruce back in '95. The cross-silking is about as much as I've ever seen. My wife says that the top reminds her of some of the older Martins of the past, and I can't disagree. This guitar is a keeper that compliments my other four Taylor GAs nicely.
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Really a nice guitar you scored there! I especially like the actual cut ablone as opposed to the new stuff that looks crushed and placed on flexible strips. That stuff seems to be everywhere now!
Again, very, very nice!
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Beautiful guitar!! I ahve one of the Taylor 20th anniversary models in limited edition introducing the GA body style? I have a GA-KC (koa/cedar) and she is a spectacular guitar.
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Beautiful guitar!! I ahve one of the Taylor 20th anniversary models in limited edition introducing the GA body style? I have a GA-KC (koa/cedar) and she is a spectacular guitar.
That's a combo I've always wanted to hear. I'll bet that the cedar makes the koa sound better out of the box. How would you describe its sound? Do you have any photos?
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I've always liked the distinctive, wide-diameter rosette that 900 series and some limited edition models had in the '90s. I hope that if I ever decide to have Taylor build me a made-to-order guitar, I will be able to specify that rosette.