Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
The Lounge => The Lounge => Topic started by: solosdad on March 04, 2012, 10:13:27 AM
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Hi everyone, I wrote a lengthy post on the AGF on this topic and it seems to be a fun one from the responses so far. Let's hear yours!
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I'm new to guitars only having played for over one year! My first great moment was last August. I was given a personal tour of the Martin factory and I was allowed to play briefly a Custom Shop OM on it's way to Jon Garon of MFG! I had the best time that day learning how Martins are built and what differentiates the different Dreadnaughts. I'm not in the music biz, simply the Martin folks are just plainly that nice. When Scott took me to lunch I asked him why I was given a personal tour and he answered because I asked! My thanks has to go to Joe "Mac" for making that happen. On my return trip to NYC that afternoon I managed to get myself lost in the PA countryside for a couple of hours. I finally swallowed my pride and went into a Pennsylvania Highway Patrol office near Nazareth and explained my plight. The officer practically fell off of his chair laughing when I explained being lost as I let it slip that I have worked for AAA for 40+ years in California. On my direct trip back to the "City" I remember hearing "Made In America" on XM the Highway and Trace Adkins was being interviewed by Stormy Warren. When Trace was informed by Stormy that Toby Keith in the video of that song was playing a Takamine guitar, his comment was "that just ain't right". Prophetic given I was driving back from the Martin factory!
My next guitar shop experience was in NYC at Rudys Music one week later. I was going home that evening so I decided I would go to Rudys SOHO as I had heard this was the "Rodeo Drive" of guitar shops. IT WAS! When I walked up from the Subway there was a torrential rain. I found my way to Rudys and Gordon the store manager welcomed me. I made it clear to him that I was new to guitars and simply wanted to see and play some custom acoustics. I was the only customer in the store. Gordon spent the next 1 1/2 hours bringing guitars to me in the acoustic room, Froggys, Collings, H&D, Martins, and Santa Cruz. Gordon a former touring guitarist, played for me as well any of the guitars that I wanted. It could not have been more fun. I would have been thrilled to take home any of them! I did find the one and next year will buy it! Built in a California town with a great old rollercoaster!
My most recent great guitar shop experience was in January at L.A. Guitar Sales on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Ted and Helene hosted a Martin Custom Shop presentation with Ed Golden the Custom Shop manager. Just as Ed was getting ready to start his presentation Laurence Juber arrived with his wife and at the invitation of Ed gave an impromptu concert for about 20 minutes. This was my first time hearing a signature artist live. It was great! Laurence played his new custom model OMC Adi/Koa (only 25 made) which he said had opened up after 6 months of play. I also got to see and play the new Custom Shop models that were at NAMM the week before. Ted and Helene could not be nicer or more helpful, having bought 3 guitars from them previously I can attest to their being no better place to buy a guitar. Ted made my experiences in purchasing guitars great. It was a great night with a lot of friendly people of all different levels of musicianship. My best skill with a guitar is taking it down from a wall and returning it without bumping it!
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Bob Millner
2010 Taylor 814 ce fall ltd. 12 fret
2011 Martin OM 15 Custom
2010 Yamaha LL16
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Not sure exactly what you are looking for here ... but I have a couple of stories ...
The first was when I went to little local shop back in the late 70's and found an old Yamaha FG-300 red label ... sweet guitar I used for gigging for several years ... recorded nice too ... unfortunately, I sold it to a friend when I went off to college ... she still has it ... tried to buy it back ... couldn't pry it out of her hands ... but I do have dibs on it if she ever decides to part with it ... :D
The second is when I got my 414ce Spring Ltd Sitka/Walnut ... went in the shop, thought it looked nice, picked it up and played and it connected ... went back 3 times to try and talk myself out of it 8) ... finally decided to sell some stuff and go back for it ... brought it home ...
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fun topic...
Last October or so - Guitar Center in Pasadena, CA... went there to test drive a few few Ovations and went deeper into the humidor... picked up a Taylor 110 and on the first strum I knew I had to have one... Did the AB thing with a few other Taylor models but that particular 110 was in perfect form and could not be surpassed...
Nope - did not buy it on the spot - waited a couple months and got the 210 because of the white binding...
If it's still there - go get it - sounds like a harp.
Carl
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nearly 10 years ago, first saturday in april
(http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/44609/2930845630081788860S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/3338/2124908660081788860S600x600Q85.jpg)
the guitar was nice, but the event was amazing - the guitar is gone, but i still remember that day
just over 3 weeks ago
(http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/48949/2406847630081788860S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/50071/2867068600081788860S600x600Q85.jpg)
last friday, talking to Barney :D
... may 22nd should be another memorable day as well :)
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There you go again michael ... that blue Taylor is killing me ... :o
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Two stories here:
1997: I was at a Guitar Center in Chandler AZ, planning to custom order a Martin. As I was reviewing the specs with the sales person, I kept glancing again and again at a wild-looking guitar hanging on the wall in the acoustic room, until I had to point and ask, "What is that?" "That" happened to be a Taylor Cujo14, which I proceeded to test drive, and promptly forget all about the Martin idea. I took Cujo home that day. Several weeks later, I visited the same store for a few odds and ends, and the sales person told me that at least five people had since revisited the store looking for that Cujo, only to be told, "If you snooze, you lose!". So glad I brought this one home, as it began my almost 15-year love affair with Taylor GAs (see signature).
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/Cujo-fullfront.jpg)
2011: I went to Martin Music in Memphis TN to pick up my BTO that had just arrived. I played it for a couple of minutes while my lovely wife settled up, and then hurried home with my new addition. The staff remarked that they had never seen me spend such a short time in the shop as I did that day!
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa445/abpurfling/11BTO-fullfront.jpg)
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A friend and I stopped in a LIttle mom and pop shop...had nothing but low budget imports...Owner was 80 and just had the shop forr something to do.... Noticed on the wall were 2 guitars hanging for display and decoration....1st one was a 66 B 25 .had a crack on the back and the bridge was lifting ..played Good....The secomd one was a Gibson 1946 BANNER HEAD... It had a crack in the top some one had tried to pry the off the bridge ! leaving 2 holes size of a quarter..Needed a neck set... also a Big crack on the back.. ..on displa with it was a newapaper showing the original owner playing that guitar Sooo aske if he wanted to sell them...( my friend !s a luthier ) I bought the B 25 witha hard case.for $ X00 !....I hear my friend negotiating for the Banner head...He paid $ X00 !! for a display guitar I really thought He had lost his mind!!...END of story he repaired it and sold it to a dealer friend for ~~~~$ XX00 ...He did an amazing job of restoring it...That was 15 yrs ago and the late 1940 BANNER HEAD models now sell in the $ X000 range ...That was a GREAT DAY for guitar browsing ...... " Its all about the HUNT"
edited for price
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Stopped into Chuck Levin's (best shop in my area) like I do every couple months or so and asked the acoustic guy if I could noodle some like usual. Told him I had been looking for a Taylor 2011 Spring GS-LTD Mahogany and to please check inventory. In a few minutes he came back and told me they didn't have one. No surprise, most places I had checked did not. I played for a while and just fell in love with the sound of this Taylor GA-K. I was smitten. While I'm sitting there playing, just pondering the ramifications of spending the bucks, he came back with a couple cases saying they were from a recent road show they did and hadn't been checked back into inventory. He cracks open the first one and there is the GS-LTD I have been looking for. Gorgeous! So I play it for 2 minutes and knew it was the one. But ... what about ... what about the GA-K? I'm still taken with it as well. The guy just about hit the floor when I told him I was taking them both. I have interviewed many a guitar at Chuck's for many years without buying a single one (funny how that happens when you got no money). Felt good to make Paul's sales quota for the week not to mention the double NGD.
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Bought a GS8 from a guitar center in Charlotte, NC with setup issues and buzzing that couldn't be resolved, so I returned it and and drove to Woody's Music in Rock Hill, SC, where the manager, Ed, gave me the same discounted price that the GS8 had been selling for at the Guitar Center. I've been going to him ever since. Got my soloamp there as well as my GS Mini Mahogany. He's treated me so well, and even let my St. Bernard come into the Taylor Road Show! Here's some pics, one of my guitars, the other of the dog!
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