Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: Black Beauty on June 17, 2012, 05:33:59 PM
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I think we've had a tonewood poll already but I didn't see a topwood one. Bob Taylor has said that the topwood makes up 90% of the guitar's tone. I'm going by Taylor's BTO sheet. Some people may say: "Well, it depends on what the tonewood is." But just imagine this - if you could only have one guitar for life, and it was a BTO, which topwood would you select (with your tonewood of choice)?
I purchased a 716ce with an Engelmann top because when I was comparing Engelmann to Sitka on an 814ce and an 914ce with those tops (respectively) at the store I found Engelmann was much smoother for fingerpicking. At first I didn't like the compressed sound when I strummed... But then after playing for a few more hours I realised that the Sitka was all over the place, it was like playing a piano with the sustain pedal pressed down the whole time without lifting your foot (that is an extreme example and it was nowhere that bad, but gives you an idea of what I mean).
I've only ever had one experience with an Adirondack top, it was a Collings DS2HA - couldn't stand the absolute lack of sustain - whether or not it was due to the Adirondack top or short scale or just how a Collings sounds I don't know, but it makes me wary of purchasing a guitar with that top without playing it first. I have been tempted to buy the 514CE-WW with it though.
Finally, Cedar. I've loved the sound of Cedar on a 714ce. It actually sounded very good when strummed hard, such beautiful bass response and after playing it in the shop, the 814ce and 614ce and definitely the Fall 2011 Koa GA all sounded weak and sharp in comparison (an OM body all-Mahogany Santa Cruz which I later tried blew its bass response out of the water but that's beside the point). But when I tried it on a 716ce it sounded horrible - far too muddy. The tone, whether strummed or fingerpicked, sounds like something that would be more suitable for rhythm guitar though, like having a bass player in a band to back up the guitarist, in my opinion, hence why if I was only to buy one guitar for solo performances (which is what I usually do), I would not choose this top.
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Everyone has his or her personal preferences. Mine is sinker redwood because I can finger pick it and enjoy the full tonal range I'd get from cedar and the headroom and clarity I get from sitka. Whether I'm gentle or assertive with a pick, every note is distinct. Oh, and it ain't bad-looking either.
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Cedar to me is the most versatile especially paired with rosewood but b/s are not part of this particular poll. Redwood comes in a very close second and depending on the pairing would rank number one for me. I have both natural and sinker redwood and have a very difficult time distinguishing a difference.
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Well as you can see from my signature, I own most of these, because they all have something different to offer. If I could only own one guitar, I suppose I'd choose engelmann, because it tends to live in the midrange of the tonal spectrum.
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there was a tonewood (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=135.0) poll about 6 months ago (with top woods)
it'll be interesting to see how much of a change there is in preferences, as there were about 130 members
here back then, compared to 6x the # there are now - has it been that long & has this place grown that much ???
unless it was noted in a post, there is no way to know which combination seems to be most
'popular' (if it is sitka/rosewood, closely followed by redwood, or cedar/cocobolo)
some others - perhaps this should be made into a 'sticky'
models (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=59)
configuration (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=1104)
series (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=10)
electronics (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=839.0)
t5 tops (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=316.0)
how long have you been playing Taylors (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=99)
how many Taylors do you currently own (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=187)
what year model Taylor(s) do you currently own (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=231.0)
how much would you spend (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=260.0)
wishful thinking options (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=191)
wishful thinking XX4 series (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=1536)
tuners (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=29)
tuner buttons (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=1083)
string height (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=810)
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I had to go with the KOA, as If I had too choose . My Kenny Logging Signature Model doe's it for me. It would be the last Taylor standing.
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I picked Koa as well. My 2011 Fall Limited changed my perception on Koa as a tonewood.... to my ears, sounds better than my spruce-topped 814ce and 416ce LTD-R. Beauty and the Beast all in one guitar.