Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF

Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 08:55:35 AM

Title: jumbo question
Post by: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 08:55:35 AM
Just to give y'all a little background, I do not own a Taylor yet, but I am currently in the market for one. I have been visiting guitar shops here in Oklahoma City trying to find the one that "speaks" to me. While in Guitar Center yesterday, I played a 2011 615ce. It played like butter. I think the tone may be a little too bassy for me, but good grief it was smooth! The action seemed really low and it just blew me away! I played pretty much every other Taylor they had in stock, about 15 or so. They were all VERY nice guitars, but their feel was totally different.  Later that day, I found myself thinking about that jumbo and couldn't figure out what the difference was. I called guitar center to ask if perhaps that particular guitar had already been set up while maybe the others were all like they come from the factory. The guy that answered the phone said that their techs set up about 80% of the premium guitars, but if I would like to come back in...blah, blah, buy something, blah. I guess I am gonna have to go back in, and ask their tech. I was just wondering if you guys could enlighten me any. As i understand it the jumbo would have mediums, whereas the x14's (which I went in looking for) have lights. I don't understand why that jumbo was SOOOO much easier to play. It was the only jumbo they had, (I know they didn't make any for 2012) so I didn't get to compare it to another.  Does anyone have any idea? Other than that it was set up differenly? I just cant see their tech setting up one taylor, out of a wall of them, so totally different.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: dmccrider on November 22, 2012, 12:12:34 PM
I was at the Taylor factory yesterday (see thread "Take a look inside the Taylor factory") and played a jumbo 815ce that was amazing! I don't know what they do to them but I was totally not expecting to get blown away like that, it was the best sounding instrument there, and there were some nice ones! Here's a piece of info you should know, Taylor has recently discontinued production of the jumbo so inventory on new jumbos are about to get very slim. 
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: dmccrider on November 23, 2012, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?

I was told from a Taylor employee they would no longer be producing the jumbos
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Herb Hunter on November 23, 2012, 08:03:22 AM
Quote from: dmccrider on November 23, 2012, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?

I was told from a Taylor employee they would no longer be producing the jumbos


The LKSM and LKSM-6 are two jumbos Taylor guitars that are still being produced. That fact alone would tend to discredit the employee's claim unless there was some misunderstanding about it.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: michaelw on November 23, 2012, 10:14:37 AM
i doubt that the tech at GC would do little more than adjust the neck relief & lower the
saddle (maybe), but seeing that it's a 2011 model, they may  have put light gauge strings on it

Quote from: dmccrider on November 23, 2012, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?

I was told from a Taylor employee they would no longer be producing the jumbos
there is a photo of a prototype jumbo (http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/543513_10150940604922232_484209496_n.jpg) on Taylor's FB page & there has also been more
than one instance that stated the jumbo was on hiatus & being revoiced on Taylor's site -
granted anything is subject to change, but i imagine there is still a pretty sizable market for jumbos
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: ttfireman on November 24, 2012, 07:16:46 PM
Quote from: michaelw on November 23, 2012, 10:14:37 AM
i doubt that the tech at GC would do little more than adjust the neck relief & lower the
saddle (maybe), but seeing that it's a 2011 model, they may  have put light gauge strings on it


So are you saying that GC put light strings on it or did Taylor make some 2011 jumbos with lights?
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: michaelw on December 06, 2012, 11:00:13 AM
it used to be that one could specify the string gauge for the guitar to be set up with when ordering a new one -
i imagine a 615ce would be a stock model for GC & that it would have originally been delivered with mediums, but
sseing that it's a 2011 model, it's likely that strings have been replaced on it & maybe a set of lights were put on
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: egkor on December 06, 2012, 07:55:33 PM
If you found a late model (2011 or pre) 615ce that was easy to play and sounded good then (of course depending on pricing) Grab It!

I had the opposite experience with a 615ce in my city, it was hard to play and sounded dead no matter what I tried (that I could do in my 30-day trial period).

I would have liked to have found that one that "plays like butta" 615ce.  I'm a fan of the 614/615/616ce Taylors.

-Gary K
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: ttfireman on December 07, 2012, 05:59:12 PM
A little update. I went back to GC a couple of days ago to talk to them in person. Apparently it was a "custom job" that was never picked up. When it came in the guy that ordered it had already bought another guitar. I didnt really see anything about it to make me believe it was BTO. I think they just specifically asked Taylor for a tobacco burst 615ce, or maybe traded with another store.
He did say, however, that they set up all of their Taylors with lights. Other than that he was unable to give me a good answer as to what was different. Who knows? Maybe I just happened to find that one guitar that speaks to me.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Andromeda on December 15, 2012, 07:42:21 PM
Quote from: michaelw on November 23, 2012, 10:14:37 AM
i doubt that the tech at GC would do little more than adjust the neck relief & lower the
saddle (maybe), but seeing that it's a 2011 model, they may  have put light gauge strings on it

Quote from: dmccrider on November 23, 2012, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?

I was told from a Taylor employee they would no longer be producing the jumbos
there is a photo of a prototype jumbo (http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/543513_10150940604922232_484209496_n.jpg) on Taylor's FB page & there has also been more
than one instance that stated the jumbo was on hiatus & being revoiced on Taylor's site -
granted anything is subject to change, but i imagine there is still a pretty sizable market for jumbos

That prototype looks small for a jumbo!
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: michaelw on December 17, 2012, 07:09:42 PM
to me, the lower bout appears larger & more rounded than a GS, with the
waist contour not being quite as tight as even the most recent jumbo (11) -
Taylor's first 2 models were the jumbo & dreadnought (the X12 started in 84), so unless the
jumbo BTO is going to be removed next year (& DN3) i'll wait to hear a report from winter NAMM

as there are 100/200s being made in el cajon, perhaps there will be some things 'put-on-hold'
because even if the tooling is done, any new/redesigned models will have to sell  & most recently
it seems the standard models that are 'flying-off-the-shelves' are GS minis & baby Taylors -
i find it odd that there was no mention of the 210/214ce LTD koas (they just 'popped-up' on dealer sites) :-\
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: dsamuel24 on December 22, 2012, 02:02:44 AM
Quote from: Andromeda on December 15, 2012, 07:42:21 PM
Quote from: michaelw on November 23, 2012, 10:14:37 AM
i doubt that the tech at GC would do little more than adjust the neck relief & lower the
saddle (maybe), but seeing that it's a 2011 model, they may  have put light gauge strings on it

Quote from: dmccrider on November 23, 2012, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: ttfireman on November 22, 2012, 09:34:35 PM
Discontinued? I thought they were just "revoicing" them?

I was told from a Taylor employee they would no longer be producing the jumbos
there is a photo of a prototype jumbo (http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/543513_10150940604922232_484209496_n.jpg) on Taylor's FB page & there has also been more
than one instance that stated the jumbo was on hiatus & being revoiced on Taylor's site -
granted anything is subject to change, but i imagine there is still a pretty sizable market for jumbos

That prototype looks small for a jumbo!

Yeah, that's no Jumbo. If that's a Taylor jumbo I suddenly am no longer a fan. I have 3 jumbos (615ce, 315ce & Alvarez 5072) and love the jumbo body style above all others. I would find it very hard to believe that Taylor would turn its back on the shape that started it all, or that they would turn it into something that looks exactly like a GS.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Herb Hunter on December 22, 2012, 07:48:06 AM
Quote from: dsamuel24 on December 22, 2012, 02:02:44 AM


Yeah, that's no Jumbo. If that's a Taylor jumbo I suddenly am no longer a fan. I have 3 jumbos (615ce, 315ce & Alvarez 5072) and love the jumbo body style above all others. I would find it very hard to believe that Taylor would turn its back on the shape that started it all, or that they would turn it into something that looks exactly like a GS.


It seems to me that the reason Taylor is revising its jumbo design is to better differentiate it from the GS body style not to minimize the differences between the two styles.


I wonder if the guitar in question is the new model that Andy designed.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Edward on December 22, 2012, 12:53:36 PM
Hmmm, granted it's a prototype, but having seen/played a few other Taylor protos, they were not far from the final result (at least in my very limited experience).  So if that is, indeed, the shape they are going with, it had better sound amazingly fantastic as I am completely put off by its non-jumbo size and shape.  Time will tell, of course ...wouldn't be the first time I'd have to eat my words (I thought rap was going to be a passing fad ..."hoping" actually, but that's a different story ;)  ).

Edward
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Herb Hunter on December 22, 2012, 02:18:34 PM
Quote from: Edward on December 22, 2012, 12:53:36 PM
Hmmm, granted it's a prototype, but having seen/played a few other Taylor protos, they were not far from the final result (at least in my very limited experience).  So if that is, indeed, the shape they are going with, it had better sound amazingly fantastic as I am completely put off by its non-jumbo size and shape.  Time will tell, of course ...wouldn't be the first time I'd have to eat my words (I thought rap was going to be a passing fad ..."hoping" actually, but that's a different story ;)  ).

Edward


I neither think the guitar in question is a jumbo nor intended to replace the jumbo. I was wondering if it was a prototype of the guitar that Andy Powers has developed which, as I understand it, has anything to do with the jumbos.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: PureTone on December 22, 2012, 02:58:42 PM
Quote from: Herb Hunter on December 05, 2012, 03:02:57 PM
forums are not a reliable source of authoritative information. Therefore, you should verify the information offered in forum posts by consulting with the manufacturer.
Maybe you can send a facebook message.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150940604922232&set=pb.13839982231.-2207520000.1356205613&type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150940604922232&set=pb.13839982231.-2207520000.1356205613&type=3&theater)
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: mikeguywest on December 22, 2012, 03:57:45 PM
Taylor has been hush, hush, understandably about the jumbo. The fact is for a lot of players the jumbo is too big, and simply uncomfortable to play. However, the sound is great (for we who love jumbos) and would be a travesty to see the jumbo go away. Taylor would lose some market share there as well. What I got from a Taylor rep at a FYF event a few months ago was that it was being redesigned to give that same great jumbo sound, but somehow making it smaller in the right places for us arm-length-challenged folks. I went back and forth between getting a GS8e and a Jumbo at that event and went ahead and decided on the GS8. That said, the Jumbo also had a distinct voice that I was looking for, but I couldn't afford both :-\. On Taylor's FB page I posted a pic of a rumored prototype, but TG is just saying "Stay tuned." :) I guess we will. Looking forward to the next W&S mag.
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: mgap on December 22, 2012, 06:32:08 PM
Quote from: Edward on December 22, 2012, 12:53:36 PM
Hmmm, granted it's a prototype, but having seen/played a few other Taylor protos, they were not far from the final result (at least in my very limited experience).  So if that is, indeed, the shape they are going with, it had better sound amazingly fantastic as I am completely put off by its non-jumbo size and shape.  Time will tell, of course ...wouldn't be the first time I'd have to eat my words (I thought rap was going to be a passing fad ..."hoping" actually, but that's a different story ;)  ).

Edward
I agree completely with everything you said Edward.  Including the part about Rap music.  ;D by the way isn't that a oxymoron Rap music?
Title: Re: jumbo question
Post by: Herb Hunter on December 22, 2012, 07:21:05 PM
Quote from: PureTone on December 22, 2012, 02:58:42 PM
Quote from: Herb Hunter on December 05, 2012, 03:02:57 PM
forums are not a reliable source of authoritative information. Therefore, you should verify the information offered in forum posts by consulting with the manufacturer.
Maybe you can send a facebook message.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150940604922232&set=pb.13839982231.-2207520000.1356205613&type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150940604922232&set=pb.13839982231.-2207520000.1356205613&type=3&theater)


Apparently, I was wrong, the text beneath the photograph says it is a jumbo prototype:



Taylor Guitars (http://www.facebook.com/taylorguitars)

Bob Taylor recently worked with country star Zac Brown to help him complete the interior of his new Southern Ground Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Bob provided beautiful figured koa for the floor, which also features custom inlay work by Taylor luthier Andy Powers. Pictured: Zac with a new Taylor 13-fret maple Jumbo prototype. Zac Brown Band (http://www.facebook.com/zacbrownband?group_id=0) have a new record coming out next month called Uncaged, and as a thank-you for pre-orders, they’re offering the single “The Wind.” http://atlr.ec/KrfV5F (http://atlr.ec/KrfV5F)[/size][/font]