Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Welcome to the Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum! => Welcome to the UTGF! Please introduce Yourself! => Topic started by: pw217 on February 26, 2015, 06:17:33 PM
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I've always loved Taylor guitars but got away from playing guitar for over a decade. At Christmas, my husband said "what would you like?" and I replied "A guitar, I think. I'd like a Taylor, if I'm going to get what I want."
We went down to the local store and I played them all. I initially thought It'd get a T5zKoa top and just call it good but I'm such an acoustic lover that I was lost as soon as I started playing them. I was really torn between an 814CE that had no electronics and the K24CE. Both, tonally hit sweet spots (although quite different ones) for me.
Anyway, Christmas morning I opened up my new K24ce...my first Taylor
(http://lcimages.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v49/p185535458-4.jpg)
the cat admired but did not touch
(http://lcimages.zenfolio.com/img/s12/v179/p281129764-4.jpg)
My husband also has a couple of Taylor guitars...the Taylor SB Custom and a baby Taylor acoustic as well (that he picked up at Christmastime for himself).
I was sort of surprised, as I ventured out into the forums, how little love is given to Taylors in general. Many mainstream sites are quite dismissive. I love my new guitar though. I've waited a lot of years to choose exactly what I wanted and I could have picked anything...but I always came back to Taylor. So it was nice to see a forum devoted to the brand, "unofficial" or not.
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Welcome. What a way to make a splash with your first Taylor! A Koa Taylor is certainly high on my wish list.
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You definitely came to the right place if you want to talk Taylor :) Guitar enthusiasts can have their favorites, and a lot people are favoring Taylors these days. It's hard to turn on a TV and not see a Taylor, even in the country world where it seemed to be all Gibson in years past.
Your guitar is a beaut that any one would be envious to have. Now you and your husband can play your Taylors together!
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Thanks for the welcome, you guys. In choosing the guitar, I was really torn, because I'm a piano player (since childhood) so I usually prefer more deep, resonant tones (Koa being more mid-range...sometimes for years until it's opened up) but there was something about this guitar, from the moment I picked it up, that just spoke to me. I'm thinking that's how it should be...you just know if it's for you or not.
And guitarsrsoawesome, I'm just glad to find a place where people have similar thoughts/passions. I had gone to one guitar forum, initially looking for reviews on the different brands of strings and read where someone said that Taylors were "soulless" and I thought "they can't possibly have played one", at least not without prejudice. I mean I DO realize that there are brand preferences. I suppose I've got them to some extent. My electrics are brands I favor etc, but it's for their tones or playability; when something sways me, I don't really care what brand it is and I don't think I can randomly classify any one brand as soulless. lol Anyway, that's what brought me here. I started looking for an 814 (which I think I may still buy someday) and this forum popped up.
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LOL about the "Taylor's are soulless" rountine. I think we've all heard that before from the side of the world that likes boom, mud, and grit, whereas Taylor's are known for clean tones and clarity, though the GS and GO body styles can bring the boom and then some, but still maintain their sparkle.
Another reason they might say they're soul-less, too, may be due to the production consistency Taylor has been able to achieve (something to celebrate rather than deride). For the most part, each body style in each wood category you can expect the same results from a large percentage of the guitars. For example, if you had 10 of your koa's lined up in a row, one or two might just be off the chain amazing, one, or I should say, less than one might be unremarkable (it does happen, but not very often), while the ones in between will meet Taylor's high standards every single time. It's amazing how they take something organic and achieve that level of consistency. Taylor should be commended for this and I gather they are everyday that they outsell all the other acoustic guitar brands.
Another cool thing you said was that this particular koa spoke to you. When I got my most recent Taylor, this 514ce (hog/cedar) I was actually looking to add a GA maple to my GS8 Rosewood. I thought, I have the rosewood boom, might as well add some maple highs (this was pre Andy Powers maple). Went to the guitar store and played a bunch of guitars (maple, blackwood, etc.) and ended up on a completely different path than I ever expected, and found out that cedar topped guitars (and englemann spruce) are more for me than sitka. I just loved the warmth and how loud it could be with such a light touch finger picking. It was a big surprise, and a fun learning experience. From now on when it's time to look at guitars, I may go in with a plan, but I also want to be ready to find that one that speaks to me, the one I wasn't expecting: just like your experience.
Welcome again to this forum where you'll find a bunch of great people who love Taylor :)
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A late "welcome" to you. Wow, what a first Taylor to own! That K24ce is gorgeous. Watch the cat though, I think he's/she's getting ready to pounce. I also love the Taylor koa's. Have fun with it!
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Superb first choice of guitar! That is a lifetime keeper.
Just a word of warning though. Based on my experience, kitties just LOVE guitar cases, seeing them as cushy and expensive deluxe cat beds. The fur never goes away completely once they've been in there, no matter how much you vacuum or use lint rollers. My cat interferes with my practice routine. Whenever he hears the guitar being played in the living room, he comes in and wants to cuddle on my lap. That kinda interferes with proper playing position and technique, but it is super cute. :D