Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: Christhee68 on April 04, 2017, 03:52:31 AM
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My 15 year old recently started showing an interest in playing guitar. She picked up my Telecaster and played and sang a song after about 15 minutes of me showing her the chords, so in my mind, she's a natural.
Of course this makes me fast forward to the near future when she become obsessed with guitar and wants to spend most of her free time jamming with her dad 8) and getting her first guitar.
I've seen a lot of good things about the Academy Series (mostly from the Taylor marketing department) and I know the GS Mini gets lots of praise as do the 100 and 200 series guitars. So the question is which is best for her to start on but she will not "outgrow" any time soon? I'm thinking a 114 or 214 should do the trick, but that the others mentioned may be more affordable. Which leads back to a "starter" guitar and then upgrading at some point. I've always been a proponent of "buy nice or buy twice" but I know even the entry level Taylor are great.
She's average size for a female, about 5'6" and thin build with average sized hands for a girl, so I don't think she "needs" a mini guitar, but I know the GS Mini gets rave reviews for playablity, portability, and tone, so I wouldn't rule that out, but I'm leaning toward a full size guitar mainly because that's what I'm used to.
Thanks for your input. Hopefully sometime in the near future I'll post a NGD for my daughter and show some clips of her skills far outpacing those of her old dad.
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Having only recently put hands on an Academy Series guitar for the first time, my impression of it was largely positive for the market segment at which it's aimed: namely, first-time players. Now that the current 100 Series has transitioned to a body using a Walnut laminate, the Academy Series is perhaps best thought of as a 'legacy' 100 Series guitar (Sapele laminate) -- with a few extras like an armrest bevel (which is, frankly, little more than a strategically-angled and -tapered cut in the body that functionally mimics the more aesthetically-pleasing high-dollar armrest option that Taylor has offered for years now) and an onboard pickup with built-in chromatic tuner. So in my mind, the Academy and 100 Series guitars are essentially equivalent, with only some features and aesthetics providing the distinction. And they both sound fine.
200-Series guitars, to me, are 100-Series guitars with some upgraded aesthetics: different (more 'traditional,' perhaps more 'exotic') wood laminates like Rosewood and Koa with gloss finishes. So basically you're getting a prettier 100-Series guitar for you money -- the cost justification for which is left to the consumer. There's not likely to be a significant difference in tone between all these laminate-body guitars, though...
The GS Mini is definitely a great little guitar, but in my mind it's really in its 'sweet zone' when employed as a travel guitar, not as a primary guitar. And given the miniscule price difference between it and the Academy Series, I'd personally lean more heavily toward the latter in a situation like yours.
But in the end it really boils down to: which guitar best suits your daughter and her playing style? Have her try them all and see which she likes best.
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I agree with timfitz63: your best bet is to let your daughter play them all and see which she prefers.
I also agree that the GS Mini is a nice travel guitar, but shouldn't be thought of as a primary instrument. I would lean towards the 100 series or, if the Academy series is equivalent to the 100 series, then I would look at them as well. And a used 300 series may not be much more expensive, so I'd keep that in mind, too.
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The Academy 12 seems like it could be a solid option. The gc body is mich more comfortable to me than the ga (I'm a relatively short guy at 5'9"). The armrest seems like it would also really add to the comfort. Plus, if Taylor's pitch on the Academy series is to give you a guitar that makes the first experience as fun/easy/pleasurable as possible, and inspires the beginner want to keep playing, then it seems like it could be a perfect fit?
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OR another option:
Get her a GS Mini koa, and when she outgrows it or upgrades you "borrow it" for a while (:whispers: foreeeeever)
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OR another option:
Get her a GS Mini koa, and when she outgrows it or upgrades you "borrow it" for a while (:whispers: foreeeeever)
Maybe I should just get her a 710e. ;D
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Good quality solid body electric guitars are much easier to play, and many good inexpensive ones are available now. The T-caster is a fine instrument. Let her take a few lessons with it, and once she gets a good handle on the basics, check out some acoustics. When I was a kid taking lessons, there were many students that quit because their parents, well meaning of course, started them on an acoustic. The big body, thicker neck, flat fingerboard and tighter round wound strings just turned them off. The "tone" just didn't seem to matter much in the beginning. Go to a big store like Guitar Center and let her try some. The more involved she is, the more likely she'll stay with it.
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She's average size for a female, about 5'6" and thin build with average sized hands for a girl, so I don't think she "needs" a mini guitar, but I know the GS Mini gets rave reviews for playablity, portability, and tone, so I wouldn't rule that out, but I'm leaning toward a full size guitar mainly because that's what I'm used to.
My sister is the same height as your daughter with petite hands as well and she does nicely with the 712 12 fret and the 412 Taylors she owns. Like others mentioned, I'd steer away from the GS Mini, the tone just isn't there for a primary guitar. Pretty sure Taylor has some 1 11/16" width neck models and while 1/16" doesn't seem like much of a difference, it could well be for someone with small hands.
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I think the Academy A12 has a lot going for it being GC size with an armrest, especially if you can get 12 fret steel string. I think the nylon 12 fret has 13/16 nut that might not suit a beginner.
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Don't forget the Academy series are a shorter Gibson scale length (24.75 vice 25.5) which is easier on a girl's (assumedly) smaller hands.