Taylor 100/200 1 piece back?

[stillsteven]

Hi everyone! My name is Steven and I'm new to this forum. I hope I can learn a thing or two and I look forward to have some good conversation with you all!

I've owned a few Taylor guitars over the years and today I have a question about the very first guitar that started it all. Recently, I brought my Taylor 110 to a local dealer to get neck adjustments. That's when one of the staff asked where did I get this guitar. According to him, my guitar has a 1-piece back sapele veneer. He said he's never seen anything other than 2-piece/bookmatched back on Taylors, let alone on laminated models. In my 12 years with this guitar I have never noticed it but now when I take a closer look, it seems different than my other Taylors. It is asymmetrical and no seams down the middle or anywhere on the back no matter how close I look at it. It could just be a perfectly glued seam BUT the middle grain line from the upper part of the body (neck side) does not align to the middle of the lower bout. I will share pictures of it if any of you would like to take a look for yourself. I bought it from a local music store in Nov/Dec 2008, it is an older (May 2008) model w/ rosewood fretboard/bridge, satin body finish as opposed to varnish typical of 2009-present 100 series and mahogany neck instead of sapele.

Have you had an experience with non-bookmatched back especially on 100/200 models?

What are the pros/cons (if any)?

I would like to hear your stories and thoughts on this. Thank you and have a great weekend!

Steven

[beachbum205]

I have owned and played a number of 1 or 2 series Taylors- (all of them great BTW) and every one has had a non-braced one piece curved back. In fact, it is one of the best features of these guitars because it enables excellent projection.

This is not a great revelation. I'm guessing the tech you talked to wasn't very knowledgeable about the Taylor line.

And BTW, welcome!

[Edward]

Hey Steven,

First off, welcome aboard!

I don't have enough hands-on experience with the 100s/200s except to say that these are great guitars that need no explanation!  I've helped two friends pick up used 100s, and I love my 210, and I've seen/played some along the way.  Bottom line: the 1-pc vs 2- pc backs are incidental and cosmetic only, neither having an advantage except in how one appreciates this or that aesthetic.  My 210 happens to be a 2-pc that is wonderfully bookmatched, but perhaps that's because it is RW b/s which is likely harder to procure in widths than sapele; a pure guess on my part, btw.

It really is all about what wood Taylor has at a given time.  They have used 3 piece backs, presumably because it is perfectly good wood that they refuse to dismiss despite it not being wide enough for a 2-pc back: hence, a "wedge" as an aesthetic nod to make it work because it is still good wood that they won't waste.  This has been common practice over their decades of building, and likewise a choice other brands make.  That you have a 1-pc is a nice find.  No better or worse, but a nice aesthetic touch that you can definitely feel good about having as it is clearly less common. 

Edward

[stillsteven]

This is not a great revelation. I'm guessing the tech you talked to wasn't very knowledgeable about the Taylor line.

Ha! Exactly what I thought. My guess is stores don't get shipments of guitars as frequently here in BC, Canada. So he may not have many experience (compared to those in the US) with Taylor or any other brands for that matter. For us canadians, often times we don't get many options to choose from. Popular model like 314ce even went out of stock last time I checked.

Bottom line: the 1-pc vs 2- pc backs are incidental and cosmetic only, neither having an advantage except in how one appreciates this or that aesthetic.  My 210 happens to be a 2-pc that is wonderfully bookmatched, but perhaps that's because it is RW b/s which is likely harder to procure in widths than sapele; a pure guess on my part, btw.

Hi Edward, thanks for the info. To be honest, I kinda prefer the aesthetic of a bookmatched back like that of my 414ce-r. There's something about the look of bookmatched RW that hits differently (at least to me). But I have to agree with you 100s/200s are well built guitars that sound great. They have a knack for surprising me with their sound.

[Earl]

The Baby pioneered the use of a arched back with no bracing back in 1996.  Then the 100 and 200 series have carried that design on as a manufacturing cost-saving measure to meet a given retail price point.  Since the back is laminated, it is possible that they got lucky with a singe full-width piece of veneer that was usable.  Either way, this is only cosmetic and nothing to worry about.

My 114ce is in Wasilla, Alaska at guitar camp starting today (I'm not ) so it is not possible to look at it and see how book matched - or not - the back might be.