Hi all! Well I only have 1 Taylor, but I absolutely LOVE it!
It's been a smidgen more than a year since I purchased my new 2011 GS8e. I ordered it through Don and Marty and Wildwood Music in Ohio. When I place my order it, they didn't have any in stock, so it took about a month before I got it. It was awesome knowing that it was super fresh from El Cajon.
There is NOTHING like seeing the delivery guy come marching up to your door with that beautiful Taylor Guitars box. I immediately tore into it and couldn't believe the quality, grain of the wood etc. The sound was even more aweome. I know that every guitar owner goes through a "honeymoon" phase right after he/she gets it. I hope the following review will help those who might be interested in a GS8.
Playability: First of all most Taylors come stock with a 1 3/4" nut width. I have smaller hands, and I was used to playing my Alvarez which had a 1 11/16" width. It took a little while getting used to, but not long at all, given the ease at which Taylor guitars play. The medium strings were the hardest to overcome. The Alvarez was strung using lights. My fingers wanted to die for the first couple of weeks. My fingers are now used to it, and I've come to love the bolder sound of the mediums.
Sound/Tone: This GS8, sounds like a church bell! Really loud, but not an annoyingly so. The sound is rich and full. I couldn't believe the difference in sound between the GS8 and my other guitar. The GS8's sound was soooo rich and lush that I felt as if I could have reached out and pulled the notes out of the air with my hands.
The Sitka really does give the treble a nice "punch" and the EIR definitely adds to the lower end. The bass is strong but not overpowering. Like most Sitka/EIR owners out there...the mids, aren't as strong as Mahogany. DISCLAIMER here...just because the mids aren't as strong as Mahogany, DOESN'T mean that the mids are non existent.
I have noticed that the guitar is "opening" up. I play quite a bit at church, and by just playing every week at practice etc, the guitar has lost that "new" guitar sound. Here's the kicker...I know that the guitar hasn't even begun to reach it's full potential. I know that it takes years, and years for the guitar to mature etc, and I'm loving every minute of the process. I remember Bob Taylor saying that he wishes we all kept our guitars for about 10-15 years (if I'm not mistaken) as to really get that mature sound out of it.
Size/Body style: The GS size in general is very versatile. Smaller than a Dreadnaught, but able to produce a dreadnaught like sound. Finger picking is also a delight. Some guitars seem as if they're better suited for strumming chords, while others seem like they're better suited for finger picking. The GS style excels at both...to me it's the perfect combination. Not only is it a powerful strummer, but given it's size, even the finger picking comes through nice and clear...definitely full. It's nice and comfortable to hold. I have long arms so it's not difficult to play sitting down.
Electronics: I know that some are big fans of the latest ES system and that some aren't. I never had any experience with the 1st generation ES system, but I can tell you that I'm thoroughly pleased with the generation 2 ES system. One of the draws for me besides the sound, is the ease at which one can control the sound. 1 knob for Treble, 1 knob for Bass, and 1 knob for volume. They couldn't have designed it better. When playing through a sound system, I normally have my volume knob at dead center. The treble and bass knobs are turned to 9 o'clock, and the sound couldn't be better.
Please forgive any typos/run on sentences etc...it's 1am in the morning and I'm pooped! I hope this has been helpful.
I give this GS8 5 out of 5 stars. It's everything I ever wanted in a guitar.
