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
