bEST tAYLOR FOR PLAYING THE BLUES

[Englishpiper]

nEW TO THE FORUM AND AFTER MANY YEARS OF PLAYING FOLK MUSIC I WANT TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AND LEARN THE MANY INS AND OUTS OF PLAYING FINGERSTYLE BLUES. IN THE HUMBLE OPINION OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS FORUM WHICH TAYLOR GUITAR WOULD SUIT MY PURPOSE THE BEST??

KEVIN

[jjrpilot-admin]

Hi Kevin, welcome to the forum!  I'm sure others will chime in with their recommendations!  Great to have ya!   

[Edward]

Hey there Kevin,

Welcome aboard, friend!  Glad to have you here ...a hem, your caps lock ...lol

Lots of folks like to choose a guitar based on their intended mission ...I "get this," but don't personally subscribe to it 100% as I know that my tastes will change, not to mention I always want a guitar that will be versatile over time and genres.  That said, there are certainly some guits that are better-suited or less-well suited for certain styles.

So for old-style blues, I'd guess (and my I emphasize "guess" as I ain't no bluesman) a drier-sounding guitar is in order; stronger fundamentals, less harmonic overtones, and more midrange-voice emphasis.  So I'd go smaller body GC or GA, spruce top but even better would be engelmann to shave off the glassiness, and mahog or ovangkol back/sides; maple would give you even stronger fundamentals with quicker decay.  That would put you into 4, 5, or 6 series: cutaway, electronics, and body size are up to you (though I would likely go for a GC if you want that dry blues thang going on ).  And just as a sidenote, don't discount other brands: I love Taylor for everything that they are, especially for their playability.  But a Taylor is not the first guitar I'd think of when I think of acoustic blues.  All IMHO, of course.

Edward

[sachi]

Blues?  A hog top Big Baby.

[jalbert]

Mahogany-topped 12-fret (or Grand Concert). This is special-order territory; off the shelf I might suggest the new mahogany-topped GS mini.

[cotten]

Another warm welcome, Englishpiper.

The best Taylor for playing the blues? Easy! That would be the one that you couldn't find when

(ba doo bi ba doo) You woke up this mornin',
(ba doo bi ba doo in the pourin' rain.
(ba doh bada doh) Yo' baby done left you,
(dede de bop de BOP!) and, OHhhh the pain...

(diddle de be doh be doh) She took your goulashes,
(diddle de be doh be doh) your Happy Meal, too,
(diddle de de de de doh) Your Toby's dog gone,
(ba daddle de ba) and your Taaaaylor, too,

(You're in the groove now - supply your own rhythm.)

I say, you look high and low,
and all you could find,
was some charred frets and strings
that the fire left behind...

You got the lost Taylor blues,
From yo' head to yo' shoes.
How saaaad I'm to say,
You got nooooo geetar to play!

You got the lost Taylor blues,
From yo' head to yo' shoes.
How saaaaad I'm to say,
You got nooooo geetar to play!
 
cotten

[michaelw]

Mahogany-topped 12-fret (or Grand Concert). This is special-order territory; off the shelf I might suggest the new mahogany-topped GS mini.

i agree
i believe a 'hop top GA 12 fret would get the job done quite nicely, with a cutaway,
should one have the desire to explore the frets where apparently 'no money is made'

good to see you here, Kevin
WELCOME !btw, your 'caps lock' is on ... no need to yell in here
relax, make yourself comfortable & enjoy the place

[Tammany Tiger]

Any Taylor that you get from a pawn shop. Sorry. It's an old joke.

Seriously, an all mahogany L10 (512ce Ltd) if you can find one.

Among the newer guitars, I would suggest one of the all mahogany GCs Taylor did as a Limited last year. It doesn't look like it belongs in a juke joint, but it does sound pretty good.

[Edward]

Yes, of course, a mahog top, duh!  Good call!

Edward

[darylcrisp]

honeyboy edwards playing a taylor dread(which one guys? 410?)
http://www.honeyboyfilm.com/
if you are not familiar with honeyboy-check him out, his voice is a little weak in the film but he has some age going on.  he died in august 2011. a direct link to robert johnson.

http://www.davidhoneyboyedwards.com/

and here is the taylor with some slide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7UV0JKEfVQ

d

[andyi5]

That L10 is a gorgeous looking guitar. However, if you're looking for a less expensive option in a slightly smaller package, the new hog top GS mini would be great for this style of playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmHscvsjEE0&feature=related

[GBYork]

Well guys I really do love Taylors but for the blues I'd definitely go for an all mahogany guitar (or mostly mahogany) - two of the best for the price (and I'm sorry to mention other makes) are a Martin 000-15M or a Larrivee OM-5. Acoustic blues = mahogany in my humble opinion.

[Tammany Tiger]

Well guys I really do love Taylors but for the blues I'd definitely go for an all mahogany guitar (or mostly mahogany) - two of the best for the price (and I'm sorry to mention other makes) are a Martin 000-15M or a Larrivee OM-5. Acoustic blues = mahogany in my humble opinion.

I sure agree that Taylors are not what I think of first for a blues guitar but hadn't wanted to stray beyond the topic which was confined to the Taylor line.

If we are talking about other brands, all conversation starts with Gibson small bodies, L-1s or L-OOs among the current line.



Don't argue with Robert Johnson.

[Tammany Tiger]

Well guys I really do love Taylors but for the blues I'd definitely go for an all mahogany guitar (or mostly mahogany) - two of the best for the price (and I'm sorry to mention other makes) are a Martin 000-15M or a Larrivee OM-5. Acoustic blues = mahogany in my humble opinion.

I have owned a few small body guitars bought for blues work. Here is my favorite. It's a Santa Cruz 1929 OO. This year SC is offering the guitar in a OOO size that would have been my first choice had it been available at the time.

In terms of both finish and tone, this guitar was miles better than an older Gibson L-OO that I owned at one point.

[InsideOut]