Bob Taylor has done more to make the guitar industry thrive than anyone else in the business. He has driven the industry with production techniques that increase quality and consistency so much so that every major manufacturer now use these techniques and technology. He also has done great things for sustainability with his use of non-traditional tone woods and literally buying the ebony company in Cameroon that supplies most of the ebony to the industry and developing good forestry and harvesting practices to make sure that ebony will be available for many years to come. I have a 2009 Taylor 414ce limited in Tasmanian Blackwood that sounds fantastic. I get the comment, "That doesn't sound like a Taylor" all the time. I think there is a preconceived notion about what a Taylor is supposed to sound like and in reality they all have a unique voice depending on body size, tone wood and especially who is playing it. So much of tone is in the hands of the player.
How many times u gonna paste and post this idiot. You can’t take a shitty sounding acoustic and make it sound good no matter how you play. Your just repeating what other idiots say
Yep, I just posted, I have a Custom shop Sinker redwood/ Amazonian Rosewood Taylor from NAMM 2017 with erformance bracing, can't say I'm a fan of the V Totally unique sound, as you should expect from a custom especially with such a are wood combu but thats thw whole point surely? The most "Un Taylor" sounding Taylor you could get therfore Warm, rich, big with a big bass thump and sparkly trebles Complex overtones Complete OPPOSITE of the much maligned "Bright " Taylor sound !
Also, from a sustainability standpoint, they now use all of the ebony and not just the dark black lumber. No difference in playability, durability, or tone. Just an aesthetic thing. Other manufacturers are now starting this practice. if you really want an all black fretboard, just stain it black. Nobody complains about Gibson's rosewood fretboards not being dark black.
I knew several people who worked at Taylor, they all agreed on one thing, Taylor is a terrible place to work. Unpaid extra hours, no slack for sick days, low pay, high demands. The stories were awfully consistent. I don't like their guitars in general,. poor tone and they don't tune up accurately. It doesn't help that Jewel helped so much to popularize Taylors, and the three chord three note pretty girl fad. I saw her at the place in Ocean Beach where she was "discovered" just after she signed her record deal, I used to play there too. we both lived in our vehicles in OB, but though I had loads of respect from fans and musicians alike, and I knew hundreds of people down there for literally decades, I wasn't part of the "pretty people', so she never acknowledged me, and I never knew her. I cannot stand the amateur ability level of the music she and her copycats did. And it didn't give me a good impression of their guitars either, with the stories of Taylors employees to boot.
I’m one of those who find them too bright and always thought they felt very machine made. The CNC technique definitely plays a role in this because a lot of Martin’s leave a similar taste in my mouth now. A Gibson feels more handmade to me now and their ongoing quality control problems seem to reinforce the fact a good portion of them are still hand made, for better or for worse. I’m not a hater or any of these brands. I currently have a D-28 and a GS-Mini and have owned an SJ-200 in the past. They all have their pros and cons.
When I was finally in a position to buy a new acoustic guitar , I was set on a Taylor 414-CE ; since I had been trying them out for several months previously . When I finally went to try them out ; something had changed with the neck dimensions on this model ! The ones I tried had a thick ; overly narrow neck compared to the ones I had tried just a few months earlier ! I tried several different shops with them on hand ; but they all had the same issue ! I couldn’t get a good answer from anyone on what may have happened ; but I ended up going with Martin ; and I can’t say that I regret it . 🤷♂️
I play out several times a week, and know a lot of the local players. There are more Taylors out there than all other premium brands. And, they all sound quite good! You can’t sell 750 guitars a day, unless you are making an excellent product.
@@jed1166 Taylors can cost 3 or 4 thousand pounds, which is where Lowden range starts, and for the same money, you are getting a hand made, built to your own spec (I specified the nut width, neck shape, etc). So along with the unique bracing system Lowden uses, and the top quality tonewoods, I'd say a Lowden is a much better guitar for the same money.
It's just like anything else it's subjective. I like Martins. You like Taylor's let's jam! It's also, whatever you can afford! My first guitar was a $20 dollar nylon string from Mexico. I was incredibly thankful just to have a guitar!
When I was looking for a high quality guitar I tried all the acoustic guitar they had and I leaned to Taylor because I thought it had the best all around sound quality. It had high and lows too. I did not plug them in. I have found the strings have a greater impact on sound quality.
Funny how I've heard about 50 Taylor owners say "My Taylor is as good as a Martin". I've NEVER heard one Martin owner say desperately : " My Martin is as good as a Taylor"
I own both, and for how they are used, they are as good as one another. The Taylor is a beast for fingerstyle and sitting easily in a mix. The Martin is sensational for solo gigs or playing bluesy fingerstyle.
They feel beautiful and all I found was it fitted fine in a full band when recording.But not on its own. I got a D28 later and it is magical and put me in a trance straight away.Suited a vocal immediately !! My fave players tend to use 12 String Taylors though.
Never have liked Taylor guitars until I played a friend's 12 string a couple weeks ago. Best feeling neck on a 12 string I've ever played' never thought I'd say that.
I've owned 10 different Taylors over the years. Their 800 series have been not only an excellent sounding guitar, but they are really fun to play. I didn't care for the T5 custom or the K65 I bought, but all of the others were really nice guitars. And I received a lot of compliments on the sound of my 815 and 655 when I took them out. And their neck system can save you a ton of money if it needs a reset. I had an 855 that needed a reset. Taylor in San Diego did it, as well as fixing all of the nicks and scratches on the guitar. They did a fabulous job at a very reasonable price. Every manufacturer makes good and bad guitars. You just have to find one that fits your needs.
I got a 317e. Got a beautiful deep end with pristine highs. Slightly scooped middle (perfect for vocals). The ES2 sound fine. IDC what the Martin/Gibson purists think. Thanks for the video.
I tested Taylor, Martin, Takamine, gibson, guitars, side-by-side in the sound room of a music store that was well stocked with acoustics in a special sound room liked the Taylor neck and fretboard finish better than the others The gibson was a big disappointment to me. For the price, I expected them to be easily better than everything else in sound. I ruled out the gibson’s pretty quick. The sound difference between the Taylor and the Martin in my opinion, the taylor was brighter and louder than the Martin. I tried to Takamine.. I liked it but I wanted a single cutaway guitar I strolled around the store I went to the service department/you which is where the used department was., I noticed the pricing on the wall for a set up of acoustic guitars, as well as electrics. to set the action on a trailer was $80 plus strings to set the action on a Martin started at $500 plus strings I asked the guitar guru why the big price spread between Martin Guitars and Taylor Guitar‘s for a set up where you have to change the action to make it higher or lower.. he said it’s cheap on the trailer because the taylor has a bolt on neck which makes it very easy to change shims just by unbolting the neck inside the sound hole.. with a Martin, you have to steam with the neck off, so the glue will release the neck, and then glue it back on after you change the action shims, or whatever needs to be done to make the action lower or higher.. right there that made my mind up in a nanosecond I ended up buying the trailer and the Takamine..
Taylor guitars are really good despite what people say. They used to fill a only niche market and now they are top competitors. What I will recount here is purely statistical anomaly and confirmation bias from me. I've spoken with about 8 luthiers around Missouri and found the following 2 or 3 things that stand out. 1.) Every Taylor that had been brought in save for a handful had something wrong with the bridge regardless of model. Lifting, loose pegs, incorrectly shaved bridge leading to bad intonation, etc. These problems become exacerbated when someone pays over a grand for a guitar and it comes with problems. 2.) When it works, the ES2 is a very good upgrade from the ES1 and has useful tools. They've had reports of it dying live on stage, buzzing, shorting, battery leakage (dramatically low life). The frequency of problems with it compared to other pickup models is significant.
I don't think the issue with "Brightness" is actually that, but more the lack of low end and not just larger guitars, like dreadnoughts. Even the Grand Auditorium body is lacking bass when compared to the Martin Grand Performance body. As far as price is concerned, Taylor's should be $500-$600 less than a comparable Martin, due to the "cheaper" neck joint. I'm not opposed to bolt-on necks, but there should be a cost savings passed onto the customer and not only going toward increasing Taylor's profit margin.
Yes , I have a custom Taylor so not really he same issues as the series models , the woods are Sinker Redwood and Amzonian Roswood and its a GS body not a GA so absolutely thumping bass Also the bracing is Performance being from 2017 and theres many who feel the new V bracing adds to the problem?
Same. I actually think Taylor excels at the $1k-2k mark. Martins at the beginner level use too much laminate, although they both have excellent QC. My advice to a beginner is start off with a Yamaha, move to a Taylor, save up for a nice Martin or by then you might lean towards a more niche brand.
They have a more treble tone to my ear. I desire a fuller midrange tone. As much as I want to like a Taylor I find myself still playing Martin, Gibson, and Guild acoustics.
I've got one Taylor, a 317 (not e). There's things to like about it. The best thing about it is the playability and it has a nice even tone. I can't explain why, but there's no projection and it doesn't record well. I prefer Martins.
Taylor and Gibson make fine guitars that are preferred by lots of people I respect and I've played some (used to own a nice J-45) but Martin has the sound I prefer. For the kind of music I play, bluegrass and folk, they are the standard.
I own the Taylor 316CE which was designed to punch through powerful sound and more bottom end than the oh so popular 314 CE. I’m very happy with my guitar and it really comes down to personal preference of what you want from a guitar and Taylor can build it. Not only is each model uniquely different by design but each guitar of the same model is unique in its tone. If you can’t find a Taylor guitar that suits your needs maybe the guitar is not the problem.
In my opinion, you should buy a guitar based on your ear, on and off the instrument in question, and the feel. I had a Martin, came across an older Guild I really liked, and parted with the Martin. Taylor makes a range of solid quality instruments, but I've found only one I really liked by ear and feel, but that's my ear and feel. Play the best gear you can, so called lifer instruments, but it has to sing to you for you to make it sing. Do your best on your Taylors and Martins, I'll do so on my Guild, and hopefully they will bring out the best in what we do.
A decent or satisfying amplified acoustic tone has always been a pain in stool we usually sit on. My 2 cent about Taylor is I sold my GS mini because of the es1 outrageous sound. Taylor deserves the greatest acknowledgement for bringing playability up to light, but any cheap acoustic guitar stock piezo gives me less inhibition compared to Taylor’s
I’m an older guy with a high-end model of both a Martin and Taylor. The Martin just sounds like what a guitar should sound like based on a lifetime of listening. I like the bright Taylor too, but it sounds like an alien that just landed on Earth - to serve man, as it were. I enjoy playing both.
I've not played a Taylor, but do admire the innovations they have introduced such as the neck joint system which has simplified the neck reset issue. However, if you go on the Taylor website and filter out all the models with pickups (I don't need one) and cutaways (I personally think they look ugly), there aren't many left to choose from!
I just purchased a new Taylor 117e Grand Pacific with the torrified spruce top I think it is a great sounding guitar and it looks nice too it is certainly not tinny I chose it over a Martin because I like the narrower neck and it just seemed like a better choice I also heard that Taylor guitars were a popular choice by beginners and professional musicians I am an intermediate player I normally play Fender acoustics I have a one year old Fender villager California series 12 string acoustic and I have been playing a Fender CD 60 -SCE electro acoustic dreadnought for the past 3 years I just wanted to try something different and I love my new Taylor 117e. I agree with one of the other comments If you don't like Taylor's don't buy it simple. Andy, Glasgow 🥰🏴
I have owned and played several high end Martins, Santa Cruz, Gibson and custom luthier hand made guitars over the decades. Never a Taylor. But when I was over at a friend’s and he played a fingerstyle composition of his on his new Taylor, I was gob smacked. The sound was gorgeous, articulate and balanced. I now own a Taylor (700 series x-braced) and it is my most played guitar. In fact my Martins and Santa Cruz guitars have been sold. The Taylor sounds and plays great. There’s a lot of disdain for Taylors out there but there’s also a lot of Taylor love, I can now attest.
@@barrycole ok, well that at least gives a lot of credibility to your opinion. Thank you. I have owned around 30 guitars, from over 20 brands, and I didn't like the Taylor sound. But, that is probably because I don't like bright sounding guitars, my Japanese Takamine was another example, others loved it. I found my perfect sound with my Lowden, a superbly balanced, yet warm top quality instrument,
I bought a beautiful 614. It was bass deficient, thin and sterile. My Gibson Dove really didnt sound fabulous either, but had some personality. Ive had several Martins. Buy a 28 or an 18 and you'll be in love forever. A new standard series Martin is no more expensive than a Taylor. My D28 was 2,500 in 2018. They are 2,700 now. Best sounding guitar i ever heard.
@@jimdoner3443 I know it's subjective, more about taste. They both seem to favor certain styles. I would like to see Julian Lage do a head to head with those two brands of equal price. I will concede that novice players can more easily play and get good sound with a Taylor and those tired d drone church chords. When using peddle techniques, fingerstyle, pinching, and walking bass the Martin comes alive, like a grand piano.
A Taylor 614 has a maple back and sides- comparing apples and oranges with a D18 hog or a D28 rosewood. If I want maple I'd go with a jumbo body size to give more bass, Which I did.
As a luthier, one of the reasons why Taylors sound brittle- and they do.-is the bracing system and the voicing of the braces. Wood have a big effect on tone, but it is the voicing of the top, the bracing system and the design elements that will determine the character of the voice. Some people prefer that sound, it's a matter of taste. But people with bad tastes need guitars too ;)
I got a beautiful 424ce recently and it just has everything I love about a Taylor. Balanced tone, great playability, looks amazing and I like the pickup too.
Excellent review with every topic and every scenario covered. I don’t own Taylor, but I noticed they exclusively use elixir strings. I never thought anything of it until I bought a couple of pairs for my acoustics and I couldn’t believe the difference it brought to my old guitars. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and clearing up a lot of wrong ideas about these guitars. I played them in shops and as far as I’m concerned they’re beautiful guitars and actually I like a brighter tone.👏🙏😊
20 years ago I went looking for a premium acoustic guitar. I was living in nyc at the time and 48th street music district was still in full swing. This allowed me to play virtually every premium acoustic guitar in a 1 block walking distance. I liked many of them. Even some relatively inexpensive guitars from Korea. But, one stood out: a Taylor 514. I learned it had a cedar top. Did this really matter? Dunno, but it just sounded so full and warm, but still retained clear highs. I was sold. Because I had no need to play high. Up the neck or play it amplified, I custom ordered one without a cutaway or a pickup. It saved $800 and I never regretted it. So, 20 years later, what do I think? I love it. One little complaint I do have, tho, is the 1 3/4” wide neck. The one I played on 48th st had the more trad 1 11/16”. Apparently I ordered mine right at the point where they switched to the wider neck. I’m used to it now, but would still prefer the narrower neck. Also, my 514 stays in tune almost indefinitely and has never needed a truss rod adjustment. It’s sound still makes me (and anyone else who plays it) smile. Some things to be aware of. It’s a very light guitar. I think the back and sides might be relatively thin. Maybe this is why it sounds so good? Side by side with a D28 it’s really noticeable. That said. It’s been bounced around a lot in 20 years and is still fine. My biggest complaint is probably with the rapid wear of the frets. I had the first 3 frets replaced about 5 years ago, and the new ones are still like new. Enough words. Bottom line, you simply have to go play guitars to know what you like.
One study into what made Stradivarius violins sound so good concluded that it was due to the tiny imperfections built into the instruments. Speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, physicist Dr Franco Zanini said: “We noticed there were a lot of asymmetries in the instruments. In principle they have no reason to be there, but it is possible these imperfections were made to remove the unpleasant harmonics that you get in symmetrical instruments.” If there is anything in this theory, it could explain why CNC manufactured guitars don't sound so great to some ears. 20 years ago, I bought a second guitar to supplement my '65 Levin Goliath, which itself has a bright sound (flamed maple back and sides with spruce top) I found Taylors too bright and ended up with a Martin 00028ec. I spent hours comparing the standard 00028 with the ec version before buying.
In the same interview he talks about the violin having had modifications and natural imperfections resultant from over 300 years of life. And that any affect to harmonics may be by chance. I think it confirms that instruments need to live and breathe. It also highlights the importance of Luthiery as a skill, something I think a consumer culture is slowly diminishing. Regardless, my experience is that guitars come into their true voice at around 5 years, but they have to be played, and playing, changes in climate and general wear and the consequent tiny imperfections I think definitely impact the sound for the better. Thanks for sharing this - really interesting perspective to add to the conversation!!
Taylors are great guitars, (as with ANY instrument) sound, playability is subjective & personal. Personally, think they should 'can' the ES System . Not good. IMO. Furthermore, NO 2032 batteries in ANY guitar. They suck in a guitar. Stick with the 9 Volt Battery or double A at the end pin. THEY WORK and LAST ! 🎸🎸🎸 Listen to the people/musicians who buy this gear . 🎸🎸🎸
Thanks! The ES2 uses 9 volt and the compartment is at the end pin. I think the ESB used to use button batteries but they’ve since upgraded that too, so it takes AAs or something. Anyway, I’m not a fan of the ESB. But think the ES2 is an excellent piezo pickup. Not the best and I wish they wouldn’t put it on everything.
Another fine video. I couldn't agree more on most of your points. I do however have to respectfully disagree about ES2. I'm an audio engineer and I don't personally know any engineers who enjoy mixing ES2 or, better yet, who don't vocally bemoan having to work with it. Likewise, I don't know any who don't love working with the older Fishman Prefix systems Taylor used to use. My own '99 414ce uses this system and it gets compliments every time I play it. That said, I respect your take on ES2. As has been mentioned elsewhere many times, it does do a good job of capturing elements of the instrument that are totally ignored by under-saddle pickups. I just don't think those elements desirable when using a pickup.
There are excellent pickups out there. The fishman prefix is one of those. I haven’t used one but have a martin with similar features that allow you to blend mic and piezo. I did a comparison between a $50 JJB pickup and the ES2 and to be honest they compare well. The ES2 is clearer but likes body. While the JJB has that classic (albeit subtle) quack with a warm and fuller overall tone. There is also something to be said about Taylor exclusively using the ES on their guitars, which I don’t necessarily agree with. They also offer few non-electronics models.
Interesting. As a performer, I like the ES2 at least as much as any pickup that I've had. In fact it's a major reason why I bought a Taylor. It's not in a complex mix though, so perhaps your reservations don't apply. Also, the fact that my Taylor is a 12-string might be relevant: the ES2 might be better suited to that.
@@markharwood7573 You’re not the first person to tell me that they enjoy how ES2 sounds with a 12-string. That is interesting. I wish they’d offer other options, but I’m glad there are people who love ES2z
That sound of Taylor guitars in my opinion, is very balanced, and overall a little bit louder than Martin but if you don’t like that, then you should go with the Martin both are high quality but for my money Taylor is more bang for the buck and the playability is much closer to electric video action and just comfort then Martin the only Gibson I like is the jumbo series but you have to shell out $4000
Yeah. I don’t get it. The brands all sound a little different at least to me. I like that character about them. I don’t want them all to sound the same. How boring would that be.
I was once told by a guitar store owner that Martin has been buying wood from the foreign countries for so long and buy so much that they get first pick of all the wood coming in from those countries and everyone else picks what's left. Not sure if that is true or not but kind of sounds ligit.
I own a 214 black. It plays amazing. I paid 1700 for it new. I also own an Alverez. It was 600. The Taylor plays far better. The Alverez just sounds better all around. The pick up sounds better. I ended up putting an aura system into the Taylor because the new pickups just don’t have any volume to them.
I hope they eventually go back to x bracing. I don't see a real benefit. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing an 810e DLX and 618e when I had the chance.
As a person who feels resentment against this brand that I can't really back up with a lot of playing experience, I think some factors play into this dislike that have very little to do with sound or playability. I think the strongest factor that's not being discussed a lot is the Coca Cola, Apple, Toyota effect. When a brand dominates a market, it becomes easy to hate them, because sometimes it's almost like you have no choice. Additionally, in music people love to see themselves as individualists with a strong, independent style. I've seen many guitar stores with literally an entire wall of Taylors, next to a tiny room with all the other brands crammed together. Watch bands on TV, and Taylors are everywhere. Even here on CZcams, I bet you see no other brand of acoustic guitar in as many videos. It's not even close. We all know that they can't hold a candle to carefully handcrafted boutique guitars like Santa Cruz, Collings, Boucher or Lowden. They're the Levi's jeans of acoustic, enjoyed by many, shunned by those who want something a little less obvious.
Taylor’s are a “ modern voiced” guitar . They don’t try and make a j45 which is dark and mellow or a Martin that is soft and less attack. Taylors suit the stage and studio because they are great guitars for shaping via eq etc. there pickups also are designed to make the guitars sound modern . And studio like-ie lots of tonal options.
Lots of us hate acoustic guitar PU's, since a good mic sounds better than any PU. As for Taylors, they tend to lack bass response. Of course relatively inexpensive Martins (thousand bucks or so) tend to lack treble response. I prefer Guilds because they are balanced, and have a rounder fretboard radius ("12"). Still, nothing sounds better (if you have 3k to spend) than a good standard series Martin - although plenty of guitars are easier to play.. Pretty much all boutique guitars are essentially Martin copies.
When Bob Taylor first started building acoustic guitars a very long time ago, he made some amazing sounding traditional dreadnoughts. But that all gradually changed when he began "re-inventing internal bracing". Pertaining to relying on CNC machines to cut parts, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with tone. Most boutique builders are now using CNC machines because not only do they speed up the process, but they assure exacting parts, each & every time, on a consistent basis. It's THE DESIGN of a guitar and how it's put together, along with choice of woods that affects tone, volume, sustain, resonance, and equally importantly: TOUCH SENSITIVITY. This touch sensitivity is where most Taylor acoustic guitars suffer the most: play it softly, play it with a medium attack, or really start digging in, and most Taylor's STILL SOUND THE SAME. The nuances of the tone timbres don't change very much using various picking attacks on Taylor's. I've learned this firsthand from owning a a high-end Taylor. Sorry, I can't recall the exact model now, but it was very expensive when I bought it new back in 2005. I loved the tone & overall sound at first......but it didn't take long before I started noticing the issue I mentioned above. All 3 of my Japanese Takamine's were FAR MORE touch sensitive. I'm talking about natural, unplugged tone. Taylor's are indeed far too expensive for what you're getting for the money. There are much better alternatives, that actually cost a good bit less. Pertaining to pickup systems for acoustic guitar, I find that nothing beats the Journey Tek EP001K passive system.......and ironically, it's one of the least expensive in the entire industry at only $50 US. ME: seasoned guitarist/singer/blues harp/performer who began playing guitar back in 1973.
@@sonusaurelius6576 You're very welcome! I'm NOT saying that "Taylor guitars are junk"..........but a growing number of professional players like world-renowned bluegrass/folk guitarist JP Cormier have also learned the same thing via firsthand playing & performing. Most Taylor guitars, regardless of price range, do in fact, sound virtually the same, no matter what picking attack you employ. It's not that it's "a bad tone".......but it is THE SAME TONE........no matter what you do. A really well-designed & built acoustic guitar WILL give you an entire palate of tones & tone timbres when you employ various picking attacks.......making that guitar QUITE versatile tonally!!! I do give all credit to Bob Taylor for employing bolt-on necks for acoustic guitars though. I can vividly recall how the vast majority of guitarists scorned him for using the bolt-on design. Nowadays of course, almost all builders are using it. A well-executed dovetail joint will always be stellar.........until ya have to repair or service that neck.
Mic pickups aren’t as good as external mics, either. They can be good, but they’re still inside the body or the soundhole, so they get a limited view of what’s going on with the guitar. (I have used a few, and have a Schertler A6 w/mic in one of my gigging guitars.)
I bought a Taylor 414 CE about 12 years ago for almost $2,000 and it was the best guitar I've ever had. I like it, it sounds great but I never felt totally comfortable with the neck. Why, I don't know. About 3 years later I bought a Martin 000-15m for $1,100 because I had started fingerpicking. When I play them one after the other I really noticed the high ends of the Taylor. The Martin definitely has a warmer sound for me. It's all I've played since then. I don't think I've spent more than 10 hours on the Taylor in all this time.
My issue with Taylor guitars is with the build quality. A brace came loose in my brother's Taylor within the first 6 months of buying it. The battery compartment fell out of my friend's Taylor after about a year. Neither of these guitars were abused or even overly played. The horror stories that I've heard about the electronics I won't even comment on. Those sorts of things shouldn't happen with premium guitars. I saw these problems 10 to 15 years ago and, to be fair to Taylor, they may have improved since. Because of the build quality issues, I do think that Taylors are over-priced.
As a professional musician since the 80s, I always think of guitar quality in two ways: How they sound acoustically, and how they sound plugged in. Ive always thought that Taylor guitars were very average acoustically, but superior electronically. Martin is the opposite. Did the people who thought Taylor's were too bright mean acoustically, or when plugged in? This is a key part of the conversation. For example, Takamines are exclusively known for their great electric sound, and nobody ever claims they are good acoustically - and quite rightly so. Taylors are very similar in this regard and have made great headway in the market positioning themselves in this way.. Martins have a different issue, they are great sounding acoustically, but they don't put good enough electronics in them. This is the reason that many folks pick their own electronics for Martins. The opinions of a retired musician only of course. Interesting conversation and great video.
I tried a few Taylors on my journey to find the "ultimate guitar to retire with". I felt they were all a bit light in tone and construction for me. Gibsons were too boxy. The one I finally pick was a James Goodall TROM - I was lucky enough to be in Rudy's Music and it had just arrived that day - hadn't even been unboxed. I had tried every acoustic in the room and nothing really lit my candle until I played the Goodall. The guitar just felt good to play and I could feel the vibration from the back. It was more expensive than I had planned, but I bought it and have never looked back.
I own a Taylor 314 guitar, and love it. Because I had friends of mine help me purchase it, I have no doubt that I will never get rid of it, due to its sentimental value. This being said, I am a huge fan of Tony Rice, and that does make me want to get a Martin.
Theres not much bottom end tone in taylor acoustics , but their string actions are superbly low without buzzing and they are ludicrously expensive. For me , i vote for martin acoustics or yamaha solid woods and those yamaha red labels
We try many Taylor. Without electronic, it were one of the best. With electronic? Nahhh….. too artificial and Taylor sound engineer need to do research on this. Martin, however, not on better position.
I decided to purchase a Taylor 814ce and I love the full and clear tone. Using an amp too. You also can find Taylors with a darker or warmer tone more mids oriented. At least I liked the look more compared to Martin or Gibson. But they sound great too. About the price: Buy once for a lifetime. So if you want an exzellent Instrument you have to pay more of course. But it's worth every cent. I love the great handling and playability and the fantastic sustain. So it' s no question of the brand but how you feel with the guitar, how you like the tone and of course the look.
IMO Taylor have the best single source pickup on the market. No it does not compare to the Anthem or Duo but for what it is, it is great, if properly adjusted. The mid range level is fixed but the highs and lows are adjustable which confuses some people who do not account for the fixed mid range. It is far superior to any under saddle piezo or saddle plate transducer unless you add a microphone to them.
I love my Taylor 414ce from 2012. In fact I love it so much I bought two of them so my backup guitar on stage would be as good as my first. So easy to play, so comfortable, such a balanced sound. I get compliments on it all the time. It's too bright for most recording unless you have a really dead strings, and then the low end suffers, but it's amazing for live. Personally I hate the ES2 as it picks up way too much finger noise. But the ES1 works great for me.
I have nine acoustic guitars, five of which are Taylors - a 714ce, 305 (baby), 555e (custom), 110e and a GA3-12. Each one serves a different purpose. I've been playing for almost 60 years, have played everything imaginable, and have settled on Taylors. I love the way they play and sound - especially the 12 string models. That being said, in spite of the the CNC machining and automation, no two are identical. I was checking out a couple 150ce 12 string models for a student and found them very different. One sounded full and rich and was butter to play, and the other, not so much. I have two sons, Scott and Jason. Both made by the same people in the same factory and they're are as different as night and day. Just sayin.
I played a Taylor American Dream model a few weeks ago. It played great, it sounded great. (It had a good setup and new strings) The two reasons why I didn't buy it was the top/soundboard looked rather cheap for a $2000 guitar. And second, it sounded very close to another guitar I have...so it would be overlapping and duplicating an existing guitar of mine.
Yeah, did it have a satin or natural finishes? They definitely look cheap, and doesn’t necessarily mean the wood is cheap. Sometimes a nice gloss finish can add a bit of dazzle and shine.
For those who may not know, or have noticed, Taylor guitars have been changing, in the last few years, as the reins of the company have been given to Andy Powers, who is a very talented luthier, and player. He has brought innovation to the company, in the form of new bracing on the inside of most of their line, and I suspect he's behind the recent string manufacturer change that they include with their new guitars. I have also noticed an overall shift from the "brightness" in the highs to a more pronounced mid-range/bass tonal quality. I have been a Taylor fan since 2002, when I bought my first...to this day, when I go into a guitar store, I will start out playing a couple of Martins, maybe a Gibson, but will gravitate back to the Taylors that are there. I have other brands I have bought, over the years,(Ibanez, Epiphone, Yamaha, D'Anjelico) and even loved some of them, but I still prefer three Taylors. My first, a 2002 414ce, a 2007 GS5 (my favorite), and recently, a 522ce 12-fret, all Mahogony, my first foray into slotted-headstocks. I would also point out that most of the major brands also offer custom-built guitars, including Taylor. As for the price complaints: the range of Taylors is from around $500 to $thousands, so there's something for everyone there... Nice video, btw. I enjoyed the balance, in your coverage of the subject!
New to Taylor and just bought the 314ce. The guitar was setup correctly to the Taylor factory specs, but the action is still just a little too high for my preference. So far that's my only complaint. Beautiful guitar otherwise. Glad I bought it.
314s are nice. You could look at getting the neck angle adjusted when you take it in for a service - no extra cost, usually. It might help with the action. One of the benefits of having a Taylor.
I’m 73, I own 2 Martin, I also think that Taylor guitars have a bright not full enough sound. The only great thing is they don’t need a neck reset, I just paid over a grand for my 63 Martin neck reset, but it took 40 years for the reset.
I’m a Martin man (D35) but that is likely b/c I held and played a D45 years ago and it set me to dreaming. I have a friend with a $7500 Taylor and it sounds real nice, but I still melt at the sound of my D35. Taylor’s to me have always been a bit dull, muted…
Oh, goodness. This round of comments again? Sure, I can add a comment to the ether. This video was released in May 2024, and I am commenting on June 09, 2024. Depending on where you live and what manufacturer's instruments are available, most musicians can find a guitar that suits their tastes. Stating reasons why you may not prefer an instrument is fine when asked or contributing to the conversation, but focusing on your playing is more productive than bringing other people or instruments down. If you are complaining to complain, please, most of us are not interested in hearing your gripes. There are good, viable choices out there. Choose the instrument that works for you and make music, not unnecessary criticisms. I've played a ten-year-old Taylor 618 and found it nice sounding. I've played 1970s and 1980s Martin guitars which left me unmoved. Bolt-on necks make it easier to reset the neck. Excluding hide glue, most adhesives absorb energy which does not contribute to resonance. I find that newer guitars sound much more to my taste than an antique. This is largely because luthiers, both one-person shops and major manufacturers are simply making much nicer instruments than what was produced from 1960 through 2000. There are many Taylor models that leave me unmoved. I won't work toward purchasing them. There are many Martin models which leave me unmoved. I won't purchase any of those either. The whole point of an instrument is to make music and not be a static ornament. So, in brief, go play your guitar and have fun.
Taylor guitars, at one point, made the best 12 string on the market. The action was low, the courses were narrow and easy to fret and the bolted neck meant you didn't have to worry about tuning the guitar up to standard pitch. It's a shame they axed a majority of their 12 strings, because that was one thing that put them on the map.
Fender had a wonderful pickup system in the older (first model Parlor & 000, guitars) . The pickup has volume control, tone control, and built in tuner. Takes 9 volt battery with access near the end pin. I have a Martin 00-LE Whiskey Sunset . The battery access is at the end pin. Makes sense doesn't it ? If it goes dead or low on a gig, it's a quick fix to drop in a new, extra battery kept the gig bag. Just sayin.🎸🎸🎸
I think you could also say populist opinion that highlights the negative aspects of Taylor guitars is a type of unconscious bias? Maybe more so in the US where Martin guitars are so deep seated into their history and culture. It's interesting too, that builders like Bourgeois, Collings, Huss and Dalton, Santa Cruz etc are well respected, possibly by remaining faithful to the Martin esthetic, but are bolt on neck designs with more articulation like a Taylor.
The bigger a company gets the more hate it gets. This happens to pretty much every company out there. Just play the guitars you like/love, and ignore the miserable people.
When I was looking for an acoustic guitar almost 20 years ago I tries a number of guitars in the $800.00- $1200.00 range. I finally got it down to Taylor, Martin and Breedlove. These were the most available where I lived. To my ear the Martin was too boomy, too much bass bias. The Breedlove was just plain bland. I finally settled on Taylor because, to my ear it had the most balanced sound and I felt the expression system had the most natural amplified sound.
I appreciate the quality and playability across their entire line. Every Taylor plays fantastic. Their bolt-on neck is fantastic and produces a solid, well-coupled neck joint. Set-necks require much more care to get right, and you're not going to get a consistent product in the low-cost range. Regarding the bright tone, yes, it is a preference. However it is undeniable to anyone with a decent ear that across their line and regardless of wood, they all have a characteristic brightness to the sound. Older Taylors had a little more variation across models, but since the V-class bracing they are even more similar sounding. Yes, the wood used does make a difference; however, it is possible to design bracing and voice guitars in such a way that largely neutralizes the wood used, so long as it's solid wood. And that is what Taylor does. The good news is that if you want a guitar that plays great and sounds like a Taylor, you can just buy a 200 series. The same can't be said for most other manufacturers where you have to get into their mid-price range to get what you really want. All that said, Taylor guitars are not for me. If they're for you, cool. Never played a Taylor that didn't play great and sound like a Taylor. But that "Taylor sound" is real and it isn't for me.
Yeah completely agree with you. I think Taylors overall are good for a specific sound and I failed to mention it in the video. I personally like them in band context because they cut through well but when it comes to recording bare acoustic I use my Taylor 818 which is a larger body guitar that is more balanced with a moderate low end. The shape makes a difference. In saying that I also use Yamaha and Martin. So it’s good to have a mix! I’ve heard mixed reviews on the v-class bracing. Seems people more broadly aren’t happy with it.
My Taylor guitar has the older Taylor system installed before they switched over to the Expression System. The older systems use a mic and a bridge system and it sounds great. I like my Taylor but I miss my Takamine guitar. Another Takamine is in my future.
I've had 3 Taylors - never hated any of them. I mean I tried to like them but for me the thing that annoyed the crap out of me was that I was constantly having to tweak the truss rod. That plus the Taylor tone to my ears is not clearly defined. I'm a Martin guy. I also like Larrivee guitars - but Taylor, just not for me.
I’m pretty positive that my dislike for Taylor guitars is unfounded and irrational, but it’s also strong. At this point, I’m mainly a Gibson dread guy. My go to guitar for gigs is an 08 Dove, and my #2 and #3 are mid 60s hummingbirds. I spend a lot of time at a shop where vintage and unique guitars are bought, repaired, set up, and sold. I’ve played so many different makes/models, and Taylor is probably the only brand that has never had at least 1 that clicked. I checked this video to see if something discussed might resonate with my predisposition, but I don’t think it’s any of what was discussed.
Yeah interesting points. Maybe some people can’t bond with certain guitars builders. I feel like that about some brands. Can’t put my finger on why but the guitar just isn’t for me and that’s ok. thanks for stopping by!!
I had a Taylor, and it sounded tinny. I used it twice, and wonder why I bought it. It felt good neckwise, but even audience members complained about the sound. I'll never buy another one.
I've had TWO pupils experience major set up problems on new Taylors from their soundboard doming due their seemingly over-sensitive susceptibility to highish humidity, The conditions they were stored/used in caused no problems with other well-known brands in the exact same environment*. One Taylor instrument had to be returned and replaced, as even Taylor's much touted neck shimming system could not compensate for the resultant raised action. This surprised me given their reputation for reliability. I do not claim that this experience is common, even the timber of the most expensive and well made instruments may sometimes suffer freak distortion. But there you go. * Temperate/sub-tropical area in northern New Zealand
It seems that I am not the only player who thinks the ES2 works really well on a 12-string. I have no interest in 6-string Taylors but my K62ce is a keeper.
I own a Martin D28. Taylors higher tone helps them cut thru a live performance. Its whatever guitar works best for the song that you are doing. Friends of mine have Taylors so I can use either one that the song demands
I’ve never been impressed with any piezo or transducer pickup systems. Your statement about nothing can replace a microphone rang true with me which is why I own two Alvarez guitars that have a preamp system that allows the addition of a condenser mic that resides inside the guitar and it sounds better than any piezo or transducer pick I’ve heard. Get yourself a system that allows a condenser mic. You won’t regret it.
on every video that talks about these topics i say the same thing, it's all very subjective. i have six guitars at the moment, a 69 epiphone texan i got a couple of years ago, a 66 gibson J45 i bought in 1975, a maton ebg808TE, a larrivee OMO3 zebrano, a 2000's gibson j35 and a 2004 martin OOOX1. the OOOX1 blows them all away, and they are all really good guitars. the martin i think is a prototype, it's 2004, it is a made in the USA label so as they were meant to be budget martins made in mexico, and as it sounds so good, i think it was a prototype that went astray. it's so good in fact i bought another, this was a 2014 mexico made OOOX1 AE - the same but with a pickup. totally different, both are spruce top, HPL back and sides (i still have no idea how HPL is made) so they ought to sound similar at least, but no, the bass is different, the treble is different. admittedly there is ten years between them, but the back and sides being man made material would make them at least similar. i think you could go to any factory and watch two guitars of the same spec being made by the same guy on the same day from the same woodstock and they would sound different when played. all you can do is play as many guitars as you can get your hands on until one grabs you, i've had at least fifty guitars since 2013 and i've got six "keepers" that way.
You’re right it is all very subjective. Haven’t had much experience with the Martin HPL guitars. Just assumed it was marketing. Might give them a serious chance! Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a detailed comment !
A really well balanced and intelligent piece. Well done. I don't own a Taylor but I always thought they were OK. I think the brightness is a personal taste thing. Far better than a muddy sound at any rate. I think the general problem with guitars made in quantity is that maintaining consistency is tough just because of the variable quality of individual pieces of wood. The best luthiers who hand build go to great lengths in choosing a piece of wood and often store them for many years before using them. Then they work each soundboard differently according to its characteristics. Large scale manufacturers can't really do that. I recall many years ago going into a guitar store where there were two Martin OOs hanging side by side. I played each one, and one sounded great and the other was pretty poor. They looked identical. About very expensive guitars, I'm lucky enough to own one and for some years I was afraid of it. I felt I had to play brilliantly if I was to do it justice. I'm an OK player but I'm no Tommy Emmanuel or Martin Simpson. Now nearly 30 years later I treat it as just my old guitar, play it sweetly and let it speak for itself and it's absolutely great. I don't think of its value and I don't even mind if it has a couple of small dings. It's a lovely musical instrument and that's the important thing.
I have owned a few Taylor's and they always play /sound good but I have never been able to bond with them. They have a sound that's uniquely there brand and while it's a good sound I have never thought it was a great sound. That's just my feeling though and I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate them or they suck because neither is true. They're very well built instruments and as you stated extremely consistent across all the price levels they offer. I have many friends who swear by them and in live situations use the ES 2 pickup system and in their hands it sounds great. However, in my case they just haven't worked for me. It doesn't mean I have given up on the brand and am always open to trying new models and revisiting older ones because as someone who would consider myself a Professional musician my taste in instruments it always evolving so who knows if at some point a Taylor sound could be just what I'm looking for.
Some people must have the perfect guitar and those people will keep complaining about every guitar. Some other people just have many guitars because of their different tones, etc., and those people are happily playing different guitars for different songs and moods, etc.
Did a lot of playing and listening before I bought my Taylor 314CE for around $2k at the time I bought it. Maybe it’s my preference in tones, but I liked the Taylor over other comparably priced guitars. It has full rich tones, but also what Taylor calls sparkle. In any case, I like it.
I have had a Taylor AD17e for about a year now, it is the best acoustic all around I have ever owned. I gifted my Martin to my son and kept the Taylor for myself!
One of the main problems with Taylor, fundamentally, beside the pickups, is that they make just too damn many guitars! They need more Helter and less Skelter. It's the computer lasers which brought this condition on; it's an avoidable situation.
I own Taylors, Martins, Gibson, Epi, Takamine, etc. I’ve never understood the hatred of any brand other than your own favorite. The guitars that I still own have won me based on their individual characteristics. To me, the rest is silly.
I notice country players gravitate towards Taylor because of the brightness. Rock and folk players gravitate towards Martin because of the low end mid response. I’m a Breedlove guy because of the balance of bright and bass response. There’s some good mids there too. Especially low mids.
I have my preferences when it comes to acoustic guitars and usually Taylor guitars don’t do it for me. But this is just because of two personal reasons. I do think most Taylors (not all! - I’ve heard some beautiful ones) do sound too thin and bright. And the second reason is the fact that I just don’t like the shapes and many of their cosmetic choices. And again, there are some exceptions. I’m fully aware that a lot of this has to do with the fact that I’m a 56 year old guy who’s been inspired by the big names in music that played mainly Gibsons and Martins. And to own a Gibson or a Martin has always been one of my dreams. Having said all that, I really like Taylor for doing things completely different. I applaud that. I prefer innovation and identity over copying. And if I ever decide to buy a good twelve string acoustic, or an eight string baritone, the first brand I’ll be looking for is Taylor. 🧡
My opinion, ok, Taylor guitars tend to have what people call the “ Taylor ring” , it’s a high end sound, sharpness, twang, whatever you want to call it, some like it some don’t. How a guitar is played, obviously, effects the sound and Taylor’s seem to be easier to play which lends to the beginner, thus people hear more beginners playing on a Taylor and they draw an opinion on a guitars sound based off of the player’s ability and not off the instruments true sound or mature players sound. Also Taylor’s tend to have less mids which works well with the singer’s voices fitting into that spot.
My experience with Taylor has been love/hate. I had a 314CE with ES1 that I played into a third set of frets (probably 500 shows and countless rehearsal hours) until trading it toward an 814CE with the ES2 system. I love my 814 (plays like a dream), but the ES2 system was fragile and unreliable for the old-style percussive playing that I do. After several trips to the Authorized shop for repairs, I gave up and threw in a Fishman hybrid system-- the one with the little mic (I had to cut and shape a nice maple cap for the heel in my shop to replace the plastic housing I had to remove). All of that was to say I am in the "not a fan of the ES2" group; that pickup is as fragile as sugar glass. Oh-- and also, all guitars should come with Stainless Steel frets. They're not that much more expensive than standard nickel steel.
Not all Taylors are „too bright“! I own acoustics from Taylor, Martin, Lakewood and Blueridge. My Taylor is the one with the dark and sweet sound, made from Koa. My Martin is a touch brighter, the Lakewood the loudest and brightest. Each of them has their use. Taylor excellent first singer-songwriter, Martin good for bluegrass, Lakewood a beast for Bluegrass too! All depends on the woods used. What I like with Taylor: the pick-ups, the factory set up and the playability. The craftmanship is also superb and you get good value for the money. I am not brand fixated and if you can afford more than one guitar, you can find yourself lucky tonown a few and each one has it´s purpose. A comparison for that: get yourself a powderboard to ride on powder days and get a freestyle board to shred the park. If you really only want one guitar, than i think you need a lot of time to find the right one to do everything you want. just stop being brand focused…. and yeah: martins open up massively if played a lot ….
Went from a Taylor 214ce Deluxe to my current Taylor 714 cedar top. Absolutely love Taylor's. Also have a 214ce nylon. I get that Taylor's tend to be bright. My 714ce Cedar takes care of that issue
Single biggest issue with Taylor is no lower mids (also no upper mids), so doesn't sound like a Martin, Gibson or Guild - the guitars you have heard on thousands of your favourite records.
Yep, the NT neck is a reason to gravitate to Taylor, not run away. I agree that they are more modernly voiced, or someone’s definition of “bright “, but as a fingerpicker I need the treble spectrum to pop. Plus, show me a guitar out of the box that sounds and plays as great as an Academy Series guitar. The crazy thing is that even the MX made guitars are pretty sweet, and nobody does a layered back & sides guitar as good as Taylor. I can’t speak to their electronics though since I’ve never owned one.
I have two Taylor guitars. They are beautiful, the tone is gorgeous, and I can't imagine why anyone would bitch about them. One of my guitars is acoustic/electric and has never been plugged in so I can't speak to that, but if I were going to buy a third guitar, it would be another Taylor.
Good video. I am one who doesn't think Taylors measure up to competitors, and the sound is the clincher for me. I prefer Martin dreadnoughts and boutique guitars. There is plenty of room for Taylor in the population of nice guitars for the several reasons you give. My preference is just elsewhere.
Radical idea. If you do not like the sound of Taylor guitars, do not buy one?
Spot on!!
That's it ☝️
Haters? Isn’t that a bit over the top? There are so many other problems in the world to get that upset about…
I’ve never liked Taylor and it’s real simple to just not buy one.
It worked for me.
Bob Taylor has done more to make the guitar industry thrive than anyone else in the business. He has driven the industry with production techniques that increase quality and consistency so much so that every major manufacturer now use these techniques and technology. He also has done great things for sustainability with his use of non-traditional tone woods and literally buying the ebony company in Cameroon that supplies most of the ebony to the industry and developing good forestry and harvesting practices to make sure that ebony will be available for many years to come. I have a 2009 Taylor 414ce limited in Tasmanian Blackwood that sounds fantastic. I get the comment, "That doesn't sound like a Taylor" all the time. I think there is a preconceived notion about what a Taylor is supposed to sound like and in reality they all have a unique voice depending on body size, tone wood and especially who is playing it. So much of tone is in the hands of the player.
How many times u gonna paste and post this idiot. You can’t take a shitty sounding acoustic and make it sound good no matter how you play. Your just repeating what other idiots say
Yep, I just posted, I have a Custom shop Sinker redwood/ Amazonian Rosewood Taylor from NAMM 2017 with erformance bracing, can't say I'm a fan of the V
Totally unique sound, as you should expect from a custom especially with such a are wood combu but thats thw whole point surely?
The most "Un Taylor" sounding Taylor you could get therfore
Warm, rich, big with a big bass thump and sparkly trebles Complex overtones
Complete OPPOSITE of the much maligned "Bright " Taylor sound !
You had me going for a while there. Good one.
Also, from a sustainability standpoint, they now use all of the ebony and not just the dark black lumber. No difference in playability, durability, or tone. Just an aesthetic thing. Other manufacturers are now starting this practice. if you really want an all black fretboard, just stain it black. Nobody complains about Gibson's rosewood fretboards not being dark black.
I knew several people who worked at Taylor, they all agreed on one thing, Taylor is a terrible place to work. Unpaid extra hours, no slack for sick days, low pay, high demands. The stories were awfully consistent. I don't like their guitars in general,. poor tone and they don't tune up accurately. It doesn't help that Jewel helped so much to popularize Taylors, and the three chord three note pretty girl fad. I saw her at the place in Ocean Beach where she was "discovered" just after she signed her record deal, I used to play there too. we both lived in our vehicles in OB, but though I had loads of respect from fans and musicians alike, and I knew hundreds of people down there for literally decades, I wasn't part of the "pretty people', so she never acknowledged me, and I never knew her. I cannot stand the amateur ability level of the music she and her copycats did. And it didn't give me a good impression of their guitars either, with the stories of Taylors employees to boot.
I’m one of those who find them too bright and always thought they felt very machine made. The CNC technique definitely plays a role in this because a lot of Martin’s leave a similar taste in my mouth now. A Gibson feels more handmade to me now and their ongoing quality control problems seem to reinforce the fact a good portion of them are still hand made, for better or for worse.
I’m not a hater or any of these brands. I currently have a D-28 and a GS-Mini and have owned an SJ-200 in the past. They all have their pros and cons.
Good points about handmade and variability of quality! Thanks for watching
This is my thoughts exactly.
Their Mexican models have way more punch and mid range without all the $$ and bling. I’m with you on the US made models.
@@matthewwillis4892*These are
Have you ever tried a Furch?
When I was finally in a position to buy a new acoustic guitar , I was set on a Taylor 414-CE ; since I had been trying them out for several months previously . When I finally went to try them out ; something had changed with the neck dimensions on this model ! The ones I tried had a thick ; overly narrow neck compared to the ones I had tried just a few months earlier ! I tried several different shops with them on hand ; but they all had the same issue ! I couldn’t get a good answer from anyone on what may have happened ; but I ended up going with Martin ; and I can’t say that I regret it . 🤷♂️
Definitely have to go with whatever feels good for you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I played the tailor guitars and I liked the Martin d15m better so now I play my tunes with a Martin d15m usa made .
I play out several times a week, and know a lot of the local players. There are more Taylors out there than all other premium brands. And, they all sound quite good! You can’t sell 750 guitars a day, unless you are making an excellent product.
Spot on mate. Thanks for watching!!
That is a silly quote.
McDonalds sell 100 times more meals a day than a nice restaurant, but nobody would say they are better quality.
@@DjNikGnashers do they sell for the same price?
@@jed1166 Taylors can cost 3 or 4 thousand pounds, which is where Lowden range starts, and for the same money, you are getting a hand made, built to your own spec (I specified the nut width, neck shape, etc).
So along with the unique bracing system Lowden uses, and the top quality tonewoods, I'd say a Lowden is a much better guitar for the same money.
@@DjNikGnashers All solid wood, USA made Taylors start at $1,749.
It's just like anything else it's subjective. I like Martins. You like Taylor's let's jam! It's also, whatever you can afford! My first guitar was a $20 dollar nylon string from Mexico. I was incredibly thankful just to have a guitar!
It is all very subjective, you’re right. Thanks for watching!!
Its better if they sound a little different when you play together anyway 👍🤏😃🤣
When I was looking for a high quality guitar I tried all the acoustic guitar they had and I leaned to Taylor because I thought it had the best all around sound quality. It had high and lows too. I did not plug them in. I have found the strings have a greater impact on sound quality.
Yeah often changing the strings will make a big different in tone. Thanks for watching!
Hilarious
Funny how I've heard about 50 Taylor owners say "My Taylor is as good as a Martin". I've NEVER heard one Martin owner say desperately : " My Martin is as good as a Taylor"
Ha!! So true
I own both, and for how they are used, they are as good as one another. The Taylor is a beast for fingerstyle and sitting easily in a mix. The Martin is sensational for solo gigs or playing bluesy fingerstyle.
They feel beautiful and all I found was it fitted fine in a full band when recording.But not on its own.
I got a D28 later and it is magical and put me in a trance straight away.Suited a vocal immediately !!
My fave players tend to use 12 String Taylors though.
The d28 is a beautiful guitar. Thanks for watching!
The only thing i hate about a Taylor is i cant afford one
Yeah I feel like the prices of big brand guitars is getting ridiculous across the board.
Never have liked Taylor guitars until I played a friend's 12 string a couple weeks ago.
Best feeling neck on a 12 string I've ever played' never thought I'd say that.
Their necks are great. Thanks for watching!
I feel the same. I have a limited edition K62ce, it's a dream to play, but I'm not interested in owning a Taylor 6-string. Nice kit, but not for me.
I actually always preferred the sound of a Taylor over a martin. Don’t really care what anyone else thinks about it
I’m the same! Go with what you know and love mate. Thanks for watching
I've owned 10 different Taylors over the years. Their 800 series have been not only an excellent sounding guitar, but they are really fun to play. I didn't care for the T5 custom or the K65 I bought, but all of the others were really nice guitars. And I received a lot of compliments on the sound of my 815 and 655 when I took them out. And their neck system can save you a ton of money if it needs a reset. I had an 855 that needed a reset. Taylor in San Diego did it, as well as fixing all of the nicks and scratches on the guitar. They did a fabulous job at a very reasonable price. Every manufacturer makes good and bad guitars. You just have to find one that fits your needs.
Completely agree and I also love my 818 for the reasons you stated! Thanks for watching
I got a 317e. Got a beautiful deep end with pristine highs. Slightly scooped middle (perfect for vocals). The ES2 sound fine. IDC what the Martin/Gibson purists think. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching mate!!
I tested Taylor, Martin, Takamine, gibson, guitars, side-by-side in the sound room of a music store that was well stocked with acoustics in a special sound room
liked the Taylor neck and fretboard finish better than the others
The gibson was a big disappointment to me. For the price, I expected them to be easily better than everything else in sound. I ruled out the gibson’s pretty quick.
The sound difference between the Taylor and the Martin in my opinion, the taylor was brighter and louder than the Martin.
I tried to Takamine.. I liked it but I wanted a single cutaway guitar
I strolled around the store I went to the service department/you which is where the used department was.,
I noticed the pricing on the wall for a set up of acoustic guitars, as well as electrics.
to set the action on a trailer was $80 plus strings
to set the action on a Martin started at $500 plus strings
I asked the guitar guru why the big price spread between Martin Guitars and Taylor Guitar‘s for a set up where you have to change the action to make it higher or lower..
he said it’s cheap on the trailer because the taylor has a bolt on neck which makes it very easy to change shims just by unbolting the neck inside the sound hole..
with a Martin, you have to steam with the neck off, so the glue will release the neck, and then glue it back on after you change the action shims, or whatever needs to be done to make the action lower or higher..
right there that made my mind up in a nanosecond
I ended up buying the trailer and the Takamine..
Yeah man! If you consider the ongoing costs of maintenance and setup, Taylor wins the race… thanks for watching mate!!
Taylor guitars are really good despite what people say. They used to fill a only niche market and now they are top competitors. What I will recount here is purely statistical anomaly and confirmation bias from me. I've spoken with about 8 luthiers around Missouri and found the following 2 or 3 things that stand out. 1.) Every Taylor that had been brought in save for a handful had something wrong with the bridge regardless of model. Lifting, loose pegs, incorrectly shaved bridge leading to bad intonation, etc. These problems become exacerbated when someone pays over a grand for a guitar and it comes with problems.
2.) When it works, the ES2 is a very good upgrade from the ES1 and has useful tools. They've had reports of it dying live on stage, buzzing, shorting, battery leakage (dramatically low life). The frequency of problems with it compared to other pickup models is significant.
Yeah the ES1 was a shocker. I didn’t know about the bad bridge work. Thanks for sharing!!
I don't think the issue with "Brightness" is actually that, but more the lack of low end and not just larger guitars, like dreadnoughts. Even the Grand Auditorium body is lacking bass when compared to the Martin Grand Performance body. As far as price is concerned, Taylor's should be $500-$600 less than a comparable Martin, due to the "cheaper" neck joint. I'm not opposed to bolt-on necks, but there should be a cost savings passed onto the customer and not only going toward increasing Taylor's profit margin.
I wouldn’t say no to $500 off a guitar!! Great points made. Thanks for watching ☺️
Yes , I have a custom Taylor so not really he same issues as the series models , the woods are Sinker Redwood and Amzonian Roswood and its a GS body not a GA so absolutely thumping bass Also the bracing is Performance being from 2017 and theres many who feel the new V bracing adds to the problem?
@@crispycat4852 yes, I also prefer the warmth in the lower end frequencies of the x brace system of the older Taylor's. The V brace is trebley...er..
I have a 214 ce dlx and other than having the action lowered I have no issues at all, plays great and sounds great 😊
A comfortable is a great feeling! Thanks for watching.
I have the 214ce plus. I love the sound and playability of it.
Same. I actually think Taylor excels at the $1k-2k mark. Martins at the beginner level use too much laminate, although they both have excellent QC. My advice to a beginner is start off with a Yamaha, move to a Taylor, save up for a nice Martin or by then you might lean towards a more niche brand.
I have the same DLX too. It's very comfortable and I actually enjoy the bright sounds. I play with Elixir 80/20 light strings.
They have a more treble tone to my ear. I desire a fuller midrange tone. As much as I want to like a Taylor I find myself still playing Martin, Gibson, and Guild acoustics.
Absolutely!! All great makers. Thanks for watching!
I've got one Taylor, a 317 (not e). There's things to like about it. The best thing about it is the playability and it has a nice even tone. I can't explain why, but there's no projection and it doesn't record well. I prefer Martins.
Completely understand. Sometimes guitars just don’t feel and sound right to us. Thanks for watching 😊
Taylor and Gibson make fine guitars that are preferred by lots of people I respect and I've played some (used to own a nice J-45) but Martin has the sound I prefer. For the kind of music I play, bluegrass and folk, they are the standard.
Absolutely!! Thanks for watching mate 😊
I own the Taylor 316CE which was designed to punch through powerful sound and more bottom end than the oh so popular 314 CE. I’m very happy with my guitar and it really comes down to personal preference of what you want from a guitar and Taylor can build it. Not only is each model uniquely different by design but each guitar of the same model is unique in its tone. If you can’t find a Taylor guitar that suits your needs maybe the guitar is not the problem.
Yeah they definitely offer variety! Thanks for watching
In my opinion, you should buy a guitar based on your ear, on and off the instrument in question, and the feel. I had a Martin, came across an older Guild I really liked, and parted with the Martin. Taylor makes a range of solid quality instruments, but I've found only one I really liked by ear and feel, but that's my ear and feel. Play the best gear you can, so called lifer instruments, but it has to sing to you for you to make it sing. Do your best on your Taylors and Martins, I'll do so on my Guild, and hopefully they will bring out the best in what we do.
That’s a great way to put it- the guitar has to sing to you, so true
A decent or satisfying amplified acoustic tone has always been a pain in stool we usually sit on. My 2 cent about Taylor is I sold my GS mini because of the es1 outrageous sound. Taylor deserves the greatest acknowledgement for bringing playability up to light, but any cheap acoustic guitar stock piezo gives me less inhibition compared to Taylor’s
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I put 10 guage strings on my Taylor 114E and it has made a huge difference in the sound and more on the low end.
Yeah I’m partial to light gauge strings on Taylors too for the sound and feel!! Thanks for watching!
I’m an older guy with a high-end model of both a Martin and Taylor. The Martin just sounds like what a guitar should sound like based on a lifetime of listening. I like the bright Taylor too, but it sounds like an alien that just landed on Earth - to serve man, as it were. I enjoy playing both.
😂 I enjoy playing both too.
I've not played a Taylor, but do admire the innovations they have introduced such as the neck joint system which has simplified the neck reset issue. However, if you go on the Taylor website and filter out all the models with pickups (I don't need one) and cutaways (I personally think they look ugly), there aren't many left to choose from!
You’re spot on! Would be nice to a non-electronics version on some models. Thanks for watching!!
I just purchased a new Taylor 117e Grand Pacific with the torrified spruce top I think it is a great sounding guitar and it looks nice too it is certainly not tinny I chose it over a Martin because I like the narrower neck and it just seemed like a better choice I also heard that Taylor guitars were a popular choice by beginners and professional musicians I am an intermediate player I normally play Fender acoustics I have a one year old Fender villager California series 12 string acoustic and I have been playing a Fender CD 60 -SCE electro acoustic dreadnought for the past 3 years I just wanted to try something different and I love my new Taylor 117e. I agree with one of the other comments If you don't like Taylor's don't buy it simple. Andy, Glasgow 🥰🏴
Thanks!!
I have owned and played several high end Martins, Santa Cruz, Gibson and custom luthier hand made guitars over the decades. Never a Taylor. But when I was over at a friend’s and he played a fingerstyle composition of his on his new Taylor, I was gob smacked. The sound was gorgeous, articulate and balanced. I now own a Taylor (700 series x-braced) and it is my most played guitar. In fact my Martins and Santa Cruz guitars have been sold. The Taylor sounds and plays great. There’s a lot of disdain for Taylors out there but there’s also a lot of Taylor love, I can now attest.
Nice!! 😊 Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment
Professional musicians seem to love them. I have used Taylor since 2001 and am as happy as a clam.
Thanks for watching!!
And how many other guitars have you played extensively to compare ?
@@DjNikGnashers Owned and played dozens over a period of sixty years. Every manufacture you could imagine.
@@barrycole ok, well that at least gives a lot of credibility to your opinion.
Thank you.
I have owned around 30 guitars, from over 20 brands, and I didn't like the Taylor sound. But, that is probably because I don't like bright sounding guitars, my Japanese Takamine was another example, others loved it.
I found my perfect sound with my Lowden, a superbly balanced, yet warm top quality instrument,
I bought a beautiful 614. It was bass deficient, thin and sterile. My Gibson Dove really didnt sound fabulous either, but had some personality. Ive had several Martins. Buy a 28 or an 18 and you'll be in love forever. A new standard series Martin is no more expensive than a Taylor. My D28 was 2,500 in 2018. They are 2,700 now. Best sounding guitar i ever heard.
Not a Martin fan , muddy thuddy rollie pollie tone
@@jimdoner3443 I know it's subjective, more about taste. They both seem to favor certain styles. I would like to see Julian Lage do a head to head with those two brands of equal price. I will concede that novice players can more easily play and get good sound with a Taylor and those tired d drone church chords. When using peddle techniques, fingerstyle, pinching, and walking bass the Martin comes alive, like a grand piano.
Thanks for sharing!
A Taylor 614 has a maple back and sides- comparing apples and oranges with a D18 hog or a D28 rosewood. If I want maple I'd go with a jumbo body size to give more bass, Which I did.
@anthonyfoster1476 The Dove was maple, and spruce same size, different shape.
As a luthier, one of the reasons why Taylors sound brittle- and they do.-is the bracing system and the voicing of the braces. Wood have a big effect on tone, but it is the voicing of the top, the bracing system and the design elements that will determine the character of the voice.
Some people prefer that sound, it's a matter of taste. But people with bad tastes need guitars too ;)
Haha! 😂
Are you referring to the v class bracing? Or do you think they’ve always braced them to be brittle sounding?
I got a beautiful 424ce recently and it just has everything I love about a Taylor. Balanced tone, great playability, looks amazing and I like the pickup too.
Congrats! 424 is a beautiful guitar
Excellent review with every topic and every scenario covered. I don’t own Taylor, but I noticed they exclusively use elixir strings. I never thought anything of it until I bought a couple of pairs for my acoustics and I couldn’t believe the difference it brought to my old guitars. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and clearing up a lot of wrong ideas about these guitars. I played them in shops and as far as I’m concerned they’re beautiful guitars and actually I like a brighter tone.👏🙏😊
Glad you liked the video. Strings make a huuuuuge difference to acoustic guitar tone. I also don’t mind a brighter tone. Thanks to watching!!
Taylor just switched to D'Addario strings.
20 years ago I went looking for a premium acoustic guitar. I was living in nyc at the time and 48th street music district was still in full swing. This allowed me to play virtually every premium acoustic guitar in a 1 block walking distance. I liked many of them. Even some relatively inexpensive guitars from Korea. But, one stood out: a Taylor 514. I learned it had a cedar top. Did this really matter? Dunno, but it just sounded so full and warm, but still retained clear highs. I was sold. Because I had no need to play high. Up the neck or play it amplified, I custom ordered one without a cutaway or a pickup. It saved $800 and I never regretted it.
So, 20 years later, what do I think? I love it. One little complaint I do have, tho, is the 1 3/4” wide neck. The one I played on 48th st had the more trad 1 11/16”. Apparently I ordered mine right at the point where they switched to the wider neck. I’m used to it now, but would still prefer the narrower neck. Also, my 514 stays in tune almost indefinitely and has never needed a truss rod adjustment. It’s sound still makes me (and anyone else who plays it) smile. Some things to be aware of. It’s a very light guitar. I think the back and sides might be relatively thin. Maybe this is why it sounds so good? Side by side with a D28 it’s really noticeable. That said. It’s been bounced around a lot in 20 years and is still fine. My biggest complaint is probably with the rapid wear of the frets. I had the first 3 frets replaced about 5 years ago, and the new ones are still like new. Enough words. Bottom line, you simply have to go play guitars to know what you like.
Great story! Thanks for sharing and you’re right. Try lots of guitars and then make up your mind 😊
One study into what made Stradivarius violins sound so good concluded that it was due to the tiny imperfections built into the instruments. Speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, physicist Dr Franco Zanini said: “We noticed there were a lot of asymmetries in the instruments. In principle they have no reason to be there, but it is possible these imperfections were made to remove the unpleasant harmonics that you get in symmetrical instruments.” If there is anything in this theory, it could explain why CNC manufactured guitars don't sound so great to some ears. 20 years ago, I bought a second guitar to supplement my '65 Levin Goliath, which itself has a bright sound (flamed maple back and sides with spruce top) I found Taylors too bright and ended up with a Martin 00028ec. I spent hours comparing the standard 00028 with the ec version before buying.
In the same interview he talks about the violin having had modifications and natural imperfections resultant from over 300 years of life. And that any affect to harmonics may be by chance. I think it confirms that instruments need to live and breathe. It also highlights the importance of Luthiery as a skill, something I think a consumer culture is slowly diminishing. Regardless, my experience is that guitars come into their true voice at around 5 years, but they have to be played, and playing, changes in climate and general wear and the consequent tiny imperfections I think definitely impact the sound for the better. Thanks for sharing this - really interesting perspective to add to the conversation!!
Taylors are great guitars, (as with ANY instrument) sound, playability is subjective & personal. Personally, think they should 'can' the ES System . Not good. IMO. Furthermore, NO 2032 batteries in ANY guitar. They suck in a guitar. Stick with the 9 Volt Battery or double A at the end pin. THEY WORK and LAST ! 🎸🎸🎸 Listen to the people/musicians who buy this gear . 🎸🎸🎸
Thanks! The ES2 uses 9 volt and the compartment is at the end pin. I think the ESB used to use button batteries but they’ve since upgraded that too, so it takes AAs or something. Anyway, I’m not a fan of the ESB. But think the ES2 is an excellent piezo pickup. Not the best and I wish they wouldn’t put it on everything.
Another fine video. I couldn't agree more on most of your points. I do however have to respectfully disagree about ES2. I'm an audio engineer and I don't personally know any engineers who enjoy mixing ES2 or, better yet, who don't vocally bemoan having to work with it. Likewise, I don't know any who don't love working with the older Fishman Prefix systems Taylor used to use. My own '99 414ce uses this system and it gets compliments every time I play it. That said, I respect your take on ES2. As has been mentioned elsewhere many times, it does do a good job of capturing elements of the instrument that are totally ignored by under-saddle pickups. I just don't think those elements desirable when using a pickup.
There are excellent pickups out there. The fishman prefix is one of those. I haven’t used one but have a martin with similar features that allow you to blend mic and piezo. I did a comparison between a $50 JJB pickup and the ES2 and to be honest they compare well. The ES2 is clearer but likes body. While the JJB has that classic (albeit subtle) quack with a warm and fuller overall tone. There is also something to be said about Taylor exclusively using the ES on their guitars, which I don’t necessarily agree with. They also offer few non-electronics models.
Interesting. As a performer, I like the ES2 at least as much as any pickup that I've had. In fact it's a major reason why I bought a Taylor. It's not in a complex mix though, so perhaps your reservations don't apply. Also, the fact that my Taylor is a 12-string might be relevant: the ES2 might be better suited to that.
@@markharwood7573 You’re not the first person to tell me that they enjoy how ES2 sounds with a 12-string. That is interesting. I wish they’d offer other options, but I’m glad there are people who love ES2z
@@sonusaurelius6576 I agree - perhaps I wouldn’t be so displeased with ES2 if they still offered other options.
That sound of Taylor guitars in my opinion, is very balanced, and overall a little bit louder than Martin but if you don’t like that, then you should go with the Martin both are high quality but for my money Taylor is more bang for the buck and the playability is much closer to electric video action and just comfort then Martin the only Gibson I like is the jumbo series but you have to shell out $4000
So true!!
Yeah. I don’t get it. The brands all sound a little different at least to me. I like that character about them. I don’t want them all to sound the same. How boring would that be.
So true!! Thanks for watching
I was once told by a guitar store owner that Martin has been buying wood from the foreign countries for so long and buy so much that they get first pick of all the wood coming in from those countries and everyone else picks what's left. Not sure if that is true or not but kind of sounds ligit.
Interesting!
Yes, Martin has a huge stockpile of old wood.
I own a 214 black. It plays amazing. I paid 1700 for it new. I also own an Alverez. It was 600. The Taylor plays far better. The Alverez just sounds better all around. The pick up sounds better. I ended up putting an aura system into the Taylor because the new pickups just don’t have any volume to them.
Alvarez make GREAT guitars! Thanks for sharing mate.
Taylor guitars were great until Andy Powers ruined them with the v class bracing.
I haven’t extensively tried a v class guitar. Do you mean in terms of engineering problems or tonal problems?
@@sonusaurelius6576 tonal. the v class makes the guitar sound compressed in a way. it doesn't have the depth, volume, and bottom end that it use to.
They really ruined it for sure
I hope they eventually go back to x bracing. I don't see a real benefit. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing an 810e DLX and 618e when I had the chance.
The v class does two things to my ear. It provides a lot of balance across lows mids and highs and the sustain is amazing
As a person who feels resentment against this brand that I can't really back up with a lot of playing experience, I think some factors play into this dislike that have very little to do with sound or playability. I think the strongest factor that's not being discussed a lot is the Coca Cola, Apple, Toyota effect. When a brand dominates a market, it becomes easy to hate them, because sometimes it's almost like you have no choice. Additionally, in music people love to see themselves as individualists with a strong, independent style. I've seen many guitar stores with literally an entire wall of Taylors, next to a tiny room with all the other brands crammed together. Watch bands on TV, and Taylors are everywhere. Even here on CZcams, I bet you see no other brand of acoustic guitar in as many videos. It's not even close. We all know that they can't hold a candle to carefully handcrafted boutique guitars like Santa Cruz, Collings, Boucher or Lowden. They're the Levi's jeans of acoustic, enjoyed by many, shunned by those who want something a little less obvious.
👍🏼
Taylor’s are a “ modern voiced” guitar . They don’t try and make a j45 which is dark and mellow or a Martin that is soft and less attack. Taylors suit the stage and studio because they are great guitars for shaping via eq etc. there pickups also are designed to make the guitars sound modern . And studio like-ie lots of tonal options.
Agreed!
Lots of us hate acoustic guitar PU's, since a good mic sounds better than any PU. As for Taylors, they tend to lack bass response. Of course relatively inexpensive Martins (thousand bucks or so) tend to lack treble response. I prefer Guilds because they are balanced, and have a rounder fretboard radius ("12"). Still, nothing sounds better (if you have 3k to spend) than a good standard series Martin - although plenty of guitars are easier to play.. Pretty much all boutique guitars are essentially Martin copies.
True on all points!! Thanks for your thoughts 😊
When Bob Taylor first started building acoustic guitars a very long time ago, he made some amazing sounding traditional dreadnoughts. But that all gradually changed when he began "re-inventing internal bracing". Pertaining to relying on CNC machines to cut parts, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with tone. Most boutique builders are now using CNC machines because not only do they speed up the process, but they assure exacting parts, each & every time, on a consistent basis. It's THE DESIGN of a guitar and how it's put together, along with choice of woods that affects tone, volume, sustain, resonance, and equally importantly: TOUCH SENSITIVITY. This touch sensitivity is where most Taylor acoustic guitars suffer the most: play it softly, play it with a medium attack, or really start digging in, and most Taylor's STILL SOUND THE SAME. The nuances of the tone timbres don't change very much using various picking attacks on Taylor's. I've learned this firsthand from owning a a high-end Taylor. Sorry, I can't recall the exact model now, but it was very expensive when I bought it new back in 2005. I loved the tone & overall sound at first......but it didn't take long before I started noticing the issue I mentioned above. All 3 of my Japanese Takamine's were FAR MORE touch sensitive. I'm talking about natural, unplugged tone. Taylor's are indeed far too expensive for what you're getting for the money. There are much better alternatives, that actually cost a good bit less. Pertaining to pickup systems for acoustic guitar, I find that nothing beats the Journey Tek EP001K passive system.......and ironically, it's one of the least expensive in the entire industry at only $50 US. ME: seasoned guitarist/singer/blues harp/performer who began playing guitar back in 1973.
Thanks for this interesting insight!!
@@sonusaurelius6576 You're very welcome! I'm NOT saying that "Taylor guitars are junk"..........but a growing number of professional players like world-renowned bluegrass/folk guitarist JP Cormier have also learned the same thing via firsthand playing & performing. Most Taylor guitars, regardless of price range, do in fact, sound virtually the same, no matter what picking attack you employ. It's not that it's "a bad tone".......but it is THE SAME TONE........no matter what you do. A really well-designed & built acoustic guitar WILL give you an entire palate of tones & tone timbres when you employ various picking attacks.......making that guitar QUITE versatile tonally!!! I do give all credit to Bob Taylor for employing bolt-on necks for acoustic guitars though. I can vividly recall how the vast majority of guitarists scorned him for using the bolt-on design. Nowadays of course, almost all builders are using it. A well-executed dovetail joint will always be stellar.........until ya have to repair or service that neck.
“No acoustic pickup is a replacement for a microphone”. Unless it’s a mic pick up. Piezo pick ups are awful.
😂 great point! Should have mentioned that technicality.
Mic pickups aren’t as good as external mics, either. They can be good, but they’re still inside the body or the soundhole, so they get a limited view of what’s going on with the guitar. (I have used a few, and have a Schertler A6 w/mic in one of my gigging guitars.)
I bought a Taylor 414 CE about 12 years ago for almost $2,000 and it was the best guitar I've ever had. I like it, it sounds great but I never felt totally comfortable with the neck. Why, I don't know. About 3 years later I bought a Martin 000-15m for $1,100 because I had started fingerpicking. When I play them one after the other I really noticed the high ends of the Taylor. The Martin definitely has a warmer sound for me. It's all I've played since then. I don't think I've spent more than 10 hours on the Taylor in all this time.
👍🏼 Martin’s 000s are wonderful!! Might be time to sell the Taylor.
My issue with Taylor guitars is with the build quality. A brace came loose in my brother's Taylor within the first 6 months of buying it. The battery compartment fell out of my friend's Taylor after about a year. Neither of these guitars were abused or even overly played. The horror stories that I've heard about the electronics I won't even comment on. Those sorts of things shouldn't happen with premium guitars. I saw these problems 10 to 15 years ago and, to be fair to Taylor, they may have improved since. Because of the build quality issues, I do think that Taylors are over-priced.
Thanks for sharing. I’ve not personally experienced these issues. But understand your point! Thanks for sharing.
As a professional musician since the 80s, I always think of guitar quality in two ways: How they sound acoustically, and how they sound plugged in.
Ive always thought that Taylor guitars were very average acoustically, but superior electronically. Martin is the opposite.
Did the people who thought Taylor's were too bright mean acoustically, or when plugged in? This is a key part of the conversation. For example, Takamines are exclusively known for their great electric sound, and nobody ever claims they are good acoustically - and quite rightly so. Taylors are very similar in this regard and have made great headway in the market positioning themselves in this way..
Martins have a different issue, they are great sounding acoustically, but they don't put good enough electronics in them. This is the reason that many folks pick their own electronics for Martins.
The opinions of a retired musician only of course. Interesting conversation and great video.
Interesting perspective from a very experienced musician, thanks for taking time to comment ☺️
I tried a few Taylors on my journey to find the "ultimate guitar to retire with". I felt they were all a bit light in tone and construction for me. Gibsons were too boxy. The one I finally pick was a James Goodall TROM - I was lucky enough to be in Rudy's Music and it had just arrived that day - hadn't even been unboxed. I had tried every acoustic in the room and nothing really lit my candle until I played the Goodall. The guitar just felt good to play and I could feel the vibration from the back. It was more expensive than I had planned, but I bought it and have never looked back.
Goodalls are great! Thanks for watching
I own a Taylor 314 guitar, and love it. Because I had friends of mine help me purchase it, I have no doubt that I will never get rid of it, due to its sentimental value. This being said, I am a huge fan of Tony Rice, and that does make me want to get a Martin.
Polyamory in guitars is totally allowed!
Haha, yeah, you'd be a very brave man turning up at a Blue Grass Jam with a Taylor and proceeding to play Church Street Blues ! 😉😅
Theres not much bottom end tone in taylor acoustics , but their string actions are superbly low without buzzing and they are ludicrously expensive. For me , i vote for martin acoustics or yamaha solid woods and those yamaha red labels
Great points thank you for watching!’
We try many Taylor. Without electronic, it were one of the best. With electronic? Nahhh….. too artificial and Taylor sound engineer need to do research on this. Martin, however, not on better position.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Oddly, the controversy over innovation for innovation’s sake, centers around Taylor’s shift from X TO V-CLASS bracing. Yet he did not mention this.
You’re right! I missed that! Thanks for picking it up!
I decided to purchase a Taylor 814ce and I love the full and clear tone. Using an amp too. You also can find Taylors with a darker or warmer tone more mids oriented. At least I liked the look more compared to Martin or Gibson. But they sound great too. About the price: Buy once for a lifetime. So if you want an exzellent Instrument you have to pay more of course. But it's worth every cent. I love the great handling and playability and the fantastic sustain. So it' s no question of the brand but how you feel with the guitar, how you like the tone and of course the look.
Yeah completely agree!!
IMO Taylor have the best single source pickup on the market. No it does not compare to the Anthem or Duo but for what it is, it is great, if properly adjusted. The mid range level is fixed but the highs and lows are adjustable which confuses some people who do not account for the fixed mid range. It is far superior to any under saddle piezo or saddle plate transducer unless you add a microphone to them.
Completely agree!!
I love my Taylor 414ce from 2012. In fact I love it so much I bought two of them so my backup guitar on stage would be as good as my first. So easy to play, so comfortable, such a balanced sound. I get compliments on it all the time. It's too bright for most recording unless you have a really dead strings, and then the low end suffers, but it's amazing for live. Personally I hate the ES2 as it picks up way too much finger noise. But the ES1 works great for me.
Martin Kerr!! Love your music mate. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. 😊
Yeah the ES2 isn’t for everyone.!
I have nine acoustic guitars, five of which are Taylors - a 714ce, 305 (baby), 555e (custom), 110e and a GA3-12. Each one serves a different purpose. I've been playing for almost 60 years, have played everything imaginable, and have settled on Taylors. I love the way they play and sound - especially the 12 string models. That being said, in spite of the the CNC machining and automation, no two are identical. I was checking out a couple 150ce 12 string models for a student and found them very different. One sounded full and rich and was butter to play, and the other, not so much. I have two sons, Scott and Jason. Both made by the same people in the same factory and they're are as different as night and day. Just sayin.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I played a Taylor American Dream model a few weeks ago. It played great, it sounded great. (It had a good setup and new strings) The two reasons why I didn't buy it was the top/soundboard looked rather cheap for a $2000 guitar. And second, it sounded very close to another guitar I have...so it would be overlapping and duplicating an existing guitar of mine.
Yeah, did it have a satin or natural finishes? They definitely look cheap, and doesn’t necessarily mean the wood is cheap. Sometimes a nice gloss finish can add a bit of dazzle and shine.
@@sonusaurelius6576 It was satin (which I wanted) but even a gloss wouldn't have made it look better. Bad tobacco burst.
For those who may not know, or have noticed, Taylor guitars have been changing, in the last few years, as the reins of the company have been given to Andy Powers, who is a very talented luthier, and player. He has brought innovation to the company, in the form of new bracing on the inside of most of their line, and I suspect he's behind the recent string manufacturer change that they include with their new guitars. I have also noticed an overall shift from the "brightness" in the highs to a more pronounced mid-range/bass tonal quality. I have been a Taylor fan since 2002, when I bought my first...to this day, when I go into a guitar store, I will start out playing a couple of Martins, maybe a Gibson, but will gravitate back to the Taylors that are there. I have other brands I have bought, over the years,(Ibanez, Epiphone, Yamaha, D'Anjelico) and even loved some of them, but I still prefer three Taylors. My first, a 2002 414ce, a 2007 GS5 (my favorite), and recently, a 522ce 12-fret, all Mahogony, my first foray into slotted-headstocks. I would also point out that most of the major brands also offer custom-built guitars, including Taylor. As for the price complaints: the range of Taylors is from around $500 to $thousands, so there's something for everyone there... Nice video, btw. I enjoyed the balance, in your coverage of the subject!
Thanks for an insightful comment. It’s good to hear from an early adopter.
Glad you liked the video!!
New to Taylor and just bought the 314ce. The guitar was setup correctly to the Taylor factory specs, but the action is still just a little too high for my preference. So far that's my only complaint. Beautiful guitar otherwise. Glad I bought it.
314s are nice. You could look at getting the neck angle adjusted when you take it in for a service - no extra cost, usually. It might help with the action. One of the benefits of having a Taylor.
I’m 73, I own 2 Martin, I also think that Taylor guitars have a bright not full enough sound. The only great thing is they don’t need a neck reset, I just paid over a grand for my 63 Martin neck reset, but it took 40 years for the reset.
63 Martin!! Nice. Those days they most often made them with Brazilian rosewood, which is expensive now.
I’m a Martin man (D35) but that is likely b/c I held and played a D45 years ago and it set me to dreaming. I have a friend with a $7500 Taylor and it sounds real nice, but I still melt at the sound of my D35. Taylor’s to me have always been a bit dull, muted…
Thanks for sharing mate
Oh, goodness. This round of comments again? Sure, I can add a comment to the ether.
This video was released in May 2024, and I am commenting on June 09, 2024. Depending on where you live and what manufacturer's instruments are available, most musicians can find a guitar that suits their tastes. Stating reasons why you may not prefer an instrument is fine when asked or contributing to the conversation, but focusing on your playing is more productive than bringing other people or instruments down. If you are complaining to complain, please, most of us are not interested in hearing your gripes. There are good, viable choices out there. Choose the instrument that works for you and make music, not unnecessary criticisms.
I've played a ten-year-old Taylor 618 and found it nice sounding. I've played 1970s and 1980s Martin guitars which left me unmoved. Bolt-on necks make it easier to reset the neck. Excluding hide glue, most adhesives absorb energy which does not contribute to resonance. I find that newer guitars sound much more to my taste than an antique. This is largely because luthiers, both one-person shops and major manufacturers are simply making much nicer instruments than what was produced from 1960 through 2000.
There are many Taylor models that leave me unmoved. I won't work toward purchasing them. There are many Martin models which leave me unmoved. I won't purchase any of those either.
The whole point of an instrument is to make music and not be a static ornament. So, in brief, go play your guitar and have fun.
Thank you for a well considered response and for adding your thoughts to the ether - again ☺️
Taylor guitars, at one point, made the best 12 string on the market. The action was low, the courses were narrow and easy to fret and the bolted neck meant you didn't have to worry about tuning the guitar up to standard pitch. It's a shame they axed a majority of their 12 strings, because that was one thing that put them on the map.
Yeah such a good point. I wonder what happened there! Thanks for watching mate!
Fender had a wonderful pickup system in the older (first model Parlor & 000, guitars) . The pickup has volume control, tone control, and built in tuner. Takes 9 volt battery with access near the end pin. I have a Martin 00-LE Whiskey Sunset . The battery access is at the end pin. Makes sense doesn't it ? If it goes dead or low on a gig, it's a quick fix to drop in a new, extra battery kept the gig bag. Just sayin.🎸🎸🎸
Thanks!!
I think you could also say populist opinion that highlights the negative aspects of Taylor guitars is a type of unconscious bias? Maybe more so in the US where Martin guitars are so deep seated into their history and culture. It's interesting too, that builders like Bourgeois, Collings, Huss and Dalton, Santa Cruz etc are well respected, possibly by remaining faithful to the Martin esthetic, but are bolt on neck designs with more articulation like a Taylor.
That is a great point! Thanks for sharing your thoughts
The bigger a company gets the more hate it gets. This happens to pretty much every company out there. Just play the guitars you like/love, and ignore the miserable people.
👍🏼 spot on! Thanks for watching
When I was looking for an acoustic guitar almost 20 years ago I tries a number of guitars in the $800.00- $1200.00 range. I finally got it down to Taylor, Martin and Breedlove. These were the most available where I lived. To my ear the Martin was too boomy, too much bass bias. The Breedlove was just plain bland. I finally settled on Taylor because, to my ear it had the most balanced sound and I felt the expression system had the most natural amplified sound.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!
I appreciate the quality and playability across their entire line. Every Taylor plays fantastic. Their bolt-on neck is fantastic and produces a solid, well-coupled neck joint. Set-necks require much more care to get right, and you're not going to get a consistent product in the low-cost range.
Regarding the bright tone, yes, it is a preference. However it is undeniable to anyone with a decent ear that across their line and regardless of wood, they all have a characteristic brightness to the sound. Older Taylors had a little more variation across models, but since the V-class bracing they are even more similar sounding. Yes, the wood used does make a difference; however, it is possible to design bracing and voice guitars in such a way that largely neutralizes the wood used, so long as it's solid wood. And that is what Taylor does. The good news is that if you want a guitar that plays great and sounds like a Taylor, you can just buy a 200 series. The same can't be said for most other manufacturers where you have to get into their mid-price range to get what you really want.
All that said, Taylor guitars are not for me. If they're for you, cool. Never played a Taylor that didn't play great and sound like a Taylor. But that "Taylor sound" is real and it isn't for me.
Yeah completely agree with you. I think Taylors overall are good for a specific sound and I failed to mention it in the video. I personally like them in band context because they cut through well but when it comes to recording bare acoustic I use my Taylor 818 which is a larger body guitar that is more balanced with a moderate low end. The shape makes a difference. In saying that I also use Yamaha and Martin. So it’s good to have a mix!
I’ve heard mixed reviews on the v-class bracing. Seems people more broadly aren’t happy with it.
My Taylor guitar has the older Taylor system installed before they switched over to the Expression System. The older systems use a mic and a bridge system and it sounds great. I like my Taylor but I miss my Takamine guitar. Another Takamine is in my future.
Yeah man, go with your heart!!
I've had 3 Taylors - never hated any of them. I mean I tried to like them but for me the thing that annoyed the crap out of me was that I was constantly having to tweak the truss rod. That plus the Taylor tone to my ears is not clearly defined. I'm a Martin guy. I also like Larrivee guitars - but Taylor, just not for me.
Fair enough!! Thanks for watching
I’m pretty positive that my dislike for Taylor guitars is unfounded and irrational, but it’s also strong. At this point, I’m mainly a Gibson dread guy. My go to guitar for gigs is an 08 Dove, and my #2 and #3 are mid 60s hummingbirds. I spend a lot of time at a shop where vintage and unique guitars are bought, repaired, set up, and sold. I’ve played so many different makes/models, and Taylor is probably the only brand that has never had at least 1 that clicked. I checked this video to see if something discussed might resonate with my predisposition, but I don’t think it’s any of what was discussed.
Yeah interesting points. Maybe some people can’t bond with certain guitars builders. I feel like that about some brands. Can’t put my finger on why but the guitar just isn’t for me and that’s ok.
thanks for stopping by!!
I had a Taylor, and it sounded tinny. I used it twice, and wonder why I bought it. It felt good neckwise, but even audience members complained about the sound. I'll never buy another one.
Thanks for watching!
I've had TWO pupils experience major set up problems on new Taylors from their soundboard doming due their seemingly over-sensitive susceptibility to highish humidity, The conditions they were stored/used in caused no problems with other well-known brands in the exact same environment*. One Taylor instrument had to be returned and replaced, as even Taylor's much touted neck shimming system could not compensate for the resultant raised action.
This surprised me given their reputation for reliability. I do not claim that this experience is common, even the timber of the most expensive and well made instruments may sometimes suffer freak distortion. But there you go.
* Temperate/sub-tropical area in northern New Zealand
Yeah that’s weird! Thanks for sharing
It seems that I am not the only player who thinks the ES2 works really well on a 12-string. I have no interest in 6-string Taylors but my K62ce is a keeper.
Yeah their 12 strings are nice. I’ve never played the K62 but seems magical from reviews! Thanks for watching mate!
I own a Martin D28. Taylors higher tone helps them cut thru a live performance. Its whatever guitar works best for the song that you are doing. Friends of mine have Taylors so I can use either one that the song demands
So true! Taylors are great for cut through. Thanks for watching!!
I’ve never been impressed with any piezo or transducer pickup systems. Your statement about nothing can replace a microphone rang true with me which is why I own two Alvarez guitars that have a preamp system that allows the addition of a condenser mic that resides inside the guitar and it sounds better than any piezo or transducer pick I’ve heard. Get yourself a system that allows a condenser mic. You won’t regret it.
Thanks I’ll check it out!!
on every video that talks about these topics i say the same thing, it's all very subjective. i have six guitars at the moment, a 69 epiphone texan i got a couple of years ago, a 66 gibson J45 i bought in 1975, a maton ebg808TE, a larrivee OMO3 zebrano, a 2000's gibson j35 and a 2004 martin OOOX1. the OOOX1 blows them all away, and they are all really good guitars.
the martin i think is a prototype, it's 2004, it is a made in the USA label so as they were meant to be budget martins made in mexico, and as it sounds so good, i think it was a prototype that went astray. it's so good in fact i bought another, this was a 2014 mexico made OOOX1 AE - the same but with a pickup. totally different, both are spruce top, HPL back and sides (i still have no idea how HPL is made) so they ought to sound similar at least, but no, the bass is different, the treble is different. admittedly there is ten years between them, but the back and sides being man made material would make them at least similar.
i think you could go to any factory and watch two guitars of the same spec being made by the same guy on the same day from the same woodstock and they would sound different when played. all you can do is play as many guitars as you can get your hands on until one grabs you, i've had at least fifty guitars since 2013 and i've got six "keepers" that way.
You’re right it is all very subjective. Haven’t had much experience with the Martin HPL guitars. Just assumed it was marketing. Might give them a serious chance! Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a detailed comment !
A really well balanced and intelligent piece. Well done. I don't own a Taylor but I always thought they were OK. I think the brightness is a personal taste thing. Far better than a muddy sound at any rate. I think the general problem with guitars made in quantity is that maintaining consistency is tough just because of the variable quality of individual pieces of wood. The best luthiers who hand build go to great lengths in choosing a piece of wood and often store them for many years before using them. Then they work each soundboard differently according to its characteristics. Large scale manufacturers can't really do that. I recall many years ago going into a guitar store where there were two Martin OOs hanging side by side. I played each one, and one sounded great and the other was pretty poor. They looked identical. About very expensive guitars, I'm lucky enough to own one and for some years I was afraid of it. I felt I had to play brilliantly if I was to do it justice. I'm an OK player but I'm no Tommy Emmanuel or Martin Simpson. Now nearly 30 years later I treat it as just my old guitar, play it sweetly and let it speak for itself and it's absolutely great. I don't think of its value and I don't even mind if it has a couple of small dings. It's a lovely musical instrument and that's the important thing.
Mate!! That’s the right attitude. Nothing worse than a premium guitar that sits unplayed. Enjoy!! And thanks for watching 😊
I have owned a few Taylor's and they always play /sound good but I have never been able to bond with them. They have a sound that's uniquely there brand and while it's a good sound I have never thought it was a great sound. That's just my feeling though and I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate them or they suck because neither is true. They're very well built instruments and as you stated extremely consistent across all the price levels they offer. I have many friends who swear by them and in live situations use the ES 2 pickup system and in their hands it sounds great. However, in my case they just haven't worked for me. It doesn't mean I have given up on the brand and am always open to trying new models and revisiting older ones because as someone who would consider myself a Professional musician my taste in instruments it always evolving so who knows if at some point a Taylor sound could be just what I'm looking for.
You’re right it’s important not to tar all people who dislike Taylor as haters and it’s important to keep an open mind 😊 thanks for watching!!
Some people must have the perfect guitar and those people will keep complaining about every guitar. Some other people just have many guitars because of their different tones, etc., and those people are happily playing different guitars for different songs and moods, etc.
So true!! There’s no one guitar or guitar brand to rule them all.
@@sonusaurelius6576not yet ;)
Did a lot of playing and listening before I bought my Taylor 314CE for around $2k at the time I bought it. Maybe it’s my preference in tones, but I liked the Taylor over other comparably priced guitars. It has full rich tones, but also what Taylor calls sparkle. In any case, I like it.
I like the sparkle too 😊 Thanks for watching mate!
I have had a Taylor AD17e for about a year now, it is the best acoustic all around I have ever owned. I gifted my Martin to my son and kept the Taylor for myself!
I’ve heard good things about the American dream series! Thanks for watching 😊
One of the main problems with Taylor, fundamentally, beside the pickups, is that they make just too damn many guitars! They need more Helter and less Skelter. It's the computer lasers which brought this condition on; it's an avoidable situation.
Interesting point! Thanks for watching
I own Taylors, Martins, Gibson, Epi, Takamine, etc. I’ve never understood the hatred of any brand other than your own favorite. The guitars that I still own have won me based on their individual characteristics. To me, the rest is silly.
Exactly!! Thanks for watching mate.
I notice country players gravitate towards Taylor because of the brightness. Rock and folk players gravitate towards Martin because of the low end mid response. I’m a Breedlove guy because of the balance of bright and bass response. There’s some good mids there too. Especially low mids.
Breedlove make great guitars!! Thanks for watching mate.
I have my preferences when it comes to acoustic guitars and usually Taylor guitars don’t do it for me. But this is just because of two personal reasons. I do think most Taylors (not all! - I’ve heard some beautiful ones) do sound too thin and bright. And the second reason is the fact that I just don’t like the shapes and many of their cosmetic choices. And again, there are some exceptions.
I’m fully aware that a lot of this has to do with the fact that I’m a 56 year old guy who’s been inspired by the big names in music that played mainly Gibsons and Martins. And to own a Gibson or a Martin has always been one of my dreams.
Having said all that, I really like Taylor for doing things completely different. I applaud that. I prefer innovation and identity over copying. And if I ever decide to buy a good twelve string acoustic, or an eight string baritone, the first brand I’ll be looking for is Taylor. 🧡
Great points made here. You’re right about how popular culture and brands of the times influence people. Thanks for watching!!
@@sonusaurelius6576 : You’re welcome!
My opinion, ok, Taylor guitars tend to have what people call the “ Taylor ring” , it’s a high end sound, sharpness, twang, whatever you want to call it, some like it some don’t. How a guitar is played, obviously, effects the sound and Taylor’s seem to be easier to play which lends to the beginner, thus people hear more beginners playing on a Taylor and they draw an opinion on a guitars sound based off of the player’s ability and not off the instruments true sound or mature players sound. Also Taylor’s tend to have less mids which works well with the singer’s voices fitting into that spot.
Great points! Thanks for sharing
My experience with Taylor has been love/hate. I had a 314CE with ES1 that I played into a third set of frets (probably 500 shows and countless rehearsal hours) until trading it toward an 814CE with the ES2 system. I love my 814 (plays like a dream), but the ES2 system was fragile and unreliable for the old-style percussive playing that I do. After several trips to the Authorized shop for repairs, I gave up and threw in a Fishman hybrid system-- the one with the little mic (I had to cut and shape a nice maple cap for the heel in my shop to replace the plastic housing I had to remove).
All of that was to say I am in the "not a fan of the ES2" group; that pickup is as fragile as sugar glass.
Oh-- and also, all guitars should come with Stainless Steel frets. They're not that much more expensive than standard nickel steel.
Nice one!! I do wish Taylor didn’t put the ES2 on everything. Thanks for watching!!
Not all Taylors are „too bright“! I own acoustics from Taylor, Martin, Lakewood and Blueridge. My Taylor is the one with the dark and sweet sound, made from Koa. My Martin is a touch brighter, the Lakewood the loudest and brightest. Each of them has their use.
Taylor excellent first singer-songwriter, Martin good for bluegrass, Lakewood a beast for Bluegrass too!
All depends on the woods used. What I like with Taylor: the pick-ups, the factory set up and the playability. The craftmanship is also superb and you get good value for the money.
I am not brand fixated and if you can afford more than one guitar, you can find yourself lucky tonown a few and each one has it´s purpose. A comparison for that: get yourself a powderboard to ride on powder days and get a freestyle board to shred the park.
If you really only want one guitar, than i think you need a lot of time to find the right one to do everything you want.
just stop being brand focused….
and yeah: martins open up massively if played a lot ….
Completely agree with you here!! Thanks for watching mate
Went from a Taylor 214ce Deluxe to my current Taylor 714 cedar top. Absolutely love Taylor's. Also have a 214ce nylon. I get that Taylor's tend to be bright. My 714ce Cedar takes care of that issue
Nice!! Thanks for watching mate
Taylor is using better woods than Martin in the lower cost models and i don't feel my Taylor is too bright.
Thanks for sharing mate!! I don’t feel my Taylors are bright either. I feel they sparkle.
Single biggest issue with Taylor is no lower mids (also no upper mids), so doesn't sound like a Martin, Gibson or Guild - the guitars you have heard on thousands of your favourite records.
Agree there’s a fullness missing in some Taylor models. Thanks to watching!!
Yep, the NT neck is a reason to gravitate to Taylor, not run away. I agree that they are more modernly voiced, or someone’s definition of “bright “, but as a fingerpicker I need the treble spectrum to pop. Plus, show me a guitar out of the box that sounds and plays as great as an Academy Series guitar. The crazy thing is that even the MX made guitars are pretty sweet, and nobody does a layered back & sides guitar as good as Taylor. I can’t speak to their electronics though since I’ve never owned one.
Totally agree! Thanks for watching 😊
I have two Taylor guitars. They are beautiful, the tone is gorgeous, and I can't imagine why anyone would bitch about them. One of my guitars is acoustic/electric and has never been plugged in so I can't speak to that, but if I were going to buy a third guitar, it would be another Taylor.
Thanks for watching mate!
Good video. I am one who doesn't think Taylors measure up to competitors, and the sound is the clincher for me. I prefer Martin dreadnoughts and boutique guitars. There is plenty of room for Taylor in the population of nice guitars for the several reasons you give. My preference is just elsewhere.
Yeah completely understand!! Thanks for taking the time to comment mate!
My Taylor is a modern 414 ce-R and it sounds superb. I tried a friend’s old Taylor and I thought it had a wonderful tone.
I feel like people with older Taylors need to do demos. I’m sure they sound great!! Thanks for watching mate.