Just wanted to let you know I like what you’re doing-not just the topics, but your vibe, your worldview, the whole nine yards. We need more content creators like you. Keep up the good work. I look forward to many more videos from you.
I had the same thought, great video quality and interesting topics, conversational, just refreshing compared to a lot of the advertising and in your face stuff.
I got a Taylor 114ce for christmas 4 years ago from my parents... it is probably one of the best gifts I ever received! It sounds great and has been reliable and inspiring all this time. I'm not sure what my dream guitar would be since I'm so happy with the one I have ^^
The 114ce is my first quality acoustic. I got it second hand in a bit of a state but after polishing frets, oiling woods, and resetting the neck it plays incredibly and I’m can’t see myself needing an upgrade anytime soon!! Great guitar
I just got this guitar today and even though I have many guitars I couldn't put it down for quite a while the inspiration of new music just pouring out of me very impressed
I stay in Uganda East Africa ware there is no guitar shop that sells Tailor guitars but the love for the Tailor signature sound couldn't live me rested until when I bought myself a Tailor Academy 12e and shiped from the USA and it sounds so good and extremely confertable to play. In fact It's sound inspired my pastor to buy a 214ce which sounds amaizing too and I enjoy making music with them in church and my 12e on gigs. My dream acoustic is also from the Tailor line coz they are so fun to play and sound incredible.
I’m a bassist to my soul, but I have this exact guitar at home. It’s a really special one. My father in law played it at my and my wife’s wedding, and at the time, I didn’t know that I’d come into ownership of it. Just two months after our wedding, he suddenly passed away, and he left us his guitars, the Taylor among them. I honestly have no guitar chops, but that guitar is really important, and I’m hoping one day my kids will want to play it.
learn to play the guitar and it will make you a better bassist as when I was in a band we swapped instruments sometimes and it helped us develop an understanding. there are techniques for guitar and bass that can be used and help how you play. if you fingerstyle and flamenco guitar and apply that to bass you can get some really cool styles that are very unique.
Im 55 and just started a year ago on a Spectrum that a dear friend who passed from cancer left me. I was rough but smoothing out now and I love the time i spend playing . Im alone and my audience is my parrot and he loves it. Play your guitar . That is why he left it to you, for you. Now go grab it and jam on.
Play it. I’m actually on here researching acoustic basses. I’m a guitarist, but I just love to play, so I’ll also give this a crack. It will allow me to write bass lines for my music, and have some more versatile acoustic jam sessions.
I have a 314ce Grand Auditorium and its amazing. I have 20 other guitars, including a Martin...but lately I always grab the Taylor and it always just sounds and plays so beautifully. Taylors are amazing guitars
In 2017 I bought a brand new Taylor Gs Mini Koa. I was shocked by how easy it was to play and how loud it was for being a smaller scale guitar. That guitar is my #1. I recommend GS Mini for every guitar player. It’s 100% a must have and you will pick up the guitar more because of it.
I bought a used GS Mini-e Koa a little bit earlier this year, and absolutely adore it. I hadn’t been a big fan of acoustics before this, finding them big and unwieldy, but I think it was because all of my experience was with cheaper acoustics. The Taylor is my favourite guitar now, too!
I am in love with my GSMini Mahogany. Such great sustain and that signature Taylor Sweetness, all in a 7/8 scale that just makes everything a bit more playable. It doesn’t take an expensive guitar to win you over, although I have had them. I always come back to my GSMini. It was love at first strum. Thank you Sweetwater for being an incredible place to buy music gear online and linking me forever with a guitar I just can’t quit playing.
I've got a soft spot for Hardwood guitars myself. The Taylor 324ce is my favorite Mahogany guitar. Beautiful guitar, beautiful tone, perfect. All the Mahogany and Koa Taylor's are pretty nice.
I have the same guitar. I also have a full size Seagull, which is a nice guitar, but picking up the mini and just messing around is so much fun. I would love to have a KOA, just to try it out.
When I graduated high school, I took all my my graduation money and every penny I had ever earned to that point and bought an 814ce. That was 20 years ago now and it is still the only acoustic guitar I own. There is just something magic about Taylor guitars. I tried Martin’s and Gibson before I pulled the trigger on the 814, but they just didn’t get me what I wanted. I wanted that Taylor sound. Congrats on the 314.
didn't even know for sure that I had a 214ce until about 5 minutes ago, but I remember first playing it and liking the sound over some of the more expensive Taylors. It's super bright, and the neck feels more maneuverable compared to other acoustics I've played.
I have a Samick birdseye maple acoustic bass and it's loud af and sounds GREAT...but it doesn't have the sound hole, it's got f holes which not only makes it project better but also leaves a really nice big spot of birdseye maple across the unbroken expanse of belly...
I’ve had a Taylor 714ce for about 15 years and love it. It’s got a solid cedar top which makes it resonate differently, good for finger style, though I mostly use a pick. Plays like butter. They went for 3k but I got it for 2k used. It’s the only acoustic I’ve kept. Records great too! It’s got the original Fish,an electronics with a multi band eq and a mic inside the guitar that you blend with the piezo. So it sounds fairly natural recorded direct. Now I want to go play it!
Initially they were very bright sounding, but that was years ago! My first Taylor was a 1999 514ce, warmest tone to my ear at the time being Cedar/hog. Then I had a 2004 814ce Fall Limited, beautiful, good thump but shallow and bright. Went to Gibson, love them all, Martin D18, love it. Then Taylor addressed their bright tone with new bracing patterns and body shapes! Now if you give me a Taylor Grand Pacific body shape or Grand Symphony and they’re a monster! All the playability, all definition, and amazing tone and intonation! Hard to talk $hit about Taylor anymore. The “bright sounding” insult is a thing of the past now. Go play some modern Taylor’s!
the biggest reason I gravitated towards my taylor at a young age was playability --- which is what I thought you were going to get into with this vid. the bright tone and resonance is definitely iconic but if I had to guess I would say the quality out-of-the-box setups on even lower end models is why so many people fall in love with taylors
See, what turned me off from Taylor is the fact that martins are pleked from the factory. I guess i viewed that as a playability bonus. Wanted a Taylor 214e sunburst or 314ce edge burst bad. Went with a 000-16 Martin. Not so much turned me off but pushed me towards Martin.
I love my GS Mini but was surprised by the ridiculously high action out of the box (double their own claimed spec) and the need to get the neck shimmed under warranty straight away. I discovered that this is a common problem with the model. The luthier attached to my local shop (who doesn’t get to see them before they go out) said he suspects they are all over-height out of the box, but most people do not take them back within the warranty period. Eventually they get fixed when they go in for something else.
You are so right on. I’ve been playing for over 40 years. I have a Taylor 810CE and I would not trade it for anything. I also had a Breedlove Classic 12 but had to sell it when I fell on some bad times. It was also a guitar that I loved to play. Maybe some day I’ll find that 12 string again and add it back to my collection. I enjoyed listening to your comments as they really struck a passionate nerve. I still play everyday and never can get enough. You’re doing great things! Keep it up man!
I felt in love with the Taylor sound since I listened to artists like David Gilmour, Suzane Vega and Dave Matthews playing what I guess was old Taylor 712/714 ce models. I went nuts! I own a 714ce for more than 17 years now and I’m still in love with her!
Mike Dawes started his acoustic exploration on a Taylor 214 and even recorded his most well known piece Boogie Shred on it, a teenage rock song in DADGAD when he was 17. Taylor's are truly special in seeing the very wide range of artists and genres they cover! I tried a Taylor 816ce Builders Edition once and would love to have one with it's unique body voicing, especially for open tunings
I'm a guitar collector and can only say that for a Factory Made guitar the Taylor's are right among the best in that category. The tone is always great, the necks are wonderful, so very playable, the materials and quality control top grade. I once owned a 614 and regret selling it, I now own a T5z and can only recommend them, take some getting used to all the tonal nuances but worth the effort. The Baby Taylors are just wonderful.
Buy yourself a Maton or a Cole Clark. I doubt you will pick up your Taylor or Martin again. Half the price, twice the guitar. My next will be a full custom job from Maton, and it will cost less than a machine built Taylor.
@@ozymandias767 i have a martin x series all koa and honestly my taylor big baby sounded better and played smoother the martin from factory needs a full adjustment
I'm a bass player who has a Taylor GS Mini koa bass that has an amazing tone. I also have a Martin B1 acoustic bass that I really like. Taylor and Martin are my two favorite guitars with completely different sounds. I have a Taylor GS Mini mahogany guitar. I would love to have an American made Taylor someday but I'm old, retired, and not good enough on guitar to justify the money. My son in law plays both Martin and Taylor and both are great in his hands. Love your channel and what you do.
I really enjoyed hearing your enthusiasm for playing - especially w/ a Taylor - and I think your playing sounds great. This was interesting to me because I'm a 68 year old codger now, but you remind me of when I started playing 50+ years ago. I still have my '74 Giannini, which was all I could afford when I was in college. But it's made of Brazilian rosewood that has aged so well. Had a great tone new but is so rich and awesome now. I'll never get rid of it. But early on I also fell in love with a Taylor. But I couldn't come close to affording one. Finally bought a 714ce a couple years ago and it is still a treasure for me to play. Liked it so much I also bought a 2002 714ce that is more mellow and great, but not quite up to the new model now that it's opened up. Anyway . . . thanks for the video and enjoy your playing!
I’m a professional musician, but a relatively new guitar player. Started on a Yamaha and when I felt ready I bought a used Taylor 314CE and thought that was is for me. I loved the sound and feel of that guitar. But then I played a Martin D18 and couldn’t put it down. Ended up trading the 314 for it. I still have a soft spot for Taylors, but I have an emotional reaction every time I pick up the Martin. The sound just speaks to me. I also really can’t afford to have two great acoustics and only ever playing one of them, so it made sense to do the trade.
My Taylor is actually my electric guitar! I got a t5z because it looked really versatile to me as a music producer and it's just such a fun little thing for me to pick up. Connected to one of the new digital modelers the sounds I'm trying to achieve are nearly endless
I love Taylors for voice-guitar songs, but i've found that for songs that have a lot of layers, like 2+ electric guitars and maybe an acoustic, Martins are more balanced overall and can be easier to fit in the mix.
I’ve got a 110e and aspire to a solid wood offering someday. It’s a workhorse. I can’t keep track of all the compliments that it’s sound gets. Really special for such a humble guitar in their lineup.
I have a 316ce that has been my main gig guitar for over 10 years now. It sounds great both plugged in and unplugged and I love the way it plays, so I’m not really looking for anything else.
I love my Taylors and I love my Martins but I'm itching to build my own OM style guitar this summer. I took off work for 3 weeks this upcoming July to work at a Luthier's studio. I picked out my wood for the back and sides, wood for the neck, figured bindings, abalone for the rosette, hardware, and bear-claw spruce soundboard. I hope I will end up with a guitar I can be proud of that has it's own place in tone and sustain, sitting next to my Taylors and Martins....
I got my 114ce in college in 2008, basically any money from my summer job that didn't go to rent went to that guitar. If I'm playing acoustic that's still the one that I grab I still perform with it, everything. The fact that it's not all solid wood is finally starting to catch up with it The tone just doesn't get better with age with a laminate back and sides but it's still a great guitar and it plays amazing. Dream would probably be a grand Pacific builders edition something.
I went though a rough patch last year, and decided to buy a 314ce. It’s one of the most incredible guitars I’ve ever owned, and that Taylor sound is special. I have a love for Martin too, but my Taylor guitars are incredible.
I have a Taylor Gt11e and absolutely love it. It sounds incredible live when i plug in and has an amazing sound acoustically as well. Its a small guitar that is incredibly comfortable with a neck similar to an electric in size and action. Best guitar purchase I'll probably ever make. That taylor sound is incredible
I have an all-solid rosewood and mahogany Martin dreadnought that I love dearly, but I'm getting old and it's a lot of guitar for strumming around the house. During pandemic lock-down, I saw a lot of praise for the Taylor GS Mini for its amazing tone and comfort as a "couch" guitar. Ordered one and I've been in love with it ever since, and this is a $600 guitar, not the multiple thousands of most Taylors. The little thing booms for its size and never sounds like a "travel" guitar, and it's the most comfortable acoustic I've ever played in 40 years of playing. I was a Martin guy, but the Taylor still blows me away and is my most often played acoustic.
Got a Taylor 320 almost 10 years ago and have never felt the need to touch another acoustic since. Had it professionally set up and it just plays and sounds like a dream.
I first became aware of Taylor when I played The Last of Us Part 2, and the aged sunburst 314ce in that game just looks amazing. The necks on Taylor guitars are such an easy transition for electric guitar players and I love the clarity of Taylors. I would love to own any Grand Auditorium or Grand Pacific models one day from Taylor, but I'm also content at the moment with my Yamaha FG800.
Agreed. I was amazed how easily I moved from my Les Paul to a Taylor GS mini. The neck is so comfortable. Of course, I had to get used to playing 13’s instead of 10’s (when I am tired it feels like I am strumming a brick) but that is improving my playing all around.
Cool video thanks. I lost all my guitars in a break-in and was gifted a 414ma new in 2000. My son’s the best. I’ve played for 50 plus yrs and never had anything closer to the perfect guitar than this. Bold and articulate are the best description. Play on brother and thanks again.
I feel like they’re not known for their acoustic playing, but Coheed and Cambria has some beautiful acoustic work throughout their discography. A lot of it is done in Taylors!
I play fingerstyle guitar. I bought a Taylor 312ce in January 2023. It's a beautiful guitar and sounds amazing. My dream guitar is the Taylor 912ce. I love watching your channel. You discuss some very interesting topics
So I’ve been a Taylor guy from the beginning. Bought my first one - a 1995 712 Grand Concert - back in 1997 and it is truly my baby…I’ll never sell it. My newest is a circa 2004 912ce Chris Proctor Signature (#32/100) and it’s amazing, too, but definitely different. Very wide neck, so a killer finger picker. My dream guitar is a 914ce, so I’m working on that one…we’ll see. Great content!
Taylor 614ce is what I got. The best guitar I have ever played! I have absolutely no desire to get a different acoustic guitar, it does everything I want.
I've got a 2001 Taylor 414ce and a 2014 Taylor 856ce! My 2001 414ce has been my workhorse since 2001 when I got it brand new. Got to meet Bob Taylor at the Namm show a couple of times! Great guitars, great sound and easy to play!
My favorite guitar is the Taylor GS Mini. It is a little smaller and easier for my small hands to finger. It isn't a performance guitar, IMO, but it is the one I pick up when I just want to lean back in my recliner and play around. The sound is just amazing and it is so easy to play. I have the mahogany but would really love to try the Koa. To be honest, I don't know that I could do a more expensive Taylor justice. There is a point where it really isn't the violin but the violinist.
Shortened version: I also have a 214ce and love it. Long version: My journey to Taylor was a little longer than yours, but with one similar point: I was searching for a guitar during college, but I was married with limited income. So I had to be absolutely sure of the affordable purchase. Which led me to.. *drumroll*.. Takamine G series. My buddy had one and I played it and fell in love with it. Over the years, after leading worship on stage and noticing *everyone* else had better guitars than I did, I realized it was time for a change. My absolute dream guitar at that point (and still now) is a Taylor koa with v-class bracing.. but that ain't happening in this lifetime. Maybe the next. So last year I was determined to get a Taylor that had either/or.. Which after trying the v-class on non-koa, I wasn't super impressed. The shop showed me a bunch of stuff way out of my price range until I pointed to one slightly cheaper than they were showing me. They weren't super enthused about it. But I gave it one strum, laughed out loud, and bought it that day. 214ce-K SB. Never looked back.
I bought an 814ce in the summer an absolutely love it. Having been primarily an electric player for years and years I started to gain more interest in reaching out in other directions. I figured buying a Taylor would give me no excuses and encourage playing more acoustically. It worked and I play acoustic about 50% of the time now and find it's improving my electric playing too. Maybe it's improved finger strength.
I have a Taylor DN3 and I love it! The DN3 is basically one of the 300 series and it’s a dreadnought (no cut away) style. No pickup… just insanity good sound and playability.
I’m a Martin guy but a quality Taylor is good too. Taylor is plug and go for the most part. Also, as an amateur luthier, I learned that Taylor’s are bolt on necks. That isn’t necessarily bad but I just prefer the dovetail Martin joint. You are definitely sounding good though man. Ultimately, the sound comes through the fingers of the musician. Love the channel!!
I’m a Martin guy also. Taylors tend to be too bright for me. Also, I’m not a fan of the shape of the Taylor bridge which makes me think Klingon weapon of some sort. Finally, Taylor’s are beautifully made but I don’t think plastic knobs belong on a work of art such as a finely crafted guitar.
@@rogerd9150 I’ve found most Taylor’s to be too bright as well. “Tinny” is what always comes to mind with most that I hear. Gotta love the bass tones of a quality acoustic.
When the lockdowns were ending, I went to a local guitar shop to buy a Martin and came home with a Taylor. I didn’t know much about acoustics, but what I heard was lovely. And as I was just learning the finger gymnastics of jazz chords, I appreciated that the Taylor’s neck was a nice satin, thin, easy to play, and that it separated notes clearly. I grew up playing folk songs, so I get the pull of the Martin and Gibson bass thunk, but as a piano player in my spare time, I know what it is like to hear four parts of a harmony blend. And that is where the Taylor shines for me.
They play like butter. They're almost impossible to make a mistake with chords. ( for me at least) the design is flawless. Right now I play a Seagull S6 ( 2002 ) i want a 214ce and now a 314ce. Subscribed.
My favorite acoustic guitar brand is actually Alvarez. They're cheap, sound great, and was the first acoustic I ever played. Since it was made in 1993, it has a beautifully distinct, old, but bright tone that isn't matched by any other brand I've heard.
I have a 40+ year old Alvarez 12-string, all-mahogany, and its sound is deep and cavernous and open C tuning just rings on forever! My first classical was Alvarez too. But as for price point, I find them a little more expensive than the other Asian-made brands and that's OK, because I know the workmanship will be worth it!
I personally play a Guild M-20. If you haven't tried an all mahogany OM size guitar you've gotta check one out, the clarity and mids are amazing. Thanks for all the fun content you're making!
Thank you for lifting up all-mahogany, especially small body! But regardless of size, the all-mahogany sound is something you can never get enough of. Even with a $160 all-laminate all-mahogany Hohner dreadnaught that I played into the ground over a ten year span, the connection was appreciable. Of course it wasn't solid wood but still, I always wanted an all-mahogany in my collection from then on. And yes the Guild M20 is awesome and go for it folks!
I picked up a 214CE in a gorgeous sunburst finish a couple of years ago. I don't play acoustic as much as electric, but every time I play it, it puts a smile on my face. I also have an Ibanez acoustic, which is a fine instrument, but the Taylor just has that extra presence, bright voice, and sustain that makes it amazing.
At least they switched from 80/20 about 10 years ago to Phosphor Bronze, but Taylors benefit from even warmer sounding strings than Elixir. Most recording engineers try to get rid of the thin taylor sound through swapping out the strings and real EQ adjustments to the top end. Have owned a 814 for 25 years, and the only thing I don't like about it is the sound.
I was lucky enough for my first acoustic to be a Taylor 114ce in 2010. Back then it was their lowest end full sized acoustic. Laminated mahogany back and sides and a solid spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. I love that guitar to death. I basically learned how to play guitar on that thing. After all these years, even though I have higher end electric guitars and amps, that Taylor is the one guitar I come back to again and again when I just want to sit down and play. Apart from the sound which I think takes trying out a lot of different guitars to actually develop the ear for, One of my favorite things about Taylors is the way they feel in the hand. They are so easy and comfortable to play. My dream Taylor which I want to own someday is an 812ce. I love the _12 body shape - it’s smaller and you can more comfortably play in more places, without compromising on the sound and character. Even if I do end up buying an 812 though, I don’t see myself ever selling my 114ce.
While it's all very subjective, I have owned and played a Martin 000-18 made in 1940 since I bought it in 1977. I have played many Taylors and for my ear, nothing comes close to my Martin.
I definitely agree that it's subjective. I don't care for Taylors. To me, they all sound the same. Whether it's the $350 model or the $3k model, they sound the same. All high end. No low end at all. They're the modern day equivalent of an Ovation. And they're NOWHERE NEAR a Martin. But, that's just my opinion.
Martins and Taylor's are just so different. A family friend had a Martin dreadnought 6 and 12 string (I am not sure what model numbers) from the 60's and the sound was absolutely amazing. There's just nothing like it. But I have smaller hands and discovered Taylor about 20 years ago and fell in love with the playability. Taylors are obviously brighter and I understand why people who dig Martins sometimes don't like that. I had an 814ce and it was amazing. It was bright, but the low end was actually pretty good too. I regret selling it. I'll get back into the Taylor market soon. Who knows if there is a Martin that has that classic Martin sound that is a little more playable I'd be a Martin guy too.
I have 2 414ce , one is a V-Class. Love these guitars. Learned how to finger-pick on them and very seldom use pick with them. One I use as my alt-tuning guitar. I chuckled when you mentioned Goo Goo Dolls , as he was notorious for alternate tuning. Enjoy.
I bought a 317e and it's unbelievable. Taylor's version of a J45. It surprises me that I don't hear more people talking about them. If you get a chance, check out a 517 (mahogany back, spruce top for the true j45 thang)
To my ear Taylors are really harsh and also because I play pretty hard, I enjoy the Martin sound a little better because I find them more controllable. But for fingerstyle and innovation in general, Taylor has been doing some amazing work lately. The 214ce is indeed one amazing guitar!
thanks for the video. i just got myself a Taylor 150E-12 string. i am a fingerstyle player and man its like the Taylor are made for fingerstyle, its so sparkling. ive been playing most of my life and this is the first Taylor i own. it stole my heart. theres just some kind of magic in taylor guitars.
I have a GPCx2ae with a spruce top and it’s better than every guitar I’ve played, even the guitars over 1000 dollars. Taylors may have a better playability, almost like an electric, but the sound of a good Martin is like nothing else
When people can't afford a Martin guitar, they will always have something to say. Why don't they just get a better job or go back to thrash talking in their mothers basement.
Hard disagree with this take. IN MY OPINION, Martin’s are superior. Again, just my opinion but having played both, you get more tonal variety out of a Martin. Taylor guitars are perfect for Sunday service 😊
@@chrisjensen1405 absolutely! Don’t get me wrong, if you’re someone that loves playing Taylors, more power to you. They’re beautiful instruments, just not my cup of tea
@@LairdDavidson yup, imagine Lindsey Buckingham playing Never Going Back Again on something other than a Taylor 816. I know he played it on other guitars but his later live performances of it are on his Taylor 816 with the reverb at like 10
I have always loved Taylors...I have a Taylor 420R, which they don't make anymore. I bought it in 1999, it has solid sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back/sides. Plays great, and top has really aged nicely over the years. I have always wanted a Koa Taylor and I frequent Fuller's Guitars here in Houston where they have a large selection of Taylors to play. I also have always wanted the 8-string Taylor baritone. Great video....
Taylor is the only guitar company, since the founding of Martin, that has sent Martin back to the drawing board, time and again, to completely reconsider and rethink the design and construction of a guitar. Taylor as a company, has also been responsible for helping other emerging guitar companies get their start. No other guitar company has ever done that.
I enjoyed your video. I live 1.5 miles from the Taylor El Cajon CA factory. I have a number of "professional" acoustic guitar I always wanted a Taylor because they sound so good. I finally broke down and got an 814ce and it is by far my favorite guitar. It sounds so good when I play it side by side with the other guitars. I liked it so much I went out and got its sister guitar an 814ce-N. I've done the factory tour and it is really cool to watch them make the guitars. The smell alone is amazing. They cut the sound holes and wood parts with lasers. They laser etch the sound hole piece with a Taylor logo and give them away at the company store. I'm so glad they don't make mandolins or ukuleles since I'd probably want one of each. How many guitars do you need? Answer: Just one more.
Congrats on the 314ce! It was my first Taylor, purchased used. Sold it to pay bills. Recently purchased an 814ce, but it sounded too much like the 314ce. Took it back and ordered a 614ce Builders Edition. Flame Maple sides/back, Torrified Spruce top in Wild Honey Burst finish. Beautiful warm tone that isn't as dark as a cedar top. It's my bucket list guitar. Just need a big lottery ticket win so I can get the matching 12 string. Fair winds and following seas to all.
I have 3 Taylor's. Got my first one about 3 years ago, the 224ce K DLX. Nice warm Koa guitar. A couple weeks ago, I picked up GS mini Mahogany, which sounds amazing for such a small body. And about a month ago I picked up a 326ce Baritone-8 string Special Edition that is breathtaking. The sound is out of this world. Highly recommend at least trying to play one.
Hi, Mike! Just saw your site while browsing and as the player of a Taylor, thought I'd drop in. I'm glad you have chosen to go with Taylors. My 714ce has seen some miles and it just keep getting better. A lot of fine acoustics out there, but for a finger-picker like me, nothing compares to my 714ce, both in the studio and live.
I’m not nearly as accomplished a player as you, but I truly enjoy the Taylor sound, playability, good looks, and excellent build. I currently have a 2016 Taylor 818e. My first was a 315e, have had 3 others but always wanted the 800 series large body. There is a certain feeling I get when a full G chord just rings out and fades slowly. A big Taylor fan
I remember when my dad got his first high end acoustic guitar. It was a Taylor 514 Mahogany Cedar. So of course when I actually got some money I went straight for Taylor, and got a GS Mini Koa. When I graduated high school my parents found an insane deal on a Taylor 814 and it has been my main ever since. I later found out that two of my heroes, Zac Brown and Lindsey Buckingham also play Taylor guitars. Thanks Mike for showing some love to Taylor guitars. Keep up the great work!
I’ve had many many guitars through the years. Probably over a hundred at this point and my Taylor K14ce Builders Edition I purchase when they released in 2018 is hands down one of my favorite guitars I’ve ever owned. I’ve poured a large amount of my soul into that guitar over the years and hope my kids will when I’m gone.
Switchfoot/Jon Foreman got me hooked on Taylor’s. My first real acoustic was a fender acoustic my parents bought me it was nice but I still had my eyes on a Taylor, fast forward a few years later and I got a Taylor 214ce Koa, I LOVE IT. The GA size is so comfortable and they sound so good and beautiful guitars too. Some of my favorite artists like Mayer and Clapton play martins so I may have to get an OM model one day lol
Watched this vid while drinking my morning coffee, grabbed my 816ce Builder’s, and jammed. Buying the 816 was a big bump dollar-wise compared to my ‘98 410ce, but it has been worth every penny. Everyone who plays it says the same thing, “That’s the best action I’ve ever felt on an acoustic.” Love your energy and enthusiasm!
At the moment I have four (4) Taylor’s. A Baby (it’s been with me for a 1000 jam sessions at the marina, as well as offshore on sailboats), a GS Mini e Koa, an AD17e Blacktop, and my favorite…a 322e 12 fret (slotted headstock). The combination of the mahogany and the 12 fret (bridge being further back) gives it such a sweet, warm sound. I’ll never sell that guitar. Anyway good stuff man. Keep up the good work!
Great video! My goto is Takamine. I have an f360 six string and an f400s 12 string. I've had the 6 string since 1974 and took it around the world, twice, when I was in the Navy. I love my guitars and would never part with them, but I played a Taylor and just fell in love with the sound and playability. I love your passion. Keep playing and learning.
I bought a Taylor 614 CE in Maple (back and sides). It was an incredibly beautiful guitar that had an extremely bright and brilliant sound. I kept it for about 5 years but then went through a bluegrass phase and sold the Taylor to buy a Martin HD 28. I also have a Gibson Dwight Yokum signature series. I absolutely love both of my guitars but I really miss and fondly remember that Taylor 614 CE ! Nice content!
As soon as I saw the word ‘bluegrass’ I knew what you were going to say (“Martin”). Being perverse, I am going to dedicate the rest of my life to attending bluegrass jams with my Taylor and watching the pain on the faces of my victims (while listening to their harrumphing, and “You wouldn’t catch me with a Taylor”).
@@lesteubes-r1t I know! I guess I succumbed to the pressure. When you jump in with a group with a banjo and a fiddle (and no mic’s) you feel the need to be louder. You do see younger players branching out with other brands but the crusty old guys will certainly make comments.
Exactly Mike! I too LOVE Taylors for their distinct tone. I've played and appreciate Martin's (obviously, an army of musicians swear by them above all others), but for me..the character that you've described is what I'm looking for in an acoustic (to my ear). My dream Taylor is a Taylor 322ce Grand Concert Left-Handed Acoustic-Electric Guitar Shaded Edge Burst and not too far out of range (hoping later this year). I currently have a 214ce. I'm also a huge fan of Gibson acoustics for their unique tone also, but being left handed, those are few and far between ;-) Great video and playing as always! Cheers!
Just got an 816ce after playing just about every model they make when I visited the Taylor factory, beautiful guitars and it’ll compliment my d18 copy very well
I've had my Taylor 414 for over 15 years and it was road worn when it found its way to me. Now, after strumming additional holes into the body, it's home for me. I've played countless guitars over the years, but this faithful fiddle is and always will be the comfort that brings me home.
I recently got the American dream 12ADSB. It’s incredible. It’s a parlor sized, American made, solid wood beast. It’s the perfect acoustic for me since I play mostly Strats and I feel that the parlor style bodies are the best compliment
I love my couple of Taylors… I bought a 510CE with an Englemann Spruce top after my parents passed on. I replaced the pickup after the battery compartment of the original system corroded. I also have a Taylor GS Mini as a little banger. I always enjoy your playing… thanks for another great vid!
So…Mike my journey with Taylor started humbly with a 414ce in 1998. I gave it to my Worship Pastor who still uses it today. Totally broke in and opened up. Amazing tone! I moved on to a 414ce LE. Neverrrrr should’ve sold it but I got bit by the Taylor bug and began purchasing Custom Taylor’s. I’ve owned every tonewood combo and model. 12 frets are my favorite but love my newest 912ce builder edition. Love my Taylor’s and I’m down to just 4 now😛
I come from a family of Taylor players, and when I was 13 my dad took me to a Taylor road show. I was fascinated learning about tonewood selection and how their unique bracings/tech made the guitars sound so distinct. For awhile in college I tried out a Spruce Martin 000, as I was focused on more traditional folk and blues playing, but these days I almost exclusively play the Mahogany GS mini my pops gave me when I was a teenager. It's incredibly versatile, the wood balances out its naturally bright Taylor sound, and it has extraordinary range and sustain for its size. My college roommate told me it plays like it has songs living inside it, and I 100% agree. Such a special little guitar.
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany is my dream guitar! I currently have a full-size Takamine Dreadnought Mahogany & a Luna Muse (3/4). I'm 5'2", so I'd like another guitar that is in between the two sizes I already have. At first, I wanted the Taylor Baby Mahogany, but went with the affordable Luna. Now, I think the GS Mini would give me the bigger sound! The Taylor can be my end of the year reward.
I've wanted a Taylor guitar since hearing Antonio Forcione play one in the 90s. The things that guy can do with a guitar are amazing and his Taylor sounded wonderful.
GREAT video. You made a fantastic choice with the 314CE. I have been playing Taylors since 2000, and my oldest is a 310CE from that year. It will do whatever I want it to. DADGAD, open Gm, standard tuning. I recently performed a neck reset on it and saw the genius of the Taylor NT neck system. That moved Taylor Guitars from lifetime instruments to multi-generational. Phil Keaggy is certain my favorite artist to listen to, and I don't think he plays Taylors very often, but he has a video called Cajon Pass where he's performing on a 514CE. If I could justify the cost, I'd have already ordered a BTO Taylor GA with cedar top and florentine cutaway with mahogany back and sides.
When my wife decided to buy me an acoustic (my first, after a couple of years of learning on an Epiphone Les Paul), she took an amazing (electric) guitarist with her to the shop. He strummed his way through the Martins, Gibsons, Fenders etc, but after strumming one chord on a Taylor GS Mini kona he shouted “This one!”. He tried the other Taylor models in the same price range but kept coming back to the GS Mini. I suspect the over-sized sound hole was influencing his choice (it’s a very loud guitar!) but I am glad it did. I love it. I hope my neighbours do as well…
I love Taylor, I even went and worked for them for a few weeks, but unfortunately couldn’t be in San Diego, I got really homesick and quickly fell into a depression. I bought a Taylor 816 CE builder’s edition last fall, honestly I didn’t really like it that much for a few months, but in the last couple months it’s slowly but surely becoming my favorite guitar. I’m figuring out the ES2 pickup system and am really able to get some amazing sounds and feelings out of it
i just bought my first taylor last week, i was in the shop going back and forth between a taylor and a couple of martins, but the taylor just felt rightt. no regrets and absolutely loving it.
I had a friend years ago who owned either a 114ce or a 214ce, I don't remember which, but I always considered it to be my favorite acoustic sound and VERY recognizable. Hearing your 314ce V brings me back to those days because it sounds exactly like how I remember his guitar sounding like. It played like butter too. I just ordered a 114ce because it's the only one my budget can handle. It should get delivered tomorrow from Sweetwater and I'm excited to play it.
Just wanted to let you know I like what you’re doing-not just the topics, but your vibe, your worldview, the whole nine yards. We need more content creators like you. Keep up the good work. I look forward to many more videos from you.
I had the same thought, great video quality and interesting topics, conversational, just refreshing compared to a lot of the advertising and in your face stuff.
I agree
I disagree it's just a worse Rhett shill
I agree! Plus the positivity and awesome speaking voice.
@@jonahcaulton8208 Rhett has a certain arrogance that rubs me the wrong way. Mike is really humble and enthusiastic. It’s refreshing.
I got a Taylor 114ce for christmas 4 years ago from my parents... it is probably one of the best gifts I ever received! It sounds great and has been reliable and inspiring all this time. I'm not sure what my dream guitar would be since I'm so happy with the one I have ^^
i have a 114 ce ... i love it its a great guitar . 🤘
The 114ce is my first quality acoustic. I got it second hand in a bit of a state but after polishing frets, oiling woods, and resetting the neck it plays incredibly and I’m can’t see myself needing an upgrade anytime soon!! Great guitar
Also my first quality acoustic! Got it when I was 16
Fellow 114 player here, I actually like it better than any other model taylor offers! I tried them all lol
I just got this guitar today and even though I have many guitars I couldn't put it down for quite a while the inspiration of new music just pouring out of me very impressed
He didn't once mention what truly sets Taylor apart: playability.
I stay in Uganda East Africa ware there is no guitar shop that sells Tailor guitars but the love for the Tailor signature sound couldn't live me rested until when I bought myself a Tailor Academy 12e and shiped from the USA and it sounds so good and extremely confertable to play. In fact It's sound inspired my pastor to buy a 214ce which sounds amaizing too and I enjoy making music with them in church and my 12e on gigs. My dream acoustic is also from the Tailor line coz they are so fun to play and sound incredible.
I’m a bassist to my soul, but I have this exact guitar at home. It’s a really special one. My father in law played it at my and my wife’s wedding, and at the time, I didn’t know that I’d come into ownership of it. Just two months after our wedding, he suddenly passed away, and he left us his guitars, the Taylor among them. I honestly have no guitar chops, but that guitar is really important, and I’m hoping one day my kids will want to play it.
learn to play the guitar and it will make you a better bassist as when I was in a band we swapped instruments sometimes and it helped us develop an understanding. there are techniques for guitar and bass that can be used and help how you play. if you fingerstyle and flamenco guitar and apply that to bass you can get some really cool styles that are very unique.
Im 55 and just started a year ago on a Spectrum that a dear friend who passed from cancer left me. I was rough but smoothing out now and I love the time i spend playing . Im alone and my audience is my parrot and he loves it. Play your guitar . That is why he left it to you, for you. Now go grab it and jam on.
Play it. I’m actually on here researching acoustic basses. I’m a guitarist, but I just love to play, so I’ll also give this a crack. It will allow me to write bass lines for my music, and have some more versatile acoustic jam sessions.
I have a 314ce Grand Auditorium and its amazing. I have 20 other guitars, including a Martin...but lately I always grab the Taylor and it always just sounds and plays so beautifully. Taylors are amazing guitars
In 2017 I bought a brand new Taylor Gs Mini Koa. I was shocked by how easy it was to play and how loud it was for being a smaller scale guitar. That guitar is my #1. I recommend GS Mini for every guitar player. It’s 100% a must have and you will pick up the guitar more because of it.
I love my mini! Best grab and go guitar period!
If you ever upgrade to the 811e you’ll love it.
I bought a used GS Mini-e Koa a little bit earlier this year, and absolutely adore it.
I hadn’t been a big fan of acoustics before this, finding them big and unwieldy, but I think it was because all of my experience was with cheaper acoustics.
The Taylor is my favourite guitar now, too!
Completely agree. My kona GS Mini is my first acoustic (after learning on an Epiphone Les Paul) and I love it. So loud!
They’re just so fun at that scale
I am in love with my GSMini Mahogany. Such great sustain and that signature Taylor Sweetness, all in a 7/8 scale that just makes everything a bit more playable. It doesn’t take an expensive guitar to win you over, although I have had them. I always come back to my GSMini. It was love at first strum. Thank you Sweetwater for being an incredible place to buy music gear online and linking me forever with a guitar I just can’t quit playing.
I've got a soft spot for Hardwood guitars myself. The Taylor 324ce is my favorite Mahogany guitar. Beautiful guitar, beautiful tone, perfect. All the Mahogany and Koa Taylor's are pretty nice.
I have the rosewood (spruce top) version and I love it too much
I have the same guitar. I also have a full size Seagull, which is a nice guitar, but picking up the mini and just messing around is so much fun. I would love to have a KOA, just to try it out.
The best selling guitar in the world for a reason.
@@sledge1960 Is it really?!
When I graduated high school, I took all my my graduation money and every penny I had ever earned to that point and bought an 814ce. That was 20 years ago now and it is still the only acoustic guitar I own. There is just something magic about Taylor guitars. I tried Martin’s and Gibson before I pulled the trigger on the 814, but they just didn’t get me what I wanted. I wanted that Taylor sound. Congrats on the 314.
didn't even know for sure that I had a 214ce until about 5 minutes ago, but I remember first playing it and liking the sound over some of the more expensive Taylors. It's super bright, and the neck feels more maneuverable compared to other acoustics I've played.
I have a Samick birdseye maple acoustic bass and it's loud af and sounds GREAT...but it doesn't have the sound hole, it's got f holes which not only makes it project better but also leaves a really nice big spot of birdseye maple across the unbroken expanse of belly...
I’m a Martin guy, but Taylors and fender acoustics are so fun to play!!!
I’ve had a Taylor 714ce for about 15 years and love it. It’s got a solid cedar top which makes it resonate differently, good for finger style, though I mostly use a pick. Plays like butter. They went for 3k but I got it for 2k used. It’s the only acoustic I’ve kept. Records great too! It’s got the original Fish,an electronics with a multi band eq and a mic inside the guitar that you blend with the piezo. So it sounds fairly natural recorded direct. Now I want to go play it!
There really is something magical about Taylors. I have a GS Mini Bass, and even that has the Taylor sound/feel
Taylor's are just too bright for me, but I'm old and have the sound of Martin's seared into my soul. Like your channel.
I would only get a mahogany top Taylor, like my 324 (mahogany top/ Sapele back and sides).
Initially they were very bright sounding, but that was years ago! My first Taylor was a 1999 514ce, warmest tone to my ear at the time being Cedar/hog. Then I had a 2004 814ce Fall Limited, beautiful, good thump but shallow and bright. Went to Gibson, love them all, Martin D18, love it. Then Taylor addressed their bright tone with new bracing patterns and body shapes! Now if you give me a Taylor Grand Pacific body shape or Grand Symphony and they’re a monster! All the playability, all definition, and amazing tone and intonation! Hard to talk $hit about Taylor anymore. The “bright sounding” insult is a thing of the past now. Go play some modern Taylor’s!
the biggest reason I gravitated towards my taylor at a young age was playability --- which is what I thought you were going to get into with this vid. the bright tone and resonance is definitely iconic but if I had to guess I would say the quality out-of-the-box setups on even lower end models is why so many people fall in love with taylors
See, what turned me off from Taylor is the fact that martins are pleked from the factory. I guess i viewed that as a playability bonus. Wanted a Taylor 214e sunburst or 314ce edge burst bad. Went with a 000-16 Martin.
Not so much turned me off but pushed me towards Martin.
I love my GS Mini but was surprised by the ridiculously high action out of the box (double their own claimed spec) and the need to get the neck shimmed under warranty straight away. I discovered that this is a common problem with the model. The luthier attached to my local shop (who doesn’t get to see them before they go out) said he suspects they are all over-height out of the box, but most people do not take them back within the warranty period. Eventually they get fixed when they go in for something else.
You are so right on. I’ve been playing for over 40 years. I have a Taylor 810CE and I would not trade it for anything. I also had a Breedlove Classic 12 but had to sell it when I fell on some bad times. It was also a guitar that I loved to play. Maybe some day I’ll find that 12 string again and add it back to my collection. I enjoyed listening to your comments as they really struck a passionate nerve. I still play everyday and never can get enough. You’re doing great things! Keep it up man!
I felt in love with the Taylor sound since I listened to artists like David Gilmour, Suzane Vega and Dave Matthews playing what I guess was old Taylor 712/714 ce models. I went nuts!
I own a 714ce for more than 17 years now and I’m still in love with her!
Taylor made a Dave Matthews signature model for a while. I played one and it was the best Taylor I have heard.
Daniel Day-Lewis is my favorite artist who plays a tailor (in the movie called “The Phantom Thread”).
Mike Dawes started his acoustic exploration on a Taylor 214 and even recorded his most well known piece Boogie Shred on it, a teenage rock song in DADGAD when he was 17. Taylor's are truly special in seeing the very wide range of artists and genres they cover!
I tried a Taylor 816ce Builders Edition once and would love to have one with it's unique body voicing, especially for open tunings
Have you seen the 314 with the cutaway sound hole? Just came out, I think it’s mahogany though
I got an 816 ce recently, it’s definitely a dynamic and interesting guitar
I'm a guitar collector and can only say that for a Factory Made guitar the Taylor's are right among the best in that category. The tone is always great, the necks are wonderful, so very playable, the materials and quality control top grade. I once owned a 614 and regret selling it, I now own a T5z and can only recommend them, take some getting used to all the tonal nuances but worth the effort. The Baby Taylors are just wonderful.
Martin all the way for me. Taylor is right up there though
Buy yourself a Maton or a Cole Clark. I doubt you will pick up your Taylor or Martin again. Half the price, twice the guitar.
My next will be a full custom job from Maton, and it will cost less than a machine built Taylor.
@@samblack5313 I must look them up, Thanks for the advice bro.
@@ozymandias767 i have a martin x series all koa and honestly my taylor big baby sounded better and played smoother the martin from factory needs a full adjustment
I'm a bass player who has a Taylor GS Mini koa bass that has an amazing tone. I also have a Martin B1 acoustic bass that I really like. Taylor and Martin are my two favorite guitars with completely different sounds. I have a Taylor GS Mini mahogany guitar. I would love to have an American made Taylor someday but I'm old, retired, and not good enough on guitar to justify the money. My son in law plays both Martin and Taylor and both are great in his hands. Love your channel and what you do.
I really enjoyed hearing your enthusiasm for playing - especially w/ a Taylor - and I think your playing sounds great. This was interesting to me because I'm a 68 year old codger now, but you remind me of when I started playing 50+ years ago. I still have my '74 Giannini, which was all I could afford when I was in college. But it's made of Brazilian rosewood that has aged so well. Had a great tone new but is so rich and awesome now. I'll never get rid of it. But early on I also fell in love with a Taylor. But I couldn't come close to affording one. Finally bought a 714ce a couple years ago and it is still a treasure for me to play. Liked it so much I also bought a 2002 714ce that is more mellow and great, but not quite up to the new model now that it's opened up. Anyway . . . thanks for the video and enjoy your playing!
I’m a professional musician, but a relatively new guitar player. Started on a Yamaha and when I felt ready I bought a used Taylor 314CE and thought that was is for me. I loved the sound and feel of that guitar. But then I played a Martin D18 and couldn’t put it down. Ended up trading the 314 for it. I still have a soft spot for Taylors, but I have an emotional reaction every time I pick up the Martin. The sound just speaks to me. I also really can’t afford to have two great acoustics and only ever playing one of them, so it made sense to do the trade.
As a total novice, it came down to Taylor vs Martin. Chose Martin in the lower budget range. Good channel.
Taylor makes very good guitars, but I ended up with a Yamaha FGX5.
My Taylor is actually my electric guitar! I got a t5z because it looked really versatile to me as a music producer and it's just such a fun little thing for me to pick up. Connected to one of the new digital modelers the sounds I'm trying to achieve are nearly endless
I love Taylors for voice-guitar songs, but i've found that for songs that have a lot of layers, like 2+ electric guitars and maybe an acoustic, Martins are more balanced overall and can be easier to fit in the mix.
I’ve got a 110e and aspire to a solid wood offering someday. It’s a workhorse. I can’t keep track of all the compliments that it’s sound gets. Really special for such a humble guitar in their lineup.
I have a 316ce that has been my main gig guitar for over 10 years now. It sounds great both plugged in and unplugged and I love the way it plays, so I’m not really looking for anything else.
I love my Taylors and I love my Martins but I'm itching to build my own OM style guitar this summer. I took off work for 3 weeks this upcoming July to work at a Luthier's studio. I picked out my wood for the back and sides, wood for the neck, figured bindings, abalone for the rosette, hardware, and bear-claw spruce soundboard. I hope I will end up with a guitar I can be proud of that has it's own place in tone and sustain, sitting next to my Taylors and Martins....
I got my 114ce in college in 2008, basically any money from my summer job that didn't go to rent went to that guitar. If I'm playing acoustic that's still the one that I grab I still perform with it, everything. The fact that it's not all solid wood is finally starting to catch up with it The tone just doesn't get better with age with a laminate back and sides but it's still a great guitar and it plays amazing. Dream would probably be a grand Pacific builders edition something.
I went though a rough patch last year, and decided to buy a 314ce. It’s one of the most incredible guitars I’ve ever owned, and that Taylor sound is special. I have a love for Martin too, but my Taylor guitars are incredible.
I have a Taylor Gt11e and absolutely love it. It sounds incredible live when i plug in and has an amazing sound acoustically as well. Its a small guitar that is incredibly comfortable with a neck similar to an electric in size and action. Best guitar purchase I'll probably ever make. That taylor sound is incredible
I have an all-solid rosewood and mahogany Martin dreadnought that I love dearly, but I'm getting old and it's a lot of guitar for strumming around the house. During pandemic lock-down, I saw a lot of praise for the Taylor GS Mini for its amazing tone and comfort as a "couch" guitar. Ordered one and I've been in love with it ever since, and this is a $600 guitar, not the multiple thousands of most Taylors. The little thing booms for its size and never sounds like a "travel" guitar, and it's the most comfortable acoustic I've ever played in 40 years of playing. I was a Martin guy, but the Taylor still blows me away and is my most often played acoustic.
I have the GS mini and I would love to own the 814ce some day, still to this day my favorite acoustic guitar out there.
Got a Taylor 320 almost 10 years ago and have never felt the need to touch another acoustic since. Had it professionally set up and it just plays and sounds like a dream.
I first became aware of Taylor when I played The Last of Us Part 2, and the aged sunburst 314ce in that game just looks amazing. The necks on Taylor guitars are such an easy transition for electric guitar players and I love the clarity of Taylors. I would love to own any Grand Auditorium or Grand Pacific models one day from Taylor, but I'm also content at the moment with my Yamaha FG800.
Agreed. I was amazed how easily I moved from my Les Paul to a Taylor GS mini. The neck is so comfortable. Of course, I had to get used to playing 13’s instead of 10’s (when I am tired it feels like I am strumming a brick) but that is improving my playing all around.
Cool video thanks. I lost all my guitars in a break-in and was gifted a 414ma new in 2000. My son’s the best. I’ve played for 50 plus yrs and never had anything closer to the perfect guitar than this. Bold and articulate are the best description. Play on brother and thanks again.
I feel like they’re not known for their acoustic playing, but Coheed and Cambria has some beautiful acoustic work throughout their discography. A lot of it is done in Taylors!
I play fingerstyle guitar. I bought a Taylor 312ce in January 2023. It's a beautiful guitar and sounds amazing. My dream guitar is the Taylor 912ce. I love watching your channel. You discuss some very interesting topics
You should do more acoustic content!!!! You’re a great player on electric and acoustic.
So I’ve been a Taylor guy from the beginning. Bought my first one - a 1995 712 Grand Concert - back in 1997 and it is truly my baby…I’ll never sell it. My newest is a circa 2004 912ce Chris Proctor Signature (#32/100) and it’s amazing, too, but definitely different. Very wide neck, so a killer finger picker. My dream guitar is a 914ce, so I’m working on that one…we’ll see. Great content!
Taylor 614ce is what I got. The best guitar I have ever played! I have absolutely no desire to get a different acoustic guitar, it does everything I want.
I've got a 2001 Taylor 414ce and a 2014 Taylor 856ce! My 2001 414ce has been my workhorse since 2001 when I got it brand new. Got to meet Bob Taylor at the Namm show a couple of times! Great guitars, great sound and easy to play!
My favorite guitar is the Taylor GS Mini. It is a little smaller and easier for my small hands to finger. It isn't a performance guitar, IMO, but it is the one I pick up when I just want to lean back in my recliner and play around. The sound is just amazing and it is so easy to play. I have the mahogany but would really love to try the Koa. To be honest, I don't know that I could do a more expensive Taylor justice. There is a point where it really isn't the violin but the violinist.
I have the koa…..and would like to try the mahogany hahahaha
@@glenarmy1 The grass is always greener.... Maybe we can work out a monthly swap. Get a couple of more involved and we can play them all! LOL!
Shortened version: I also have a 214ce and love it.
Long version: My journey to Taylor was a little longer than yours, but with one similar point: I was searching for a guitar during college, but I was married with limited income. So I had to be absolutely sure of the affordable purchase. Which led me to.. *drumroll*.. Takamine G series. My buddy had one and I played it and fell in love with it.
Over the years, after leading worship on stage and noticing *everyone* else had better guitars than I did, I realized it was time for a change. My absolute dream guitar at that point (and still now) is a Taylor koa with v-class bracing.. but that ain't happening in this lifetime. Maybe the next.
So last year I was determined to get a Taylor that had either/or.. Which after trying the v-class on non-koa, I wasn't super impressed. The shop showed me a bunch of stuff way out of my price range until I pointed to one slightly cheaper than they were showing me. They weren't super enthused about it. But I gave it one strum, laughed out loud, and bought it that day. 214ce-K SB. Never looked back.
I bought an 814ce in the summer an absolutely love it. Having been primarily an electric player for years and years I started to gain more interest in reaching out in other directions. I figured buying a Taylor would give me no excuses and encourage playing more acoustically. It worked and I play acoustic about 50% of the time now and find it's improving my electric playing too. Maybe it's improved finger strength.
I have a Taylor DN3 and I love it! The DN3 is basically one of the 300 series and it’s a dreadnought (no cut away) style. No pickup… just insanity good sound and playability.
I’m a Martin guy but a quality Taylor is good too. Taylor is plug and go for the most part. Also, as an amateur luthier, I learned that Taylor’s are bolt on necks. That isn’t necessarily bad but I just prefer the dovetail Martin joint. You are definitely sounding good though man. Ultimately, the sound comes through the fingers of the musician. Love the channel!!
I’m a Martin guy also. Taylors tend to be too bright for me. Also, I’m not a fan of the shape of the Taylor bridge which makes me think Klingon weapon of some sort. Finally, Taylor’s are beautifully made but I don’t think plastic knobs belong on a work of art such as a finely crafted guitar.
@@rogerd9150 I’ve found most Taylor’s to be too bright as well. “Tinny” is what always comes to mind with most that I hear. Gotta love the bass tones of a quality acoustic.
When the lockdowns were ending, I went to a local guitar shop to buy a Martin and came home with a Taylor. I didn’t know much about acoustics, but what I heard was lovely. And as I was just learning the finger gymnastics of jazz chords, I appreciated that the Taylor’s neck was a nice satin, thin, easy to play, and that it separated notes clearly. I grew up playing folk songs, so I get the pull of the Martin and Gibson bass thunk, but as a piano player in my spare time, I know what it is like to hear four parts of a harmony blend. And that is where the Taylor shines for me.
Taylor makes nice modern guitars. Martin, Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz, Huss & Dalton make great vintage guitars.
They play like butter. They're almost impossible to make a mistake with chords. ( for me at least) the design is flawless. Right now I play a Seagull S6 ( 2002 ) i want a 214ce and now a 314ce. Subscribed.
My favorite acoustic guitar brand is actually Alvarez. They're cheap, sound great, and was the first acoustic I ever played. Since it was made in 1993, it has a beautifully distinct, old, but bright tone that isn't matched by any other brand I've heard.
For inexpensive and quality, Yamaha are awesome and if you can get one in your country, Simon & Patrick (Canadian made).
I have a 40+ year old Alvarez 12-string, all-mahogany, and its sound is deep and cavernous and open C tuning just rings on forever! My first classical was Alvarez too. But as for price point, I find them a little more expensive than the other Asian-made brands and that's OK, because I know the workmanship will be worth it!
@@O_Towne_BearYamaha is a great affordable guitar, and I liked how a S&P sounded and felt when I had a chance to play one.
@@O_Towne_Bear any of the brands under godin sound good. Simon patrick/seagull/art and lutherie
My Taylor has gotten me through college so far. It's been a very inspiring instrument, especially as solo acoustic music becomes more popular.
I personally play a Guild M-20. If you haven't tried an all mahogany OM size guitar you've gotta check one out, the clarity and mids are amazing. Thanks for all the fun content you're making!
Thank you for lifting up all-mahogany, especially small body! But regardless of size, the all-mahogany sound is something you can never get enough of.
Even with a $160 all-laminate all-mahogany Hohner dreadnaught that I played into the ground over a ten year span, the connection was appreciable. Of course it wasn't solid wood but still, I always wanted an all-mahogany in my collection from then on. And yes the Guild M20 is awesome and go for it folks!
Yep I have a Martin OOO-15M, I love it.
I picked up a 214CE in a gorgeous sunburst finish a couple of years ago. I don't play acoustic as much as electric, but every time I play it, it puts a smile on my face. I also have an Ibanez acoustic, which is a fine instrument, but the Taylor just has that extra presence, bright voice, and sustain that makes it amazing.
love taylor acoustics! they are absolutly the best! pro tip:keep elixr on the taylor. that's like 80% of that taylor sound!
Got Taylor, bought sets of my usual daddario strings, 3rd set was back to the elixirs
At least they switched from 80/20 about 10 years ago to Phosphor Bronze, but Taylors benefit from even warmer sounding strings than Elixir. Most recording engineers try to get rid of the thin taylor sound through swapping out the strings and real EQ adjustments to the top end. Have owned a 814 for 25 years, and the only thing I don't like about it is the sound.
I was lucky enough for my first acoustic to be a Taylor 114ce in 2010. Back then it was their lowest end full sized acoustic. Laminated mahogany back and sides and a solid spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. I love that guitar to death. I basically learned how to play guitar on that thing. After all these years, even though I have higher end electric guitars and amps, that Taylor is the one guitar I come back to again and again when I just want to sit down and play.
Apart from the sound which I think takes trying out a lot of different guitars to actually develop the ear for, One of my favorite things about Taylors is the way they feel in the hand. They are so easy and comfortable to play.
My dream Taylor which I want to own someday is an 812ce. I love the _12 body shape - it’s smaller and you can more comfortably play in more places, without compromising on the sound and character. Even if I do end up buying an 812 though, I don’t see myself ever selling my 114ce.
While it's all very subjective, I have owned and played a Martin 000-18 made in 1940 since I bought it in 1977. I have played many Taylors and for my ear, nothing comes close to my Martin.
I definitely agree that it's subjective. I don't care for Taylors. To me, they all sound the same. Whether it's the $350 model or the $3k model, they sound the same. All high end. No low end at all. They're the modern day equivalent of an Ovation. And they're NOWHERE NEAR a Martin. But, that's just my opinion.
@@haywoodjablowme699 That's a good point about Ovation. But then I always felt like I was playing a watermelon whenever I picked up an Ovation.
Martins and Taylor's are just so different. A family friend had a Martin dreadnought 6 and 12 string (I am not sure what model numbers) from the 60's and the sound was absolutely amazing. There's just nothing like it. But I have smaller hands and discovered Taylor about 20 years ago and fell in love with the playability. Taylors are obviously brighter and I understand why people who dig Martins sometimes don't like that. I had an 814ce and it was amazing. It was bright, but the low end was actually pretty good too. I regret selling it. I'll get back into the Taylor market soon. Who knows if there is a Martin that has that classic Martin sound that is a little more playable I'd be a Martin guy too.
I have 2 414ce , one is a V-Class. Love these guitars. Learned how to finger-pick on them and very seldom use pick with them. One I use as my alt-tuning guitar. I chuckled when you mentioned Goo Goo Dolls , as he was notorious for alternate tuning. Enjoy.
I own a 2021 714 CEV class and unlike my previous tailors I am never letting this one go... It's truly in a class of its own for playability and sound
I bought a 317e and it's unbelievable. Taylor's version of a J45. It surprises me that I don't hear more people talking about them. If you get a chance, check out a 517 (mahogany back, spruce top for the true j45 thang)
To my ear Taylors are really harsh and also because I play pretty hard, I enjoy the Martin sound a little better because I find them more controllable. But for fingerstyle and innovation in general, Taylor has been doing some amazing work lately. The 214ce is indeed one amazing guitar!
thanks for the video. i just got myself a Taylor 150E-12 string. i am a fingerstyle player and man its like the Taylor are made for fingerstyle, its so sparkling. ive been playing most of my life and this is the first Taylor i own. it stole my heart. theres just some kind of magic in taylor guitars.
I dig the plastic Martins
I’ve had my DX1-KAE since 2013 and it’s held up great. Still my favorite acoustic.
I have a GPCx2ae with a spruce top and it’s better than every guitar I’ve played, even the guitars over 1000 dollars. Taylors may have a better playability, almost like an electric, but the sound of a good Martin is like nothing else
When people can't afford a Martin guitar, they will always have something to say. Why don't they just get a better job or go back to thrash talking in their mothers basement.
I’m an owner of a fender newporter California series, and I have to say that is also an incredibly great sounding guitar
Hard disagree with this take. IN MY OPINION, Martin’s are superior. Again, just my opinion but having played both, you get more tonal variety out of a Martin. Taylor guitars are perfect for Sunday service 😊
Taylor's are more forgiving, but Martin's are tried and true
@@chrisjensen1405 absolutely! Don’t get me wrong, if you’re someone that loves playing Taylors, more power to you. They’re beautiful instruments, just not my cup of tea
Martin are just different, not necessarily better. It all depends on the sound, style and build you're looking for.
@@LairdDavidson yup, imagine Lindsey Buckingham playing Never Going Back Again on something other than a Taylor 816. I know he played it on other guitars but his later live performances of it are on his Taylor 816 with the reverb at like 10
I have always loved Taylors...I have a Taylor 420R, which they don't make anymore. I bought it in 1999, it has solid sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back/sides. Plays great, and top has really aged nicely over the years. I have always wanted a Koa Taylor and I frequent Fuller's Guitars here in Houston where they have a large selection of Taylors to play. I also have always wanted the 8-string Taylor baritone. Great video....
Every Taylor wishes it was a Martin
Taylor is the only guitar company, since the founding of Martin, that has sent Martin back to the drawing board, time and again, to completely reconsider and rethink the design and construction of a guitar.
Taylor as a company, has also been responsible for helping other emerging guitar companies get their start. No other guitar company has ever done that.
You're both right.
Taylor doesn’t care about Martin
I love how you tell stories. Youre almost as good as telling stories as playing guitar. What a great combination mate
I enjoyed your video. I live 1.5 miles from the Taylor El Cajon CA factory. I have a number of "professional" acoustic guitar I always wanted a Taylor because they sound so good. I finally broke down and got an 814ce and it is by far my favorite guitar. It sounds so good when I play it side by side with the other guitars. I liked it so much I went out and got its sister guitar an 814ce-N. I've done the factory tour and it is really cool to watch them make the guitars. The smell alone is amazing. They cut the sound holes and wood parts with lasers. They laser etch the sound hole piece with a Taylor logo and give them away at the company store. I'm so glad they don't make mandolins or ukuleles since I'd probably want one of each. How many guitars do you need? Answer: Just one more.
Congrats on the 314ce! It was my first Taylor, purchased used. Sold it to pay bills. Recently purchased an 814ce, but it sounded too much like the 314ce. Took it back and ordered a 614ce Builders Edition. Flame Maple sides/back, Torrified Spruce top in Wild Honey Burst finish. Beautiful warm tone that isn't as dark as a cedar top. It's my bucket list guitar. Just need a big lottery ticket win so I can get the matching 12 string.
Fair winds and following seas to all.
I have 3 Taylor's. Got my first one about 3 years ago, the 224ce K DLX. Nice warm Koa guitar. A couple weeks ago, I picked up GS mini Mahogany, which sounds amazing for such a small body. And about a month ago I picked up a 326ce Baritone-8 string Special Edition that is breathtaking. The sound is out of this world. Highly recommend at least trying to play one.
Cool vid man! I love my Taylors -- fantastic guitars. Keep jammin
Hi, Mike! Just saw your site while browsing and as the player of a Taylor, thought I'd drop in. I'm glad you have chosen to go with Taylors. My 714ce has seen some miles and it just keep getting better. A lot of fine acoustics out there, but for a finger-picker like me, nothing compares to my 714ce, both in the studio and live.
I’m not nearly as accomplished a player as you, but I truly enjoy the Taylor sound, playability, good looks, and excellent build. I currently have a 2016 Taylor 818e. My first was a 315e, have had 3 others but always wanted the 800 series large body. There is a certain feeling I get when a full G chord just rings out and fades slowly. A big Taylor fan
I remember when my dad got his first high end acoustic guitar. It was a Taylor 514 Mahogany Cedar. So of course when I actually got some money I went straight for Taylor, and got a GS Mini Koa. When I graduated high school my parents found an insane deal on a Taylor 814 and it has been my main ever since. I later found out that two of my heroes, Zac Brown and Lindsey Buckingham also play Taylor guitars. Thanks Mike for showing some love to Taylor guitars. Keep up the great work!
Just love hearing others speak on their passion for acoustic guitars :)
I’ve had many many guitars through the years. Probably over a hundred at this point and my Taylor K14ce Builders Edition I purchase when they released in 2018 is hands down one of my favorite guitars I’ve ever owned. I’ve poured a large amount of my soul into that guitar over the years and hope my kids will when I’m gone.
Switchfoot/Jon Foreman got me hooked on Taylor’s. My first real acoustic was a fender acoustic my parents bought me it was nice but I still had my eyes on a Taylor, fast forward a few years later and I got a Taylor 214ce Koa, I LOVE IT. The GA size is so comfortable and they sound so good and beautiful guitars too. Some of my favorite artists like Mayer and Clapton play martins so I may have to get an OM model one day lol
Watched this vid while drinking my morning coffee, grabbed my 816ce Builder’s, and jammed.
Buying the 816 was a big bump dollar-wise compared to my ‘98 410ce, but it has been worth every penny. Everyone who plays it says the same thing, “That’s the best action I’ve ever felt on an acoustic.”
Love your energy and enthusiasm!
At the moment I have four (4) Taylor’s. A Baby (it’s been with me for a 1000 jam sessions at the marina, as well as offshore on sailboats), a GS Mini e Koa, an AD17e Blacktop, and my favorite…a 322e 12 fret (slotted headstock). The combination of the mahogany and the 12 fret (bridge being further back) gives it such a sweet, warm sound. I’ll never sell that guitar. Anyway good stuff man. Keep up the good work!
Great video! My goto is Takamine. I have an f360 six string and an f400s 12 string. I've had the 6 string since 1974 and took it around the world, twice, when I was in the Navy. I love my guitars and would never part with them, but I played a Taylor and just fell in love with the sound and playability. I love your passion. Keep playing and learning.
I bought a Taylor 614 CE in Maple (back and sides). It was an incredibly beautiful guitar that had an extremely bright and brilliant sound. I kept it for about 5 years but then went through a bluegrass phase and sold the Taylor to buy a Martin HD 28. I also have a Gibson Dwight Yokum signature series. I absolutely love both of my guitars but I really miss and fondly remember that Taylor 614 CE ! Nice content!
As soon as I saw the word ‘bluegrass’ I knew what you were going to say (“Martin”). Being perverse, I am going to dedicate the rest of my life to attending bluegrass jams with my Taylor and watching the pain on the faces of my victims (while listening to their harrumphing, and “You wouldn’t catch me with a Taylor”).
@@lesteubes-r1t I know! I guess I succumbed to the pressure. When you jump in with a group with a banjo and a fiddle (and no mic’s) you feel the need to be louder. You do see younger players branching out with other brands but the crusty old guys will certainly make comments.
Exactly Mike! I too LOVE Taylors for their distinct tone. I've played and appreciate Martin's (obviously, an army of musicians swear by them above all others), but for me..the character that you've described is what I'm looking for in an acoustic (to my ear). My dream Taylor is a Taylor 322ce Grand Concert Left-Handed Acoustic-Electric Guitar Shaded Edge Burst and not too far out of range (hoping later this year). I currently have a 214ce. I'm also a huge fan of Gibson acoustics for their unique tone also, but being left handed, those are few and far between ;-) Great video and playing as always! Cheers!
i have a 414 with no cutaway. i don't often go past the 12th fret on acoustic. the auditorium size is nice. plays great, sounds great.
Just got an 816ce after playing just about every model they make when I visited the Taylor factory, beautiful guitars and it’ll compliment my d18 copy very well
I've had my Taylor 414 for over 15 years and it was road worn when it found its way to me. Now, after strumming additional holes into the body, it's home for me. I've played countless guitars over the years, but this faithful fiddle is and always will be the comfort that brings me home.
My go to Taylor is also my dream Taylor - 714e. I used to own the 814ce, but I much prefer the 714e with the ES2 pickup.
I recently got the American dream 12ADSB. It’s incredible. It’s a parlor sized, American made, solid wood beast. It’s the perfect acoustic for me since I play mostly Strats and I feel that the parlor style bodies are the best compliment
I love my couple of Taylors… I bought a 510CE with an Englemann Spruce top after my parents passed on. I replaced the pickup after the battery compartment of the original system corroded. I also have a Taylor GS Mini as a little banger. I always enjoy your playing… thanks for another great vid!
The GS mini is my fav. Taylor makes outstanding instruments with layered back and sides as well as solid wood.
So…Mike my journey with Taylor started humbly with a 414ce in 1998. I gave it to my Worship Pastor who still uses it today. Totally broke in and opened up. Amazing tone! I moved on to a 414ce LE. Neverrrrr should’ve sold it but I got bit by the Taylor bug and began purchasing Custom Taylor’s. I’ve owned every tonewood combo and model. 12 frets are my favorite but love my newest 912ce builder edition. Love my Taylor’s and I’m down to just 4 now😛
I come from a family of Taylor players, and when I was 13 my dad took me to a Taylor road show. I was fascinated learning about tonewood selection and how their unique bracings/tech made the guitars sound so distinct. For awhile in college I tried out a Spruce Martin 000, as I was focused on more traditional folk and blues playing, but these days I almost exclusively play the Mahogany GS mini my pops gave me when I was a teenager. It's incredibly versatile, the wood balances out its naturally bright Taylor sound, and it has extraordinary range and sustain for its size. My college roommate told me it plays like it has songs living inside it, and I 100% agree. Such a special little guitar.
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany is my dream guitar! I currently have a full-size Takamine Dreadnought Mahogany & a Luna Muse (3/4). I'm 5'2", so I'd like another guitar that is in between the two sizes I already have. At first, I wanted the Taylor Baby Mahogany, but went with the affordable Luna. Now, I think the GS Mini would give me the bigger sound! The Taylor can be my end of the year reward.
I've wanted a Taylor guitar since hearing Antonio Forcione play one in the 90s. The things that guy can do with a guitar are amazing and his Taylor sounded wonderful.
GREAT video. You made a fantastic choice with the 314CE.
I have been playing Taylors since 2000, and my oldest is a 310CE from that year. It will do whatever I want it to. DADGAD, open Gm, standard tuning.
I recently performed a neck reset on it and saw the genius of the Taylor NT neck system. That moved Taylor Guitars from lifetime instruments to multi-generational.
Phil Keaggy is certain my favorite artist to listen to, and I don't think he plays Taylors very often, but he has a video called Cajon Pass where he's performing on a 514CE.
If I could justify the cost, I'd have already ordered a BTO Taylor GA with cedar top and florentine cutaway with mahogany back and sides.
When my wife decided to buy me an acoustic (my first, after a couple of years of learning on an Epiphone Les Paul), she took an amazing (electric) guitarist with her to the shop. He strummed his way through the Martins, Gibsons, Fenders etc, but after strumming one chord on a Taylor GS Mini kona he shouted “This one!”. He tried the other Taylor models in the same price range but kept coming back to the GS Mini. I suspect the over-sized sound hole was influencing his choice (it’s a very loud guitar!) but I am glad it did. I love it. I hope my neighbours do as well…
I love Taylor, I even went and worked for them for a few weeks, but unfortunately couldn’t be in San Diego, I got really homesick and quickly fell into a depression.
I bought a Taylor 816 CE builder’s edition last fall, honestly I didn’t really like it that much for a few months, but in the last couple months it’s slowly but surely becoming my favorite guitar. I’m figuring out the ES2 pickup system and am really able to get some amazing sounds and feelings out of it
i just bought my first taylor last week, i was in the shop going back and forth between a taylor and a couple of martins, but the taylor just felt rightt. no regrets and absolutely loving it.
Played a Taylor 414ce and a 414e for a while but I’ve finally made the switch to a Gibson J45! Taylor’s always hold a special place with me though!
I had a friend years ago who owned either a 114ce or a 214ce, I don't remember which, but I always considered it to be my favorite acoustic sound and VERY recognizable. Hearing your 314ce V brings me back to those days because it sounds exactly like how I remember his guitar sounding like. It played like butter too. I just ordered a 114ce because it's the only one my budget can handle. It should get delivered tomorrow from Sweetwater and I'm excited to play it.