I wouldn't doubt this is Koa and Mahogany woods used. Koa doesnt always look like that crazy bright flame of colours. But this looks exactly like the koa I would expect from a guitar of this price point. Not much flame, but not bad at all. The neck looks like mahogany to me. Hard to tell as there was only a quick look at it, but looks fine to me. Question: Fresh strings? factory strings? Prob sounds thin because they are shit strings. These always have high action so I instantly give my new guitars a quick once over, measure the height and sand the bridge down when doing the mandatory restring (im comfortable doing this but wouldnt recommend doing it yourself if you are unsure) Overall, I'm glad you like it. Looks solid and good to me. Sounds really good too, considering this is youtube and the camera audio (from what I can tell) Good review.
While I was running my local guitar store, I had quite a few Chinese knockoff Taylors, Martins and Gibsons come through my doors and I got to examine them, set them up and play them a fair bit. So here's my 2 cents! The top, back and sides almost certainly aren't true Koa, but more likely Acacia Confusa, AKA "Taiwanese Koa". True koa only grows in Hawaii and is quite expensive, but it's a member of the acacia family, and as such, shares similar grain, color and tonal qualities to other acacia species, with "Taiwanese Koa" being the most commonly used in more budget friendly guitars, since it's significantly cheaper and easier for makers in Asia to get ahold of. The color is often lighter and the grain patterns aren't as wild. Companies life Crafter, Washburn and Zuwei use it commonly. The neck probably isn't a true mahogany either (Honduran, Cuban or African), and is in all likelihood nato, AKA "Eastern Mahogany", which has very similar grain, but is actually softer than true mahogany, which means you'll probably be adjusting that truss rod a bit more often. Most of the Chinese knockoffs I saw were in fact all solid wood, so I have little reason to doubt this is, but sadly they don't open up nearly as much over time as higher end guitars, due to structural issues. The tops are often far too thick and the bracing is overbuilt, which prevents the guitar from resonating as it should, and also cause it to take far longer to begin to show signs of tonal improvement with age. Additionally, some of the guitars I worked on were held together with epoxy rather than a more suitable adhesive like Titebond or hide glue. This is also a problem as epoxy doesn't allow for proper transference of energy, also causing the instrument to not resonate well. The Fishman preamp and pickup are also fake, as the real deal costs quite a bit more than the Chinese companies would pay, but honestly this isn't much of an issue, as the fakes sound very close to the real deals anyhow. Piezos can only sound so good on their own, and to get a decent sound out of 90% of them, you'll have to EQ on the sound board or amp, so this is a non-issue. The nut, saddle and bridge pins on this instrument are going to be some of its biggest weaknesses, as they're all cheap plastic that do nothing to help with the tone, will wear out quickly and the saddle almost certainly isn't compensated enough for the guitar to be properly intonated, causing it to sound out of tune even when the guitar was freshly tuned. This is easily fixed however by going to a local guitar tech or local luthier and having them make a new bone or TUSQ nut and saddle for it, which they will file the saddle's compensation to specifically intonate the instrument. The bridge pins can be replaced by any bone, TUSQ or wood pins you prefer off of Amazon. The tuners were also often a weak point, with many of them either slipping like crazy or being so stiff that fine tuning was a pain. But I found that a fairly affordable set of Wilkinsons or Guykers brought the tuning stability up nicely enough without having to spend a lot of money on Grovers or Schallers. At the end of the day, even when ignoring the morality of it all, I was never impressed by the Chinese knockoffs I saw, they all sounded rigid and unyielding, were heavy as all get out (as a result of the thick woods and overbuilt braces), didn't resonate and needed a lot of attention to be made properly playable, but if it's an instrument you like, it's worth having the work done to it since you already own it. For anyone watching this wondering if these are worth it, honestly I'd say no. Get an Ibanez Artwood, Blueridge, Alvarez, Eastman, Washburn Heritage Series, AMI/Sigma or mid priced Epiphone instead, you'll be much happier with the instrument and it'll perform much better.
Lots of deep information here. Thanks for sharing. I have to say, though that may have been your experience, but it isn’t the experience with this particular guitar. I use this as a loaner to my students and I have not had a single mechanical problem or physical problem with this guitar with the exception of something you didn’t really mention… And that’s that the microphone they use in it is garbage. The pick up is OK but the microphone is not. I haven’t watched this video in a really long time, but I hope that I did state that it’s a sort of lottery when you order some thing online and I think it’s a bigger lottery when you order from China. Was also sent to me to do a review so it makes sense that I would get a guitar that had at least been gone over better at QA Peace & Song!
Something that I love about Taylor guitars is that they all seem to have a beautifully clear, warm sound that I can't get from any other brand. It's the perfect balance of being warm without being muddy and just the right amount of brightness. Would you say that this guitar has that same sound of a real Taylor?
Thanks for writing. No. Not a Taylor sound. It is decent, even good for the price, but it doesn’t sound like a Taylor. And this “replica” doesn’t even attempt at V-bracing. Peace & Song, J
The problem with these cutaway and amplified guitars is the sound is compromised. Unless you play it in a small room it will sound dull and flat in a bigger room unless you play it through an amp. Simon and Patrick to me with their spruce top guitars have a sound that no one guitar has.
Godin (the parent company of Simon and Patrick) makes a ridiculously nice guitar for the price point. I recently picked up a Seagull Performer CW, and I love it!
Nice guitar. China has probably the most KOA in the world. They have lumber yards the size of cities there. You just get not the premium cuts on these guitars unless like here in the USA. China has some of the finest top end guitars in the world if you want to pay.
It lacks resonance, harmonics, sustain and volume. It looks pretty. It sounds lame. I suspect the sides and back are laminate. Plastic nut and bridge and pins. Get a real Taylor instead.
Thanks for caring sharing… So you’re right about the plastic nut and the bridge but quite wrong about the back and sides had it tested it’s Koa. it’s not a high-grade koa. And it isn’t a laminate. but I guess sometimes when we make assumptions based in a video….
@@Jeffertoya I made zero assumptions. I had suspicions rather than assumptions. I also have better guitars. I hope you enjoy your instrument and get good use out of it.
@@PotPoet like I said, in the video, this was just sent to me… But yeah, have a good day. I’m glad you’ve got better. Guitars guitars are neat you’re neat.
Thanks for commenting! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I thought I'd just send and email and look for a link. BUT... I've heard nothing back. When I visit the site their store had been "moved"??? I don't know what that means but I'l let you know as soon as I find out. Peace & Song, J
TIMING! Turns out their email arrived this morning and I scrolled past it. The store is ksgkevinshiguitars.aliexpress.com/store/5365039?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000002.2.273f548aNLUJrt
Thanks for writing! So, even though I didn't have this guitar set up at the time of the review, it felt a lot like the Taylor! At least with regards to the guitar I received, they seem to have really gotten the neck of this guitar right. This video is the guitar straight out of the box. Peace & Song, J
@@Jeffertoya Thanks for replying! Yeah, I picked up one of Taylor's at a store and the playability was just phenomenal. RE ALLY out of my price range though. I'm just a couch player and wanted something that feels really nice to play.
Thanks for writing. Are you saying solid wood guitars don’t soften and improve with age? Is there some factual or even common anecdotal evidence to support your disdain?
Great vid man I just ordered one
I wouldn't doubt this is Koa and Mahogany woods used. Koa doesnt always look like that crazy bright flame of colours. But this looks exactly like the koa I would expect from a guitar of this price point. Not much flame, but not bad at all.
The neck looks like mahogany to me. Hard to tell as there was only a quick look at it, but looks fine to me.
Question: Fresh strings? factory strings? Prob sounds thin because they are shit strings. These always have high action so I instantly give my new guitars a quick once over, measure the height and sand the bridge down when doing the mandatory restring (im comfortable doing this but wouldnt recommend doing it yourself if you are unsure)
Overall, I'm glad you like it. Looks solid and good to me. Sounds really good too, considering this is youtube and the camera audio (from what I can tell)
Good review.
While I was running my local guitar store, I had quite a few Chinese knockoff Taylors, Martins and Gibsons come through my doors and I got to examine them, set them up and play them a fair bit. So here's my 2 cents!
The top, back and sides almost certainly aren't true Koa, but more likely Acacia Confusa, AKA "Taiwanese Koa". True koa only grows in Hawaii and is quite expensive, but it's a member of the acacia family, and as such, shares similar grain, color and tonal qualities to other acacia species, with "Taiwanese Koa" being the most commonly used in more budget friendly guitars, since it's significantly cheaper and easier for makers in Asia to get ahold of. The color is often lighter and the grain patterns aren't as wild. Companies life Crafter, Washburn and Zuwei use it commonly.
The neck probably isn't a true mahogany either (Honduran, Cuban or African), and is in all likelihood nato, AKA "Eastern Mahogany", which has very similar grain, but is actually softer than true mahogany, which means you'll probably be adjusting that truss rod a bit more often.
Most of the Chinese knockoffs I saw were in fact all solid wood, so I have little reason to doubt this is, but sadly they don't open up nearly as much over time as higher end guitars, due to structural issues. The tops are often far too thick and the bracing is overbuilt, which prevents the guitar from resonating as it should, and also cause it to take far longer to begin to show signs of tonal improvement with age. Additionally, some of the guitars I worked on were held together with epoxy rather than a more suitable adhesive like Titebond or hide glue. This is also a problem as epoxy doesn't allow for proper transference of energy, also causing the instrument to not resonate well.
The Fishman preamp and pickup are also fake, as the real deal costs quite a bit more than the Chinese companies would pay, but honestly this isn't much of an issue, as the fakes sound very close to the real deals anyhow. Piezos can only sound so good on their own, and to get a decent sound out of 90% of them, you'll have to EQ on the sound board or amp, so this is a non-issue.
The nut, saddle and bridge pins on this instrument are going to be some of its biggest weaknesses, as they're all cheap plastic that do nothing to help with the tone, will wear out quickly and the saddle almost certainly isn't compensated enough for the guitar to be properly intonated, causing it to sound out of tune even when the guitar was freshly tuned. This is easily fixed however by going to a local guitar tech or local luthier and having them make a new bone or TUSQ nut and saddle for it, which they will file the saddle's compensation to specifically intonate the instrument. The bridge pins can be replaced by any bone, TUSQ or wood pins you prefer off of Amazon.
The tuners were also often a weak point, with many of them either slipping like crazy or being so stiff that fine tuning was a pain. But I found that a fairly affordable set of Wilkinsons or Guykers brought the tuning stability up nicely enough without having to spend a lot of money on Grovers or Schallers.
At the end of the day, even when ignoring the morality of it all, I was never impressed by the Chinese knockoffs I saw, they all sounded rigid and unyielding, were heavy as all get out (as a result of the thick woods and overbuilt braces), didn't resonate and needed a lot of attention to be made properly playable, but if it's an instrument you like, it's worth having the work done to it since you already own it. For anyone watching this wondering if these are worth it, honestly I'd say no. Get an Ibanez Artwood, Blueridge, Alvarez, Eastman, Washburn Heritage Series, AMI/Sigma or mid priced Epiphone instead, you'll be much happier with the instrument and it'll perform much better.
Lots of deep information here. Thanks for sharing.
I have to say, though that may have been your experience, but it isn’t the experience with this particular guitar.
I use this as a loaner to my students and I have not had a single mechanical problem or physical problem with this guitar with the exception of something you didn’t really mention… And that’s that the microphone they use in it is garbage. The pick up is OK but the microphone is not.
I haven’t watched this video in a really long time, but I hope that I did state that it’s a sort of lottery when you order some thing online and I think it’s a bigger lottery when you order from China.
Was also sent to me to do a review so it makes sense that I would get a guitar that had at least been gone over better at QA
Peace & Song!
Best review ever, thanks for making it!
My pleasure!
I'm currently using this guitar, with minor mods, to record the new album!
Thanks for dropping me a line.
Peace & Song,
J
Good review bruz! Thanks for taking the time out and the money to do this. Gonna get me one of them soon. Peace
Something that I love about Taylor guitars is that they all seem to have a beautifully clear, warm sound that I can't get from any other brand. It's the perfect balance of being warm without being muddy and just the right amount of brightness. Would you say that this guitar has that same sound of a real Taylor?
Thanks for writing.
No. Not a Taylor sound. It is decent, even good for the price, but it doesn’t sound like a Taylor. And this “replica” doesn’t even attempt at V-bracing.
Peace & Song,
J
hello i just changed the strings and sound very nice even uniform taylor strings
The problem with these cutaway and amplified guitars is the sound is compromised. Unless you play it in a small room it will sound dull and flat in a bigger room unless you play it through an amp. Simon and Patrick to me with their spruce top guitars have a sound that no one guitar has.
Godin (the parent company of Simon and Patrick) makes a ridiculously nice guitar for the price point. I recently picked up a Seagull Performer CW, and I love it!
Nice guitar. China has probably the most KOA in the world. They have lumber yards the size of cities there. You just get not the premium cuts on these guitars unless like here in the USA. China has some of the finest top end guitars in the world if you want to pay.
Sounds great
"playing with fire". You got that right..
It sounds great to me!!! For that price??? Awsome!!!
Well, the price with a case and onboard pre-amp was less than $500 at the time I was sent mine.
Thanks for commenting!
Good review. Plays nice.
I wanna get a Taylor 414ce v class.
It lacks resonance, harmonics, sustain and volume. It looks pretty. It sounds lame. I suspect the sides and back are laminate. Plastic nut and bridge and pins. Get a real Taylor instead.
Thanks for caring sharing… So you’re right about the plastic nut and the bridge but quite wrong about the back and sides had it tested it’s Koa. it’s not a high-grade koa. And it isn’t a laminate. but I guess sometimes when we make assumptions based in a video….
@@Jeffertoya I made zero assumptions. I had suspicions rather than assumptions. I also have better guitars. I hope you enjoy your instrument and get good use out of it.
@@PotPoet like I said, in the video, this was just sent to me… But yeah, have a good day. I’m glad you’ve got better. Guitars guitars are neat you’re neat.
@@PotPoet I mean that genuinely!
Where can I find it. There so link and there are many on AliExpress, can someone help me
Thanks for commenting! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I thought I'd just send and email and look for a link. BUT... I've heard nothing back. When I visit the site their store had been "moved"??? I don't know what that means but I'l let you know as soon as I find out.
Peace & Song,
J
TIMING! Turns out their email arrived this morning and I scrolled past it. The store is ksgkevinshiguitars.aliexpress.com/store/5365039?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000002.2.273f548aNLUJrt
Jefferson Montoya thank you so much 😊
Probably acacia wood... same family as koa. Definitely not from Hawaii
How was the playability of this one compared to the genuine Taylor that you mentioned playing? Same kind of action?
Thanks for writing!
So, even though I didn't have this guitar set up at the time of the review, it felt a lot like the Taylor!
At least with regards to the guitar I received, they seem to have really gotten the neck of this guitar right.
This video is the guitar straight out of the box.
Peace & Song,
J
@@Jeffertoya Thanks for replying! Yeah, I picked up one of Taylor's at a store and the playability was just phenomenal. RE ALLY out of my price range though. I'm just a couch player and wanted something that feels really nice to play.
I think it's koa.
de que pais eres amigo hablas español?¿ te pregunto por tu apellido yo soy de peru
Hola!
I am from the U.S., Montoya is my mother's surname:) Thanks for writing!
Peace & Song,
J
@@Jeffertoya podrias ayudarme quisiera saber sobre la guitarra
The Fishman is fake too...lol...but for real.
At least is is a real fake Fishman though!
No, mine is a real, "Fichman"
No Thanks
You claim the guitar will improve with time. Stop it. You are not credible. You are dismissed.
Thanks for writing. Are you saying solid wood guitars don’t soften and improve with age?
Is there some factual or even common anecdotal evidence to support your disdain?
That is NOT a koa guitar.