Best sounding Taylor I've ever hear, IMO. I almost purchased used one about a decade ago, but one of the tuner screws was stripped out so I returned it. Great guitar playing, BTW. Your selections really highlight the versatility of the guitar.
I have a 1997 514c, cedar top, mahogany back and sides, and it has a beautiful warm, rich tone. I bought it after playing Martins, Gibsons, Lowdens, Gretches, etc, etc, none of which "did it for me", and then I saw this unfamiliar name in the corner at Rose-Morris in Denmark St, London, and that was it. It is a very versatile guitar and much envied.
Picking up the rosewood/cedar 714 hanging on the guitar shop wall before my lessons is what started this acoustic guitar love affair of mine... And even though contemporary aesthetics are moving in different directions, that nice, wide .125" abalone rosette is an element I work into every build as a bit of a homage to those core memories.
I bought my first Taylor, A 314 CE, in 2000, and today have four, including a K14CE, an 814 CE and a GS Mini. I am sure Martin guitars are wonderful, but after trying many high end Martins in stores I have always left with a Taylor, and one time a Maton. I love the bell-like resonance of a Taylor but most of all their playability straight out the case is legendary. A Martin neck reset is also a scary, costly and not rare event. The anti-Taylor vitriol is ridiculous…a lot of great guitarist play Taylor’s and there is a reason that are so popular and loved. The day I can visit a music store and fall in live with a Martin the same way I can with a Taylor, I will buy it!
Sounding a bit Bruce Cockburny there at 5.40, great stuff! Bruce remains my favourite acoustic player. I love my Fylde and my Manzer but my 2001 Taylor 714ce (with barn door Prefix!) still sounds great for regular live use. Cedar and Rosewood seems to be what I gravitate to. Even my old Takamine NP15 is that combination. Thanks for your channel.
Hi Michael, I wonder if you could put a note in your description to let subscribers know if you're using Standard or Open Tuning ? Great sounding Taylor and of course you bring out the best in all the guitars you review.
It’s cool to see Taylor recalling some of the classic stuff. I’ve felt for years that Taylor tries to market like Apple too much, acting like their older guitars aren’t as good as the new ones. Some guys bond with a Taylor and use it for decades but I see a lot of recent models on the used market often too. I have a 2001 355 12 string that is a family instrument… But I think I’m more inclined to build my own guitars now instead of buying any more.
Bob Taylor let me play his own 810, the only Taylor he’s ever owned. That was strung with the then latest Elixir Nanowebs. My oldest Taylor is a 1997 710-Brazilian, with the narrower 1-11/16 nut. Had it had the 1-3/4 one on the Legacy, I may never have needed another guitar - how differently my life - and finances - could have turned out! Taylor strung their Dreadnaughts with 13/56 back in the day, the original D’addarios. Shortly after I purchased my Taylor, they started shipping them with the new coated Elixirs. History has turned full-circle and now they’re using coated D’addarios (I imagine Elixir are less than chuffed). It occurs to me that you have a great opportunity to compare the sonic differences between C and V-class bracing, if you could locate a modern 810. The same applies to comparing the Baggs pickup installed on the Legacy with Taylor’s own Expression system… Merry Xmas, Michael and thanks for some stellar videos this year.
I don't usually find myself really enjoying the taylor sound. They feel fantastic, but I find the sound to have this nasally characteristic. This one has a little less of that. Very nice for sure.
Me neither. There's a reason that the old tried & true scalloped X-bracing system is still being used today on most of the world's finest acoustic guitars. Even some of the non-scalloped X-braced acoustic's sound pretty darned good. I think Taylor lost sight of that along the way, when he decided to "redesign the bracing". Good to see them coming back to it, because in his early days, Bob Taylor was known for producing some killer dreadnoughts........with X-bracing, of course. I bought only 1 Taylor acoustic, back in 2005. Sorry I can't recall the model, but it was one of their higher-end guitars, costing around $2600. ( Remember, we're talking back in '05. ) I loved it when playing it in the music store. So I took this brand new Taylor home, and over the course of the next several months, something started becoming apparent: No matter how I played that guitar, it just sounded the same. It didn't sound bad, but the dynamics & the overtones simply didn't change. Then it hit me: this guitar was NOT touch sensitive at all. All 3 of my Japanese Takamine's that I still owned at the time literally blew that Taylor out of the water. I sold that Taylor, having owned it just over a single year. I was eventually forced to sell off my Takamine's ( and everything else ) to save our home during that awful recession of '08. But nowadays, I own 4 different Hsienmo acoustic's, all bought new factory-direct from their custom shop. Started out with one, loved it SO much, I wound up with 4 within an 8 month period due to the astounding prices. Yet quality in workmanship, tone, volume, resonance, and playability are second to none. Those cats at Hsienmo mean business. Only 12 workers ( most are master luthiers ) producing 30 to 50 acoustic's per month, and usually never more than 400 per year. Word is starting to spread about this amazing little company. Both JP Cormier and Shawn Brock have recently posted video reviews of Hsienmo guitars........and they were both as shocked & pleased as I was. I have yet to find a single negative review of a Hsienmo. Most of the owners I've seen or heard from own some very expensive acoustic's........and they are blown away by their Hsienmo's.
If Martin and Gibson didn’t exist I might buy a Taylor! Some of their design aspects are great like the 12 string course re-jig but I just can’t get on with them sonically. They’re kind of like Koa for me, I love the look but the sound is always a compromise. They certainly have their own voice and it is an American voice but it isn’t up to Gibson or Martin’s respective “quality” imo. Edit: Forgot about Guild! In terms of US guitars I have 2 Martins, 2 Gibsons, 2 Guilds but 0 Taylors. Anyway… Merry Christmas Michael, as always thanks for sharing your excellent content. Listening to Vetiver earlier today it really struck me that one of the defining characteristics of your incredible style and composition is mindfulness, a deliberateness and clarity of intention (a pure uncluttered “simplicity”) that appears in your general communication. Really love your work and your way. Cheers.
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
I don't love taylors but they're so easy to spot....don't have the richness of a Martin type. The big bottom end. I will say they play well amplified because the bass is easily tamable...the strings are usually pretty balanced. Martin types can be a pain in the ass amplified. I wonder how it would sound without the under saddle piezio. It usually makes a big difference pulling them.
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
Nice to hear a good sounding Taylor again! Taylor’s, especially through the slick marketing, aesthetically pretty, but sonically mediocre hands of Andy Powers, have forever lost their appeal or allure! For the longest time they were the guitar I aspired to own. After my first encounter with the V-Class scam I crossed them off my list forever and ended up purchasing a beautiful Furch about three years ago and have never looked back!! I also have several Walden’s that are around half the cost of comparable spec’d Taylor’s that sound better and have much better pickup systems! My Walden G3030 ($1200 brand new) is my main gigging guitar and my Furch my primary recording guitar, though I did record one of the tracks on my new CD with my Walden and it sounded like what a Taylor should sound like, rich and brilliant yet with warmth! An additional comment I would add is that about a week ago I was in a Guitar Center and played some of new Taylor’s that were several thousand dollars. Then for fun I picked up an Alvarez artist series, under $800, and it blew any of the Taylor’s away! My engineer was with me and he agreed! I think a return to Taylor’s past is a very good idea!
I also stopped caring and buying Taylor guitars in the Andy Powers era. The limited Legacy series, 810/E, 714/CE, and 514/CE are all great and way superior to the new ridiculous V-bracing he created and tried to deceive it's cool.
I had a Taylor 410 prototype that I liked a lot. Rosewood b&s and it had more of a HD-28V sound than a 810 sound. Hands down my favorite dreadnought that I have ever had was a Larrivee D-40R. Every modern Larrivee that I play sounds and feels so good. Never should have sold that D-40R...
Taylors are popular, yes - just like Ovation was in the late 70's/early 80's. Many of my clients have owned several of the custom built versions costing many thousands of dollars. But over the years - they sold them off and bought Martins or Gibsons (at my recommendation). Of course, a large number of Taylors have crossed my bench over the decades - and if I wanted one, I'd have one. I don't.
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
Dude has comparison videos of different guitars. Check them out and you will find yourself proven wrong. Regardless of production method. I know it's hard to believe a Taylor sounding this nice. I believe it may be in the x brace or it may be in the fingers🤷♂️ @@white7888
I can hear many differences between the guitars in different videos. Then again I also listen through nice speakers, and I don't have wool in my ears@@white7888
As someone who plays classical guitar and flamenco, I can say that I don’t like Martins. I played so many OM28s, OOO28s, and D28s that just have an all around muddy tone. Martin is just skating by on brand recognition at this point.
Best sounding Taylor I've ever hear, IMO. I almost purchased used one about a decade ago, but one of the tuner screws was stripped out so I returned it. Great guitar playing, BTW. Your selections really highlight the versatility of the guitar.
You make guitar playing look fun. Thanks for all the reviews. I am gonna go play my Taylor now.
Brother I love your reviews. I always get a sense of what is special about each guitar you play.
@@daryllinkous7087 thank you Darryl that means a lot to me
Great exposition as always. Bright sounding for a rosewood guitar and interesting string guage selection.
@@enigmabletchley6936 thank you so much!
I have a 1997 514c, cedar top, mahogany back and sides, and it has a beautiful warm, rich tone. I bought it after playing Martins, Gibsons, Lowdens, Gretches, etc, etc, none of which "did it for me", and then I saw this unfamiliar name in the corner at Rose-Morris in Denmark St, London, and that was it. It is a very versatile guitar and much envied.
Picking up the rosewood/cedar 714 hanging on the guitar shop wall before my lessons is what started this acoustic guitar love affair of mine... And even though contemporary aesthetics are moving in different directions, that nice, wide .125" abalone rosette is an element I work into every build as a bit of a homage to those core memories.
@@jamesorr1200 very cool!
I personally love Taylors. Even their budget models are killer guitars both in build quality and tone. Nice review Michael!
@@smandez2023 thanks for tuning in!
I bought my first Taylor, A 314 CE, in 2000, and today have four, including a K14CE, an 814 CE and a GS Mini. I am sure Martin guitars are wonderful, but after trying many high end Martins in stores I have always left with a Taylor, and one time a Maton. I love the bell-like resonance of a Taylor but most of all their playability straight out the case is legendary. A Martin neck reset is also a scary, costly and not rare event. The anti-Taylor vitriol is ridiculous…a lot of great guitarist play Taylor’s and there is a reason that are so popular and loved. The day I can visit a music store and fall in live with a Martin the same way I can with a Taylor, I will buy it!
Sounding a bit Bruce Cockburny there at 5.40, great stuff! Bruce remains my favourite acoustic player. I love my Fylde and my Manzer but my 2001 Taylor 714ce (with barn door Prefix!) still sounds great for regular live use. Cedar and Rosewood seems to be what I gravitate to. Even my old Takamine NP15 is that combination. Thanks for your channel.
@@bernie_smith thank you for listening Bernie!
Hi Michael, I wonder if you could put a note in your description to let subscribers know if you're using Standard or Open Tuning ? Great sounding Taylor and of course you bring out the best in all the guitars you review.
@@andrewdarnley4608 Sure Andrew - all my demos are a mix of Standard and DADGAD
It’s cool to see Taylor recalling some of the classic stuff. I’ve felt for years that Taylor tries to market like Apple too much, acting like their older guitars aren’t as good as the new ones. Some guys bond with a Taylor and use it for decades but I see a lot of recent models on the used market often too. I have a 2001 355 12 string that is a family instrument… But I think I’m more inclined to build my own guitars now instead of buying any more.
@@calebbhawkins very good point Caleb - I get the “constant innovation” thing but there is nothing wrong with appreciating what has come before
well played, fabulous sounding...
Bob Taylor let me play his own 810, the only Taylor he’s ever owned. That was strung with the then latest Elixir Nanowebs.
My oldest Taylor is a 1997 710-Brazilian, with the narrower 1-11/16 nut. Had it had the 1-3/4 one on the Legacy, I may never have needed another guitar - how differently my life - and finances - could have turned out!
Taylor strung their Dreadnaughts with 13/56 back in the day, the original D’addarios. Shortly after I purchased my Taylor, they started shipping them with the new coated Elixirs. History has turned full-circle and now they’re using coated D’addarios (I imagine Elixir are less than chuffed).
It occurs to me that you have a great opportunity to compare the sonic differences between C and V-class bracing, if you could locate a modern 810. The same applies to comparing the Baggs pickup installed on the Legacy with Taylor’s own Expression system…
Merry Xmas, Michael and thanks for some stellar videos this year.
@@terrywright7893 very nice too!
Wonder playing, Michael.
@@lhvent thank you!
I don't usually find myself really enjoying the taylor sound. They feel fantastic, but I find the sound to have this nasally characteristic. This one has a little less of that. Very nice for sure.
Me neither. There's a reason that the old tried & true scalloped X-bracing system is still being used today on most of the world's finest acoustic guitars. Even some of the non-scalloped X-braced acoustic's sound pretty darned good. I think Taylor lost sight of that along the way, when he decided to "redesign the bracing". Good to see them coming back to it, because in his early days, Bob Taylor was known for producing some killer dreadnoughts........with X-bracing, of course. I bought only 1 Taylor acoustic, back in 2005. Sorry I can't recall the model, but it was one of their higher-end guitars, costing around $2600. ( Remember, we're talking back in '05. ) I loved it when playing it in the music store. So I took this brand new Taylor home, and over the course of the next several months, something started becoming apparent: No matter how I played that guitar, it just sounded the same. It didn't sound bad, but the dynamics & the overtones simply didn't change. Then it hit me: this guitar was NOT touch sensitive at all. All 3 of my Japanese Takamine's that I still owned at the time literally blew that Taylor out of the water. I sold that Taylor, having owned it just over a single year. I was eventually forced to sell off my Takamine's ( and everything else ) to save our home during that awful recession of '08. But nowadays, I own 4 different Hsienmo acoustic's, all bought new factory-direct from their custom shop. Started out with one, loved it SO much, I wound up with 4 within an 8 month period due to the astounding prices. Yet quality in workmanship, tone, volume, resonance, and playability are second to none. Those cats at Hsienmo mean business. Only 12 workers ( most are master luthiers ) producing 30 to 50 acoustic's per month, and usually never more than 400 per year. Word is starting to spread about this amazing little company. Both JP Cormier and Shawn Brock have recently posted video reviews of Hsienmo guitars........and they were both as shocked & pleased as I was. I have yet to find a single negative review of a Hsienmo. Most of the owners I've seen or heard from own some very expensive acoustic's........and they are blown away by their Hsienmo's.
If Martin and Gibson didn’t exist I might buy a Taylor! Some of their design aspects are great like the 12 string course re-jig but I just can’t get on with them sonically. They’re kind of like Koa for me, I love the look but the sound is always a compromise. They certainly have their own voice and it is an American voice but it isn’t up to Gibson or Martin’s respective “quality” imo. Edit: Forgot about Guild! In terms of US guitars I have 2 Martins, 2 Gibsons, 2 Guilds but 0 Taylors.
Anyway… Merry Christmas Michael, as always thanks for sharing your excellent content. Listening to Vetiver earlier today it really struck me that one of the defining characteristics of your incredible style and composition is mindfulness, a deliberateness and clarity of intention (a pure uncluttered “simplicity”) that appears in your general communication. Really love your work and your way. Cheers.
@@dr_lulz thank you very much for your kind words. That means a lot to me!
Hi Mike, I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out what songs you're playing snippets of in this video! Please tell me!
I checked the price on this beauty........Wow....great price for an amazing guitar!!
@@leelossi1257 yes I thought they might be tempted to pitch these at around twice the price
Sounds great!
Lovely sounding guitar!
My buddy worked at Taylor in the mid 80s. Actually built my 510 from that era. He said that was before they went Willy Wonka...
@@danmayes4657 I think the Oompa Loompahs were brought in in the 1990s
Nailed it.
Better sounding than the current V braced offerings...!
I love the Taylor dreadnoughts. The issue is the price.
@@lhvent you may be able to find a bargain second hand!
Never played one but this one looks interesting 🤔
@@nathancourtney2006 let me know what you think if you get hold of one!
Excellent review, Michael!
Unboxing this beauty on Christmas morn would be very cool. 🎄
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
@@white7888 utterly untrue and you know it
I don't love taylors but they're so easy to spot....don't have the richness of a Martin type. The big bottom end. I will say they play well amplified because the bass is easily tamable...the strings are usually pretty balanced. Martin types can be a pain in the ass amplified. I wonder how it would sound without the under saddle piezio. It usually makes a big difference pulling them.
I played a Taylor 814ce just last week, but I’ll stick with my Martin HD-35, the Taylor sounds nice but rather “quiet” by comparison.
That may be the best sounding Taylor that I’ve ever heard.
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
Nice to hear a good sounding Taylor again!
Taylor’s, especially through the slick marketing, aesthetically pretty, but sonically mediocre hands of Andy Powers, have forever lost their appeal or allure!
For the longest time they were the guitar I aspired to own. After my first encounter with the V-Class scam I crossed them off my list forever and ended up purchasing a beautiful Furch about three years ago and have never looked back!!
I also have several Walden’s that are around half the cost of comparable spec’d Taylor’s that sound better and have much better pickup systems!
My Walden G3030 ($1200 brand new) is my main gigging guitar and my Furch my primary recording guitar, though I did record one of the tracks on my new CD with my Walden and it sounded like what a Taylor should sound like, rich and brilliant yet with warmth!
An additional comment I would add is that about a week ago I was in a Guitar Center and played some of new Taylor’s that were several thousand dollars.
Then for fun I picked up an Alvarez artist series, under $800, and it blew any of the Taylor’s away! My engineer was with me and he agreed!
I think a return to Taylor’s past is a very good idea!
Taylor builds the finest mass produced acoustic appliances.
I also stopped caring and buying Taylor guitars in the Andy Powers era. The limited Legacy series, 810/E, 714/CE, and 514/CE are all great and way superior to the new ridiculous V-bracing he created and tried to deceive it's cool.
@@jeffhildreth9244Acoustic appliances? Interesting and accurate description!. They are definitely more like appliances than instruments!
@@Lightning-HDefinitely V-class is the biggest bullshit marketing crap ever!!
@@scottfishkind5335 thank you Scott! It was a nostalgic experience for me too
I have a Taylor (not one of these!!)......but I'm still going to get a Turnstone!
Good lad
YET NOT I BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME 🗣🗣🗣💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥
The original 810 had gold Grover tuners. The one your playing looks to be silver tuners
I knew there was something different! Good catch Chuck!
I had a Taylor 410 prototype that I liked a lot. Rosewood b&s and it had more of a HD-28V sound than a 810 sound.
Hands down my favorite dreadnought that I have ever had was a Larrivee D-40R. Every modern Larrivee that I play sounds and feels so good. Never should have sold that D-40R...
Taylors are popular, yes - just like Ovation was in the late 70's/early 80's. Many of my clients have owned several of the custom built versions costing many thousands of dollars. But over the years - they sold them off and bought Martins or Gibsons (at my recommendation). Of course, a large number of Taylors have crossed my bench over the decades - and if I wanted one, I'd have one. I don't.
Do not believe the post production. The bloger Watts uses sound production plugins. That"s why acoustic sound is almost the same with different guitars. Just compare it!
@@white7888 What does any of that have to do with what I posted?
Dude has comparison videos of different guitars. Check them out and you will find yourself proven wrong. Regardless of production method. I know it's hard to believe a Taylor sounding this nice. I believe it may be in the x brace or it may be in the fingers🤷♂️ @@white7888
I can hear many differences between the guitars in different videos. Then again I also listen through nice speakers, and I don't have wool in my ears@@white7888
As someone who plays classical guitar and flamenco, I can say that I don’t like Martins. I played so many OM28s, OOO28s, and D28s that just have an all around muddy tone. Martin is just skating by on brand recognition at this point.
Not as much bass as the classic 810.
@@WysteriaGuitar well as I remember them the old ones weren’t exactly bass forward either