Wow - some negative Nellies out there.I really enjoyed this review. I understand this is not a professional production done in a sound studio. I get that you're simply being helpful and answering a question a lot of people ask and, hey - I really appreciated the video. You obviously know a lot about the guitars and did a good job of putting it out there in a way that an average guy who is considering moving from a $500 made in Indonesia guitar to a $2800 - $4000 made in America guitar can wrap their heads around.I have owned many guitars (Ovation, Washburn, Fender, Ibanez, Samick, Larivee and Taylor to name a few) and I really like Taylor guitars. I currently have the Taylor 310 ce and since I don't really gig anymore I probably wont move up the lines, but... ya never know - that 614ce Limited is pretty sweet! I do like that nice bass responsiveness. Oh, and while the mic was a tad quiet I could very easily hear the differences between these guitars.Thanks for the vid!
Based on a population of one, I like Taylors. I always had a Martin D-18. It got a bit damaged, and I sold it. Then I bought a used Taylor Leo Kottke Signature Model. It was basically new and I think it cost about $1600. I don't think it's one of their fancier models but it has really grown on me. Best all around guitar I ever had in my life.
Excellent video, thanks for going into depth on the differences between the guitars, very helpful. Don't sweat the comments about recording quality. It's very difficult to distinguish between those guitars in an untreated room with one mic, especially considering most people are going to listen through their computer/phone which makes it essentially worthless. You might try another video with more intentional mic placement/recording and offer that in a link or something for people who have monitors/earphones that can translate the differences you would hear in person. Regardless, well done and thanks again.
The theory of diminishing return: at a certain price, the quality of the guitar compared to the price doesn't hold up anymore. A 3000 dollar guitar won't sound 1000 dollar better than a 2000 dollar guitar. But a 2000 dollar guitar will sound and feel better than an 1000 dollar guitar making the 1000 dollar a fair upgrade.
It depends on where the instrument was made and by whom. My Chinese-made, handcrafted $1000 guitar sounds, to me at least, far better than some of the guitars I auditioned in the $2-3K range. Luscious midrange, sweet, sweet highs, dynamic range from an enticing whisper to an angry shout (if you want it to), and sustain for days...But if I could have afforded a $4K+ guitar such as a Collings, Santa Cruz, Froggy Bottom, etc. I would have gone for one of those. Far, far finer than anything at two or three grand. Taylors, by the way, lost out all the way around in my experience. If I remember correctly, the highest series I played was the four series. It couldn't compare to a handcrafted guitar, even one from China. It presented notes in tune but with absolutely no character, no individual voice to the instrument and little in the way of dynamics.
ha ha that isn't the definition of your theory.. you cant quantify that. law of diminishing returns is economics on profit return.... not opinion on sound/quality
I’m not exactly sure that’s correct. If you don’t want all of the fancy in-lays and bindings and mother of Pearl this and that, you can save some money. Plus some people buy the higher models so they can say they have the higher model. A true test would be a blind test without knowing which model is played. Do you like the sound of guitar A B C? Then reveal the model. That’s how you find out which is best. At some point, the guitar is irrelevant- the player is 99 percent of the equation
@@bmann792 It's not the sound only. It's how it feels, plays, how much it weighs, the age and quality of the wood, quarter-sawn or not, resonance that you feel in your hands, ... Yes, looks do matter as well.
Local shop played ten high end guitars for me, a Taylor 314ce blew them all away..maybe just a lucky instrument, but, as a pro brass instrument player I can distinguish tone well, this instrument had tremendously even tone production, better projection than ones costing thousands more. Wish I could actually play it...
As you introduced each guitar, you should have immediately stated its price so the specs could then be understood within the context of price. After all, in your introduction, you said the purpose of this video was to answer questions about why a guitar is priced at a certain amount relative to other guitars.
I would have like to heard the strumming nearer to the bridge and not over the sound hole. In my experience Taylors come alive more if played this way.
More expensive guitars doesnt mean they necessary sound that much better. A lot of times they are just cosmetically better. The company wants to have market segmentation. Sell to different levels of buyers. If they make a wider neck guitar and a smaller body, they can sell that at a higher price, not because it cost more to have a wider neck and smaller body but because certain segment of buyers want to buy that for a specific reason and these are not beginners. I have no doubt about the quality of Taylor guitars though. However there is diminishing return as you move up the price ladder.
Norman Encore this is certainly true but I applaud Taylor for recently making dramatic build changes as the price goes up. Bracing, wood quality, finish, hide glue. It is no longer just a more sparkly bobble. -Chris
I think I’m going to go for that Koa guitar, a 24k something. $6000 Canadian smakers! Don’t know exactly why. I’m not rich. Maybe because I’m going to be dead soon? Lol Maybe just plain crazy but they sure are nice!
It isn't easy to describe how a guitar sounds like. After listening to many youtube videos, I come to a conclusion. Laminated guitar has a very dominant treble, but no 'body'. While all solid wood guitar has both treble and 'body'. On my ear, the 'body' is like bass knob on electric guitar amp. Too little body (bass knob on zero) makes the guitar all treble and mid, but thin sounding. While just enough 'body' (bass knob to 11 or 12) makes the guitar sounds richer and fat.
What about a Breedlove? Any opinions on that? I just got one and the sound and sustain is beautiful, but I think the action is slightly high. I am going to see if the store will lower it.
very nicely done bravo! my only suggestion would be to play each guitar model in succession at the beginning so we can hear and retain the difference in sound then go into detailed explanations, construction etc. of each, as it is now by the time you play each model I have forgotten the sound of previous model, my .02 worth.
Because of the spacing, I could hear absolutely no difference in the sound. It seems to me, the more expensive the guitar, the more beautiful it is. I don't perform live, so I want my guitar to sound good, the looks don't really concern me. I am more than happy with my 314ce
I just bought a new Taylor 110 e W . ( May 10/19 ) . BEST Sounding and Easy To Play Guitar I’ve Ever had in 25 Years. Thank You Alamo Music Center for the Great Videos
Ditto. I bought the same this week. I walked in with $2,500 planning to grab a new Martin D-18. After playing them (and many others) side by side (not looking at price), the 110e actually sounded better. In part it's because it does not have any gloss. It does have a solid spruce and fwd shifted X bracing (not the new V stuff) and it's got the craftsmanship of a Taylor. The playability and action are amazing. I only paid about $500 for it- w/full warranty from an authorized dealer!
Hey, thanks for the presentation. Do you know the guitar soundtrack is way down, can hardly hear anything. The vocals (talking) sound comes loud and clear. Check it out. Just saying. Thanks. 🙋🏻♂️
Excellent video explaining the differences very clearly. I'd decided on a 214 but after watching this, I think that the 314 is worth the extra money. Thanks.
It's a nice video, but your sound samples are too quiet to hear any difference, probably because the mic is facing the back of your hand when you're playing. Commonly, a mic is placed at the neck side of the guitar, facing the fretboard extension at an angle.
Confused about your description of the 300 series... at the 8:52 mark you explain the back and sides to be solid but then at the 9:01 mark you describe the back and sides as laminate. Did you mean Matt finish as you were describing the finish on the top at that time? Solid back and sides are very important for me.
This was an extremely informative video. The actual play of the guitars wasn't very audible as others have mentioned, BUT, I think the intention came through very well. Because I learned several things about the higher end Taylor's that I didn't previously know (and I play a Big Baby right now). So it's very much appreciate! Thanks!
The 100e is one of the best values going and it sounds great. Do a blind test and compare that to a D-18 and a few others. Make it completely blind- use same mics, etc. It is basic looking but it easily holds it's own.
I just returned from a music shop trying out a couple of Taylors. All the details aside, it seems as you are getting the most important parts - their secret sauce - in the low-end models. It was evident to me (a mechanic, carpenter, etc.) what you are not getting - which is the higher level of detail, finish, etc For me - always on a budget (value shopper) it's clear that the 100 or 200 will be excellent guitars. If I wanted to fall in Love with a guitar (as opposed to the sound of it), then I'd buy a higher end model - it's more of a piece of fine furniture.
Great job! I've owned and played several Taylors since 2008 and I've never been in a chain or independent store who understands Taylors like you do. They all know about Martins and electric guitars but all they know about Taylors are that they are great for finger picking and are set up great and ready to play from day one. I had to learn all this stuff in this video on my own playing Martins, Alvarez etc. I was never satisfied. Now I have 4 Taylors and a Martin(strictly for playing with my bluegrass buddies). Also, those commenting that they couldn't hear a difference-really?? Yes it needed to be louder but the difference was VERY obvious. So thanks for the vid...
Why do all of these guitars that you demoed sound like they were played behind a wet blanket? I didn’t really notice anything I heard that would compel me to spend money on one of these guitars. Was it the room that made it sound that way? Also, in other demos of Taylor guitars, they seem to really lack a pronounced low end. Not sure what that is all about. I’m not a brand snob by any stretch of the imagination but, to my ears, a Martin or a Gibson ( and even Eastman) tends to produce the kind of tone that I have always associated with how an acoustic guitar should sound. I’m not bashing Taylor at all. I think that they produce some of the finest looking guitars in the world but, also it seems like almost their entire model lineup looks exactly the same. I haven’t played any of the models in this demo and, to be quite honest, with what I heard in this video, I don’t think I will be rushing out to do that anytime soon. I recently ditched the electric guitar in favor of acoustic and I bought my first acoustic this past December, a Breedlove Stage Exotic Ziricote. It sounds amazing for an instrument built and assembled in China with final inspection and setup being done at their facility in Bend, Oregon.
For instruments, the price range is wide with diminishing returns (as for all things in life). in a price listing for flutes, start 800 tops at 100k for a full platinium. I console myself that a good passionate musician on 800 is better than a bad disinterested flirter on 100k. Life is about being VERY contented to start on 114 and dream for a 614, 814. but honestly, who can?
I recently bought the 310. I've found that the action is a little too high; how much can it be lowered without creating a buzz? Do they make different height nuts?
Yes via shims in the neck. By now you must have figured this out. It could also be a truss rod adjustment. A good shop should be able to get it fixed. If you don't know what you are doing, you could make it worse.
I have a 214ce deluxe. Best guitar I’ve owned, the sound and build quality are of the highest order. Bought it second hand from eBay and payed about half the price for it and it was is in as new condition. People moan about price but there are other options.
A great presentation but when you say "ivory" I hope you aren't talking about real elephant tusk? The recording of all guitars is too low in volume and muffled. A real shame.
I'm a pro recording/mixing engineer. Just want to share my subjective opinion. I repeat. SUBJECTIVE :) I consider them for recording. How they will be sitting in the mix, how you can EQ them and all that stuff. 100 series is just aweful. Like a synthetic synth without sound body. It's ok for playing at home but for home you can go with 100$ guitar. 200series is better but still not the real deal. 300series is great. Sometimes I prefer 314 over other series. Don't buy mahagony top if you don't know exactly why you need this. 600 series is maple back and sides. Different guitars. If I wanted that type of sound I'd go with Gibson J200. Just perfect guitar is 914. Balanced as hell, full, natural sounding, not muddy, not sharp sounding. Just right guitar. But remember. There are no two identical guitar. So don't listen to me and go and try by yourself. btw I'll do videos on my channel on this as well.
I was testing amps yesterday in a vintage shop with my 114e and got a lot of compliments on the sound from all the old heads in there. I think they sound great 🤙🏽
The Taylor's are beautiful, the higher models only, how they can justify charging what they do for a laminated back and sides is a disgrace.you can pick up a well built much higher quality guitar with solid back and side for less than that 114ce.
I have been watching this guys from anything and everything guitar but just recently found this video when they were just about starting. Much has changed but essence same the same, same very informative content
I have a DN3 that is awesome. I think the DN series was used to test the new bracing, relief route etc. that is now in much the current Taylor line. I love the 1 3/4" nut. The neck is wider across the fingerboard but more narrow front to back than standard steel strings acoustics. It makes fingerpicking much easier and much more accurate. My playing skills have gone way up since I got my Taylor.
Thank you for making a helpful and informative video. I hadn't previously known about the nut width differences. That Taylor 614ce is a beautiful work of art and sounds truly superb. Now I know what I'll be working for untill I can cradle that 614 in my ever lovin' arms.
I am truly smitten with that 614ce with the armrest. We only received two because they were so limited and we have that one left. If you would like to purchase it and put it on layaway or anything, let me know and we can make it happen before it is gone forever. christopher.mckee@alamomusic.com - Chris.
@@owenjosiahmusic UPDATE: I'd completely forgotten making that comment, was it really 6 years ago!? Wow! A lot of musical water has passed under my bridge since then. My finances changed for the better soon after that comment and although I never did cradle that 614E I have, nevertheless, bought, owned and then sold, a large variety of high-end acoustic guitars that are the usual USA suspects, Gibson, Martin, Guild, Taylor, Dreadnoughts, 000's, OM's, Spruce, Cedar, Mahogany tops, various back & sides woods (though mainly Mahogany and Rosewood) I've also tried the Eastman guitars (the best build quality btw) And, in the end, there are two things I've learned. Firstly, The Beatles were absolutely right when they sang "The love you take is equal to the love you make". Secondly, paying a great deal of money for an acoustic guitar no way guarantees quality of build, sound or playability. There is a marketing tsunami of B/S & hype out there. Finally, after almost 50 years of playing and having paid tens of thousands of pounds, with all musical things considered, regardless of price, the most versatile, inspirational, playable and satisfying guitar I've ever owned (and still do) is . . . . . (drum roll) . . . is . . . . . . is . . . . . ('tish') . . . THE TAYLOR 110 (USA made. 2004. Bought second-hand for £325.) "WTF!!!!!!!" you may say, but yes, I've combinedly spent tens of thousands of pounds and countless hours of playing time to arrive at this unexpected conclusion and, for me at least, it's honestly and sincerely true. Who knew, eh?! Good luck on 'your' musical journey.
I bought a 114c after playing every Taylor in Guitar center. The more expensive ones sounded like crap.. the bass booming from my 114c was phenominal in fact this weekend i played a bar and i played two songs before i noticed my sound wasn't amplified !! that's how booming it is so it is not true with these guitars that you get what you pay for the solid wood USA guitars don't mean shit to the sound go play one first do NOT order without playing it you will be disappointed
The 100 and the 300 are close sounding, the 600 has some slight nuance in the mellowed overall, but there's a definite sameness going on all three, my ears and speakers, on a whole, that's not a bad thing, nice axes. Thanks!
My Martin is running on 5th year and fishman electronics with built in tuner works fine. I'm not claiming the tuner to be 100% accurate, but good enough to tune in a noisy environment. Some of the strings I will normally tune a little more to the sharp side even if the tuner tells me it's ok. Keep up your good work :-)
Nicely done, by I'd have preferred to have heard you use a pick on all 3 guitars. A pick makes a difference in the sound in my opinion. When I use my fingers on my Martin, it sounds quite different than when I use a pick, My oldest son who moved to Hawaii just purchased a Taylor guitar is why I'm listening to this review. Thanks for doing this for us.
Great comparison video . Guitar audio was down a little but I enjoyed it just the same. What is the name of the blues song you use in the intro it's driving me crazy that I can't recall it.?
wonderful sharing of the simple intricacies between the models. I have a 1998 514ce. Back then the only difference between the 514 and the 614 was the mother of pearl inlay decorations. Has that changed over time between the 514 and 614? thanks
My first nice guitar was a Taylor 110 I loved it and they still impress me to this day, even though I’ve since moved up to a 912 some 20 years later. I’m more into Martins these days but I still love that bright and articulate Taylor sound.
Hey Chris. Dude you did a phenomenal job, I thought, in delivering a good assessment of the way Taylor Guitars Series are determined! Just found you this morning and have subscribed to your channel. Thanks again for an informative video!
Nice video and interesting explanations, but pity that the recording of the guitars is of very poor quality, and that they are not played in succession so we cannot compare them.
I have a 317 that's a great guitar. I haven't played a 614, but I'm sure it's a great guitar also. I really don't like the difference in color between the back and sides. High-end flamed maple in a lighter shade with a high gloss is gorgeous. They blew it on the one Chris is showing.
I have a 317e and love it! I hope to buy a 314 Monday and want to get a higher series soon. I buy them used to keep my cost down but don't see many above the 314 range.
Good explanation, recording does not give a fair impression, mainly due to the position of mike and probably they also used noise filter to exclude all the traffic noise. That said, I have recently tried a 614 and compared it to my Martin OMCPA4, and it is the first Taylor that has impressed me (other than a custom built for 10K). It had a fantastic deep bass and overall sound and volume. Mind you the price was more than double of my Martin. One thing I find odd about the Taylors is that they don't come with a built in tuner, price level taken into account.
Taylor has chosen to eschew an onboard tuner in order to have a more stream lined look. Also, they tend to have a short life span. We are working to improve our audio and at some point I will likely redo this video with Taylor and Martin as well.
Wow - some negative Nellies out there.I really enjoyed this review. I understand this is not a professional production done in a sound studio. I get that you're simply being helpful and answering a question a lot of people ask and, hey - I really appreciated the video. You obviously know a lot about the guitars and did a good job of putting it out there in a way that an average guy who is considering moving from a $500 made in Indonesia guitar to a $2800 - $4000 made in America guitar can wrap their heads around.I have owned many guitars (Ovation, Washburn, Fender, Ibanez, Samick, Larivee and Taylor to name a few) and I really like Taylor guitars. I currently have the Taylor 310 ce and since I don't really gig anymore I probably wont move up the lines, but... ya never know - that 614ce Limited is pretty sweet! I do like that nice bass responsiveness. Oh, and while the mic was a tad quiet I could very easily hear the differences between these guitars.Thanks for the vid!
Appreciate the effort. Unfortunately we can't really hear very well.
recorded horrible!
use water and soap ...
Matt Peters het
Use a good earphone
Sounds Taylor 114 (7:00), Taylor 314 (11:26), Taylor 614 (17:45)
Based on a population of one, I like Taylors. I always had a Martin D-18. It got a bit damaged, and I sold it. Then I bought a used Taylor Leo Kottke Signature Model. It was basically new and I think it cost about $1600. I don't think it's one of their fancier models but it has really grown on me. Best all around guitar I ever had in my life.
Excellent video, thanks for going into depth on the differences between the guitars, very helpful. Don't sweat the comments about recording quality. It's very difficult to distinguish between those guitars in an untreated room with one mic, especially considering most people are going to listen through their computer/phone which makes it essentially worthless. You might try another video with more intentional mic placement/recording and offer that in a link or something for people who have monitors/earphones that can translate the differences you would hear in person. Regardless, well done and thanks again.
The theory of diminishing return: at a certain price, the quality of the guitar compared to the price doesn't hold up anymore. A 3000 dollar guitar won't sound 1000 dollar better than a 2000 dollar guitar. But a 2000 dollar guitar will sound and feel better than an 1000 dollar guitar making the 1000 dollar a fair upgrade.
It depends on where the instrument was made and by whom. My Chinese-made, handcrafted $1000 guitar sounds, to me at least, far better than some of the guitars I auditioned in the $2-3K range. Luscious midrange, sweet, sweet highs, dynamic range from an enticing whisper to an angry shout (if you want it to), and sustain for days...But if I could have afforded a $4K+ guitar such as a Collings, Santa Cruz, Froggy Bottom, etc. I would have gone for one of those. Far, far finer than anything at two or three grand.
Taylors, by the way, lost out all the way around in my experience. If I remember correctly, the highest series I played was the four series. It couldn't compare to a handcrafted guitar, even one from China. It presented notes in tune but with absolutely no character, no individual voice to the instrument and little in the way of dynamics.
ha ha that isn't the definition of your theory.. you cant quantify that. law of diminishing returns is economics on profit return.... not opinion on sound/quality
I’m not exactly sure that’s correct. If you don’t want all of the fancy in-lays and bindings and mother of Pearl this and that, you can save some money.
Plus some people buy the higher models so they can say they have the higher model. A true test would be a blind test without knowing which model is played. Do you like the sound of guitar A B C? Then reveal the model. That’s how you find out which is best. At some point, the guitar is irrelevant- the player is 99 percent of the equation
@@bmann792 It's not the sound only. It's how it feels, plays, how much it weighs, the age and quality of the wood, quarter-sawn or not, resonance that you feel in your hands, ...
Yes, looks do matter as well.
hardly unique to guitars
Local shop played ten high end guitars for me, a Taylor 314ce blew them all away..maybe just a lucky instrument, but, as a pro brass instrument player I can distinguish tone well, this instrument had tremendously even tone production, better projection than ones costing thousands more. Wish I could actually play it...
I have 314 ce and it’s great.
Thanks for making this, very useful. Much appreciated.
As you introduced each guitar, you should have immediately stated its price so the specs could then be understood within the context of price.
After all, in your introduction, you said the purpose of this video was to answer questions about why a guitar is priced at a certain amount relative to other guitars.
True that's why I watch a d the video to be honest the first guitar sounded great . No price thought he was going to give a price range .
I just bought my first Taylor. 110e very happy, but im gonna need to try out one of the 300 series guitars. Thanks
Great educational overview. Thanks.
mic is in the wrong spot but great review thanks
Hey, what mic is that you’ve been using on almost all your videos?
Great informative video: but the guitars are recorded too low relative to the voice.
we can only hear the differences. But you can tell us how they differ in playbility. Thanks!
Love my 814 CE.
Very informative. Thanks.
Why is the vocal mic so much louder than the guitar level ?
I would have like to heard the strumming nearer to the bridge and not over the sound hole. In my experience Taylors come alive more if played this way.
More expensive guitars doesnt mean they necessary sound that much better. A lot of times they are just cosmetically better. The company wants to have market segmentation. Sell to different levels of buyers. If they make a wider neck guitar and a smaller body, they can sell that at a higher price, not because it cost more to have a wider neck and smaller body but because certain segment of buyers want to buy that for a specific reason and these are not beginners. I have no doubt about the quality of Taylor guitars though. However there is diminishing return as you move up the price ladder.
Norman Encore this is certainly true but I applaud Taylor for recently making dramatic build changes as the price goes up. Bracing, wood quality, finish, hide glue. It is no longer just a more sparkly bobble. -Chris
I think I’m going to go for that Koa guitar, a 24k something. $6000 Canadian smakers! Don’t know exactly why. I’m not rich. Maybe because I’m going to be dead soon? Lol Maybe just plain crazy but they sure are nice!
thank you so much i love your videos :)
It isn't easy to describe how a guitar sounds like. After listening to many youtube videos, I come to a conclusion. Laminated guitar has a very dominant treble, but no 'body'. While all solid wood guitar has both treble and 'body'. On my ear, the 'body' is like bass knob on electric guitar amp. Too little body (bass knob on zero) makes the guitar all treble and mid, but thin sounding. While just enough 'body' (bass knob to 11 or 12) makes the guitar sounds richer and fat.
What about a Breedlove? Any opinions on that? I just got one and the sound and sustain is beautiful, but I think the action is slightly high. I am going to see if the store will lower it.
No doubt Taylor guitars are great guitars. But manufacturing in USA is very expensive. Value for money guitars will have to be those imported ones.
Why dont you use a pick when you are strumming?
600 seems to have a Larger sound hole also
it's hard to compare the sounds because of all the talking between each trial. Also, the sound seems muted. Good info though.
omg the sound of 614ce makes me wanna cry
Is that good or bad?
it’s amazing
I need a 12 step program because of the 614ce. It should be listed as a controlled substance.
Thank you.
I love the song of Taylor guitars. Its a beautiful sound!
Why did you skip the 400 series?
that is a great intro piece
For the life of me I cannot understand why these people never use the Expression system pickup system and take advantage of the direct sound.
"314, all solid wood.... Has laminate back and sides"
Whoopsie 9:00
Pulled Pork I think he meant “matte” finish (which is just French for flat. Something like that. Lol)
Around the 5 minute mark he makes up his own word... "rigidity" hahahahaha
Ummmmmm...... that is a word! It's in the dictionary!
solid woods vs laminate and US vs import made.
May I have one of you taylor acoustic guitars?
The only difference , is the level of commitment and intelligence of the Chinese
Assembler...and how cruel the Boss man is
Jason Bourne camera vibez lol
Gauge of your pick??? Cheers
Last year I fell in love with a 314ce at my local guitar store. I named her Gemma and have been playing her every day since.
Same here played a bunch of Gibsons Martins and other Taylor models. Lots of comments on the tone and excellect playability.
😀
Polako Polakovic hahahaha
I bought mine last month. Still in transition from my Yamaha FG830 though.
very nicely done bravo! my only suggestion would be to play each guitar model in succession at the beginning so we can hear and retain the difference in sound then go into detailed explanations, construction etc. of each, as it is now by the time you play each model I have forgotten the sound of previous model, my .02 worth.
We have started doing that in many of our most recent comparison videos. Thanks for the comment.
thank you! I'll see both Andy's and Bob at upcoming Tokyo Music Trade Show in November, cliff woolley in tokyo
Great guys. Two of the smartest men I've ever met. -Chris
they were here 2 years ago at last show which is more retail unlike NAMM shows.
Because of the spacing, I could hear absolutely no difference in the sound. It seems to me, the more expensive the guitar, the more beautiful it is. I don't perform live, so I want my guitar to sound good, the looks don't really concern me. I am more than happy with my 314ce
I just bought a new Taylor 110 e W . ( May 10/19 ) . BEST Sounding and Easy To Play Guitar I’ve Ever had in 25 Years. Thank You Alamo Music Center for the Great Videos
Ditto. I bought the same this week. I walked in with $2,500 planning to grab a new Martin D-18. After playing them (and many others) side by side (not looking at price), the 110e actually sounded better. In part it's because it does not have any gloss. It does have a solid spruce and fwd shifted X bracing (not the new V stuff) and it's got the craftsmanship of a Taylor. The playability and action are amazing. I only paid about $500 for it- w/full warranty from an authorized dealer!
Hey, thanks for the presentation. Do you know the guitar soundtrack is way down, can hardly hear anything. The vocals (talking) sound comes loud and clear. Check it out. Just saying. Thanks. 🙋🏻♂️
Excellent video explaining the differences very clearly. I'd decided on a 214 but after watching this, I think that the 314 is worth the extra money. Thanks.
when you were playing, with was the sound muffled. I could not see much difference in sound of the cheap one to the expensive one.
It's a nice video, but your sound samples are too quiet to hear any difference, probably because the mic is facing the back of your hand when you're playing. Commonly, a mic is placed at the neck side of the guitar, facing the fretboard extension at an angle.
It hilarious that the mic can pickup the police siren outside but fails to pickup the guitar positioned right next to it 🤣
Confused about your description of the 300 series... at the 8:52 mark you explain the back and sides to be solid but then at the 9:01 mark you describe the back and sides as laminate. Did you mean Matt finish as you were describing the finish on the top at that time? Solid back and sides are very important for me.
Yes Matt finish back and sides !
This was an extremely informative video. The actual play of the guitars wasn't very audible as others have mentioned, BUT, I think the intention came through very well. Because I learned several things about the higher end Taylor's that I didn't previously know (and I play a Big Baby right now). So it's very much appreciate! Thanks!
The 100e is one of the best values going and it sounds great. Do a blind test and compare that to a D-18 and a few others. Make it completely blind- use same mics, etc. It is basic looking but it easily holds it's own.
good explanation but the level of the mic is too low for guitar
thanks for that, i've just brought my first Taylor 114ce I love it the pick up is amazing. I'm in the uk and taylor are'nt that big over here
I just returned from a music shop trying out a couple of Taylors. All the details aside, it seems as you are getting the most important parts - their secret sauce - in the low-end models. It was evident to me (a mechanic, carpenter, etc.) what you are not getting - which is the higher level of detail, finish, etc
For me - always on a budget (value shopper) it's clear that the 100 or 200 will be excellent guitars.
If I wanted to fall in Love with a guitar (as opposed to the sound of it), then I'd buy a higher end model - it's more of a piece of fine furniture.
Great job! I've owned and played several Taylors since 2008 and I've never been in a chain or independent store who understands Taylors like you do. They all know about Martins and electric guitars but all they know about Taylors are that they are great for finger picking and are set up great and ready to play from day one. I had to learn all this stuff in this video on my own playing Martins, Alvarez etc. I was never satisfied. Now I have 4 Taylors and a Martin(strictly for playing with my bluegrass buddies). Also, those commenting that they couldn't hear a difference-really?? Yes it needed to be louder but the difference was VERY obvious. So thanks for the vid...
Why do all of these guitars that you demoed sound like they were played behind a wet blanket? I didn’t really notice anything I heard that would compel me to spend money on one of these guitars. Was it the room that made it sound that way? Also, in other demos of Taylor guitars, they seem to really lack a pronounced low end. Not sure what that is all about. I’m not a brand snob by any stretch of the imagination but, to my ears, a Martin or a Gibson ( and even Eastman) tends to produce the kind of tone that I have always associated with how an acoustic guitar should sound. I’m not bashing Taylor at all. I think that they produce some of the finest looking guitars in the world but, also it seems like almost their entire model lineup looks exactly the same. I haven’t played any of the models in this demo and, to be quite honest, with what I heard in this video, I don’t think I will be rushing out to do that anytime soon. I recently ditched the electric guitar in favor of acoustic and I bought my first acoustic this past December, a Breedlove Stage Exotic Ziricote. It sounds amazing for an instrument built and assembled in China with final inspection and setup being done at their facility in Bend, Oregon.
For instruments, the price range is wide with diminishing returns (as for all things in life). in a price listing for flutes, start 800 tops at 100k for a full platinium. I console myself that a good passionate musician on 800 is better than a bad disinterested flirter on 100k. Life is about being VERY contented to start on 114 and dream for a 614, 814. but honestly, who can?
tried Taylor during my auditioned then all of a sudden the Yamaha LL16ARE got my attention..
Lol i was going to buy a taylor in a store but somehow i bought a ll16
Best decision ever 🙂
They all sound like the machines that created them to me...IDK.
I recently bought the 310. I've found that the action is a little too high; how much can it be lowered without creating a buzz? Do they make different height nuts?
Yes via shims in the neck. By now you must have figured this out. It could also be a truss rod adjustment. A good shop should be able to get it fixed. If you don't know what you are doing, you could make it worse.
I have a 214ce deluxe. Best guitar I’ve owned, the sound and build quality are of the highest order. Bought it second hand from eBay and payed about half the price for it and it was is in as new condition. People moan about price but there are other options.
Slashley gibbins paid 1100$ for mine yesterday, don’t regret it at all
Good comparison but unfortunately the recording sound is bad, so its difficult to hear a difference.
Gosto muito do som dos violões Taylor. Sendo possível gostaria de ver uma comparação do Taylor 314ce com o Taylor 814ce. Valeu!
okay video good explanation but the recordings of every guitar made each guitar sound the same. you should have moved up the mic closer to the neck.
A great presentation but when you say "ivory" I hope you aren't talking about real elephant tusk?
The recording of all guitars is too low in volume and muffled. A real shame.
I'm a pro recording/mixing engineer. Just want to share my subjective opinion. I repeat. SUBJECTIVE :) I consider them for recording. How they will be sitting in the mix, how you can EQ them and all that stuff. 100 series is just aweful. Like a synthetic synth without sound body. It's ok for playing at home but for home you can go with 100$ guitar. 200series is better but still not the real deal. 300series is great. Sometimes I prefer 314 over other series. Don't buy mahagony top if you don't know exactly why you need this. 600 series is maple back and sides. Different guitars. If I wanted that type of sound I'd go with Gibson J200. Just perfect guitar is 914. Balanced as hell, full, natural sounding, not muddy, not sharp sounding. Just right guitar. But remember. There are no two identical guitar. So don't listen to me and go and try by yourself. btw I'll do videos on my channel on this as well.
I was testing amps yesterday in a vintage shop with my 114e and got a lot of compliments on the sound from all the old heads in there. I think they sound great 🤙🏽
The Taylor's are beautiful, the higher models only, how they can justify charging what they do for a laminated back and sides is a disgrace.you can pick up a well built much higher quality guitar with solid back and side for less than that 114ce.
Orangewood guitars in blue Ridge guitars. Nuff said.
yes but they don't sound like a Taylor
I likethe 614`s sound, talk about the sustain that seems to hang there, . . . ?
I have been watching this guys from anything and everything guitar but just recently found this video when they were just about starting. Much has changed but essence same the same, same very informative content
I have a DN3 that is awesome. I think the DN series was used to test the new bracing, relief route etc. that is now in much the current Taylor line.
I love the 1 3/4" nut. The neck is wider across the fingerboard but more narrow front to back than standard steel strings acoustics. It makes fingerpicking much easier and much more accurate. My playing skills have gone way up since I got my Taylor.
A wonderful, thoughtful explanation and comparison. Nice work!
Great video! Useful information that is much appreciated.
Thank you for making a helpful and informative video. I hadn't previously known about the nut width differences. That Taylor 614ce is a beautiful work of art and sounds truly superb. Now I know what I'll be working for untill I can cradle that 614 in my ever lovin' arms.
I am truly smitten with that 614ce with the armrest. We only received two because they were so limited and we have that one left. If you would like to purchase it and put it on layaway or anything, let me know and we can make it happen before it is gone forever. christopher.mckee@alamomusic.com - Chris.
Did you get one yet?
Did you get the 614ce in your arms?
@@owenjosiahmusic UPDATE: I'd completely forgotten making that comment, was it really 6 years ago!? Wow! A lot of musical water has passed under my bridge since then. My finances changed for the better soon after that comment and although I never did cradle that 614E I have, nevertheless, bought, owned and then sold, a large variety of high-end acoustic guitars that are the usual USA suspects, Gibson, Martin, Guild, Taylor, Dreadnoughts, 000's, OM's, Spruce, Cedar, Mahogany tops, various back & sides woods (though mainly Mahogany and Rosewood) I've also tried the Eastman guitars (the best build quality btw) And, in the end, there are two things I've learned. Firstly, The Beatles were absolutely right when they sang "The love you take is equal to the love you make". Secondly, paying a great deal of money for an acoustic guitar no way guarantees quality of build, sound or playability. There is a marketing tsunami of B/S & hype out there. Finally, after almost 50 years of playing and having paid tens of thousands of pounds, with all musical things considered, regardless of price, the most versatile, inspirational, playable and satisfying guitar I've ever owned (and still do) is . . . . . (drum roll) . . . is . . . . . . is . . . . . ('tish') . . . THE TAYLOR 110 (USA made. 2004. Bought second-hand for £325.) "WTF!!!!!!!" you may say, but yes, I've combinedly spent tens of thousands of pounds and countless hours of playing time to arrive at this unexpected conclusion and, for me at least, it's honestly and sincerely true.
Who knew, eh?!
Good luck on 'your' musical journey.
Wow I love playing guitar and write songs and play every day. I’m only starting out thanks for writing me back
I bought a 114c after playing every Taylor in Guitar center. The more expensive ones sounded like crap.. the bass booming from my 114c was phenominal in fact this weekend i played a bar and i played two songs before i noticed my sound wasn't amplified !! that's how booming it is so it is not true with these guitars that you get what you pay for the solid wood USA guitars don't mean shit to the sound go play one first do NOT order without playing it you will be disappointed
I love my 614CE, absolutely stunning plus the angel inlays everywhere! Sounds even better
The 100 and the 300 are close sounding, the 600 has some slight nuance in the mellowed overall, but there's a definite sameness going on all three, my ears and speakers, on a whole, that's not a bad thing, nice axes. Thanks!
My Martin is running on 5th year and fishman electronics with built in tuner works fine. I'm not claiming the tuner to be 100% accurate, but good enough to tune in a noisy environment. Some of the strings I will normally tune a little more to the sharp side even if the tuner tells me it's ok. Keep up your good work :-)
If you know guitars and have played Taylors, you will realize what you are paying for. Simple
I would by the taylor 314 if it weren't for my mortgage, child support, and student loans.. guess I won't be trading in my Blueridge anytime soon...
Keep the Blueridge
I made my girlfriend do porn so she could buy me a Taylor. I’m now getting a Taylor 414ce Ovangkol v class.
I loved the review here and hope to maybe see a different brand type comparison soon. Thanks!
Nicely done, by I'd have preferred to have heard you use a pick on all 3 guitars. A pick makes a difference in the sound in my opinion. When I use my fingers on my Martin, it sounds quite different than when I use a pick, My oldest son who moved to Hawaii just purchased a Taylor guitar is why I'm listening to this review. Thanks for doing this for us.
$3,000? Lmao fuck that....just buy a $1,300, 200 series, best guitar for the money imo
I watched a Taylor guitar review TH-cam video and the dude said the Taylor guitars manufactured in Mexico are basically crap. Is this true?
Great comparison video . Guitar audio was down a little but I enjoyed it just the same. What is the name of the blues song you use in the intro it's driving me crazy that I can't recall it.?
wonderful sharing of the simple intricacies between the models. I have a 1998 514ce. Back then the only difference between the 514 and the 614 was the mother of pearl inlay decorations. Has that changed over time between the 514 and 614? thanks
In my opinion there are no bad sounding Taylors!
My first nice guitar was a Taylor 110 I loved it and they still impress me to this day, even though I’ve since moved up to a 912 some 20 years later. I’m more into Martins these days but I still love that bright and articulate Taylor sound.
What make a guitar expensive. You didn't answer the question, you mainly just compared models.
Hey Chris. Dude you did a phenomenal job, I thought, in delivering a good assessment of the way Taylor Guitars Series are determined! Just found you this morning and have subscribed to your channel. Thanks again for an informative video!
9:01 ”now the back and sides are laminate.”
A while ago he said they were all solid
I think he meant to say satin.
Yes he meant to say satin. I had to listen to it three times trying to make sense of what I was hearing. Glad I wasn't the only one.
Nice video and interesting explanations, but pity that the recording of the guitars is of very poor quality, and that they are not played in succession so we cannot compare them.
Taylor 316ce doesn't seem to age well. Way too much bass. Or is it my imagination? Anyone else out there experiencing this?
Here is the Taylor 100 with my own songs: th-cam.com/video/liIE_NgamgQ/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=MarioAlleckna
RE the 314: At 8:15 you say the back is solid wood; but at 9:02 you say "the back and sides are laminate". Which is it?
I noticed that he said that , too.. The 314 back and sides are solid sapele
I caught that too and knew what he meant. I even ran it a couple times to make sure I didn't make a mistake@Flop2river #
I have a 317 that's a great guitar. I haven't played a 614, but I'm sure it's a great guitar also. I really don't like the difference in color between the back and sides. High-end flamed maple in a lighter shade with a high gloss is gorgeous. They blew it on the one Chris is showing.
I have a 317e and love it! I hope to buy a 314 Monday and want to get a higher series soon. I buy them used to keep my cost down but don't see many above the 314 range.
Good explanation, recording does not give a fair impression, mainly due to the position of mike and probably they also used noise filter to exclude all the traffic noise. That said, I have recently tried a 614 and compared it to my Martin OMCPA4, and it is the first Taylor that has impressed me (other than a custom built for 10K). It had a fantastic deep bass and overall sound and volume. Mind you the price was more than double of my Martin. One thing I find odd about the Taylors is that they don't come with a built in tuner, price level taken into account.
Taylor has chosen to eschew an onboard tuner in order to have a more stream lined look. Also, they tend to have a short life span. We are working to improve our audio and at some point I will likely redo this video with Taylor and Martin as well.
Taylors might not be the best choices when it comes to bass ;)
M. Bum. N b,m. Mob. B be
Love your information,
Sound wasn’t that great.
But thanks for the explanation of differences. 👍🏻
Good info, poor video sound quality for guitar samples.
I have 12 Taylors, ranging from a 114 to a PS14. The 114 is an awesome guitar!
Rich men
Not rich, just no family to support.
12 Taylors are a nice car in my country
In mine too. I'd rather have the Taylors, l hate driving here.