The guitar I have to get before I get my dream guitar

spantini

COO of me, inc.
I'll preface this with the fact that I need a better quality acoustic guitar to record with - as much better than my $80 Rogue dreadnought that's too boomy as I can afford. And right now, I cannot afford more than $400+ tax. That $1999 Taylor is gonna hafta wait.

_____________________________________


I went nuts in the guitar room at the store tonight. They have a bunch of the nicer guitars on a high wall rack, just out of reach. I asked a salesperson to grab several for me, then I also picked out four from ground level. I took out my tuner and a shirt pocket full of various picks.

I spent over two hours jamming and I had a hard time staying away from a Yamaha FG830 Dreadnought. This one felt good, had good action and, of course, it was nice and bright - just what I was trying to steer clear from. So I set it in the "possible" area and moved on.

Then I picked up a Fender 096 1702 021 CD60S all mahogany body - bright also, but warmer than the Yamaha... a little on the lightweight side. Really nice action. Another 'possible'.

I tried a Washburn; several low end Martins; several low end Taylors; a Guild; an Epiphone - all in the $300-$650 range. Some of the Martins were just terrible. They had nice warmth but the playability was awful. Most of the Taylors fared worse. Epiphone just had an off sound - too bright and not much body - I was really expecting a nice, full sound from that Epi. I see a lot of 'affordable' quality guitars constructed with less expensive woods, which look ok, and are lighter, but don't offer the same sound qualities.

I had gone in there looking for a full body dreadnought acoustic, but the one that felt good all around was a Taylor Big Baby Acoustic. This is 15/16th size and 4-inch body depth. Small(er) body and a very warm sound, while still having some good sounding mids. I got some good punch out of those strings. No booming muddiness. My only reservation with this one is the action is set a little too high for me. The adjustment is at the headstock. After spending about two hours going back and forth with the others, narrowing it down to the Yamaha, Fender or Taylor.. the Taylor won.

I have no idea what this will sound like recorded. The boominess isn't there (that I can hear, anyway), so it might just go a long way toward helping me with my 'low-budget-guitar' syndrome.

Oh.. and I totally forgot to buy a boom mic stand while I was lost in that.. that.. that ROOM.

Taylor Big Baby Taylor Acoustic Guitar Natural | Guitar Center
 
My understanding is that Martins come new in need of a setup. The action will feel high until the nut slots are cut down and whatever else you do when setting up an acoustic.

By contrast Taylors come ready to play. I wonder how many sales Martin loses because of this? It certainly influenced my decision to buy a Taylor rather than a Martin. I couldn't justify pulling the trigger for that kind of money without knowing how it would play after the setup.

Three years on, my Taylor has low action and plays great, but I just don't love it. I wish I had gone with the Martin after all.
 
Funny, but when I started reading this post, I was going to recommend you try a Big Baby. I had one and I loved it. Unfortunately I had to sell it, but it's on my short list of one to get again if I ever have the money. A lot of guys are put off by the screws in the fretboard, but if you're getting a guitar to do the job, not to look pretty, then I can't think of anything better in that price range.

Enjoy it, man. :thumbs up:
 
Were you playing all new guitars or did they have any used ones? Seriously, try to find some place with a selection of used guitars to try out - not a GC!
There's not much in the Taylor range (new) under $650 other than the Big Baby, Baby and GS Mini or one of the new Academy series with no electronics.
Some GCs have terrible acoustic rooms - no one changes the strings or sets up the guitars. They want you to spend another $75 with them when you buy it for a set up.

On the BB - 'adjustment at the headstock' - if you mean the nut slots are too high, think again, these guitars come from the factory ready to go - although the saddle action may need to be lowered a tiny bit for your taste, or the relief (truss rod) may need tweaking due to humidity/temperature changes in the GC room.
If you do decide to buy a guitar from GC ask them to change the strings first, and try it out. You may find that the 'lack of brightness' was in fact old strings!
 
I was playing a combination of new and used. The Taylor BB, Fender and Yamaha were new.

The Taylor BB.. "adjustment at the headstock" I was referring to the truss rod adjusting from there - not at the soundhole. I took no notice of the nut slots, just the high action from the 3rd fret on. It was difficult for me to Barre a G-chord even. I'm thinking a slight adjustment on the truss rod would help that quite a bit, along with new strings. I can do that in their room, if they allow.

I really felt the warmth of this guitar. I hope new strings don't hurt that too bad :eek: When I go back I'll ask them to restring it.

I found a local family music store and will be going up there tomorrow to see what they've got used. Never know..

Thanks, again.
 
Last edited:
OK, now I'm confused. You liked the BB for it's warmth? That's not a word I'd have used to describe my BB. I would say 'less boomy', or 'more balanced' maybe, but not 'warm'.

I would have called it bright, just like all Taylors, but just not as overly bright as most of them.

If they all still come with Elixirs on them, that's mostly what I'd attribute this to. Elixirs seem extremely bright to me.

Now that Mahogany BB as mentioned above, that might actually be what you could call warm. I've played a couple, and I like them. The Koas are nice, too.

You might also see if you can find a GS Mini to play. it would be neck and neck between those two for me. I have yet to hear of anyone who has played a GS Mini who doesn't like it.
 
I've got an old Epi dread from about '72, a factory second, and it's my favorite. But as far as recording goes, it's terrible.
 
OK, now I'm confused. You liked the BB for it's warmth? That's not a word I'd have used to describe my BB. I would say 'less boomy', or 'more balanced' maybe, but not 'warm'.

I would have called it bright, just like all Taylors, but just not as overly bright as most of them.

If they all still come with Elixirs on them, that's mostly what I'd attribute this to. Elixirs seem extremely bright to me.

Now that Mahogany BB as mentioned above, that might actually be what you could call warm. I've played a couple, and I like them. The Koas are nice, too.

You might also see if you can find a GS Mini to play. it would be neck and neck between those two for me. I have yet to hear of anyone who has played a GS Mini who doesn't like it.

No, this BB wasn't mahogany. Spruce top and Sapele back, sides and neck - ebony fingerboard. This was 'less boomy' and 'more balanced', but not what I'd call bright. The Yamaha and Fender were bright. Maybe old strings. They looked a little dull. Well, that's what I'm calling 'warm'.

I think I saw a GS Mini in there. I'll check that out.

I was just checking out some info on the BB's high action. Seems many of these, and other, Taylors come that way and need setting. Other owners say it might be set fine with a truss rod adjustment; others say it's common to have to lower the saddle. I can do both, so there's no worries on that end.
 
I have gotten good recording and playability results from not to expensive Yamaha acoustics. They don't seem to do well "live" but they hit my big-n-little condenser mic combo nicely. I have a mid range Taylor(412ce Dread) that I love but when recording it can be um, "overwhelming" at times...unless that's what I'm going for. Fair warning-I personally cant stand Martin guitars, and I've played "high dollar" axes owned by friends. So take with a grain of salt or whatever.
 
I was just checking out some info on the BB's high action. Seems many of these, and other, Taylors come that way and need setting. Other owners say it might be set fine with a truss rod adjustment; others say it's common to have to lower the saddle. I can do both, so there's no worries on that end.

Mine was just fine out of the gate. Probably one of the things that drew me to it. Might have been a fluke. I seem to find a lot of those.

As long as we're doing disclosures - fair warning - I don't like Martins either, even though the vast majority of recordings I like were made with them.

I actually like the sound of Gibsons, if it's just me playing. I have no idea what they'd be like to record, but I've heard bad things about it.

I want a guitar that plays like a Taylor, and sounds like a Gibson.

As far as playing live, I have a friend who has a pair of Guilds that sound awesome, but I find them impossible to play. He does more than just fine with it, though.
 
Note - you said you're a hard strummer, lower action can result in more buzzing. My Taylors out of the box were set up well, slightly higher action than I was used to with my other guitars, but not overly so. I took my 310ce in for a set up last year (after having it 3 years) and the only adjustment the guy did was a slight tweak to the truss rod.
 
I have gotten good recording and playability results from not to expensive Yamaha acoustics. They don't seem to do well "live" but they hit my big-n-little condenser mic combo nicely. I have a mid range Taylor(412ce Dread) that I love but when recording it can be um, "overwhelming" at times...unless that's what I'm going for. Fair warning-I personally cant stand Martin guitars, and I've played "high dollar" axes owned by friends. So take with a grain of salt or whatever.

I've still got that Yamaha FG800 acoustic dreadnought for $199 in the back of my head. It was easy to play and sounded great - though bright. While I was jamming on it, a couple of people commented on how nice my playing sounded, so that's another tug on me and another notch in the "possible" column for the Yamaha. As I was jamming on the Taylor BB, someone joined in with the Yamaha and everything blended nicely. That was my ear - will I get that when recording...

I have played some really nice Martins from the 70s and also newer ones.. my first one was a friends 1974 (model ?) and I really liked the sound but the playability didn't suit me. I've always liked their sound but found most to be ... I'll say "stiff" on the action.

I'd like to have an acoustic with the action of a Strat, or Rickenbacker 12-string .... for $300 or less (Ha! Who wouldn't! :laughings:)
 
Last edited:
Note - you said you're a hard strummer, lower action can result in more buzzing. My Taylors out of the box were set up well, slightly higher action than I was used to with my other guitars, but not overly so. I took my 310ce in for a set up last year (after having it 3 years) and the only adjustment the guy did was a slight tweak to the truss rod.

I got that buzzing when I switched from factory medium-heavy to lights on my Rogue acoustic (the one I'm recording with now). The nut was set for heavier gauge and after I tweaked the truss rod to lower the action, the A string buzzed at the bridge/saddle. I slipped a very slight piece of paper into the nut under the string and that fixed it.
 
I'm going to make one more trip to Guitar Center to A/B/C a Martin DRS2, Yamaha FG/FS 800, and Taylor Big Baby. Then off to a local family music store to see what acoustic gems may be available.
 
I ran across this comparison of four acoustics. The first two are a Yamaha FG700S (upgraded to the 800 series now) and a Taylor Big Baby. This is no music store demo with expensive directional mics, or multi-mics. This appears to be the guitars in their natural environment, if you will... the living room ;)

You can hear the bright Yamaha and then what I refer to as the 'warmth' of the Taylor. The Taylor Big Baby doesn't ring out and resonate like the Yamaha, but it still puts out quite a full sound. Different. I like them both for different reasons, but I need to start with the one that's going to (help me) get the recorded sound I can work with.

And just for the record, I really like the sound of the Takamine here. That model must be discontinued, but there may be a few left somewhere.. at $299.00 !

Dang! I almost forgot to post the video:
YouTube
 
Last edited:
"I actually like the sound of Gibsons, if it's just me playing. I have no idea what they'd be like to record, but I've heard bad things about it.
I want a guitar that plays like a Taylor, and sounds like a Gibson."

I love the Gibson Jumbos sound also but it is too loud for recording IMHO. Taylor 814 and 916 sound (to me) as good as a Gibson but subtly more balanced frequency wise making recording them possible. The greatest acoustic guitar I ever heard was a Froggy Bottom but I have to laugh at the idea of buying one cuz it's no good crying
 
I ran across this comparison of four acoustics. The first two are a Yamaha FG700S (upgraded to the 800 series now) and a Taylor Big Baby. This is no music store demo with expensive directional mics, or multi-mics. This appears to be the guitars in their natural environment, if you will... the living room ;)

You can hear the bright Yamaha and then what I refer to as the 'warmth' of the Taylor. The Taylor Big Baby doesn't ring out and resonate like the Yamaha, but it still puts out quite a full sound. Different. I like them both for different reasons, but I need to start with the one that's going to (help me) get the recorded sound I can work with.

And just for the record, I really like the sound of the Takamine here. That model must be discontinued, but there may be a few left somewhere.. at $299.00 !

Dang! I almost forgot to post the video:
YouTube

I agree tha tthe Yammie sounds very good in this, I'd put the Taylor 2nd. I thought that the Tak and Alv didn't have any high end to them.
 
I went back to the store and the Taylor Big Baby with new strings and a slight truss rod adjustment - wow! What a difference from the other night with old strings and high action.

There was also a Martin CST DX1.. with new strings.

The Martin was just a hair brighter and the action felt a little stiffer than the Taylor, though it looked good enough. Slightly wider neck too, felt like.

Both of these guitars are Made in Mexico. Now, I'm just looking for good sound and playability - no collector's item. Either one of these would do, and they're the same price. I think someone set me up for this. But no..

The Taylor checked all my boxes, so that's the one.
___________________

I meant to try out a Martin DRS2 but while I was playing the Taylor someone came in, started playing it, and wouldn't put it down.

Maybe the store will cut me a break on this 'out of box' Taylor - 10% maybe.. Oh.. the Taylor comes with a really nice gig bag too. That's something.
 
Back
Top