Are Taylors overpriced?

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therage!

therage!

Wicked Machine
I own a all Koa 420 Taylor but I bought it used so this is not to slam Taylor because I like my 420 very much. I just don’t understand their pricing.

I’d like to pick up another acoustic to compliment my current line up and would prefer to go with all solid wood. Budget…..up to maybe $900.

Do you guys think Taylor’s are overpriced? I mean you can get a Guild DV-4 for $900 and it’s all solid Mahogany and Spruce. A laminate Taylor DN3 runs for $1,000.

Just trying to understand this pricing by Taylor. Seems like you might be spending a few hundred just for the name.

I'll have to see if I can find a local place that carries these Guilds.
 
Not sure, but at that price the Guilds must be made in Korea or China?
 
Seriously, for $900 you have to check out a Seagull. I spent $700 and I was near the top of their line. All solid wood.

They don't go nuts with the bling, so when I say it's top of the line, it's fairly plain compared to other makers top of the line. But we're talking under $1000--not over $2500 or $3000.

I've got friends with Martins & Taylors and I really like them. But I don't want one anymore. My matte finish cedar Seagull was a killer deal.

Just sayin...
 
WhiteStrat said:
Seriously, for $900 you have to check out a Seagull. I spent $700 and I was near the top of their line. All solid wood.

They don't go nuts with the bling, so when I say it's top of the line, it's fairly plain compared to other makers top of the line. But we're talking under $1000--not over $2500 or $3000.

I've got friends with Martins & Taylors and I really like them. But I don't want one anymore. My matte finish cedar Seagull was a killer deal.

Just sayin...
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Sounds good!

What sucks about my area (Salt Lake City) is I'm pretty limited on what I can check out. I don't care about bling either. I'll have to see if anyone locally carries them.
 
Plus one for checking our Seagull. Unfortunately, they don't have the same distribution as other companies......so they can be a little harded to find....but often worth the search.
 
therage! said:
Sounds good!

What sucks about my area (Salt Lake City) is I'm pretty limited on what I can check out. I don't care about bling either. I'll have to see if anyone locally carries them.
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Godin in Canada is the parent company. They have a few other lines that may be available if Seagull isn't. I think their design & build philosophy may carry across lines--so it's worth it to look for them as well.

Seagull
Art & Lutherie
Simon & Patrick
Norman

I just don't know about the pricing on the other lines.
 
As long as we're on the topic...

Here's a recording I made with the Seagull and a couple rather cheap mics. The cedar is darker & warmer than spruce, and that makes it a great recording guitar when you consider the high end bump that so many condenser mics have.

 
WhiteStrat said:
As long as we're on the topic...

Here's a recording I made with the Seagull and a couple rather cheap mics. The cedar is darker & warmer than spruce, and that makes it a great recording guitar when you consider the high end bump that so many condenser mics have.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll give that a spin later...
 
Supply and demand, Taylor can charge a lot because people continue to buy them, just like any other business. Taylor has a great reputation in their acoustic guitars, both with novice and pro players, so if you want one, pony up young man cause they ain't getting any cheaper.

On a personal note, I love Taylor's. I have one and if it was destroyed and insurance covered the replacement, I would still look around at some others before buying a Taylor just because it's a Taylor. There is a great little guitar shop in town that carries Goodall, Larrivee, Lowden, Collins, and Santa Cruz, along with mainstreams like Martin and Taylor, and I would check them all out. (Probably wind up buying another 814-ce)
 
therage! said:
Not sure, but at that price the Guilds must be made in Korea or China?
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Not anymore - some of the higher end ones are being made in the old Tacoma Factory, last I heard. Well, I guess you wouldn't really call it an OLD factory, but the Tacoma factory none the less. This is just since Fender bought out Tacoma.



therage! said:
Just trying to understand this pricing by Taylor. Seems like you might be spending a few hundred just for the name.
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Just like anything else, the market sets the price. Part of that name, by the way, is a warranty which is equal to any in the industry - or any other industry for that matter.

Though if you are looking at an all Koa model, expect to pay a premium, as Koa is expensive as hell these days.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Thirding Whtestrat's advise on Seagulls. Excellent value, and as far as I know, all are made in Canada (not China.) That could have changed in recent years, I hope not.

Seagull is not much on adronment, 'tis true- helps keep cost down, which benefits the consumer. But there is nothing that says you can't have them gussied up locally. Does carefully, it should not affect the warranty.

As far as their different lines, pricing goes up like this, with a quick search on Guitarkets's and other website revealing these price ranges on the first page:

Norman $219 to $469 (only three shown on site I went to)
Art & Lutherie $299 to $429
Seagull $299 to $529
Simon & Patrick $419 to $639

Godin Guitars also makes Godin and Richmond electric guitars, and LaPatrie classicals.
http://www.godinguitars.com/

I don't work for Godin (although I would like to), but I have owned several Seagulls, and know them to be very good guitars and an excellent value. I currently own two Seagulls and one Martin- primarily because of top wood (Cedar on the 'gull, mahogny on the Martin) they have different tones, but I like them all.
 
Breedlove is also an excellent guitar. I have a AD25SM, two years old with factory Fishman pickup (cost about $900 USD) and I love it. I play mine with Thomastik-Infeld flatwound "Plectrum" strings. Sounds good with amp or without, hold's it's tuning just fine. My cousin has a Taylor (he paid about $2k for his) and uses my Breedlove quite often when we jam. Take it from there.

http://www.juststrings.com/toi-ac112.html
http://www.breedloveguitars.com
 
Yes Tailors ARE overpriced. I could not find one under the 5k mark that sounded even close to my Cole Clark. In fact all of the taylors I tried lacked crispness and clarity in the low end. My Cole Clark was about 1200. But it sounds amazing!!
 
therage! said:
Are those all solid wood or laminate? Price sounds good.
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The D-15 is solid Mahogany or Sapele, including the top. They are pretty cool.

But I like the Larrive D-03 in that price range $750 - $850. Solid spruce top, either solid sapele or rosewood back and sides. I've owned three Larrivee guits (D-03, D-05, L-30 still own), and they were all the best guits I could find in their sprice range.

You could also find a used Larrivee D-05 in your < $1,000 price range.
 
**Update**

My work partner bought a Taylor 614ce back in like 2001 if I remember right. He never really got in to playing and the guitar can't have over 50 hours on it since he bought it. He's talked about cutting me a deal a number of times the past few years but we never talked price and I figured it would be steep.

Today he threw me a price......$1400. I about choked on my coffee. This guitar is in **mint** condition. There is no fret wear, no scratches...nothing but mint clean.

Is this a good deal? :D
 
therage! said:
**Update**

My work partner bought a Taylor 614ce back in like 2001 if I remember right. He never really got in to playing and the guitar can't have over 50 hours on it since he bought it. He's talked about cutting me a deal a number of times the past few years but we never talked price and I figured it would be steep.

Today he threw me a price......$1400. I about choked on my coffee. This guitar is in **mint** condition. There is no fret wear, no scratches...nothing but mint clean.

Is this a good deal? :D
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That is a very good deal if the guit suits you. Buffalo Bros (who have very good prices IMO) have two of these used on their website right now--both in exe condition. One for $2,100, the other for $2,250.
 
tdukex said:
That is a very good deal if the guit suits you. Buffalo Bros (who have very good prices IMO) have two of these used on their website right now--both in exe condition. One for $2,100, the other for $2,250.
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I've played it and to be honest it would compliment my 420K. I like the low end response of my 420 better but the 614 has some really nice ringing notes when finger picking. I find it balanced pretty well from low to high and it sounds bright. My 420 is a darker sound so that's why I'm thinking it would work out as complimenting each other.

Sound aside, it is a gorgeous instrument for sure. The only downside is my chick will want to play it. But that's what the Yamaha f730 is for/:p:D
I'll tell her it's not to be played cause I don't want to put any wear on the frets.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the B Bros info. I know I won't find a deal like this anywhere.
 
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