Official Luthiers Forum!

For those that play and want to offer some advice. I have a nice Santa Cruz D/PWM, thats the pre-war dread with mahogany back/sides. I just bought a Taylor 714CE with EIR b/s and wrc top. I am going to take it back and I was wondering what other guitars do you all like for primarily fingerstyle playing? The Taylor was expensive and I do not want to trade it for anything more. I obvioulsy want something cheaper.

Frank...
Since you were willing to spend that much money for a Production guitar...I would patronise one of our fellow
OLF Luthiers.
You will get far more bang for the buck for sure.
I could recommend someone on the forum..but if you would like my opinion...send me a Private message and I will make a suggestion. No it's not me. I have a ways to go before I would be able to sell a guitar.

WalterK WalterK38651.8218865741

Hi Frank,

I have my Gurian up for sale now on Ebay because I also want a new fingerstyle guitar. Could I ask what you didn't like about the Taylor? I was also considering a *14 Taylor model. Why do you want to return it?

Cheers!

John

thats a good idea and I would love to have one by many on the forum. i was just thinking that since i bought it at sam ash, i can spread the payment over 15 months without interest. and to be honest, i didn't want to spend 2500 anyway. its a while off before i can build one similar also. so in the meantime I figure what the heck!

I did approach someone with the idea to build one for me with the materials I would supply but, even though its a similar cost, i couldn't just lay out that much right now...suckered into the interest free payments!

FrankC38651.826712963

I do like the taylor very much. This one has the new CE system built in. Not the old fishman one. This has just 3 very small knobs up near the neck. The only reason i would take it back is because I went a little overboard on the Santa Cruz Dread. I am just stupid so I will probably end up keeping both and hoping it gives me inspiration to get better in my building.

I understand that. I think Taylor makes a nice production guitar, but with a Santa Cruz in the mix it would be hard to justify the Taylor.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Hey, finally a question I can weigh in on. I've had several Taylors, and they're great guitars. They don't, on average IMO, compete with the handmade models that luthiers, like those here on the OLF can produce - in some cases for similar money that you've already invested.

In fact, just recently, one of the better known Taylor clinicians played, publicly played, my Don Williams SJ, and raved about it, publicly. So, I'm not the least bit hesitant to tell you that if Don is willing to come out of retirement long enough to finish a guitar for you, he has a couple nearing the white that are going to be amazing. Then again, I'm unashamedly biased. But, when you're satisfied, you say so, right? :-)

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Frank,
If your really want somthing hand crafted but relitively inexpensive pm me. I build a student model OM and SJ that the price is very good.

Since the original question was "what other guitars do you all like for primarily fingerstyle playing?" I figured I'd chime in, since this very question led to my building my first (and so far only) steel string acoustic.

I play most styles of music, on electric, steel string acoustic, and classicals. When it comes to fingerstyle playing, though, I prefer classicals. But there are times when you just need that steel string sound. Problem with me was I couldn't find a steel string acoustic that I was comfortable with. I like a wide nut, and the widest I could find was less than 1-3/4". But my budget wouldn't allow for a high-dollar, custom build instrument, so after I began building guitars, I just built my own. Single cutaway, 2" wide nut. This was only my fourth build, so it had a predictable number of cosmetic problems, but I put it together using some nice woods -- bearclaw sitka for the top and some highly figured claro walnut for the back -- and I was very satisfied with the result.





Since this will be a guitar that you will play for your own pleasure, creativity, and enjoyment, I would recommend that you build what you want. Who cares if it doesn't look as pretty as a Taylor. I'm sure it will sound better than one.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live