Members Kifi Posted December 28, 2015 Members Share Posted December 28, 2015 Hey all Have you had the opportunity to play a guitar from the new Taylor 600 series? I saw one in my local store and plucked the low e string, seemed like it had great bass. I was in a rush and when I returned later in the week it was sold. What do you think of them ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 28, 2015 Members Share Posted December 28, 2015 Kifi, first, let me welcome you to HCAG. Second, no I haven't played a 6xx Taylor since they did all the rework on them but I think you need to make up your own mind rather than asking what we think. What I do know is that Bob Taylor has placed a lot of stock in maple - as you probably know he is pretty concerned about the future of tone woods (both from a business and ethical standpoint) and the last issue of Wood and Steel had a long article on maple. I'm sure you can find it on line, I happen to get the magazine because I once owned a Taylor. Maple has always been kind of an ugly duckling of tonewoods (bad metaphor, its really a beautiful wood) - popular in the recording studio but not so much with players. Bob and Andy Powers are trying to change that and it sounds like from what you say its working. Maple is one of the woods that does grow prolifically so it might represent the future direction for acoustic guitars. I'd be interested in hearing more about what you thought of it - which model did you play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kifi Posted December 28, 2015 Author Members Share Posted December 28, 2015 Kifi, first, let me welcome you to HCAG. Second, no I haven't played a 6xx Taylor since they did all the rework on them but I think you need to make up your own mind rather than asking what we think. What I do know is that Bob Taylor has placed a lot of stock in maple - as you probably know he is pretty concerned about the future of tone woods (both from a business and ethical standpoint) and the last issue of Wood and Steel had a long article on maple. I'm sure you can find it on line, I happen to get the magazine because I once owned a Taylor. Maple has always been kind of an ugly duckling of tonewoods (bad metaphor, its really a beautiful wood) - popular in the recording studio but not so much with players. Bob and Andy Powers are trying to change that and it sounds like from what you say its working. Maple is one of the woods that does grow prolifically so it might represent the future direction for acoustic guitars. I'd be interested in hearing more about what you thought of it - which model did you play? Thanks for the welcome Guru. I actually haven't found one to play yet. It was a 618 that I just strummed while it was hanging on the wall. I hadnt much time that evening so intended on demoing when I returned a few days later. In my personal opinion, from what I see on forums is a lot if Taylor bashing, much moreso than than Martin or Gibson. I'm wondering if Taylor is managing to swing things back in their favour with these revoiced 800 series and more recently the 600 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted December 28, 2015 Members Share Posted December 28, 2015 As Freeman said, I've never really considered them because in the past I played lower end laminates that were heavy to hold and too bright in tone for my taste. My local shop is one of the largest Taylor dealers in the US and is bound to have some in stock so I'll have to pick one up next time I'm in there. They certainly look nice with the touch of stain they use; almost like flamed mahogany or koa in hue. By the way, bass response is mostly a function of body size and bracing. I wouldn't expect a GS Mini or 612 to have thunderous bass but a 618 Grand Orchestra certainly would! I tried one of the mahogany first editions and that thing packed quite a wallop ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted December 28, 2015 Members Share Posted December 28, 2015 Hi and welcome to the Forum. I haven't played one but, as Freeman said, you need to make up your own mind. I do wonder about the "brown sugar" stain on some models. As nice as they look, it seems like they're trying to make them look less like maple: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 29, 2015 Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 The x18 GO series was designed to be a cannon - kind of a jumbo on steroids. I haven't played one (not my style of guitar) but that fact that it had big bass doesn't surprise me at all. I did own an older 314 - nice guitar but I just didn't bond with it. I do have the highest respect for Bob, Kurt and Andy and what they are doing, I'm just partial to something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted December 29, 2015 Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 Maple has always been my favorite tone wood.Not only that, it's beautiful, as you note. If a guitar has a Spruce top, I'll take Maple back and sides anyday over Rosewood or Mahogany.Cedar top? I'd prefer Rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 29, 2015 Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 I have built several archtops and electric guitars and mandolins out of maple - as much for looks and tradition as anything else. In that article that I mentioned they discuss how flame and figure occurs in maple - they don't really understand the process but apparently can clone it - one more reason Taylor wants to promote its use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Currently, all of my acoustics are Taylors. I got into them after the producer on an album I was working on rented a bunch of guitars for the sessions. All the electrics were vintage models... the two acoustics were both Taylor 600 series models - a 12 string and a 6 string. I fell in love with their necks and really liked their sound. My wife bought me a 510 as a wedding present not long afterwards. I still have it, and it's still my main acoustic some twenty one years later. I still have the wife too - never dump a good woman who buys you (multiple) guitars. :love: I have not tried the revoiced 600 series models yet, but I plan on doing so at NAMM. I hope I don't like them too much, or I'll be tempted to get a 600 series jumbo. I think maple can sound great on an acoustic, but sometimes it can be a bit lacking in the bass. I love the brightness and definition of the bass notes on a maple acoustic, but I think a larger body size helps counteract that brightness a bit and adds in a bit of useful/needed bass. And it's not just Taylors. One of the best sounding acoustic guitars I've ever heard was an old Guild maple jumbo that a friend of mine used to have. It if had a thinner, easier to play neck (I have short fingers), I would have bought it from him when he sold it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kifi Posted December 29, 2015 Author Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 I believe that's one of the things improved upon with the 2015 model - the bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kifi Posted December 29, 2015 Author Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 I believe that's one of the things improved upon with the 2015 model - the bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted December 29, 2015 Members Share Posted December 29, 2015 A local priest is a Bluegrass musician, primarily a banjo player, but he has a maple Gallagher dreadnought that is truly sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted December 30, 2015 Members Share Posted December 30, 2015 I've always felt that if maple was a rarer hardwood, it would get a lot more respect from musicians and the marketplace. While I think that the species of wood that makes the back and sides of a guitar is often exaggerated, maple has a lot of advantages in use of making musical instruments. It's available in gorgeous figures like flame, quilt, spalted and birdseye. It's very stable to humidity changes so you can make necks from it as well as bodies. It's relatively hard and dense so it's resistant to scratches and dents and holds onto screws and fret tangs well. It's historic use in bowed instruments is there and it doesn't dampen vibration as much as softer woods. It's a light wood so it can be tinted different colors and still show figure. If it was as rare as koa people would be screaming for it more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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