Time till "the opening"...

[zb0430]

Well, I wen't out and splurged on an 814ce a few weeks ago and am loving it thus far. I understand many of you hate Taylor's, yet many of you love them and have had lots of experience with them. I've never had the pleasure of owning such a high end instrument before, but was enthralled when I played it, and couldn't pass it up. (My other choice was going to be a vastly different HD-35, but for praise and worship applications, I went with the Taylor... HD-35 is next on the list after a strat... )

 

My question is, since the majority of Taylor's are very consistent to each other, how long has it taken your Taylor's to do a little opening up? It'll probably open up a bit in the mids and lows, mostly, and possibly make the highs even sweeter. I'm by no means unhappy with it, just wondering about how long it took for some of your Taylor's to mature and open up.

 

And yes, I do understand time and frequency played is a big factor, and I play pretty much every day for at LEAST an hour or so, time permitting.

 

Thanks for any comments guys.

[postalsock]

about 2 years.

[WaveRay]

Originally posted by zb0430 And yes, I do understand time and frequency played is a big factor, and I play pretty much every day for at LEAST an hour or so, time permitting. Thanks for any comments guys.

 

 

 

 

I've had mine for about 3 years now and I do not play it everyday.

(12 string) However, I have noticed it opening up on the low end lately but, strangely enough, only up the neck on bar chords and such. At the first couple of frets, I haven't really noticed too much of a difference. If that's any help to you.

But here's a suggestion, any time you are listening to it and wondering when she'll open up.....change the strings and you'll, once again, fall in love with the instrument like the day you bought it. That should keep you happy until it does open. After all, I'm going to guess you bought it because of how it sounded in the store, not how you figured it would sound a couple of years down the road. Enjoy it and have a blast.

 

 

Either that or 2 years.

[guitarist21]

814ce is spruce right? Well spruce certainly takes a while.

I've found that a top opening up (or at least appearing too) also depends on the weather. On really humid days, my really old Spruce topped guitars sound like they haven't opened up yet, and I've owned them for years.

Another thing: with Taylors, I've found that the highs stay as accentuated as they were the day they came out of the factory. They are, by nature, not very bassy. A guy I play with at church bought an 814 with the hopes that it would magically become a lot more bassy after it opened up and he played it a while, and it never happened. You're probably not expecting any miracles, but I figured I should tell that story anyway.

Ellen

[zb0430]

Yes, fresh strings seem to make a huge difference when unplugged, more so than alot of guitars I've played. Like I said, I'm by no means unhappy with it now, but I wasn't aware that it took quite that long. I was thinking 6 months-1 year...

Thanks for experiences/comments, keep em coming!

[57GLDTP]

I have an 814CE as well. Mine's an 04. I haven't noticed any
change it tone from the first day I brought it home. I use mine
primarily plugged in so I wouldn't really readily notice any drastic
change I don't think anyway. My Martin's have opened up over
the years. (I have a 93 D35 & a 95 D41) I find that they have
gotten warmer & woodier sounding.

57GT:)

[Freeman Keller]

I frankly don't think my 314 has changed much over the past few years. Unfortunately I haven't recorded it periodically like I have my triple ought so it is hard to tell. IMHO unless your hearing and memory are a bunch better than mine it is pretty hard to quantify changes like "opening up" without doing some recording.

Obviously to tell if it has changed you would keep everything else constant too - strings, saddle, setup - which I haven't done with the T (but do every time I record the 000), and as 57GT suggests, recording it acoustically with the same mic or at least exactly the same signal path.

FWIW - I recorded the triple ought the day it was born (first strung up), at one month (the original strings, then a fresh set), at 6 months (ditto, old strings and new), and will do it again at a year. I am hearing some fairly dramatic changes in the bass, and very slight in the trebles (but my fingernail was broken at month one so that kills a bit of the highs). I also recorded it when I was experimenting with strings and know I don't like the Martin Fingerstyles on that git. I put bone pins in at 6 months and couldn't tell any difference. All this on my little cassette recorder.

I wish I had recorded the D-18 before and after I had it hot rodded. Boy did that puppy ever change - but again, I can't quantify it.

[Hudman]

Originally posted by zb0430 My question is, since the majority of Taylor's are very consistent to each other, how long has it taken your Taylor's to do a little opening up? It'll probably open up a bit in the mids and lows, mostly, and possibly make the highs even sweeter. I'm by no means unhappy with it, just wondering about how long it took for some of your Taylor's to mature and open up. And yes, I do understand time and frequency played is a big factor, and I play pretty much every day for at LEAST an hour or so, time permitting. Thanks for any comments guys.

 

 

"Opening up" is a theory that will be argued about forever. It's completely subjective. I noticed an improvement in a guitar's tone over time, but I never experienced increased bass response. It seems like the guitar tone gets "warmer" but not "deeper" (if that makes sense...).

 

In my opinion, it depends on how often you play and how hard you play (the stronger the vibrations over a period of time - the quicker it will open up). Heavy picking would open up a guitar faster than light fingerpicking. The other factors are soundboard material (and thickness) and the bracing design of the guitar.

 

With that said, no one can say for sure. It depends on your picking style and the amount of time you spend playing it.

[Whalebot]

7 years, and that number is hard and fast. This is an absolute. Your guitar will open up in EXACTLY 7 years.

[Cldplytkmn]

Originally posted by postalsock about 2 years.

 

 

how long have you had your taylor

[zb0430]

Thanks for the sarcasm whalebot. I dearly appreciate it.

I suppose I'll just give it time. And I understand fully about the warm, but not necessarily deeper tone change, hudman.

Thanks for the comments guys.

[Hudman]

Originally posted by zb0430 And I understand fully about the warm, but not necessarily deeper tone change, hudman. Thanks for the comments guys.

 

 

The statement was directed towards the group. Others feel that their bass response improved - I'm not saying I disagree, I was saying that I never experienced that.

 

Subjective - Everyone will hear it their own way.

[zb0430]

Originally posted by Hudman The statement was directed towards the group. Others feel that their bass response improved - I'm not saying I disagree, I was saying that I never experienced that. Subjective - Everyone will hear it their own way.

 

 

Agreed, but I've seen it that way before in other's guitars. On a non-bassy guitar, bass generally does't overly dramatically improve. I'm sure it will to a certain extent, but I'd say it's not gonna transform. Still, I'd bet this isn't the "final sound" of the guitar, so to speak.

[exhaust_49]

I think a guitar opens up slightly but it's mostly the muscisians ear becomming more senstive to the different tones.

[WaveRay]

Originally posted by zb0430 Thanks for the sarcasm whalebot. I dearly appreciate it. I suppose I'll just give it time. And I understand fully about the warm, but not necessarily deeper tone change, hudman. Thanks for the comments guys.

I think the opening up of the guitar includes the deeper tones. Maybe not getting bassier, but opening up along with the rest of the sound. Warmer, I guess is how it's put here.