Members Hooba Posted February 19, 2006 Members Posted February 19, 2006 first: i can buy either. it will take time. but ill get one of them. mark these words. if you're impatient, skip this next paragraph and read the second one. right now i own a taylor 714 as my acoustic, and it is a pretty good guitar. i cant really say much else about for various reasons, but i'm satisfied with it. unfortunately i live within 100 miles of a guitar center, so im' apt to migrate every once and while and play other guitars that seem to know and call my name. this is how i met pamela, my dream 614ce. i am not a taylor fanboy. i just really. really, really like everything about them. there is something about martins that make my teeth decay and fall out, and my face to wrinkle until i smell like chewing tobacco when i play one. i don't like martins now this 614ce.. if you havent played one or even seen one, i suggest you google "taylor 614 ce" until you're full of maple and love. i think they are quite possibly pretty good looking. the maple. the flame. the tobacco sunburst. (i'm 17, i havent had time to realize that there are other ways of enjoying life past sunburst finishes.) but you cant really see why i'm so obsessed with it, until you play it. im not so great at the describing of things, so go to the user reviews and read some comments. i cant begin to describe how it sounds. (actually i cant, i have no hands) but somewhere in the reviews i saw some person remark "i traded it in for a gibson hummingbird" so here is my question, after hours of researching and showering: has anyone played a Gibson hummingbird (not the archaic 60's edition, the newer models.) and a taylor 614ce enough to compare the two? i dont remember if my local guitar center holds a hummingbird, but i know that i LOVE the 614ce, and im worried i may have to commit adultery and play the hummingbird should it be a match for the taylor. are they even comparable? i can afford either. i work my ass off serving cholesterol bombs and people give me money for the destruction of their personal health and hygeine. what are your thoughts? which one would you choose, and what style do you play? for reference: i play really... anything i like. no bluegrass, no country, no folk(some if i like it) and i personally would like commemorate greenday for its unmatched performance in securing itself a place in the 8th ring of dante's hell in my mind. i hate greenday with a passion. think of ... anywhere from Kansas.. to eric clapton.. to jason mraz. (ill try to pretend like i know what im' talking about when i say kansas and eric clapton.) seriously. ill play anything, and i consider myself to be good enough that i can play most of the things i like. fire away.
Members Tony Burns Posted February 19, 2006 Members Posted February 19, 2006 I'll take a guess why you dont like martins , bet one left you standing alone on a dark night when it was raining and broke your heart, and that youll never love again , so you went looking for a different guitar- hear this alot , when i was around your age I feel for a Guild thats been hard getting over until i meet , well you get the idea . i wasnt really a Martin fan until last October, thought I was gonna buy a Larrivee , had my old Ovation in hand fora trade in, and couldnt make up my mind ( to me the Larrivees sounded pretty much the same ) This can be a good thing , considering how some makes have great and so so guitars , they were nice , but the dealer was also a Martin dealer , and when i mentioned what i wanted in a guitar, mostly fingerpicking etc . he put my future Guitar in my hands a OM-28V and it was love at first play, Now i like a few of the taylors i played, and i cant blame you for liking them there alot like Larrivees - but you really should try something like a Martin HD-28 or a OM model before you pass judgement on the whole line . When i was your age most Martin players I knew were really into themselves, ego and all - thats probably why i bought a Guild 35 plus years ago - by the way Martins are alot better guitar than they were in the seventies- Id personnaly play everything i could get my hands on , Im presently thinking about making either a taylor or a Larrivee my next guitar ( like Koawood )- but then again Ill look at the Martins !
Members Cldplytkmn Posted February 19, 2006 Members Posted February 19, 2006 alot going on in your post... i'll try to cover the bases... first, everybody here will say it so i'll save them the breathe, but you won't know until you play a hummingbird. that being said, the two guitars are so different that its almost impossible to compare them... the 614 is the same body as your 714, so thats one thing to consider... i'm not convinced that you'll notice a huge difference in sound. But getting a hummingbird would give you something vastly different to work with... i would think that would be an attractive thing... you might hate the hummingbird... even if you do though, play a bunch of other guitars before deciding on the 614... gibson has alot of other models that might do what you want em to. There's an assload of good guitars in that price range.
Members studyscoot Posted February 19, 2006 Members Posted February 19, 2006 The 614 and 714 are almost as different as night and day in the Taylor line. There is a huge difference in sound. The 614 is spruce and maple, the 714 is cedar and rosewood. Personally, I would value the 714 much more than the 614, but thats just because I don't like the sound of a maple guitar. As for the hummingbird, I have played a few. As with most gibsons of late, they are hit and miss. Some are awesome though. They are more decorative than Taylor, if thats your thing. Taylors seem to be at least consistent in the playability, which is what initially steered me toward the brand. I wouldn't question your opinion of what makes a good guitar by one person's review. I will say this...Taylor has made a ton of changes across their entire line very recently, so I would wait a bit and see what new stuff hits and what misses. Their new GS line seems to target the larrivee/martin market base, so we'll see very soon how successful they are at that market.
Members jackwr Posted February 19, 2006 Members Posted February 19, 2006 what are your thoughts? I think you need to print your post and read it again in 20 or 30 years.
Members aeschylus Posted February 20, 2006 Members Posted February 20, 2006 Stick with the 614. If you love that sound, I don't think you will be into a Hummingbird--which will be a lot darker sounding..almost like...Gasp....a Martin.
Members Hooba Posted February 20, 2006 Author Members Posted February 20, 2006 haha. i appreciate the info, both good and sarcastic. i think yesterday was an "up" day and i hope that explains my.. post. i will take your advice tony burns, and i will have at the other guitars i may have left in the shadows. i absolutely love the 614ce sound, and i kind of figured the hummingbird would get me a completely different sound, so i hesitated to post. but thanks again, ill go ponder over it all. adios!
Members Tony Burns Posted February 20, 2006 Members Posted February 20, 2006 Hooba , im sure what ever you decide on will be a fantastic guitarjust threw in my two cents because it sucks if you find something you like better after you make your purchase - When i bought my guitar it was one i wasnt even considering -Its also alot of fun playing everything you can get your hands on - maybe even save alot of bucks - hope all goes well for you my friend !
Members whiteshadow Posted February 20, 2006 Members Posted February 20, 2006 I wish I was able to buy a taylor 614 when I was 17.... Honestly, if you have that much money laying around, buy both. If you're a recording artist however, a bit more versatility might do you some good (i.e. the gibson). anyways, either way, you MUST play the gibson before buying the taylor, if not, you'll always come back wondering "what if..." As for the Martin guitars: I have to agree. I haven't tried a good NEW martin in a while (including the 2000$ and up models). But I've tried a used one, and they age probably better than any other instrument in the world! They are very reliable.
Members jackwr Posted February 20, 2006 Members Posted February 20, 2006 Originally posted by whiteshadow anyways, either way, you MUST play the gibson before buying the taylor, if not, you'll always come back wondering "what if..."As for the Martin guitars: I have to agree. I haven't tried a good NEW martin in a while (including the 2000$ and up models). But I've tried a used one, and they age probably better than any other instrument in the world! They are very reliable. That's why I say playem before you buyem. I played 3 D28s and 2 D18 which were just ok. The D41 I bought new is great as is, I can't imagine how it could get better with age, but hope it does. Wish I could have got it at 17.
Members whiteshadow Posted February 20, 2006 Members Posted February 20, 2006 Originally posted by jackwr ... I can't imagine how it could get better with age, but hope it does. Wish I could have got it at 17. It's a fact that acoustic guitars sound better with time (if they're solid wood and are kept well). Wood is alove, and the more you play it, the better it will sound. The wood grows as you do =) It's beautiful really.
Members martingibson70 Posted February 23, 2006 Members Posted February 23, 2006 It sounds like you have a great budget to buy an exceptional guitar. Do you live somewhere you can shop for something vintage? Some older guitars will actually appreciate within 5 years like my '74 LP Custom- just sold it for $500 more than I paid just a few years ago. Also, IMO, there is tremendous satisfaction in "the find" of a classic/vintage guitar. Afterall, they're not going to stop making Taylors any time soon. But some classics are getting harder to find every year.
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