Taylor 814 50th Builder’s Ed or Gibson J200?
 

I’m hoping to get some advice or general opinion. I’ve recently been gifted an incredible Taylor 814ce 50th Anniversary Builders Edition as a leaving gift from my ex-employer. It is simply a beautiful guitar and way out of my price range. I also appreciate it is a limited edition and could be an investment. However…it has raised the opportunity for me to own my dream guitar, a SJ-200, also out of my usual price range. Would I be a fool to swap? I’m torn, heart says do it but head says it’s a crazy idea

I should probably add that knowing the people as I do, they would be far happier knowing that I had the guitar I wanted than necessarily the one they chose, which was probably a case of asking for the best available in the shop. It’s less question about the sentimentality and more about the guitars themselves. Either choice will give me happy memories of my time with the employer and the people

Taylor 814 50th Builder’s Ed or Gibson J200?
 

Keep it, someone took the time to appreciate you and put thought into giving you a gift that they thought you would appreciate… Guitars are good and important , but not that important.

The guitars that mean something to me are the ones that have a connection with people in my life. Birth year guitars of my family and a guitar I got from guitars 4 vets because being a very is a huge part of my father in laws identity. If someone important to me gifted me a guitar I would never get rid of it.

Play them side by side, if possible. As you said, they’d want you to have the one you want most. It’s a lovely gesture. I’m also sure they’d want you to have a guitar you and will play, not one that you may appreciate, but not enjoy as much. If you prefer the Gibson, get the Gibson, or you will always wish you had.

Since it is from a former employer, and they would want you to have the one you really wanted, I would get the J200…Not because I am biased, which I most definitely am, but because it is what you really want. You said it’s your dream guitar. You started a thread in this forum, your first (welcome! BTW), asking what we think…I’m guessing it is because you do like the Taylor, but do not really love it, and see this guitar as a way to get your dream guitar.

This guitar is a thank you for your precious time and service. YOUR time and service. Though I understand what a kind gesture it is from the company, trading for your dream instrument does not change a thing about their gesture…The gesture enabled you to acquire what you really want…Those folks probably don’t even know what a Taylor 814 or a J200 are, anyway.

Do it.

Welcome to the Forum. If the people who gave you this beautiful gift would want you to have your best guitar, then go ahead and get your best guitar. I don't see anything wrong with it. Your guitar, your choice!

Welcome to the forum as a poster!

As others have said, compare the two guitars if you can and get the one that you prefer.

Buying you a good guitar was a really nice gesture by your employers, and I am sure they did it because they want to see you happy, and not because they thought you needed a particular logo on the headstock. You can be just as grateful to them for the Gibson as you can for the Taylor, because it was their gift that can make the Gibson possible.

"Oh wow, what a beautiful guitar! I can't wait to trade it for something I really want!"

Up to you.

Welcome Aboard!

My two cents: If you parlay your Taylor into the SJ200 you'd rather have had, then, that SJ will become your dream guitar, gifted to you by your your wonderful co-workers. You will treasure it and all will be good. Just make sure it's the one you really want because it would be bad to regret the swap after the fact.

In the final accounting, guitars are just things, their connections with people and eras in your life are far more important.

Scott

Welcome to the forum. Keep the 814, and save up your lunch money to buy the J-200 too. Completely different guitars that you'll enjoy !

Another option is to wait a year and then trade it for one🧐. That way someone might not be as offended as a perceived slight of generosity

First of all WELCOME to the AGF!

I think you have answered your question, the one important aspect of it anyway, in this paragraph.

As long as you are truly confident that your former employer, and the folks that helped make this remarkable gift a reality, would be happy, and not have their feathers ruffled, if you swapped the Taylor for the Gibson, then I would go ahead and do it, knowing that if you ever needed to, you could explain what you did and why, and they would still be just as happy for you, or more so.

As the ever so wise song once sang:


"Oh it's sad to belong to someone else, when the right one comes along"


Truer words...


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

Good advice.

Good stuff!
What might you think if they gave you a parting gift of $4000 cash? Should you save it? I think the folks at your work would want you to use the gift they gave you the way you want to use it. It’s YOUR gift…..

Would you be a fool to swap? Not in my book.

I tried to love the 814BE, but in the end swapped for a natural SJ-200. Never looked back.

And the Taylor guitar alure is out of my system.
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