It's interesting to see this ancient thread revived. The difference between dreads and GA body designs, I think, makes for an interesting discussion even if it has been hashed over more than a few times.
In 2008 I would have certainly identified the GA design with Taylor. I own a 2002 Taylor 514CE, a 1967 Martin D-35, and a 2018 Martin D-45. So I have some feel for those differences between a dread and a GA.
However, I bought a used handmade Gerald Sheppard GA guitar from an AGF friend a few years ago and it's a very different species from a Taylor GA. Today the use of the GA body design by other builders really changes this discussion, at least in my mind. My Sheppard GA doesn't sound like a dread, but it also sounds dramatically different from any Taylor I have ever played. More bass but still a balanced guitar, a more delicate, articulate tone, more volume, way more responsive.
So we can generalize to some extent but we also need to be aware of exceptions.
- Glenn
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