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Old 11-01-2008, 06:33 AM
Ranger1964 Ranger1964 is offline
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Location: Warren, Pa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hutto View Post
I can't offhand think of any attempts at "Taylor clones" per se in the sense that certain Blueridge models (among several others) claim to be directly aiming for that pre-war Martin sound.

But if you broadly characterise the Taylor market niche as nice-looking, easy-playing guitars optimized for performers with cutaways, fast (even electric-like) necks and built-in electronic packages...well then there are any number of similar guitars. Everything from Breedloves to Takamines to a host of brands and house-brands for guitars made in a variety of Asian factories. Judging from what I see in guitar shops Taylor is simply the premium priced, well-built leader in a very broad and deep field. These others are aiming at "knocking off" Taylor, it's just that they and Taylor are both pitching at a large and popular market segment.

And I would suggest if you playing it through a pickup and a PA system anyway, the "Taylor sound" is a lot less distinct concept than the tone and volume that someone like Blueridge tries to accomplish with scalloped braces and old-Martin-clone construction. I would think it pretty easy to make an Auditorium sized Takamine played through a pickup and PA sound a lot like an Auditorium sized Taylor played through a pickup and PA.

But in a purely acoustic setting, if you trying to make a brand-new Asian-built dreadnought sound like a pre-war D-18...you've got your work cut out for you. Because a lot of people know that sound and you either have it or you don't.
I am thinking purely from an un-plugged perspective. I've played quite a few Takamines and never thought Taylor when I played them. I have not had the opportunity to play a Breedlove yet. I guess when I say Taylor-like, I'm referring to a c-shaped neck, 1 3/4" nut, nice low action, and nice bright balanced sound.
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