The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 08-14-2004, 12:55 PM
DJW DJW is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
Default Are 100/200 Series Any good?

Hi Guys:
I had posted another thread - "Which Taylor to get." I had decided on a Taylor based mainly on Intonation. As I mentioned in that thread, having a guitar that tunes perfect is key to me. Playing an out of tune chord is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I guess I need to go and play a bunch of them but . . .

When I first picked one up, I had no clue about the different models, woods and such. I just noted that it sounded **** good! (As I also mentioned, I have a '73 Gibson Hummingbird). Also, I actually installed a Roland GK2A onto one of my Ovations. This runs through a GI10 that converts to MIDI and triggers my Super JV1080 - Orchestral II card (I have all the cards in that thing). You can't believe how seet the sound is while playing some nice picking and having some sweet strings come through at the same time. I wouldn't want to mess up a nice Taylor by putting that pickup on it.

1. Are they basically built the same as the more expensive models?
2. Is the intonation consistent throughout the line?
3. I've heard that the lower end line doesn't quite have the full sound of the higher-end models. Will I be dissapointed comparing to the sound of my Hummingbird?
4. I play plugged in a lot. How is the Fishman set-up that they have in the cheaper models?

Any input is appreciated. Incidently, I am REALLY stoked that I found this site. This is the best thing I've run into on the web in awhile! Good people here!
__________________
Taylor - Looking!
'73 Gibson Hummingbird
Guild 212-XL
Ovations
Strat
Regal RD75 Square-Neck Dobro
Telecaster Deluxe
Natural Ash Telecaster
Les Paul Studio
Gretch
Danelctro Barritone
Danelctro Double 6/12
Ibanez Bass
Roland VG-88
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
Carvin 15" Bass Amp
Home Studio w/Lots of stuff
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-14-2004, 01:28 PM
masmith's Avatar
masmith masmith is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Posts: 695
Default

100 series, not all solid wood.

200 series, solid wood but with smaller neck and no NT.

300 series, all solid wood, the same build as the rest of Taylor's line, up through the PS series.

I would say that it is better just to get a 300 series. like a 314ce. You will find that to be a very versatile guitar, and it will have the neck, finish, and solid wood build that will make it sound better with time.

If you get a 110 sooner or later you will want an upgrade.

I suggest that you look here on the sale section. You will find a great deal and honest people, and some pampered used guitars!
__________________
2011 Taylor GS-Koa
2008 Taylor GS8e - Sold

Guitars I miss:

2015 Taylor 320
2004 Taylor 814ce L-7 Cocobolo

2003 Taylor 414ce L-5 Rosewood
2003 Taylor 314ce L-1 Koa

2001 Taylor 410 LOTF Koa
1998 Taylor 310


Pictures of Guitars!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-14-2004, 01:32 PM
squintbro squintbro is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 805
Default

Short answer, yes.
__________________
Sometimes I'm sad and I'm lying in my bed
And I look over out of the window
And I see the sad faces
The miserable faces of the lonely people walking by
Thousands, millions, lonely people
And I realize I should move


Corky and the Juice Pigs
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-14-2004, 03:09 PM
Danno Danno is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 1,739
Default

Hey DJW
I'll chime in on this one. I think Masmith gave you good advice on going for the 314. I am unimpressed with both 100 and 200 series...but a s the saying goes, you get what ya pay for. Go for the 314...if you cant swing the price, buy a nice used one. If you dont like the idea of buying used, buy a new 200 series from Buffalo Brothers and use the 100% upgrade deal they have when you have enough money to get something nicer. It's a win win!

Good luck!

Danno
__________________
Enjoy the journey
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-14-2004, 03:36 PM
Rod Rod is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Alabama
Posts: 47
Default

I own both a 214 and a 314. From the front, they're hard to tell apart other than the gloss front of the 314. I have played both back to back, with my wife listening from the next room. She's been unable to tell a difference in the two. I've been more than satisfied with the 214, so much so that I'm planning to sell/trade the 314 at some point. BTW...some of the new 200s have NT necks. The new 210's I have seen all have the NT.
__________________
Rod
Perhaps today... (Rev 1:7)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-14-2004, 06:56 PM
DJW DJW is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
Default Got to play some today.

Hi Guys:
Thanks for the replies. What is an NT neck?

I just got back from Buffalo Bros. They have lots of Taylors (I almost forgot they were there!). (It's weird how many good acoustic places are here in this area - Taylor Guitars, Deering Banjos, Carvin, Buffalo Bros, and more).

Anyway, I actually played a bunch of guitars. After playing the really expensive ones, I grabbed a 110E. That thing sounded almost as good as the expensive ones. It seemed to to tune well (good intonation). Plus, we're talking between 1/2 or 1/3 the price! Money is an issue for sure (I can afford them - although my wife will have a fit!). I almost walked out the door with the 110E.

I even got to plug in both the 110 and the 314CE. I gotta tell ya, I'm not sure if I don't like the old Blender deal a little better. It seems a little more versatile.

The only thing that I'm a little worried about is that the intonation was not quite as good as on the other models (maybe just the model that I grabbed). But that's why I want to know if there is any construction differences (like that neck deal). Again, my main thing is that I want a guitar the tunes well for all the chords (even when capo'd) and will stay that way. My electrics have the nice little adjustable bridge. Acoustics don't.

Again, I'm a pretty good guitar player but not very tech-ey when it comes to the little construction details and such.
Thanks again,
Dave
I like the warranty idea. I know that you don't talk pricing here but Buffalo seemed pretty fair on the pricing.
__________________
Taylor - Looking!
'73 Gibson Hummingbird
Guild 212-XL
Ovations
Strat
Regal RD75 Square-Neck Dobro
Telecaster Deluxe
Natural Ash Telecaster
Les Paul Studio
Gretch
Danelctro Barritone
Danelctro Double 6/12
Ibanez Bass
Roland VG-88
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
Carvin 15" Bass Amp
Home Studio w/Lots of stuff
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-14-2004, 09:39 PM
cpmusic's Avatar
cpmusic cpmusic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain
Posts: 10,967
Default

Taylors are all cut by computer controlled machines to very close tolerances, so intonation should be good throughout the line. Occasionally you'll find one that's less than optimal, but usually that can be fixed with a proper setup.

My only real beef with the 100/200 series is that the necks feel a little rough compared to the 300+ series, due to open (unfilled) grain. Otherwise, they seem like good values to me. However, they're not the only good choices in that price range. Also look at Larrivee's D-03 and L03, Tacoma's DM9 and EM9, and Martin's DM and 000M.
__________________
Chris
We all do better when we all do better.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-14-2004, 09:45 PM
tayloralf tayloralf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 678
Default

I have a 214E with fishman blender, and everytime I have played it in church (both unplugged and plugged in), I have received comments on how "clean" and "pure" it sounds. I also have an 814CE, and while the 814 sounds warmer and fuller, whenever I've played them back to back I have felt that the 214 definitely holds its own. It is a great all purpose, all around acoustic guitar. Superb value for the $, IMO
__________________
2004 214-E-L1 (sold)
2002 814CE (gone in the "Blockbuster 3-Way Trade")
2006 615CE (Blue...beautiful Gone)
2006 T5-S Tobacco burst (40th birthday present from my wife! :-)
2008 516CE (KEEPER!)
2002 NS-7
Ibanez Concord 670 (my first guitar!)
Tanglewood TSF-CE (Red)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-14-2004, 10:07 PM
Gaz Gaz is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,209
Default

for the 214, yes for it's price.. it's like a normal series (300s onward) taylor but simpler appoinments...

for the 110, unfortunately, i wouldn't recommend it... i would think it doesn't give good value for the tone you are getting for the price paid, but that's my opinion...
__________________
Gary
2003 Taylor 314ce-L1 Koa
2005 Paragon Euro Spruce/Ziricote Grand OM
2008 Paragon Redwood/Koa MJ
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-14-2004, 10:31 PM
cotten's Avatar
cotten cotten is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Middle Georgia
Posts: 27,040
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpmusic
Taylors are all cut by computer controlled machines to very close tolerances, so intonation should be good throughout the line....
I agree with what Chris said, both this and the rest of it about other interesting guitars in that price range.

But to answer your question more directly, yes, the 110, 214/210 models are excellent guitars for the money, and I would be very surprised if you had intonation problems with any of them, even if you're fairly picky.

And, yes, generally speaking, Buffalo Bros. prices are good.

When you get a chance, how 'bout telling us more about how you use your guitar/Roland combination - sounds interesting.

Glad you've joined us, DJW! Hope to see you around here a lot.

cotten
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-14-2004, 11:32 PM
DJW DJW is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
Default

Hi:
Again thanks for the good input.

Regarding the Roland stuff . . .
I use the special pickup (GK2A) which is technically a seperate pickup for each string. (I have one on one of my strats. Withthe Strat, I play the Roland VG-88 which very accurately emulates all sorts of guitars, opickups and amp set-ups. I mean it is really accurate! I can do a Rickenbacker 12 string that sounds EXACTLY like a Rickenbacker 12 String).

For my acoustic, I have a Super JV1080. I have lots of different sound cards in it, Orchestral II, Vocal, Country, World). With the Orchestral II, there is just about any Orchestral instrument there is on there (samples which can be triggered by the pickup). We're talking Violins of every type, Oboes, harps, you name it. The pickup is very quick. But what I really enjoy is putting on some strings while picking or strumming.

For instance, I do "Elonor Rigby" on that thing. I play the guitar but have the pickup set to drive a Quartet. I also have a sustain foot pedal. When you do the breakdown that starts with the E minor 7th, you hold down the sustain and the strings stay (while you can keep strumming your Em7), then you hit the 6th and hold the sustain again, and so on. Sounds like you've got the quartet behind you. I use is for a lot of songs (like the Beatles Something).

That's why I thought of getting the lower-end Taylor. I wouldnt' want to install the Roland pickup on a $3,000 Dollar Taylor!
Thanks,
Dave
__________________
Taylor - Looking!
'73 Gibson Hummingbird
Guild 212-XL
Ovations
Strat
Regal RD75 Square-Neck Dobro
Telecaster Deluxe
Natural Ash Telecaster
Les Paul Studio
Gretch
Danelctro Barritone
Danelctro Double 6/12
Ibanez Bass
Roland VG-88
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
Carvin 15" Bass Amp
Home Studio w/Lots of stuff
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 08-14-2004, 11:51 PM
DJW DJW is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
Default

Sounds like I need to check out the 214E then. I really prefer the 14 body. It feels a little better and I didn't notice any real degredation in sound.

Maybe it's because I've been playing my Electrics more lately (Strat, Tele and Les Paul) but I actually felt like the 110's neck was faster. I thought it was smaller and ideed it is (again, I'm new to Taylor's so I'm just learing all this stuff). The top is basically the Sitca Spuce (as many of the rest of them) but the body and back are ply (I think).

I think I got numb from switching between all the different models but I felt like the 110 had slightly lighter strings than the 314CE (may have just been me). I felt like a got a bit more buzz from the 110E.

Believe me, I tried raw finger picking, finger picks, Flat Picking, I even brought a capo to do both James Taylor stuff and old Beatles Capo'd stuff. I ran the gambit!

I'd have to say that my all around favorite was a 514CE Anniversary but . . . I can't say that I noticed a $2,000 difference!

I've been playing guitar for a good 36 years or so and used to play as a single Entertainer. And I can't hear or feel huge differences.

Now when it comes to playing unplugged and live . . . I took my Ibanez (I can't remember the model number but I think it ran me $350 bucks or so) and my Hummingbird to Mexico and we were playing some sit around the living room music. What I noticed is that the Ibanez had no power to it. My Hummingbird simply blew it (the whatever the other guys was playing) totally away. That's when I realized the difference between a nice guitar and a basic one.

Anyway, I need to check out the 214E but they don't even show it on their Web Site.

Eventhough I can afford it, I am basically a cheap SOB and I think I'm into quantity as opposed to quality? I can buy both the 110E (install my pickup) and get a 214E for the price of one of the others!

Anyway, still a little confused but working my way there!
Thanks again for reading and commenting. It helps!
__________________
Taylor - Looking!
'73 Gibson Hummingbird
Guild 212-XL
Ovations
Strat
Regal RD75 Square-Neck Dobro
Telecaster Deluxe
Natural Ash Telecaster
Les Paul Studio
Gretch
Danelctro Barritone
Danelctro Double 6/12
Ibanez Bass
Roland VG-88
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
Carvin 15" Bass Amp
Home Studio w/Lots of stuff
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 08-15-2004, 12:06 AM
DJW DJW is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
Default

One more quick note regarding the Roland set-up. (this really should be on the other forum but since Cotten asked me about it . . .)
If some of your remember Joni Mitchell, there was an article of how she got back into performing because of the VG-88. You see, with the VG-88 does all sorts of different tunings. You can set it up for whatever - and you don't actually have to change the tuning on your guitar. This wouldn't work quite right with the acoustic set up but works great for Electric as you can't really hear the normal string sounds. You can dial up an acoustic guitar, then choose the body shape, then choose pickup or miked, then choose effects or whatever.

As many of you know, Joni did all sorts of weird tunings. She used to have to bring an arsenol of guitars with her all tuned differently. Now, she plays one guitar and hits the footswitch. It really does work well! I love that thing!
Dave
__________________
Taylor - Looking!
'73 Gibson Hummingbird
Guild 212-XL
Ovations
Strat
Regal RD75 Square-Neck Dobro
Telecaster Deluxe
Natural Ash Telecaster
Les Paul Studio
Gretch
Danelctro Barritone
Danelctro Double 6/12
Ibanez Bass
Roland VG-88
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
Carvin 15" Bass Amp
Home Studio w/Lots of stuff
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 08-28-2004, 11:14 PM
110fan 110fan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Waynesbor Virginia
Posts: 8
Default

I disagree. I do highly recommend a 110. Great guitar for excellent price. I would recomend that you try several as I did when I bought mine. One sounded better than other two. I would likely go up in style number to buy another Taylor but would probably skip the 300 series and go to the 400s. (Maybe a 414ce) I have found that as with most guitar companies, a cheaper line doesn't necessarily mean a cheaper sounding guitar.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=