810CE L1 is here!

NJMurvin · #1 12-01-2003, 05:31 PM

It landed today. I have it sitting 4ft from me in its shipping box - driving me crazy. I can't wait to get home and open her up, but then again, maybe I should wait until Xmas (yeah, right). I'd open it now, but then the office folks would want a demo and I'm not up to that (maybe at the Xmas party after a couple of cold ones).

Thanks to Jason at Holloway's for a killer deal and getting this thing out to me. They did a setup for me to lower the action (I left it to their discretion as to whether or not it needed it based on my preference for low action).

I can't wait to get it out and I'll try to post pics as soon as I can get them taken.

Neil

gti · #2 12-01-2003, 05:38 PM

Congrats!!! Post some pics if you have a chance

tac5 · #3 12-01-2003, 07:09 PM

Outstanding news. It's a great feeling. I had to open the case slowly on my new Taylor so I wouldn't hyperventilate and pass out.

JJBW · #4 12-01-2003, 07:12 PM

CONGRATS!!!!!

Boiler · #5 12-01-2003, 10:23 PM

Congrats, Jason is my guitar pimp as well. I'm sure he had it setup to your liking, strum away...

johnnybrooks · #6 12-02-2003, 12:54 AM

WAY TO GO !!!!!!!!!

Gaz · #7 12-02-2003, 01:10 AM

erm, how do u resist it? amazing, i say... and bordering on being unhealthy

wjpjr · #8 12-02-2003, 01:43 AM

Hey Neal, great to hear you got it !!!!! Pic's Man Pic's !!!!!!!!

wjpjr · #9 12-02-2003, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boiler
Congrats, Jason is my guitar pimp as well. I'm sure he had it setup to your liking, strum away...

LOL .....I'm in the stable also. Jason's a great guy but, his boss is the best !!!

NJMurvin · #10 12-02-2003, 10:46 AM

Well, I got it home and pulled it out of the box. I was surprised to see that Taylor ships this thing without any foam padding or anything, just the case in a box (a little cardboard bracing top and bottom, but mostly just air in there). It seemed to make it from San Diego to North Carolina and back to Los Angeles without any damage, so I suppose they know what they're doing.

Anyway, I gently removed it from the case and inspected the top carefully - flawless. I noticed that the action was set very close, just like I like it.

Then I turned it over. The Brazilian grain is beautiful - stained quite dark. Here's where a little disappointment crept into the picture. On the left upper bout of the body, there is a dark line about the width of a pencil eraser that runs about six inches diagonally across the grain toward the center of the guitar. It actually crosses the seam of the two-piece back for about another 3/4 inch and stops. At first I thought it must just be some imperfection in the wood (wormhole or something). But, I realized that the back pieces are bookmarked (I could tell by a couple of small knots at the bottom), so the line shouldn't have crossed the center like it did. I would have expected it to be mirrored on the other side instead. From the way it looks, something happened after the back was put together and the clear coat was applied right over it.

I'm debating with myself as to whether to make an issue about it and try to get Taylor to fix it. I may be too anal about these things, but if it turns out to be some worker that got sloppy with the stain, I'll be pissed that Taylor's QC let it get through. I think I'll try to capture it on my digital camera and get opinions from folks here. I'm sure Taylor is pretty busy with the holidays coming up, so I won't even try to do anything until after the 1st of the year.

The sound is incredible - but then again, I'm not in a store where I can A/B it with others, just my old Ovation (no contest). It was pretty close to concert pitch out of the case, but with a little fine tuning, I had it singing. It is much brighter than I expected for a dread, but doesn't lack punch either. I think it's got a nicely balanced sound (for which Taylors are famous). The action is perfect. I have just a hint of fret buzz on the A-string from the 2nd through 5th frets but only if I hit it pretty hard. I'll wait until the neck settles and see if anything can be done about that.

I don't have XLR inputs on my old Peavey KB300 amp, so I had to use a regular guitar cord. It sounds great - very acoustic. I get a faint hum (sounds kinda like a breeze blowing very quietly) but it is so low, that it doesn't concern me. If I were recording, I might be more concerned. I can't wait to try on an XLR equipped amp. I'm starting to save my pennies for that Bose system.

The strings on it are heavier than I'm used to. But, I think the action is low enough that I'll stick with them. Does anyone know what they are (gauge, nano, poly)? The docs shipped with the guitar are bit lacking - absolutely no instructions regarding the ES system, battery, etc.

wjpjr · #11 12-02-2003, 11:02 AM

Should be med's nano Neal.........Pic's man post some pic's

NJMurvin · #12 12-02-2003, 11:08 AM

Yes, Bill . . . I got the message

Pics are coming - but probably not until the weekend when I can get some natural outside lighting.

Neil

wjpjr · #13 12-14-2003, 06:59 AM

Well, I guess Neal has a new love.... Still no pic's

meridian · #14 12-14-2003, 07:19 AM

Congrats!!!

Really looking forward to the pics! Especially that "flaw" so we can tell you whether or not to send it back for a refinish (NEXT year!).

Jeepster2 · #15 12-14-2003, 08:48 AM

I wasn't going to say anything... but....

My 810-L1 also has some finish "problems" on the back. There is a large area on the upper portion, perhaps 25% of the back, were the finish is cloudier than the rest of the back and you can see what appear to be sanding scratches below the surface of the finish. I tried to polish these out to see if they were in fact below the finish and they appear to be.

It's almost as if the first coat (if they do more than one) didn't adhear or sink into the wood. Perhaps this is a characteristic of Brazilian?