NGD: Taylor X 4: Way overdue

[jimidrake]

Okay, I'm very late on this as I had to get a chance to take some photos.
First up is a guitar that made me buy it back in early February. 2013 416ce-Spring LTD. The wood combination and little finishing touches sold me on her. The Granadillo is gorgeous, everywhere it's used and a beautiful Sitka top with streaking across the face with an incredible voice.The Maple binding, Rosette and progressive fingerboard dots giver her a very high end appearance. Lowest lows and highest highs jump out of it with crystal clarity and so very responsive. pics:






Second was a purchase made in early April to keep me from bringing the 416ce with me on a trip and I couldn't be happier with my 2013 GS mini Hogtop. I can't get enough of this guitar. I removed the pickguard and replaced the tuners with Grover Mini-Rotomatics in gold and added Ebony buttons as well as Martin Ebony bridge pins. Pic:


Well, I came back from Florida and wanted a 12 String so I hunted down a 2003 455-RCE in the end middle of May. This guitar is one of the best 12 stringers I have ever played and I've played most of the Guilds ands Taylors as well as a Martin or 2 and some Yamahas. The voice is deep and wide with the prototypical shimmer of a 12er. Best neck I've ever felt on a 12 string. I have to repair the electronics or send it to Taylor for the ES upgrade, but it is played mostly unplugged for now. Pics:



Last up, I wanted a Dreadnought to tonally contrast with my Yamaha and played a couple of these and really like the Ovangkol tone on the 2008 DN4. So I picked this up in June and tuned it down to Open D and DADGAD and it just blew me away. Too bad I have to sell it due to a back injury making it painful to play because it is a BEAST. Pics:



Okay, so I've tried to make up for the egregious offense of not posting my guitar porn earlier, so I hope I'm forgiven. I went from 17 guitars in 1994 to 1 in 1996 to 2 in 2010 to 5 and soon back down to 3. What a ride!

[Jukie]

I see why you haven't posted a NGD earlier. You were too busy buying guitars.

[The Growler]

Nice collection! Happy NGDx4!

[Greg Rappleye]

Whoa! Beautiful Taylors!

Congratulations!



Greg Rappleye

[Beat Up G]

That 455 is so sweet, coming from a non-fan of cutaways...mmm.

As far as the DN4 being a BEAST, well you ain't lyin' my friend.

[44Runner]

Awesome Jimi. It's so cool to see pictures of another granadillo 416 because mine is the only one I have seen minus Taylor's promo pics. Clearly you took better pics than I did. I need to step up my photography game.

It's also great that we both have Taylor 400 series 12 strings with rosewood B&S. There is nothing like the sound of a rosewood Taylor 12. The sound is magical and the playability is incredible. We are two very lucky dudes.

Congrats on all the new toys. Enjoy them!

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Jukie

I see why you haven't posted a NGD earlier. You were too busy buying guitars.

lol!

Jim, I don't think we ever had a NGDx4 thread before. I'm envious . So you bought all 4 in the past few months?

Oh ... Congrats!!! That LTD looks great.

[jimidrake]

Thanks, I got GAS and had an agenda of what I wanted. I'm a little sad to let the DN4 go but it will not get played much if at all, so........ Thanks, I think this is one of the prettiest 400 series LTDs ever.

[44Runner]

Originally Posted by jimidrake

Thanks, I got GAS and had an agenda of what I wanted. I'm a little sad to let the DN4 go but it will not get played much if at all, so........ Thanks, I think this is one of the prettiest 400 series LTDs ever.

That really stinks to let a beauty like that DN4 go but I get it. Just never let the 416 and the 455 go. I don't have to tell you that both are incredible and extremely difficult to come by. I was just playing my 416 this afternoon after having not touched it for almost a week while on shift and it took my breath away all over again.

The wavy grain on the headstock overlay on your 416 is downright mesmerizing. I love it.