Talk my out of a Taylor 811 GT

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Sarhog

Is an 811 not a real guitar?

Of course, it is, but I hoped you'd know what I meant. A Taylor 812ce, especially a 12-fret version, although larger than a Taylor 811 is IMHO (I've owned one) almost a travel-size guitar. Then again, a player can buy whatever they want to get.

[Dave in Olympia]

The only Taylor I have ever heard or played that did a thing for me was a Leo Kottke 12-string. No idea of the model number. It was back in the late 90's. That thing rumbled and growled, but I was poor. Every other Taylor I have experienced lacked any personality. Don't buy the Taylor.

Did that help?

[Nick84]

I tried to forget about it. I couldn’t. It looked so pretty in the pictures so I went to see it and A/B’d with my AD11.

The guitar was more stunning in the flesh and I preferred the sound to my AD11. More overtones, bass and thicker trebles. Plus it was sold to me at a great price (almost half of the MRSP).

I had to have it so I now have a 811 GT. I may find a new home for my AD11 to recoup half the cost of this 811.

[Nick84]

Pics of the new GT

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151621...res/6Vv8VJ6JF0

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by Nick84

I tried to forget about it. I couldn’t. It looked so pretty in the pictures so I went to see it and A/B’d with my AD11.

The guitar was more stunning in the flesh and I preferred the sound to my AD11. More overtones, bass and thicker trebles. Plus it was sold to me at a great price (almost half of the MRSP).

I had to have it so I now have a 811 GT. I may find a new home for my AD11 to recoup half the cost of this 811.

Despite what has been said, all that matters is you like it and it's worth it to you. Congrats!

[Elvina]

I have one. A joy to play and the sound is up there with my Collings.

[Sarhog]

Originally Posted by Nick84

Pics of the new GT

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151621...res/6Vv8VJ6JF0

Beautiful guitar!

[birdsong]

I need some dramamine but in the meantime congratulations. It does look quite nice.

[srbell]

Beautiful guitar! I wouldn't mind upgrading from my GT Urban Ash to the 811, but for me I can't justify the price, particularly since I already have the 814.

[fingerling]

I just got a NOS Taylor GT 811e on a NOS Taylor closeout sale at LA Guitar Sales. I've been interested in the GT line since the release and probably would have gone for the Urban Ash if not for this sale and the mixed, some good many not, reviews of the Urban Ash, although I think it was berated unfairly and was the nicest of the AD level GTs when they first came out. I wanted the GT as I need a shorter scale length given some dexterity and reach issues with my fretting hand. So I've got a Larrivee T-44 with 22.8 inch scale length and a Larrivee O-40 with 24 inch scale length. I'd had a 1994 Taylor 612c(e) but the 25.5 scale length (reduced in the newer x12s) was too much for me. I was interested in the GTs as they are really the largest guitar you can buy (not custom) with a 24 (and 1/8) inch scale length. I've had a Martin Jr Dread in Sapele and it did not compare in the least to the Larrivee O-40 all mahogany I have now, so sold the Martin. I find the nonsense over this being a GS Mini silly as the body is 15 inches, the same as a GC or x12 Taylor. Only the length at 18.5 inches is a bit shorter. The GT if you get real about it is really between an OO and OOO size, depending on the maker and a lot of people on the Forum play Martin OO or OOO no problem. As for the 811e and the bellyaching about price. Well I get that, but if you look at every maker, the pricing on smaller guitars is about the same as for larger ones. My Larrivee T-44 costs the same as a Larrivee D-44 dread with the same details. So you have to get over that. But the good news is that the Taylor 811e is both beautiful in terms of finish, woods, and sound. I was looking for a spruce/rosewood guitar to round out my set and this is really a vibrant guitar with lush overtones, great bass and treble both and the mids are not so scooped either. I know that folks like to berate Andy Powers as a marketer and bemoan the old good days at Taylor in the 90s. That said, the C-class bracing really does a good job of getting bass out of a smaller guitar while keeping the other sound in balance and crisp. Yes, the GS Mini is loud too, it has a larger sound hole, but alas every GS Mini, including the Koa Plus, has left me disappointed. Perhaps I haven't played a good GS Mini, but I've played a lot of them. And at the end of the day the 811e hits it out of the park in terms of sound, how it fits and feels sitting. And the nut width complaint, that it is too small at 1 23/32 rather than 1 3/4 is pretty much nonsense. My Larrivees are all 1 3/4 and to be honest the 1 23/32 width the short scale is easiest to play. My goodness the Santa Cruz Firefly, generally lauded as the penultimate small guitar is specced with a 1 11/16 and folks pay a lot more for that guitar than the Taylor GT. All in all, I did my research on the Taylor GT and the 811e in particular and watched and heard a bunch of videos. The videos, apart from a few, just don't do it justice. It's a bigger and better sounding guitar that the GT haters really should give a try. I think you'd be really surprised if you're looking at a OO or OOO spruce/rosewood guitar and are not locked onto the Martin sound.

[Nick84]

Originally Posted by fingerling

I just got a NOS Taylor GT 811e on a NOS Taylor closeout sale at LA Guitar Works. I've been interested in the GT line since the release and probably would have gone for the Urban Ash if not for this sale and the mixed, some good many not, reviews of the Urban Ash, although I think it was berated unfairly and was the nicest of the AD level GTs when they first came out. I wanted the GT as I need a shorter scale length given some dexterity and reach issues with my fretting hand. So I've got a Larrivee T-44 with 22.8 inch scale length and a Larrivee O-40 with 24 inch scale length. I'd had a 1994 Taylor 612c(e) but the 25.5 scale length (reduced in the newer x12s) was too much for me. I was interested in the GTs as they are really the largest guitar you can buy (not custom) with a 24 (and 1/8) inch scale length. I've had a Martin Jr Dread in Sapele and it did not compare in the least to the Larrivee O-40 all mahogany I have now, so sold the Martin. I find the nonsense over this being a GS Mini silly as the body is 15 inches, the same as a GC or x12 Taylor. Only the length at 18.5 inches is a bit shorter. The GT if you get real about it is really between an OO and OOO size, depending on the maker and a lot of people on the Forum play Martin OO or OOO no problem. As for the 811e and the bellyaching about price. Well I get that, but if you look at every maker, the pricing on smaller guitars is about the same as for larger ones. My Larrivee T-44 costs the same as a Larrivee D-44 dread with the same details. So you have to get over that. But the good news is that the Taylor 811e is both beautiful in terms of finish, woods, and sound. I was looking for a spruce/rosewood guitar to round out my set and this is really a vibrant guitar with lush overtones, great bass and treble both and the mids are not so scooped either. I know that folks like to berate Andy Powers as a marketer and bemoan the old good days at Taylor in the 90s. That said, the C-class bracing really does a good job of getting bass out of a smaller guitar while keeping the other sound in balance and crisp. Yes, the GS Mini is loud too, it has a larger sound hole, but alas every GS Mini, including the Koa Plus, has left me disappointed. Perhaps I haven't played a good GS Mini, but I've played a lot of them. And at the end of the day the 811e hits it out of the park in terms of sound, how it fits and feels sitting. And the nut width complaint, that it is too small at 1 23/32 rather than 1 3/4 is pretty much nonsense. My Larrivees are all 1 3/4 and to be honest the 1 23/32 width the short scale is easiest to play. My goodness the Santa Cruz Firefly, generally lauded as the penultimate small guitar is specced with a 1 11/16 and folks pay a lot more for that guitar than the Taylor GT. All in all, I did my research on the Taylor GT and the 811e in particular and watched and heard a bunch of videos. The videos, apart from a few, just don't do it justice. It's a bigger and better sounding guitar that the GT haters really should give a try. I think you'd be really surprised if you're looking at a OO or OOO spruce/rosewood guitar and are not locked onto the Martin sound.

I’ve had my 811 a couple of weeks now after I’d mulled it over on this post for some time.

I would tend to agree with you that the fit and finish is fantastic. It’s my best looking guitar for sure. It also has a very nice tone lots of overtones and thick trebles. I’m really happy with my decision to go for it.

I do also like my AD11 - I am still considering moving it on but I do think it offers a different tone to the 811 to also keep it. Either way I think the GT is just a great alround shape and scale length. They are the guitars I can sit and play for hours without issue.

[fingerling]

Yep, a real nice size between an OO and OOO. Some of that same nice size aspect of the GS Mini but more substantial and to my mind balanced. The GS Minis I've tried are loud but thin and to my mind a bit shrill. If I were focused on the "big travel" relatively inexpensive guitar, I think I'd go with one of the Martin Jrs, I had the dread in all sapele and it was easy to play (once set up correctly) and have played some spruce top Jr Dreads and the OOO Jr and they sound better than the Taylor but still nowhere near the GTs, even the urban ash ones and certainly not the Walnut back and sides ones or the fancier ones like the 811e

[cyclistbrian]

Originally Posted by fingerling

Yep, a real nice size between an OO and OOO. Some of that same nice size aspect of the GS Mini but more substantial and to my mind balanced. The GS Minis I've tried are loud but thin and to my mind a bit shrill. If I were focused on the "big travel" relatively inexpensive guitar, I think I'd go with one of the Martin Jrs, I had the dread in all sapele and it was easy to play (once set up correctly) and have played some spruce top Jr Dreads and the OOO Jr and they sound better than the Taylor but still nowhere near the GTs, even the urban ash ones and certainly not the Walnut back and sides ones or the fancier ones like the 811e

I tried an urban ash gt recently and was surprised how much I liked it. It had a warmth to it that was incongruous to its size. I found the neck too cramped for me and I'm usually not that fussy. I could be very happy with it as a travel guitar. If they did one with a full scale neck I'd be happy with one as a number one.

[scotchnspeed]

Originally Posted by fingerling

Yep, a real nice size between an OO and OOO. Some of that same nice size aspect of the GS Mini but more substantial and to my mind balanced.

Specs say 15" lower bout and 4 3/4" deep - which actually make it physically more volume than a Martin OM and the Taylor GC?...strange story Taylor weaves...I think they rely on the oddly short parlor length neck to make it *seem* like a small or travel size guitar (which it seems clearly not among the established world of parlors, O's, etc...). Serves a purpose I suppose with the short length, but I contend it is just strange and have not been convinced by the ones I have played, but glad you found one that works for you!

[Moldstar]

Taylor's various naming/numbering schemas for guitar size, shape and wood type is so confusing to me.