Why is Taylor staining the new 614's????

[vindibona1]

I remember seeing my buddy's beautiful 2008 614ce. His had a gorgeous three piece back and the flaming on the sides of his guitar was simple the art of nature. I couldn't believe how gorgeous a guitar could be, so much so that I got gas for a 614 myself and when the opportunity arose I jumped on it. I confess that the flaming on mine is not as nice as his, but still pretty darn nice. The flaming and the natural maple (at least to me) was as much a draw to the guitar as was the sound.

And so I've recently had the opportunity to play one of the new re-voiced 614's and I'll tell ya, if you're considering an 814, play the 614 first before deciding. The new re-voiced 614's is one of the sweetest sounding guitars I've ever played. Just a great all-around guitar.

BUT WHY THE HECK DID THEY STAIN THE SIDES AND BACK????? Staining that beautiful maple is akin to paving paradise and putting up parking lot (to coin a phrase). Does anyone know why Taylor chose to do this??? I have my thoughts, but does anyone KNOW???

One last thing... How do they continue to call these by the same model names??? My buddy's 614 with three piece back, original ES pickups, finger-interlaced head joint resembles little of my 614 with a two piece back, a scarf joint and ES1 system. What's similar?- Top, bridge, nut and tuners... That's it! And now with forward shifted bracing, torrified top, stained back and sides and ES2, again similar, but not really the same guitar.

Inquiring minds just want to know.

[RP]

Andy Powers said, in so many words, in a past issue of Wood & Steel that the reason for the stain was to give people a chance to play a maple guitar before realizing that it was in fact maple. Changes in the bracing, thinner finish and use of protein glues/torrefied tops are said to give the newer 614s a different tone than previous ones, and he felt that biases against maple would stop players from trying out these new models....

[George Henry]

With traditional tonewoods becoming so hard to get, people need to open their minds and ears to alternative tonewoods possibilities.

[AHill]

I suppose you could make a similar argument about any of the revoiced Taylor models. Taylor's model number system is all about the tonewoods used and size. Since the size and tonewoods didn't change, there was no need to change the model number.

[Wayben]

I'm not fan of the stained maple either. I have a 1994 612c and the natural maple is beautiful. It is a shame to cover that up.

[The Growler]

I love the brown sugar stain on the maple 600 series. I think it looks great and they sound amazing too.

To each his own.

[ChalkLitIScream]

I remember Bob snd Andy commenting on the fact that people don't usually get "blonde guitars" . Sp they're tryna make them look rosewoody

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by RP

.....the reason for the stain was to give people a chance to play a maple guitar before realizing that it was in fact maple.....

^^ This is the answer. It is a way to introduce and promote alternate body woods (maple) and the 614's are re-voiced to not sound quite so traditionally "maple-ish". Many / most people buy with their eyes first, and are used to dark brown guitar bodies.

Originally Posted by vindibona1

.... How do they continue to call these by the same model names??? .......

For much the same reason that a 2017 Ford Mustang is still a Mustang, even though it is a radically different vehicle than the '67, '77, '87, '97, and '07 versions.

[Wade Hampton]

I just find it kind of comical that maple is referred to, with a completely straight face, as an "alternative" tonewood. Maple is the single MOST common tonewood used for backs and sides in most stringed instrument families.

Admittedly, with flattop guitars it hasn't been as popular as rosewood and mahogany over the last 50-75 years. But maple has never gone away, and never will.


whm

[RP]

I think Wade touched on the other part of Taylor's plan for maple...

With exotic woods at risk from forest depletion, maple is important to music's future. Maple grows in well managed North American forests where the infrastructure exists to sustain its supply. Taylor is committed to making it a tonewood staple and building maple guitars that players love...

[leew3]

Originally Posted by Wayben

I'm not fan of the stained maple either. I have a 1994 612c and the natural maple is beautiful. It is a shame to cover that up.

I have a 2006 GS6 that is likewise just beautiful. My guess is that if the new Taylors were using this same high quality maple they wouldn't be staining them.

[SprintBob]

I'm in the camp that I like the staining and being a honey brown, I don't think it hides the beauty of the wood. There's no right or wrong here, it's a personal preference and if you like the blonde look, you could order a 614 with the light finish through their custom program. I'm sure Taylor did a lot of research to determine which finish would sell better and they do need to make money.

[HHP]

I think one of the best finishes I have seen on a musical instrument is one used by Weber Mandolins. They call it Black Ice.

[RP]

Originally Posted by leew3

I have a 2006 GS6 that is likewise just beautiful. My guess is that if the new Taylors were using this same high quality maple they wouldn't be staining them.

As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whether one has a preference for blonde maple or Taylor's newer brown sugar maple, I really don't think that this is a matter of using stain to cover inferior wood....

[Swamp Yankee]

considering the extensive use of figured maple in stringed instruments over the centuries, I'd say it's the blonde maple finish that breaks with tradition, not the stained maple.

I've got no problem with either, but a good stain can often accentuate the figure.... as long as it's not too opaque.