Bad NGD - Taylor 614ce - Page 3

Bad Poppa · #31 03-11-2015, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasworker

I dont think I could buy a $3,000 factory made guitar sight unseen. Wrong case and peeling pick gaurd is a little unnerving. Bearclaw tops are not unusual but if I were dropping that kind of dough I would want to at least like the appearance to.
Did MF have these on sale? Your location says Nashville. Probably some decent guitars stores in the area?

I agree. For $300, I can gamble. For $3000, I want it in my hands for a visual and audible "inspection".

ukejon · #32 03-11-2015, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Want 'perfect'? Don't buy anything made from wood. I don't understand how a piece of naturally-occurring material can be described as ugly-unless it's a Kardashian

Rather risky to presume that the Kardashian's are entirely made of "naturally occuring materials", don't you think?

If you don't like the look of this Taylor, find a plain one. Bear claw is a funny thing...folks tend to either really like or really dislike. But Glenn's advice to take the guitar's tone into account is wise. If this thing is magical to your ears, you may want to learn to love bear claw.

Jim · #33 03-11-2015, 05:33 AM

It is way ugly and I do not know why Taylor and some other companies insist on using wood with such blaring visual defects other than they want to maximize their profits by using every scrap of wood. It is especially disturbing that they would use this kind of wood on a higher end guitar rather than a 100 or 200 series one.

If that happened to me I would return it without a second thought and insist for one with a visually and tonally perfect top. I would also place a good deal of the blame on MF for having sent that to you without first checking with you since they would have seen the problem before they shipped it.

mcbean · #34 03-11-2015, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoopeda

2) A huge part of Taylor's image, mission, and marketing is Sustainability. They intentionally use streaked ebony on their fingerboards, for example, because it's otherwise thrown away as waste. (It also happens to be a lot cheaper, but many people also feel it really looks cool.) By using wood that would typically be discarded for its visual appearance (yet still passes inspection for having a great potential sound), Taylor is both keeping the cost of their instruments down and decreasing the amount of waste produced by the industry. Even if they can save an extra 10% of their tops from the firewood pile, at 100,000 guitars a year, that's 10,000 tops that don't get wasted.

Go on sound, and take some psychedelics and stare at those smears for a while. You'll emerge with a soul mate, no doubt.

The interesting thing about Taylor is that they don't seem to have adjusted their prices in accordance with the increased use of some less expensive wood. But, maybe I'm just ignorant and prices have increased on streaked ebony at a matching rate to the rest of the wood world.

smerdyakov · #35 03-11-2015, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitarsan

Not possible to go somewhere else. Only Guitar Center/MusiciansFriend (same company) is selling the 614ce-First Edition in the U.S.

This isn't true. One of the local shops in Seattle, Dusty Strings, has one in stock and it appears Sweetwater has them in stock with pictures of specific available guitars as well. Or am I missing the joke?

ifret · #36 03-11-2015, 06:18 AM

I would love a top with bearclaw like that. But it's a personal thing. If you don't like it, send it back and get a plain Jane top. There's plenty of customers out there that would take this one. Wood is wood, I like it when it has true character. Maybe get pictures before they send you another. Don't worry, this will work out for you.

fazool · #37 03-11-2015, 06:21 AM

That's a gorgeous top! You got lucky to get such a nicely bearclawed one. That's a premium wood piece, for sure.

mattcran · #38 03-11-2015, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smerdyakov

This isn't true. One of the local shops in Seattle, Dusty Strings, has one in stock and it appears Sweetwater has them in stock with pictures of specific available guitars as well. Or am I missing the joke?

Everything that has been discussed on other threads and appears to be true is that Guitar center / Musicians friend had exclusive on the 614ce first edition. Other dealers have 616ce and 618e first editions.

PTC Bernie · #39 03-11-2015, 06:45 AM

I hate the way this is going to sound, but this is a perfect example of why I've never bought a guitar that I haven't had a chance to see and play first.

Sorry for your problems.

And I'm with you, no bear claw for me. You never saw it used until good wood started becoming harder to get. I've never seen a vintage ad for a "1955 Gibson J200, Gorgeous Bear Claw!".

I'm just sayin'..............

OddManOut · #40 03-11-2015, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I'm sorry you're not happy with the top Taylor chose for that guitar. From my viewpoint, I would make the judgment based on how it sounds. Some people don't like bear claw in a top -- my wife doesn't, for example -- but I think it looks kind of cool, assuming that it also sounds really good. I hope this all works out to your satisfaction.

- Glenn

Agreed...to me it is about the sound. Having said that, you have to decide what is important to you. If you require a clean top, then this one isn't for you.

Personally, I really dig bearclaw and I like tops which show some grain character. I have learned there is no correlation between grain character (or lack thereof) and the tonal quality of the guitar (assuming tops are well quartered, etc..).

warbles · #41 03-11-2015, 06:58 AM

I'm not a big bear claw fan, but, I'm finding that, in moderation, it lends some uniqueness. Do you really want a guitar that looks like everyone else's and has little distinction? It's a nice break from the homogeneous.

My 2¢.

ahorsewithnonam · #42 03-11-2015, 06:58 AM

I love bear claw. Why look like every other plane Jane 614CE..

I wouldn't care if it had a root sticking out of it if it sounded amazing.

guitararmy · #43 03-11-2015, 07:06 AM

I like the figuring. But how does it sound?

skitoolong · #44 03-11-2015, 07:53 AM

Looks very nice, distinctive. I'd be more concerned about how it sounds, but to each their own.

BlakeGiants · #45 03-11-2015, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim

It is way ugly and I do not know why Taylor and some other companies insist on using wood with such blaring visual defects other than they want to maximize their profits by using every scrap of wood. It is especially disturbing that they would use this kind of wood on a higher end guitar rather than a 100 or 200 series one.

If that happened to me I would return it without a second thought and insist for one with a visually and tonally perfect top. I would also place a good deal of the blame on MF for having sent that to you without first checking with you since they would have seen the problem before they shipped it.

BECAUSE WE (the planet) ARE RUNNING OUT OF WOOD. Stop it with the profits nonsense already...