615 owners and/or fans

Loud Librarian · #1 06-29-2011, 02:24 PM

Hola,

I'm thinking of a Taylor jumbo, can any of you that have played/owned/liked a 615ce lend me your thoughts?

I'll also consider an 815 but there's nowhere around here to play one that isn't a 3 hour drive or more.

I'm a fan of the jumbo body size - I have two 12 string Taylor jumbos that I play all the time. The size is not an issue for me and I like the big but balanced tone. Also, I play plugged in a lot, even at home with low volumes.

Thanks!!

sludgefactory · #2 06-29-2011, 02:39 PM

My 615ce is my favorite guitar. I have owned so many Taylors of various wood configurations but my 615 is one I will never let go. Not everyone likes maple but when you do it's a serious love affair.

Since you play plugged in a lot you will really appreciate the excellent amplifications qualities of maple. It is considered by many almost fool-proof when playing live and that have been my experience.

Loud Librarian · #3 06-29-2011, 03:50 PM

Sweet, thanks SF.

olrocker · #4 06-29-2011, 05:56 PM

Jeez, I didn't realize they still made the 615. What a great guitar! If you want to try one out, cuz there are none near, give Jim @ Guitar Rodeo a call. He'll give you full price trade-in on a guitar upgrade of $100 or more. Maybe start with the 615 and, if you need trade for an 815? There may be other trusted AGF vendors who can accomodate the 21st century way that we buy unplayed guitars?

Loud Librarian · #5 06-29-2011, 06:07 PM

olrocker, I should have put 615ce in the title, that's the one I need as I want the pickup. I have bought from Jim many times, he's great. But...I agree about the buying guitars w/o playing them first, there's some risk involved. However, I did play a 615ce locally a few weeks ago. It would be nice to play one back to back with an 815ce...but no place close by has the 815 at the moment.

cpmusic · #6 06-29-2011, 07:46 PM

My 615 was my first Taylor, made and bought back when Taylor was still an up-and-comer. I still have it and won't let it go.

Jehovah's Blues · #7 06-30-2011, 04:10 AM

Played a 615ce yesterday in a stunning sunburst. It sure is a bold tone, though I do prefer the GS8e to it. The GS has a little better bass projection and it takes better to single note runs and soloing. The 615ce was a close second however, and I'm not bashing it. Just think the GS is the bees-knees at the moment, as it has knocked the Martin HD28 off the throne of desired guitars.

Haven't got to play the 815ce though, and that might have quite the added bass, maybe too much for my blood.

GTomcan · #8 07-05-2011, 07:19 PM

Im a big fan, I love the maple Taylors , They sound great! Love my 2004 615ce L7 I sold it for a year and bought it back. I've had many Maple Taylor and have to say Taylor does maple right!
The large body of the jumbo will give you the wanted deep bass .
The maple is bluesy in sound with less after ring of like rosewood counter parts, a very fundulmental in sound,, quick to play beacuse of the quick decay, But I am taken by it's resonances. it actaully does.
You can jam on maple with out waiting for all the eco and long resonances happinging,
I can't.. not include a Maple in My Taylor collection and The 615ce does it for me.
I think maple is a wouderful tone wood and is very under rated.
think the underrating come from its a common wood found in th USA, that may be abundent.

The flamed maple or curly/fiddle back cuts will produce a more bright and crisp tone vs the quilted cuts being warmer in toneand slightly muted.

You must have a Maple Taylor in your collection you will dig it's down to earth sound. Here's 2 pictures of the back of the 04 Fall Ltd L7.
http://www.acousticgallery.com/photo...ll&ppuser=2443

http://www.acousticgallery.com/photo...ll&ppuser=2443

skyhooks75 · #9 07-06-2011, 06:34 AM

I have both a 615 and and a 816. I love them bothm but always go to the 615 first!

martin82 · #10 07-06-2011, 09:36 AM

I had a 615 (no e or c) and foolishly sold it to a fellow agf member. Wish I could undo that one.

It was a beautiful sounding and looking one.

IPlay2 · #11 07-06-2011, 04:07 PM

Not a 615, but I played a 616ce at GC the other day that blew me away. I was in the store to compare a 914ce and an 814ce, and they had a 616ce that was the best sounding guitar in the whole store. I couldn't believe it. I have never wanted maple...till she sang me such a sweet song!

larstusor · #12 07-06-2011, 09:20 PM

I've got a 1987 vintage 815 I would consider selling just to thin the herd and because I'm playing smaller guitars more often. She is in almost new condition with three piece rosewood back, rosewood sides and sitka top. This one has Schaller gold tuners with real ebony buttons that have snowflake inlays to match the inlays on the ebony fingerboard. Original hardcase in excellent shape with only a few scratches. This is a magnificent axe. If you are interested, I'll take some pics on a day with good weather and lighting. The guitar has not been played much and deserves to be in the hands of someone that will appreciate one of the early models. The neck and action are outstanding and it sounds terrific. This guitar was built right around the time of Taylor"s moved from Lemon Grove to Santee (from the serial number I believe it was built in Lemon Grove but labeled and shipped from Santee) and has NO ELECTRONICS, though you could have a quality pickup installed by any competent luthier.

I'm not excited about parting with this guitar but I seem to have acquired a large enough number of fine guitars so that at least one or two don't get much playing time and I'm getting to the age where I'd rather just sit on the couch or bed with a small body on my lap, and that's not jumbo territory.

semolinapilcher · #13 07-07-2011, 09:55 PM

I love my 415. Big, well-focused sound. Obviously you already know about Taylor jumbos but I did want to jump in and say that.

Loud Librarian · #14 07-10-2011, 05:18 PM

Thanks everybody for the feedback. I was out on a vacation but did read all your thoughts. I'm still deciding on which Taylor 6 string to go with...

Hank T. Tone · #15 07-23-2011, 10:13 PM

I have a special limited edition Taylor 615ce lefty with a fleur-de-lis in mother of pearl on the headstock. It was made right after Katrina, and Bob Taylor gave part of the profit on this line of guitars to the Tipitina's foundation to help struggling New Orleans musicians.

It is built like a tank, but surprisingly light-weight and sounds fantastic. The sounds of all strings are crisp and balanced. It has an unmistakably maple voice with good mids and deep lows to complement the clear highs. "Tinny" is not the word I would use to describe its voice. "Articulate" would be a better word. It has great jingle-jangle.

The guitar projects extremely well. It's not for nothing they call it "the cannon". Strumming it gives you a wonderful bright spring cushion upon which to lay vocals. While the guitar is obviously built for all kinds of strumming, light to heavy, I also find it great for flat-picking and even finger-picking.

I own 3 Taylors--a 714 and an 812 in addition to the 615--and I love them all. Each has its own attributes and I could not say which is my favorite. For solo gigs when it's just my guitar and me doing ballads, blues and originals, I do love picking up my 615ce. It is definitely a stage guitar with a lot of presence and projection.