Taylor GS7

[alvinlam]

I've been wondering if anyone in this forum owns a Taylor GS7 - cedar top/rosewood b & s.  If so, can you kinldy provide some insights on this model?

Been thinking about owning a cedar top but alas Larrivee doesn't make one (anyone ever ask him personally?). 

Thanks

[Zohn]

Hi Alv
I personally prefer the Cedar Topped Taylors - especially the 514CE and the GS5 models. The cedar adds warmth and incredible response for the subtle touch when doing finger style work. Many a great artist often use Cedar guitars, like Phil Keaggy, Brian Doerksen, James Taylor, Al Pettaway.
I believe the Baden cedar models are great too for less money.
I  e-mailed Larrivee once asking why they produce cedar for the industry, and yet don't use it themselves. Mathew responded by saying that because it is so soft and damage-prone, it is a nightmare to protect against knocks in a factory environment. Morgan guitars operate from the Larrivee BC facility, and he does guitars in cedar as well.

[ncognito]

Alvin--

Larrivee used to make cedar topped guitars.  I got to try one in a store; it was built in the 80's.  The guitar had some crack repairs that I can't help but wonder might have impaired the top's ability to vibrate because it didn't do much for me.  It would be interesting to hear from anyoine here that owns a cedar top Larrivee.  I owned a Taylor 514ce which was nice, but I sold it and another Taylor to fund the purchase of my Lowden  which is cedar over mahogany which is incredibly responsive to the lightest touch.  I suspect that a minimalest approach with strategic bracing might really enhance soundboard movement with a cedar top, but this is just speculation on my fairly ignorant part.  I did try a Taylor GC-7 which has the same woods as the GS-7.  The sound was too subdued for my taste.  The GS is standard scale with a larger body so I'd guess that its tone would be more to my liking.  I hope you find a GS-7 to test drive.  Keep us up to date if you do.

           DAVE

[alvinlam]

Dave:
Thanks for your input. Well, the Taylor dealer doesn't carry it unless I placed an order with 30% non-refundable deposit. A series of Taylor guitars aren't displayed in their showroom. Essentially folks like me got to order and figure if it'll work out for us.     I thought one should have a piece of each moderl on display for customer to test drive and then place order (isn't that more logical?). 

Oh well 

[ncognito]

Al--

That hyphenated word (non-refundable) scares me.  I recently called a store because I noticed on their website that they had a Martin 000-28 Norman Blake that I was interested in, and couldn't find anywhere locally.  I called the store.  The owner said that he would be willing to send it to me to sample for a three day period.  He'd put total purchase on my credit card, but not put the card "through" until I gave him final approval.  If I decided not to keep it, my only cost would be to insure it and send it back so for around $50 I could have "rented" a nice Martin.  I did not go through with it, even though it was a great offer, firstly because I learned on the phone that the neck probably would have been too chunky for my comfort, and secondly I couldn't afford it to buy a guitar at the time.  It seems like a much better trial deal than what you've been offered.  You might want to see if other Taylor dealers might be more flexible.  In my case, the Norman Blake is a discontinued model, this particular guitar was used and in nice condition so if  the neck profile and funding constraints were not factored into the equation, I would've definately checked it out.

        DAVE

[alvinlam]

Well, that's the ONLY Taylor dealer.   

[ncognito]

I assume, possibly incorrectly, that the scenario I've described above may only apply to certain stores as each have their own specific policies.  Also, with a new instrument many businesses will have a restocking fee if you return your purchase within a specified length of time.  One online store that I checked out today has a restocking fee of 15% of your purchase price which is reasonable considering ethically they can no longer sell it as new, but it's not a term that I'd be willing to accept.  I would rather buy "used' with the terms I mentioned in my previous post, but that's just me.

          DAVE

[lw216316]

Many a great artist often use Cedar guitars, like Phil Keaggy, Brian Doerksen, James Taylor

What cedar guitar top has James Taylor used ?
I know it started out with a Gibson J-50  (that's a spruce top ?)
and
later I know he used Olson - I don't know what model or woods.

Essentially folks like me got to order and figure if it'll work out for us.   blush  I thought one should have a piece of each moderl on display for customer to test drive and then place order (isn't that more logical?).

I experience the same problem -
even though I live in music city usa, home of Gibson guitars, former home of Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, current home of guitarists like Phil Keaggy, Steve Warner etc...etc...
and we have dozens of guitar stores in the area....

I can't find the guitars I'm interested  in on the shelf.
When I ask why....the guys at the shops tell me they stock what sells the fastest and most of.
It's all about turnover and profit.

When I was shopping for a 12 fret, slot head, wide neck fingerstyle guitar ...
I could not find a shop that had one.
One shop owner said she used to have ONE - and it took her a year or two to sell it - so she does not stock them anymore.

One very, very famous guitar shop located close to the old Grand Ole Opry in downtown Nashville told me
they sell more dreadnaught size guitars to tourists than anything else. I suppose it is the image a tourist has of a
country music cowboy strummin' his big ole guitar. Tourists are not interested in finger style guitars like a
12 fret, slot head that cost more.

Chet Atkins , a.k.a. "Mr Guitar" and Jerry Reed (who Chet said was better than him) both lived in this area.
Each year there is a 'Chet Atkins Appreciation concert' held here. Many of the best finger style guitarist in the world attend and play. Hundreds , if not thousands of people attend.

You would think finger style guitars would be stocked in every guitar shop.  Not so.
Its all about money. Dealers, for the most part, sell what they can turnover quickly and make a buck.

There are some exceptions. Some dealers here do have a good inventory of vintage guitars -
but prices are in the $5,000 to $250,000 range -  yes, a 1/4 of a million dollars for an acoustic guitar.

You can search online and find shops with guitars you would like to try -
but you may have to travel hundreds of miles - cheaper to order and pay return shipping cost.
If you have a trip planned - search and see if any shops you will come close to have some guitars of interest to you.
Then you don't have to pay extra just to try one.

On very rare occasions, a guitar I would like to try, shows up in the used inventory of a dealer in the area.
It's a matter of monitoring their website and watching for one.

- Larry


- Larry

[DaveyO]

taylor makes a great guitar no doubt,
Cedar sounds different and very nice, to me,
I played a Cedar top Taylor recently at guitar center it was a concert model I believe.
I notice you have a Do3r, sell  that to me and buy the Taylor
( having a hard time finding one used)
Dave

[alvinlam]

Ha, ha, ha    If you're willing to pay shipping from Singapore plus whatever taxes, sure!

I know how you feel. I searched for quite a while before one pops up from nowhere.  Good things come to those who wait, my friend. :-) 

[ffinke]

I've been wondering if anyone in this forum owns a Taylor GS7 - cedar top/rosewood b & s.  If so, can you kinldy provide some insights on this model?

Been thinking about owning a cedar top but alas Larrivee doesn't make one (anyone ever ask him personally?).  

Thanks

There was a thread on what everyone wanted on the Forum IV guitar (only a month or so after delivery of the F3) and I proposed mahogany/cedar for the reasons you're citing. I was shot down (too fragile, subject to cracking, dings too easily...). I understand that Jean wil NOT build a cedar top because of bad experiences and service problems. Maybe eventually Larrivee will offer an aluminum top like Martin. In the meantime I'll just keep drooling over the really good classical guitars.


f

[lw216316]

I proposed mahogany/cedar for the reasons you're citing. I was shot down (too fragile, subject to cracking, dings too easily...).

I don't understand this. 
There are a ka-zillion cedar top classical guitars in the world.
My 25 year old Takamine cedar top has no serious dings and no cracks.

Are people using steel string cedar tops to drive nails ?

I'm sure tourning artists need guitars that are more bullet proof -
but what percent of the market is tourning artists ?

I'm thinking non tourning artists account for the highest percent of sales.

I like the idea of a cedar top steel string.
I've never owned one and only played one - one time.

It was a Louden and it was back when I knew very, very little about guitars.
At the time, I thought it was a dud and ended up buying a Larrivee L-03R.

- Larry

[clark24426]

I have seen several cedar topped Taylors and have liked them all. There does seem to be a lot of variation in the quality of the cedar tops between various guitars that I have played. I personally think that the GS model is the best Taylor out there. I don't think that you would be disappointed, but it is nice to actually play it before you buy it. I have ordered two Santa Cruzes and one Larrivee over the internet, sight unseen, and have been very happy with all three.

[AZLiberty]

Ceder topped Taylors sound very different than standard Taylors.  This in a good way IMHO.  I have not played the GS7 but a cedar topped 514 would be the one Taylor I'd love to have.

(of course I'd prefer one of the rare Larrivee cedar tops.  I played a Walnut/Cedar OM-9 once that was to die for. (why do those always show up when you have no guitar money?)

[alvinlam]

Hi guys,
Thanks for all your input. I finally decided on a Taylor cedar/mahogany. Reason? Well, as I mentioned earlier, I'd like to have a cedar top guitar and after much thought, I decided I ought to have mahogany back and side since all my other guitars are spruce/rosewood.  This would add a variety to my collection.

I'm glad I found a Taylor GSMC 2006 (later renamed as GS5).  Enjoying thus far after installing a D'Addario EXP 17 (medium PB).  Will see how it pans out later. 

Thanks again!   

[jimmy buffett]

I had the opportunity to play a GS cedar/hog for about an hour in a store and thought that it was a great sounding guitar.  I was in the area a couple of days later and stopped by to find that someone had dropped into the store, played the guitar, and walked out with that GS.  No going home to think about that one!

I guess he was impressed as well...
jb