SOLD Taylor 555 12 String with Pickup and OHSC

[birkenweg42]

SOLDI decided it is time to put my Taylor 555 up for sale. It's a great guitar, much better than any of my previous 12 strings (Seagull, Alvarez MD80, Gibson B25-12N, Martin D12-16GT and two Taylor 355). I just don't play much 12 string anymore.

The guitar is a 2006 model with NT neck and koa rosette, which I like better than the abalone of the earlier models.

I bought the guitar with a four-inch crack in the back that the seller neglected to disclose. It was so tight that it took me a couple of hours of playing before I noticed it. Since I liked everything else about the guitar, especially the sound and playability, I decided not to send it back and had a local tech look at it and fix it. He tried to force glue into it but it turned out the crack did not go all the way through the wood. That was the good news. The bad news was that unfortunately he left a lot of glue residue on the guitar and the finish around the repair dull. The guy really made a mess out of a simple repair. I ended up dropping the guitar off in Palo Alto at Gryphon Instruments. They cleaned up the mess and confirmed that the crack was repaired. They did a great job and really deserve their reputation as one of the best repair departments in the country.

The guitar is structurally in great shape. There is no bellying behind the bridge or top sinking. The neck is straight and there is plenty of saddle left. Fret wear is minimal. The guitar is a joy to play with its easy playing Taylor neck. It is set up for fingerstyle with very, very low action, though there is no buzzing, even when strummed aggressively.
I currently have Elixer mediums on it, tuned down three half steps.

The guitar has been played; there are a couple of shallow, very small dings that don't go though the finish. It's about what you would expect from a four year old guitar.

The Taylor also had a Fishman under saddle pickup installed. I usually don't like under saddle pickups but I was pleasantly surprised by its sound.

The guitar comes with the original hard shell case in used condition. It holds the guitar very securely but has a latch missing and rips in the covering. I also will include the Taylor truss rod wrench.

Here are the specs I pulled off the Internet:
Back & Sides: Tropical American Mahogany
Top: Sitka Spruce
Soundhole: Rosette Hawaiian Koa
Neck: Tropical American Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Small Pearl Dots
Headstock Overlay: Indian Rosewood
Binding: Indian Rosewood
Bridge: Ebony
Nut & Saddle: Tusq
Tuning Machines: Chrome-plated Taylor Tuners
Scale Length: 25 1/2 Inches
Truss Rod: Adjustable
Neck Width at Nut: 1 7/8 Inches
Number of Frets: 20
Bracing: Scalloped, X-Brace
Finish: Satin
Body Width: 17 Inches
Body Depth: 4 5/8 Inches
Body Length: 21 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches

I put the trade value of the guitar at around $1000.00 but would sell for $900.00 plus shipping and Ebay fees. I would also be interested in a trade for a non-dreadnaught 6 string acoustic or a good quality mandolin. I am not interested in electric guitars or other 12 strings.
Local pickup welcome. I am located just south of beautiful Yosemite in California.

I offer a 48 hour return option with buyer paying the shipping.

[blue]

Crazy price!  I sold one for $500 more 5 or 6 years ago   Seriously this is the deal of 2010 on all the boards I frequent...

[birkenweg42]

I just took a couple of pictures and posted them here:
http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/birkenweg42/Taylor%20555/

[birkenweg42]

I thought I had traded the guitar but the deal fell through. The guitar is still avaialble for sale or trade.

[birkenweg42]

A bump for some bigger and better pictures.

[transluminary]

Would you like a Special edition Koa Larrivee Parlor?