Taylor Guitars 110E

Sapele Laminate sides, Sapele Laminate arched back, Solid Spruce top. Dreadnought Body style. Integrated pickup. No frills. I've seen the body/side wood described as 'plywood' which always irks me - yeah, there are 'plys' of laminated wood, but plywood is something you build a tree house with, not a Taylor... and I realize that there actually are some guitars that have true plywood bodies, but this ain't one of them. It's disrepectful to the craftsmanship and design that go into these instruments. End of sermon. The term 'features' is subjective when addressing a guitar - a simple dread with an onboard pickup will not have the bells and whistles of a fancier acoustic/electric, tuner, etc. but it doesn't mean the guitar is 'lacking' if the features you seek are that of a simple dreadnought... having said that, I'll go with '8' just so I don't look like a slobbering Taylor devotee just because I am one.

I was at a local dealer trying to figure out a way to get a 'low end' Taylor without breaking the bank. The 214ce's are up around $1000 and although I really want one, three things were holding me back. 1) I have an American made Grand Auditorium GA3 already, 2) I'm still wrestling with paying $1000 for a foreign-built guitar made by people earning way less than what their US counterparts, and 3)I'm supposedly in the middle of downsizing my collection to a defensible level given the economy and my GAS problem. Anyway, I saw this used, slightly ding'd up 110e and realized that it was 1(US made in El Cajon, California; 2) only $500 , and 3) came with a Taylor hard-case.
I picked it up, strummed a few chords, picked a few notes and that Taylor 'bone-tone' was off the charts. I knew I'd have to have it. I've had the experience of loving a guitar's tone at the store and finding it not so wonderful once I got it home. Not the case in this instance. The thin-coat (varnish?) top looks as though it's been around for much longer than the 3 years since the guitar was made. I realize that doesn't equate to 'tone' but in this case, I felt like I was playing a 30+ year old Guild (without the high action and need for a neck reset). I only realized some years back that the different guitar body styles were deigned to be ideal for different styles of play - dreads for strumming and bluegrass, grand concerts for fingerstyle, etc... having grown up with 'only' a 1936 Gibson L-00 for a point of reference, I have two categories - 'feels/sounds/plays great' - or 'not so much'. I've fingerpicked this guitar and it seems to be appropriate for that style. It also shines in the cowboy chords department. All around very versatile, rich tone.

Possibly not factory set-up since the guitar was used, but whatever the source, it was good to go when I picked it up. There don't seem to be any obvious flaws - I haven't put a mirror in it and poked around for glue drops or anything like that - I'm obsessive, but not that much for a $500 used guitar - maybe some winter day when I've got time to kill, but for now, it's a solid piece of work and if there are any mis-alignments, they're too minute for my non-luthier trained eyes to discern.

I'm not a gigging musician so I don't have the experience to say whether this guitar would withstand live playing. I suspect that it would, but in the interest of objectivity, I can't swear by it. The tuners are 1st rate in my book. I tweaked the tuning when I brought it home and haven't touched it since, having had it in and out of the case at least 4 times since then. The finish on the top is not glossy so the dings will tend to appear more on the side of 'character' than 'blemish'. Strap buttons seems solid, although I don't plan on doing any windmills or jumping off my amp to find out. I tend to baby my stuff and in the biggest problem I had when I had a (much) bigger collection was that I was afraid to play half of my guitars for fear of comprising their resalability. I've since concluded that I'm better off without 'franchise' guitars in the collection, preferring 'players' guitars that I will actually play without fretting over a pick scratch or two.

I'm not the original owner so am not under warranty. Having said that, I'm formerly and currently the owner of Taylor instruments that I purchased new and I can attest to Taylor's great customer support. They have a few idiosyncracies that drive me nuts, like not including the pickguard with the guitar - I realize some purists don't want any plastic on their guitas, but I ain't one of them. Also, as a T-5 owner, I am still scratching my head as to why they don't just include the alternate 'acoustic' saddle with those guitars - I know the answer is 'cost' but we're talking a $2000+ guitar here guys. (I digress). Anyway, my love and admiration of most things Taylor borders on 'brainwashed/programmed automaton' so you can take my blathering with a grain of salt - I've surrendered most objectivity when it comes to my obsessions.

I've been strumming, plucking, thrashing, poking a guitar in some way or form since 1960. I don't know if I'd typify all of it as actual 'playing' but at 54 I'm just starting to drop the qualifier '...but I suck at it' when people ask me if I play guitar.
I've owned upwards of 70 guitars over the years and typically 'like' anything I go to the trouble of bringing home, be it Gibson LP, SG, ES-137, ES-175 or Fender Strat, Tele or Squier, or Yamaha, or Ibanez, or PRS SE... I vacillate between wanting to be Paul Simon, Jimmy Page, or Pat Metheny so I never stay with a certain guitar/style long enough to progress to any level of competency (that I can tell, anyway) although in fairness, I know I've made progress when I revisit music I haven't attempted in years and can suddenly 'get it'.. the point of all this is that I've developed a 'feel' for guitars that doesn't necessarily translate in an objective rating scale. I will say this - this simple Taylor Dreadnought is everything a non-snob guitarist could ask for in a guitar that you wouldn't be ashamed to play in an acoustic or amplified setting. My flagship Taylor was a 600 SPEC Summer Strummer (2003) which was essentially a really gussied up 615ce. That guitar was phenomonal and to this day I stand by my claim that it made me a better player than I actually was. This entry-level Taylor isn't far from that mark.

Taylor 110E 2003 Made in El Cajon California (before Taylor moved production of their 100 and 200 series to Mexico)

Dreadnought shape with satin finish. Solid spruce top, laminated sapele back and sides.
It has a Fishman Classic preamp and an under saddle transducer pickup.

The neck is very skinny, almost like an electric guitar. Playing on this shape neck is a dream.

It came with a khaki coloured Taylor gig bag.

Being a dreadnought the bass is very well defined, when strummed this guitar is very loud and clear, especially with .13 gauge Elixr strings.

I play a lot of arpeggios, and each note rings out crystal clear and very even. Strummed hard the bass is prominent but the sound is still beautifully balanced.

Plugged in you have 5 sliders 'Bass' 'Middle' 'Treble' 'Brilliance' and volume.
It sounds pretty good, very much like it does unplugged, but louder... which in my opinion what a good pickup does.

I tend to lay the bass of to about 2/5 as the guitar is naturally 'bassy' and raise the treble to about 4/5 as I play lots of jangley arpeggios.

The action was slightly high for my taste, It wasn't poorly set up. It just wasn't set up to my liking, a quick truss rod adjustment later it plays perfectly all over the neck, great intonation and a very good nut and saddle which I believe are Tusq (man made ivory)

The grain of the spruce is lovely, it has a few 'bear claws' on the top, which personally I really like, it adds to the character of the guitar, although I'd understand some people may not like a wood grain that is 'imperfect' visually.

The frets are all immaculately finished, the fretboard is ebony, but Taylor don't stain their ebony, so it has a few lighter patches on the fretboard.

This guitar would certainly stand up to live playing, I'm yet to gig with it, but I will be doing in the not to distant future.

The satin finish will need looking after more than a gloss finish as it is more prone to getting marked if knocked.

The strap buttons are metal and are solid.

I can definitely depend on this guitar and I would use it without a backup.

Taylor's website is a wealth of guitar knowledge. I've never spoke to anyone at Taylor, but any questions I had, or help I needed I found on their webpages.

I've been playing 10 years... I have a Taylor 210, a Yamaha DWX-7C a Takamine EG5303SC a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster and a Godman 6 string banjo.

If this were lost or stolen, I'd want another.

I love the simplicity and minimalist looks of the guitar, the sound is very very good and the neck is a joy to play on.

The one small gripe is the input jack is on the lower bout (like on a Les Paul or Telecaster) and not routed through the end pin, it seems to me unnecessary to drill another hole in a guitar, when the electronics can be just as simply be wired through the end pin.

Great features for the price. I am especially fond of the ebony fingerboard. I haven't seen another well-made guitar in this price range that features that. Feels and looks very good.

Sound is great. It's bright, like a Taylor. The tone is great up the neck too-doesn't go dead like a lot of guitars I've played. I think the arched back gives it a little more bass than most Taylors. I'll go along with the last review that the pickup sounds awesome. This was the main reason I was looking for a new guitar, because I wanted something that sounds good plugged in. I think if you stand in the next room, it would be tough to tell if you're listening to the amp or just the guitar. The plugged in sound is very true to the natural sound.

The action feels pretty good, a touch higher than ideal for me, but that's just personal preference. Pretty much flawless, otherwise. The frets are really smooth and level (I checked about 10 times before buying it after I played a $2000 Martin that buzzed on me).

Looks like a quality guitar. The back doesn't have braces, so I probably won't be tossing around. I don't think I would buy an acoustic guitar that I wasn't comfortable gigging without a backup.

dunnow.

I was between this and the mahogany breedlove acoustic electric. The difference-maker was in the pickup, price, and name. I can't justify paying more for a foreign-made guitar. The breedlove action was a little more comfortable to me though, and the sound was in the same ballpark. Plugged in though, the ES sounded much more natural than the Fishman sonicore in the breedlove. Plus I kind of like not having the plastic piece in the side for the EQ. I don't see myself needing to dink around with an EQ while I'm playing, so I'd rather save the guitar some trauma and use the amp. The nice ebony fingerboard and the Taylor reputation put this one over the top. I tried finding a Martin in this price range that sang to me, but that wasn't happening--and the cheaper Martins don't look nearly as good.

It's a nice dreadnought with satin spruced top and sapele laminate for the back & sides, and comes with a gig bag and some leaflets with very detailed maintaining instructions. The neck is made of american mahogany. It's equipped with the ES Blue sound system. It has no tuner or onboard EQ, but you won't need that: read the sound section! It's a very basic and simple edition of the Taylor line - not a big suprise for the cheapest model - but what is on it, is of a very good quality, so i rate it 7 out of 10.

I play a lot of styles, both fingerpicking and with plectrum. Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, and recent poprock music is my main buisiness but I play a lot of classical work too. You can hear that this guitar is definately made for plectrums; playing the guitar with the fingers results in a much lower volume. Besides that, the guitar gives a very bright & rich sound.

Acoustic: the 110E sounds quite nice in comparison with guitars in the same price segment, i tested it with a Dean and two Ovation models of which I forgot the numbers, and with a Takamine EG523SC and EG530. The sound of this guitar is in my opinion at least some better than the rest - but read on.

Electric: when this guitar has been plugged in, you'll discover the full potential of the guitar: the ES Blue electronics produce a MUCH better sound than the electronics on the other guitars. You can't equalize it - but you don't need to! I was really suprised and this point made me decide to buy the guitar. Compared to the more expensive Taylor guitars, the electronics are very simple and basic, but for the price this guitar delivers an amazing sound quality. You don't believe me? Go to a local shop, take the most expensive acoustic amp, and compare the 110E with other guitars in this price category.

The action of the guitar is quite nice, but I definately think the guitar needs to be set-up by a professional guitar builder - it's worth it - and that's what I'm going to do. Compared to the other guitars in my list, it plays quite nice though. I just think that you don't get all out of your guitar if you let the local shop set it up - shops don't do a very good job at this pont in my opinion (compared to a professional).

On the other hand, the finish of the guitar is very nice. I already told that the model is quite 'basic' in features and luxury, but the finish is definately a nice piece of work.

What -to me, living in a very humid area- is a great advantage, is the laminated back. It saves me a lot of time to dehumidify and maintain the guitar. The guitar looks quite durable, and that's the same for the electronics. And yes, i use it regularly on gigs without backup ~ and it has never let me down. Little disadvantage: battery is inside the guitar so replacement requires the strings to be removed.

It looks as if the customer support is quite good, because of all the warranty papers i got in the package. But I don't have experience with it - so no opinion here.

To go short, the guitar looks -and is- very basic in features, but what has been installed, is done VERY well. The electronics, though "cheap" compared to higher Taylor models, produce an outstanding sound, that is in my opinion much better than almost every guitar below 1000 euro. I first owned a Takamine EG523SC and this guitar sounds WAY better.

To me, the guitar scores very high on the most important item -sound- and thus is well worth a 9 out of 10 overall rating.