Taylor Guitars 310-CE LTD

A limited edition 30th anniversry model: gloss top sitka spruce, mahogany satin back and sides. Dreadnought regular scale with koa rosette and mertyle wood inlays. It was the only 300 series guitars with an expression system at the time (the ES came on the higher end Taylors). It requires medium gauge strings, and 2 AA batteries.

It is very loud and great for finger picking and strumming cords. It is bright with the mahogany but not brittle or crispy as most 310s. Very midrange and boomy. I like that it has genuine mahogany and is clear and warm sounding with even the coated strings. However, I wish it was made with rosewood for deeper bass sounds. But then again it would cost X2 as much.

It has the superior quality of craftsmanship that you would expect from Taylor Guitars. The sitka spruce top is very very tight grained and even/consistant close to AAA/master grade as one could get. The top makes all the wood in this guitar come alive. "Fabulous"

The ES broke within a month and it took about a month for the retailer to have it repaired under warranty. However, it has not failed since. I did use it for gigs.

No contact with the company. But they make a great newsletter.

I have been playing for 3 decades and have owned all kinds of stuff for electric and acoustic. I owned old Martins and a Gibson and I feel Taylor Guitars are currently producing the best guitars for the money for the past 13 years. I chose this guitar because it had great sound and was the cheapest one with the ES at the time. I sold 3 guitars to get this one. At the time, the Limited Editions were produced at the end of the year with a mix-match of leftover/unused exotic materials. This is not only a great sounding guitar to have fun with but a great investment as well.

Imbuia backs and sides. Sitka Sprice top. Mahogany neck. Ebony fretboard. Fishman electronics. "Diamond" fretboard inlay. Great features for this price range.

Great sound for playing unplugged and when I run it through a soundboard for recording, it's super clean.

No problems. The directions they give you fro setting it up work great.

This is a keeper. I currently looking for another guitar for a different sound, but cannot imagine letting go of this one.

Haven't need any service.

I've been playing 40+ years. I own Fender Srat, Ovation Tornado and Hagstrom 12 string. This is my favorite.

2002 model 310-CE LTD in walnut $1200. Made in California. Solid spruce top, walnut back and sides. Fishman pickup. Sturdy neck that is very adjustable to get the action you want. Elixer coated strings sound great, play great and are long lasting. Comes with very nice case. I wouldn't hesitate to put someone else's guitar in my case and throw it down the stairs. My guitar, however will not be subjected to such disrespect simply because I couldn't stomach the sight.

The sound is better than anything I have ever played. Really no point in playing anything else, honestly. As soon as I played one I knew I had to have one. There is so much more power to every note that comes from this guitar it's amazing. Every nuance is easily heard. I played a church once with no amp (with my fingers) and everyone could hear fine. Good harmonics. I've never played it plugged in because I don't have an acoustic amp but I have no doubt it will work fine.

The finish is top notch for a lower end model. The action is very good, all the tuners work perfect and it stays in tune pretty well. I've adjusted the neck a few times with no problems. I get a little string buzz on the 9th or 10th fret on the D string if I adjust the action too low.

Even though this is kind of an expensive guitar it's not as much as alot of others and it still has really nice touches and quality to it. There is no plastic junk on this guitar (except the pick up) and all the hardware is very nice. I would say it was definitly a good buy for what I paid for mine considering the quality you get.

I haven't needed to contact them for anything yet.

I've been playing for 8 years and I also own a little Ibenez Artwood which I love because it was my first guitar and my dad bought it for me. I have an Epiphone SG-400 and a Marshall mg-40 practice amp. I played alot of guitars before buying mine, Martin, Yamaha, Gibson, Fender, Ovation. Nothing came close. I play mostly classical style with my fingers and rock style with a pick and it works well for both these styles. The Elixer coated strings are really great, I put some on my Ibenez as well. The only thing I would like to see is different inlays on the neck. Dots aren't that exciting.

I have 2002 or 2003 model year 310-CE LTD with maple sides and back and a spruce top. Pickup and electronics are the Taylor Expression System. Ebony bridge and fingerboard.

This is my first acoustic guitar to go along with my many electrics.
After doing some research on the net I was interested in a Seagull acoustic primarily because of good reviews and low price. I found a dealer about 30 miles away from home and spent a couple hours playing the different models of Seagulls. When the salesperson went upstaires to fetch another Seagull for me I reached over just for kicks to see what a much more expensive Taylor sounds like. WOW! what a difference.
The Taylor 310-CE LTD was the sound I was looking for. Chords had that chime and full, rich timbre. Single notes were also very satisfying with nice sustain, rich in harmonic overtones something that the Seagull was sorely lacking with its dull presentation.
Taylors come with Elixer Nanoweb coated strings which sound fantastic.
I tried the smoother sounding Polyweb version and like it even more.
D'Addario EXP coated strings sound too bright for me, more like uncoated strings. I finger pick fairly hard at times and the Polywebs keep the tone smooth with a great warm, woody tone. On light picking all the nuances are there as well.

The action is not as low as some Ovations I tried . My playing style
comes off a little cleaner with a slightly higher action. That is to say the 310 is no slouch in the playability department.
Taylor really knows how to build a great playing instrument.

No problems so far. I would gig without a backup. I have only snapped one string so far while practicing an ape like move. Man's got to know his limitations.

NA

I have been playing for 29 years and have become a bit jaded when it comes to hyped marketing and snake oil innovations. Taylor does not go down that desperate road. Their guitars speak for themselves with fantastic sound. This review is with the guitar unplugged.

I bought the 2002 310 CE-LTD recently therefore I can't give a 10 on every category (except for sound). This guitar has maple back and sides along with the neck. The top is sitka spruce of course which gives the guitar it's deeper, bassier tone. It's equipped with a Fishman Prefix Plus electronic system which speaks for itself. I use the guitar for any gig that I come across. The electronics are great, even more than I will ever need in an acoustic guitar. 20 frets stretch across the board. The venetian cutaway gives you plenty of room to reach the higher frets.

The tone of the 310 CE-LTD can be encompassing. It's bold, yet mellow enough to be crisp and clean. It's loud, I particulary dislike a loud tone, but it sounds good to be loud. This guitar suits my music style because I play a lot of open end chords which is perfect for the tone. The sound is also full and bright. I personally like the brightness but dislike the loudness.

By factory specs, the action is a little too high, but I like the action low allowing hardley any strength on the strings to gain a clean ring. The pickup is trustworthy along with the bridge. Construction is flawless which makes me very confident that they took there time when making this guitar.

The very day I bought the guitar I played it for three hours during band practice and knew that we were going to get along well. Plus, everyone loved it. The guitar will last because of the construction--hardware is tough, wood is aged and seasoned. I am very concise about how the strap buttons are installed and these are good. I don't know if I would take it to a gig alone. I would probably bring my other taylor so i wouldn't have to change a string right there on the spot. It's somewhat gigable alone.

Taylor Guitars was friendly the last time I called. I had to call twice but they were nice.

Overall, it's a quality guitar that I do and will cherish. I have been playing for five years and own two other acoustic guitars (one taylor and one takamine). I also own an Epiphone Les Paul and a peavey amplifier. I would probably buy this guitar again if I had the choice. I love the grain on this guitar and definately how it changes glimmers up against the light. It's highly crafted... however, I only compared it to the 412 CE and a 500 series guitar. I wish it had some better design around the sound hole Possible hearing bone or something like that.

I have a 310 CE Ltd. with the sides and back made of imbuia. It is the wood Taylor uses for their acoustic base guitars. It has the Fishmen electronics.

I don't think Acoustics are suppose to have a lot of features.

As an acoustic guitar, it has an absolutely beautiful sound. I think the imbuia wood gives it a nice deep but full sound. I hear new sounds as I experiment with different music arrangements.

When its plugged in, it sounds good - except for the high E string. It is weak. I had a guitar technician look at it. The pick up is working fine. His conclusion is that the wood under that end of the pickup must be soft. I've been hoping that with age, the string would eventually equal the other strings, but so far it has not. I'm thinking of putting a shim under the pickup. If that doesn't work, I might need to ship it back under warranty.

The imbuia wood has a dull but satin touch. It's not glossy. As is expected of a Taylor, there were no flaws. Nothing. The neck is smooth, and the frets smoothed out on the ends. The imbuia has a unique wood smell, different but attractive.

The neck is a nice size. I have small hands so a fat neck wouldn't be good. It came with 13 gauge strings. I've replaced them with 11 gauge. The action wasn't low to my liking, so the dealer put a lower saddle. I would have preferred the strings lower but after two years, my fingers have adjusted to the higher action. (I have been playing a Fender Telecaster for the past 35 years.)

The guitar is meets all expectations, except for the weak electronic response of the high E string. Fortunately, I selected it more for its acoustic sound, which is beautiful.

I called Taylor about the weak E string sound. They said I could send it back but I wasn't cool on the idea of shipping a brand new guitar. I am now considering sending it back to see if they can improve the E string electronic response.

I've been playing almost 40 years - not professionally. I plan to keep the guitar if I can get the E string fixed because it is such a lovely guitar. My brother bought a Martin D26 for $1,000 more than my Taylor but I think the Taylor sounds better.

Taylor 2002, 310ce-ltd

The tone is crisper than sapele made 300s. Its a tad bit punchy, and sounds great when finger picked. It booms when strummed. Not much need for the pick up except when playing a in a really large venue.

The action is typical Taylor, not an issue. The finish is superb. It has a great 3 piece back, matched very nicely.

The 2002 300 ltds in my honest opinion are among the best guitars made for the price in several years.

I have recieved prompt responses to any questions or concerns I've needed addressing.

I have only been taking lessons for a while, but am self taught, and know a good guitar when I play one. The 300 may be Taylor's entry level guitar, but I will spend the next 10 years growing into it. Don't let series numbers fool you. Taylor makes a great guitar from the 300's on up. There may be cheaper guitars out there, but you'll have a hard time finding a company with the consistant quality Taylor produces.

I bought one of the new 2002 Limited Edition guitars, a 310ce-LTD. I fell in love with its maple back, sides and neck, all stained in a beautiful, honey-brown color with nicely evident quilting. The back is 3 piece matched construction. There is black wood fiber binding on the top and back edges. The rest of the guitar is a standard 300- series with a Sitka Spruce top that really glows, nice ebony bridge and fretboard, rosewood laminate head and Grover chrome machine heads. I went to my local Taylor dealer with the aim of purchasing a standard 310ce model, but couldn't resist the tone and looks of this Limited Edition model. Vavoom!

The sound is slightly brighter than the other 310s I played in the shop and even across all the strings. In tone I liked it better than the other 310s I was looking at. It is great for finger picking, as are all the Taylors, but the instrument really booms with some good flat picking. Much louder than what I'm used to with my Yamaha acoustics. I haven't mastered the Fishman electronics yet, but my initial impression is that the electric sound range of this guitar is much broader than I expected. I'm looking forward to really experimenting in that regard.

Very, very impressive fit and finish. I'm a stickler in this area, particularly if I'm paying $1200 for it! As with most Taylors I've played, it was set up very nicely at the factory. My particular guitar was in the showroom less than a week so it didn't have much time to get messed up. [I've noticed this phenomenon often, that the longer the instrument gets handled in the showroom, the more work it needs to get back to factory specks ... Duh!] Anyway, the intonation was superb, on all strings. It is such a treat to get to play every chord perfectly in tune all the way up the neck. The action is low with no buzzing and seems to handle the medium gauge Elixir strings better than the guitars I'm used to (easier to press the bar chords). I've gone over the guitar very carefully for defects and can't find anything--I mean nothing!--to carp about. The quality of craftsmanship is evident from such things as the perfectly fitted tongue and groove joining of neck and head piece. Outstanding!

I deliberately bought one of the Taylors with the satin finishes so I didn't have to worry about minor bumps and scuffs. I play at church often, so mine is somewhat of a working instrument. Being able to wipe down the sides, back and neck with a damp sponge is a definite plus. Of course, the polished top must be protected and carefully shined, but then I'm used to that anyway. The strap buttons are oversized and seem to be rock-solid. I had a bit of a time getting my strap to fit around them; I have no fear of the the strap coming off with anything short of a nuclear explosion, so I also count that in the plus column! As much as any solid wood guitar can, this instrument will stand up to your playing habits.

Lifetime warranty seems to be for real. I've had absolutely no reason to contact the manufacturer ... but after buying this guitar, I will definitely plan to tour the factory next time I'm in the San Diego area!

It's a 10 overall. I'm really a sucker for a guitar that combines beautiful woods, aesthetically pleasing stains/finishes ... and evident fine craftsmanship. Before I will play a new guitar, the first thing I do is flip the guitar over and look at the back construction and at the heel, where the neck joins the body. Then I look at how the fretboard is finished and how much thought was put into the binding. I also look at the internal bracing, not so much because I care about what type it is as I want to see how careful they were in finishing the inside. Then I proceed to playability and tone. This guitar scored high in all areas and I'm most favorably impressed. I would readily recommend the Taylor 310ce-LTD to anyone looking for a good, working guitar with a little flare in the tone and looks departments.

I did not write the previous review, how what he listed is not a 310ce-ltd. The 2002 310ce-ltd has Maple sides and back and an ebony fretboard. Taylor does not make guitars with rosewood fretboard. The 400 series 2002 LTD guitars come with imbuia sides and back, not the 300.

New model made special for the 2002 season. Cut-away style dreadnought with Fishman Prefix Plus electronics. USA made, solid top sitka spruce with imbuia (plantation grown Brazilian maple) sides and back. Top is glossy and sides and back matte. Has a compensated bridge for improved sound. Rosewood fretboard with Grover tuners. No fancy frills, just a great guitar.

I mostly use this instrument acoustically for folk/rock singer/songwriter style of music. This instrument has a rich full bodied bass with clear and crisp high tones. Mid ranges have a ful sound.

The set up is astounding! This instrument performs like 60. The action and response can be described as "forgiving". Even poor placement produces excellent quality sound. After a few months the guitar developed a small grain check on the lower side. Taylor Guitars repaired the crack fairly well in a reasonable amount of time. I was not too happy about that; but it seems good now. Basically the instrument looks solid.

This instrument appears to be able to make the grade. Only time will tell, ultimately. I think I can depend on it, but would never be stupid enough to take it alone on a gig with no backup.

I mentioned the repair job above. I would not call it excellent work. One clasp on the case broke off in transit. My guitar shop says it appears to be a common trait for Taylor's cases, as it was not the first one to have the same thing happen. While the repair was done well; I am not happy that it had to be done at all.

This guitar's sound and playability causes me to overlook the negatives. I am very pleased with the instrument itself. I have been playing guitar for 30 years and have not had a better instrument. Of course, it is the first time I have spent this kind of money also. For just pure enjoyment of playing and sound, I don't think this instrument can be topped. I would probably buy another Taylor in the future.