Product: Taylor Guitars 510 Left Handed
Price Paid: USD 800.01
Submitted
02/07/2008
at
09:56am
by
Dennis Barrington
Features
:
9
Rosewood borders the solid Tropical American mahogany body and Hawaiian koa is hand-inlaid into the rosette. Engelmann or Sitka spruce tops produce a warm, mature tone. Got that somewhere on the wood.
Finish is great. I use mine for studio and so far no dings. The tuners hold their tune perfectly. Grovers I believe. I have average guy hands and the neck plays well, but then I'm called the "human capo" so play one to be sure. I got the hard case with this Guitar for a steal used.
No cutout or electronics on this. I hate acoustic electronics. Use a Microphone. It's made solid and the Fretboard is intonated perfectly.
Sound
:
10
I like Folk, Pop and Rock. The sounds is clear. No boomy low end, but don't think it doesn't have a low end. This is a LOUD GUITAR, and everyone around me complains it's too loud. I drown out their guitars. So while it doesn't have Martin low end, it's loudness makes you hear the low end fine. The way I compare it is, you hear EVERYTHING equally.
The reason I bought this was I picked it up, played Norwegian Wood, and it sounded like it was coming out of the speakers. I didn't put it down. I'd mortgage the house for that sound!
There is NOTHING I dislike about this guitar, although if I had a choice, AND I was convinced it didn't affect the sound, I might get the CE so I could get the extra strings. But truth be told, the CE's are ugly compared to this. They looked crippled.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The intonation is perfect. If your's isn't, any good guitar guy can make you a bone bridge that will, but I didn't need one. Might do it just to have bone! But I'm afraid to have anyone touch this cause it just sounds so darn great. It was way used yet had no dings or marks except the fret where you can see the finger grime. It cleaned up no problems.
The strings are pretty low and don't buzz. I can ring in any number of tunings, Open E, Open G, Standard and they all sound like the guitar was built for them. I use fairly heavy strings and the neck is a trooper about it. Had it for years and it's like the day I bought it. I've never played a better guitar, and I've compared it to Gibsons and Martins every time I hit a store. I'm just blown away by the tight workmanship and fretboard intonation.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Had it years, but haven't gigged with it except for local friends parties. Every other guitar has dings, but this is strangely resilient to those. The tuners look like they'll last you forever. In fact, you'll want them on every other guitar you own. They turn slow and solidly like their heavyweights on butter. It's held up under different tunings, tight tunings while hanging for months. I do use a guitar humidifier things in the sound hole for the winter just to be sure so it don't dry out. The fretboard has had a lot of playing from the last owner and it doesn't have any significant wear I can tell. I've had it for 4 years and it looks like the day I bought it. I'd bet I don't need a fret job for 30 years. But then I don't gig with a band, just do mostly studio stuff.
Customer Support
:
10
I haven't needed it much. I did contact them about manuals and information and they sent me all they had at the time. Everyone respects this guitar, so even the stores give you good support in lieu of the company.
I can't say about the warranty. It was owned for 5 years before I bought it. I've had it 4. It's in perfect condition.
I'll give it a 10 because, 1) I haven't needed any support it's so well built, and 2) any questions about setup, neck rod adjustment, strings, the guitar stores treat this guitar like I was James Taylor.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have a Gretch Electromatic Double Jet and a Fender Mexican Stratocaster. A Kramer Aluminum lefty split neck DMZ 4001 bass. I had a sigma martin before this guitar. The sigma's, a foreign low mid end for Martin's sound as good as any Yamaha up to 1000 dollars. But when you play a Taylor, you forget all other guitars. I tried to like Martins, but it's like wanting an uglier wife when yours is the beauty queen. I just don't see going down from here. My feeling about this guitar is it's the only Acoustic I'll ever need again. I could see me getting a 12 string, or if I go crazy on the fretboard, looking for a CE when I'm rich. But this is all the acoustic guitar I'll ever need again in my life.
If you play a Taylor and think any other guitar sounds better, well, uh, that just won't happen. And when you drop a lot of money for one, your spouse might be mad, but you'll never regret it.
If it was stolen or destroyed, I'd sell my car and buy another one no questions asked. Of all my gear, I respect all my other guitars, but I LOVE my Taylor. It's a bond, man, a BOND of affection.