Taylor Guitars 810-WMB

I bought this 1997 limited edition model in October of 2007 for $1,525 and felt I got a great value. I was even more surprised at the value once it arrived... Sure it was a ten year old guitar with a couple of minor imperfections that could have happened the first day it was played in someones showroom... but nothing major. I was amazed at how tight this instrument was and how solid. If I had one complaint it would be that it felt too new! I don't think it has been played that much and wish I were 20 years younger so I could break this bad boy in over an entire lifetime. This is the kind of instrument that you could hand down for generations and it would just keep getting better. The finish is perfect 10 years out and the 914 rosewood appointments on the back are splendid and set ths above the other 810s. I did add a Taylor pick guard so as not to damage this beautiful instrument with my percusssinve rhythm style of play. I checked with Taylor and they can retrofit an ES system for $500 but I would have to give up the guitar for 4 to 6 weeks and am not quite ready to do that yet... I will though... when my hand is broken or something.

Excellent sound all the way around... no disappointments. I'm still getting used to the thicker strings this guitar uses since most of my others used light gauge. The sound is huge, not the bass of a $3,500 Martin but I only paid half that. It's loud and it's clear and every finger move can be heard. Not much else to say other than I'm looking forward to retrofitting the ES system into it.

This is a perfect guitar... Nothing's perfect?

Care to make a wager? :)

Like I said earlier this guitar feels superbly strong and I expect it to live well into the 22nd Century as long as some idiot doesn't come along and pop it out of an ice cold case into a hot night club without acclimatizing it first. (You listenning Randy?) Never had to send any of my Taylor's back for repair... unlike the new top I needed on my Martin D12-28 when I loaned it to a... well, just don't loan it out.

Have to say a 10 based on general questions I've called them with. These always been knowledgable and very friendly. I guess service starts when they make it so good it's not needed. Great company!

I've been playing for over 30 years and this is the best 6-string I've ever owned and I've had a bunch... including Taylor's K14 and 514, which couldn't handle my heavy strumming hand... but they were better if all you do is finger pick to moderate strumming.

I bought this October of 1997. It was a special model for only a limited time, as I recall. I had a Fishman active matrix pickup installed (an extra $100). Pretty good battery life, but a pain to replace the battery. It is internally-mounted, so you have to jimmy between some strings. It is still preferable to cutting into the sides of the wood to snap in a piece of plastic, similar to many other models.
810 is of course dreadnought size. I looked at the 815 (jumbo) but preferred the sound of the WMB (see Sound).
Gold Grover tuners. 900 series touches (i.e., no white plastic trim as on the other 800s). Abalone inset around the soundhole and some on the ebony fingerboard.
You need to keep Taylors humidified!!! Don't let them dry out!

The -WMB, as I recall, meant "With More Bass." The sound takes the tone of the 810 and gives it a quasi-jumbo gut, without getting milky or lost. The bass is punchy, but even with the higher frequencies. A terrific balance.

This is one tight guitar. Abalone insets are seemless... tuners are tight. Setting is great.

I use a soundhole guard (thick black rubber piece) to avoid feedback.

This model has no pickguard, which I was drawn to at first because of the simple aesthetics. Due to my playing style (and a thin finish?) there were hairline splits in the finish that began to appear. I took it to the dealer, who sent it out to Taylor in California. A tech called me later and discussed what he was doing. A clear pickguard solved the problem.

A magnificient piece. I wished I would have bought it from my local friendly dealer (Rainbow Music) and not gone for the lowest price. Service was still great, but buying a nice piece like that should be shared with people that you are going to maintain business with over the next few years... They will remember you and respect you more.

I'd say that it has a ton of all the right features for a bluegrass guitar and none of the wrong features. It has a sitka spruce top with rosewood back and sides. Rosewood binding on the fretboard and walnut trim around the soundhole along with some abalone inlay around the soundhole. Some kind of diamond shaped abalone inlay on the fretboard and some kind of red stripe around the back and sides of the body.

All gloss finish and its a full size dreadnought with gold plated tuners, ebony fretboard and bridge. The neck feels like its 1 11/16" wide and is a little on the thin side in thickness.

No frills really and no electronics. Its setup up for bluegrass. The design deviates from the standard Taylor bracing structure and uses interior bracing that's scalloped and is the same width as Martin uses. It does have the Taylor bolt on neck.

The sound is fantastic. It has the resonance, bass, volume and a hint of the compression found in Martins, but still retains the bold treble that Taylor's or known for. And these are all the reasons I bought it. I play a variety of music, but no fingerstyle. I have a heavy hand and use a thick pick. I've recently started exploring bluegrass and wanted something that fit that mold. Most importantly I wanted something that had plenty of volume, bass and treble for unmiked jamming.

For miked or plugged in performance of anything other than bluegrass, I believe I'd need a slightly different guitar, definetely one with electronics. The modified bracing pattern really produces a killer tone. I wouldn't say its rich, but its a full, woody, Martin type tone with bold treble.

I bought it used, but its in good shape. There is a small crack in the bridge running longitudinally across the bridge throught the bridge pin holes. Doesn't look too serious though.

Otherwise its a perfect guitar, except that its slightly used.

Seems to be pretty solid to me. I don't get the feeling that it is fragile. in any way.

Never done this.

I really like the guitar alot, except for the thin neck. I may be able to adapt to it, we'll just have to see how it goes.

I've been playing for over 15 years but haven't really been too deep into acoustic guitars. Played mostly electric over the years and love anything that says "Fender" on it. I played every other brand on the market before I settled on this one. If I had an unlimited budget, I probably would have bought something different, but that wasn't the case. I paid a very fair price for it, but since it was used I was able to avoid the "new guitar" markup. A good new guitar of the same quality as this would have cost me another $500+ dollars.

Please forgive my very poor typing.
This is a full-sized, dreadnaught acoustic guitar. I think I was told that the "WMB" designation stands for "...with more bottom". This is NOT at all like the 810 Taylor you're familiar with. It is much lighter and louder, and less ornate. This guitar has a gorgeous butterscotch colored (un-stained) Englemann Spruce top, highly figured and about 30 to 32 grain lines per inch and is absolutely consistant across the top, with Brazillian Rosewood sides and back. The neck is Mahogany with the usual understated Taylor logo (he really should do something much more ornate). An unusual trait of this guitar is that the inner soundhole trim is Walnut and the body binding and neck bindings are all laminated, multicolored wood. Wonderful ebony plank with medium frets. Truest neck I've played in 37 years, including electrics (and I've had a bunch). The Soundhole purfling is similar to the standard 810 but with the more ornate stuff omitted in favor of one wide mother of pearl ring with narrow trim. Very tasteful. The finish is real nitrocelluose, not poly, and you can really tell the difference....HANDLE WITH CARE. Extremely nice case. The neck shape reminds me very much of my 1962 Les Paul SG.

This guitar was my fifty-first birthday present from my dear wife Debbie, and nothing could have made me happier! I have been learning bluegrass from my friend John King (banjo miester)over the last five years and I needed a really good bluegrass guitar. In bluegrass sound and volum are more important than other styles of music because you need to be heard. I fell for the usual propaganda, so I played fourteen Martins, from the entry level boxes to a D35 and not one holds a candle to the action and sound of this guitar. I found out soon after getting it that it was a Taylor attempt to make a dent in the bluegrass/flatpick market. IT BARKS. The strings all ring the same and at the same volume....no hot spots or dead places anywhere. No fret buzzing. Crystal clear. I think I heard they made only 256 of these. Boys, you'd better grab the first one you see if you want a truly great playing acoustic guitar. For that matter, check out their other custom series guitars at the Tayor website. What I like most about this guitar is that it is LOUD. I can be heard over other guitars when flatpicking a solo, and that's possible because the neck can be adjusted for the correct string height without tampering with the bridge or nut, just by adjusting the neck tension. The bottom end sound is not quite as big as a '52 D28, but then it's practically new. Just needs play time. The sustain is unbelievable, and tapped overtones are available at every fret position. Incredible.

Factory set up is better by far than anyone I've had experience with, including Gibson and Guild. The fit and finish is just flawless. The bookmatched top and back are perfectly symmetrical. The box is finished is gloss and the neck is rubbed satin. Feels clean all the time, even on the hottest days.

I see no reason why my guitar could not become my great grandson's or granddaughter's guitar someday. And it will sound even better then. I AM very careful of the finish.

I've communicated with Taylor through their website on numerous occasions and find them to be very helpful and just great to talk to. They all seem to be players, and that's a nice touch. I guess I'll get the Taylor quarterly magazine from now on, and that's great because it is very helpful with plently of good articals on instrument care and product reviews. Super support!

Well, like I say, I've been playing this fabulous guitar since May of 1999 and most of the Martin pickers won't even play the thing when I offer it to them (and I offer it a lot). There are a few local Martin pickers that have had to just give in and go to the Taylors because they realized the difference in playablilty, but most want to be seen wearing a Martin because they think it makes them more legitamate flatpickers, but in their hearts they know better. But when I take off on a lead across the room they get this look on their faces....man, it's priceless. Of course, there are Martins out there that just HOLLER and Martin has a very long history. Some are just awesome, but I can't justify paying $5,000 for a vintage guitar that plays as well as my new $1,500 guitar......the math ain't right!