Taylor Guitars 810

I bought a two year old Taylor 810 used for less then a grand. Less then I paid for my Martin OOO. The attention to detail is amazing. Spruce top, Indian Rosewood sides and back, all solid wood. Ebony fingerboard with perfect frets. I've always had to make some adjustments to my guitars and all this one needed is to lower the saddle a smidge to fit my playing style. No electronics so I installed a Fishman Aura Ellipse system which is basically an undersaddle pickup with the Aura preamp onboard. One thing that blew my mind was that the end pin hole was already drilled for a Fishman switchjack and under the saddle was predrilled for the pickup. Talk about a user friendly guitar.
Now for the sound... I get chills everytime I play it. I've had Godins, Larrives, Martins and tons of jap guitars and this one simply works. It loves to be played so as to let each note ring and still it is happy to be strummed to Pearl Jam.

I play a varity of music from folk to R&R. That said, this guitar brings it all on. It's clear, articulate and very rich. Something else that I like is that it can change it's mood by which pick I use, something that my Martin won't do as readily. The Martin is mahogony whereas the Taylor is rosewood so that comes into the equation.

I bought it used but I'm under the assumtion that the previous owner played it a few times and sold it to me. That said, I can not find a single flaw. The action is dead on... adjusted only for my preferences. The top, back and sides are perfectly matched.

I bought this guitar for the idea of selling it on e-bay for twice what I paid for it. That's not going to happen. I think an instument like this should be shared so I'll go ahead and perform again.

For kick and giggles, I just called Taylor to ask them about the pickup system I installed and was recieved with promptness and professional assistance. And no, they didn't play me to say that.

I've played guitar for 40 years, professional for ten. I dropped out two years ago and now I have a guitar that inspires me to go back on stage. I play thru a Mackie mixer to JBLs and the typical effects between. My backup guitar is my Martin, although I doubt I'll need it. My last time performing I was playing a Taylor T5 which never let me down. I'm certain this one won't either.
In terms of value, I can't afford to shell out what this guitar goes for new, but, if I could, having played it, I would.

Got my 810 at the hollywood Guitar center in 1994... It was one of six they had at the time... It played and sounded better than the others... I don't know what is different, but it feels very different from any I have tried since... I had a bone nut and saddle made and that did improve the overall tone. It has opened up with age and now blows away my friends Martin d-35 and collings h2... We record all three with same strings and in same conditions then ask our mutual friends which one sounds best... The Taylor is always the first choice.

2007 model. This is my second Taylor 810. I sold a 2000 model a few years ago and missed it so much I bought a new one. They appeared to return to the gold plated tuners, but the abalony and pearl inlays are as they were. This one is so much nicer than the one I had! One of the notable improvements is the binding. Instead of the white binding I was used to, it has flamed maple bindind. I looks amazing.

This guitar has a nice, balanced tone. I know that as it opens up it will only get better. The revoicing of the braces makes the guitar sound better on the lower notes. I use the Elixir medium nanoweb strings, the same as the factory.

This is a well made guitar. Very nice fit and finish. It feels well made when you hold it. The factory action was great. I found no need for any adjustments on the action. It feels very easy to play, and not a hint of string buzz using medium strings.

This guitar should last a good long time. I plan to play it for decades, enjoying as it gets better with age. This is my go to guitar for public playing.

It has a lifetime warranty for the original owner. I live near a Taylor authorized service dealer, which means I could have warranty work done easily if it were needed. I hear that Taylor is very good about its warranty service. They stand behind their product, but I don't expect to ever need to use it.

If you are looking for a classic American guitar, this is a good choice. It is attractive, feels good to hold, and it sounds great. It is quality made and built to last. If only a lot of other things in this world got better with age.

Made in February 2006. No electronics and no cutaway. Typical Taylor
excellent attention to detail. Nice matching on the wood. I give it
a high rating because of the quality of its appointments, however few.
Just enough mother of pearl to set it off and the angelic fret position
markers are very attractive. The rest of the guitar is pretty conservative. I would say that the shape of the guitar and the headstock
make for a very pretty guitar, whereas my martin HD-28 has an almost
identical body shape, but the headstock is typical and plain. The Taylor
is very pretty from an artistic standpoint.

I played three 810's and a K-10. I wasn't inclined to spend the extra
for the K-10, and the tone wasn't what I was looking for anyway. I play
fingerstyle and this 810 makes me sound better than I am. Sort of like
a wife, who makes you want to be a better man (a la Nicholson). The separation of the strings and the basic set-up is perfect for me. My
fingers hit what they are going for in a way that they aren't used to.

Set-up was excellent from the factory. Action was close, but no buzzing.
The neck is the straightest I have even seen. The top wood is very clear of blemishes. I have been playing a 710CE (short scale) and was having
problems with my playing in that I was not forming chords properly
and reliably. I have been playing for forty years and thought it was age. I now think the scale was cramping my hands, because I can play
longer and my voicings are more clear than with the 710. Weird.

The guitar seems very stable and holds its tuning. I am not always
re-tuning and even when I have carried it outside and back into the
house, the temperature extremes didn't effect the tuning much, if
at all. I think I just got a really good one.

Haven't dealt with them, yet.

Normal pricing was $2350 for this guitar, but apparently Guitar Center
is closing them out. There was another 810 on the wall listing at $2350,
but it scanned at $1950, as well. For this reason, I felt that it was my
fate to liberate this guitar, in addition to a set of strings that was
my original plan. (Case included, BTW). This guitar is really what I
have been looking for. Get 'em while you can!

early 90's, best rosewood I have seen in 30+ years of playing. Nice nice, nice! I did add a fishman p/u for studio and to help our sound man share the sound of her.Usual straight neck, smooth action. This was bought to replace a D-35 that got murdered in a tragic accident. I for sure love the way my Taylor plays, sounds, holds up under stress ie "brisk" rock & roll.

Sound kicks !! Totally beats my D-35. From old gospel to "brisk" contemporary, this guitar is super! Even guys I play with say the 810 sounds much cleaner and has more bottom than the martin. Great for finger picking as well as straight lead. No probs with the fishman with feedback, no whine or crying.

No adjustment, no settling, no problem from day 1 until now. 15+ years, except for the pickguard is just now starting to lift a little on the lower bout, but not enuf to be a problem.

I have never had a moment's worry about this guitar being ready to play or work!

I only had a question no real problem, and it was handled over the phone first time I called.

I have been playing for 45+ years, and this is the last guitar I expect to own. I have several others for students and relatives that play, and only myself and my grandson play my Taylor. In fact, it is already in my will for him to inherit her. He is three, will be four in a month and already has a big baby taylor. If something happened to her,I would really have to look hard to replace her, but would definitly look at Taylors first.

Made 4/04, bought 10/04 @ Guitar Center Fort Worth, TX.
This is the dreadnought by witch I judge all others. This was purchased with insurance money to replace my 2003 510ce that was run over by my drummer. We had passed through there months before the accident, but the minute I knew I was getting a new guitar, I called the store and asked if they still had it. I had played vintage Gibsons, a Martin D-45 and others, some Larivee's, Tacomas and a Bourgois (however you spell those), and this one guitar stood out in my mind. The revoicing and new Taylor tuners are great.
I wanted the full dreadnought this time, and adding my own electronics was cheaper (though I loved my ES).

Ridiculously amazing. The rosewood is awesome. I can't stand to play any other guitars now. We've been recording with it using an X-Y matched stereo condensor mic setup with a room mic, too, and it blows the acoustic sounds away on most of the CD's we've been A-Bing. I also installed an L.R. Baggs iMix system, which I run through their Para-Acoustic D.I. It's so flexible, and now it sounds amazing plugged in, too. (down with stupid Fishman)

Flawless. The figuring on the back makes every Martin I've ever seen envious. The Abalone rosette and Pearl inlays are perfect, too. The top has great grain, too. It's action is amazing. It has 13's, but it's still easy to play up on the neck, chording. Taylor's workmanship raises the bar!

As long as my drummer stays away from this one, I plan on passing this guitar to my kids (and the first one's still in the oven). I'm actually using the original Taylor case from the 1st guitar, because it survived!!!

They're so nice and helpful.

amazing

Revoiced Dreadnought 810 2004 model--they moved the X brace forward towards the sound hole and revised an interior brace in the lower part of the body to balance the tone out. Nice inlay, cream-toned spruce top,
ebonoied buttons, plastic binding, 1 3/4" nut width, no electronics(why not?)--so I am giving it an '8'. Strap button at the base of the neck, not standard on previous 810's.

Bought this model w/o a case

Nice balanced tone, with more bass, but not muddy bass. Taylors are known for their midrangy tone---the sound engineers dream. The previous 810's sound that way--great for recording, not so full of sound unplugged. The revoiced 810's have a sound that you can enjoy in your living room w/o being plugged in, and it suits my styles of fingerstyle and strumming folk/rock tunes. Sometimes Martins are too bass heavy and miss the higher ranges; the 810 fills out very well. It's interesting after all the Taylor hype in the past about how their guitars don't need more bass---they've responded wisely to the marketplace and added more bass to this model!

Original action was, as they say, a "flat neck"---set up for fingerstyle. I had my luthier adjust the relief just a tad to accomodate strumming; now no more buzz on the low 'A' or 'E' chords. I like the wider neck, but it seems a little too slippery---how do you get a finish that gives a little more resistance(I'm being very picky)? Other than that, the workmanship is flawless, although I wish the ebonoid buttons were real ebony. I do miss the gold tuners as on previous models.
Taylors are known for their consistency in quality, and this model is no exception--they truly pay attention to all the details and they did in this case.

No doubt will withstand live playing, judging from the clientele that use Taylor. Gibsons seem to be built more like a battleship, but I have no doubt that this instrument will last.
Strap buttons seem solid, as they have added one at the base of the neck.

I love their newsletter and have called them in the past, with great responses. Their authorized dealers(Dusty Strings/Seattle) are first rate. Taylor knows how to do Customer Service...

Been playing 25+ years; I wish it has electronics already with it(I will probably put a RTBaggs System or BBand pickup in it). Been playing Gibson, Martin, Breedlove, Taylor--they all have their pros and cons and individual voices. Like I said earlier, the 810 is a piece that will sound great plugged AND unplugged in your room; they finally got it right with this revoiced model.

Revoiced model - Standard 810 features -
Taylor seems to use top quality woods and they appear to put a lot of work into clean, flawless construction.

I kept my Taylor for all of two weeks (everything always sounds better in the guitar shop ;^) ). I absolutely hated the sound... The sound was too thin, with no bass response at all. I traded the guitar in on a Martin HD-28, which is in the top-five of best sounding acoustic guitars I've ever played (Collins H2A taking the top spot)... I'm sure Taylor guitars have the ideal sound for some style of music but, for bluegrass/folk, quite simply, Taylor's are a joke... I think I would have been gang beaten had I taken my Taylor to a bluegrass jam.

Action-wise, there are few acoustic guitars which play better than Taylors. The action is beautiful. However, I wonder if the action isn't set too low for an acoustic guitar? There is a fine line one has to walk when setting up acoustic guitars.. Much tone can be lost if the action is set too low.
Finish-wise, Taylor guitars are beautifully built... I'm not a fan of the bolt-on necks though. While this does make neck resets tons easier, I feel the dove-tail construction is much more solid. I also feel that the dove-tail construction creates a guitar that ages as though it was one solid piece.

Overall, Taylor builds beautiful guitars, with their own unique sound; a sound I feel that leaves much to be desired. If Taylor's had the sound I was looking for then they'd be a 10. However, I feel they just sound thin and have too much high end... Basically, the low-E of my 810 had less bass than the open A of my HD-28... In short, do yourself a favor and buy a Martin HD-28!

This is a 2004 model. I was going to buy the 710, but the place I went to didn't have any of the 700 series in stock. The 810 is a beautiful guitar. The ebonoid buttons on the gold-plated tuners look sharp. I think that a wood-binding would look nicer than the white plastic binding, but I'm not complaining too much about it. The case is really nice and plush and snug. The rest of the specs, I am not going to repeat...

This guitar has an amazing sound. The projection, the sustain, the overtones is amazing. It has a nice clean and well-balanced tone, though it's not all that bassy. (I don't mind.) This guitar sounds good fingerpicking, flatpicking, or just plain strumming. It's very versatile like that. 15 minutes can easily turn into a few hours with this guitar. (I use medium gauge Elixir Nanowebs.)

The action was alright. I had to get the saddle sanded down to get it perfect. The craftmanship is nice and tight and almost perfect (there was a tiny-weeny bit of slop on the inlay on the 3rd and 5th frets). I wish that the binding wasn't plastic and it would be nicer if the mahogany neck was solid rather than being 3 pieces. However, they used some top-quality wood on the top back and sides. The grain on the spruce top is flawless. The grain is tight, even, and consistent. It also has a nice sheen to it when you hold it at a certain angle. The rosewood is nice and dark. The grain is even with streaks of dark blonde, dark brown, reddish brown. It is absolutely stunning.

I hadn't had this guitar for very long yet, so I can't say too much here. It being a solid guitar and me living in Florida (which is an awful place to have a solid guitar), I keep a very close eye on it. I am kind of uneasy about keeping 13's on it. (My top came up on my Alvarez when I put 13's on it.) I was told that it is tough enough for mediums, so I am taking my chances. If the top does start pulling at the bridge, then I will invest in getting a bridge doctor installed.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing for 10 years now. The guitars that I've owned include a Larrivee D-03R, an Alvarez PD100S, a Alvarez-Yairi CY116 and some lower-end guitars. My Taylor 810 is my all around favorite. If it is ever to be lost/stolen, I will replace it with the exact same thing. I absolutely love the sound and the playablity. When I played it against its Martin equivalent, the neck on the Martin felt like I was playing a 2x4. The plastic binding is kind of bleh, and I know that the gold plating will fade over time, but it's still a wonderful guitar.

1995 model, standard features (solid EI rosewood back and sides, top quality Sitka spruce top, etc.) with the exception of custom engraged tuner buttons, bridge pins and truss rod cover. No electronics, no cutaway. Unlike some other reviewers I do not mind the white plastic binding. It is attractive and very ding-proof. I have owned guitars in the past with wood binding -- very beautiful but easily damaged. This is far more durable.

9+ years of playing and aging has benefitted the guitar tremendously. When new what drew me to the Taylor 810 was the incredible E to E balance, top to bottom, and playability like no other acoustic I had tried. It did have a somewhat "compressed" tonaly quality at the time, with a definite emphasis in the mid-range. Now, in 2004, the overall sound has blossomed. Bass is full and rich, not boomy, and the balance has been maintained. It is a wonderful sounding instrument, all in all. It does not have the volume or fullness of a comparable Martin dread, but then again it doesn't pretend to. Newer Taylors have been revoiced (apparently) to compete with Martin. Haven't played one yet so I can't comment, though second hand opinions seem to rate the new ones highly.

Action, fit and finish are all top-notch. No flaws that I can tell. Woods are beautiful and the top has mellowed in color nicely. This is one of the things that drew me to the guitar initially -- the action, fit and finish was superior to other guitars in its price range, including the Martin D-28, which I was originally planning to buy.

Guitar has been reliable and durable in all respects. Never had any problems with it live. Finish (one of the early UV models I think) has held up well. I have humidified the guitar and otherwise maintained it properly per Taylor's tech sheets and instructions.

Taylor is a joy to deal with. I have contacted the company numerous times over the years since my purchase and they have always been prompt, courteous, customer-service friendly and helpful. Someone has trained these folks well!

Been playing for 35 years. I own a variety of other guitars, acoustic and electric. Playability, matured sound, wonderful balance, and its own voice.