Taylor Guitars Custom 915 CE

Same as the 210, but with an active pickup built in. A basic, all solid wood guitar with a satin finish, ebony fretboard and beefy strings (13s). There is no onboard equilizer/volume, just an input jack (not in the endpin, but off to the side of the base of the guitar body). I find the simplicity of the electronics in this model preserve its acoustic qualities more so than many electric-acoustics these days. Also helps keep the cost down, I am guessing, by not having too many electronic bells and whistles. Not sure, however, why the input jack wasn't just built into the endpin, rather than creating an extra 1/4-inch hole in the body.

Pretty typical Taylor sound. Not as deep as most Martins, but with the heavy strings and solid wood all around, there is plenty of low end. High ends sparkle, of course, as all Taylors do. Very loud. Projects well. Nothing to dislike. There is no buzz anywhere on the neck. intonation is perfect. When not plugged in, this will keep up with any acoustic guitar out there, and probably drown out many lesser makes and models. Plugged in, there are no issues other than having to watch the feedback in certain situations. I haven't tried a soundhole cover yet to combat feedback because it hasn't been too bad and I don't want to deaden the tone at all. I play it through a small Marshall acoustic amp that has adjustments to help control feedback. With this Taylor, you can almost turn off the treble on the amp.

I've played guitars, many Taylors in fact, with slightly better action. This one was set up satisfactorily though. The heavy strings (mediums) probably give the illusion of the action being a tad too high. In reality, it's probably about average. I might drop down to 12s, although Taylor suggests to stick with 13s for proper tension and tone. Medium-lights might be a good compromise and provide a little reliefs on the old fingertips. The wood is solid and elegant all around. The guitar is fairly light in weight. The tuners (I don't think Taylor makes them on the 100 and 200 series, but I am not sure who does) work fine and the ebony is terrific both on the fingerboard and bridge. In fact, the fretboard is slightly beveled on the edges, which provides a nice feel. The frets are dressed well, but not perfect. Very minor flaws, but doesn't effect play at all. I guess for perfection, one needs to move up to a much more expensive model. The strap buttons are sturdy. The saddle and nut are some sort of plastic, but nicely refined. The finish is satin, which I like because I think lighter finishes produce more tone, and there is some interesting grain all around, including on the mahogany neck. I am only taking away a point for very minor flaws on the frets (I am talking very tiny sharp edges that you have to go out of your way to feel or see). I've seen better fret work on other Taylors, including the 214 which I almost bought, but it didn't quite have the booming sound of the 210 dread.

What's with all the panic about humidity from Taylor? It's almost enough to scare off a buyer. I've had a lower end Martins for well over a decade, and they've been everywhere with no issues from too little or too much humidity. In fact, there have been no issues, period. I use commonsense in caring for my Martins, and I hope the Taylor holds up just as well with reasonable care. I don't think a quality guitar should have to be babied too much. What's the point of paying a premium for a guitar if it isn't going to withstand normal climate changes, a ray or two of sunlight now and then or a bumpy ride in the backseat of the car? With that said, I am assuming Taylor is overdoing it with the warnings because a lot of people probably don't use commonsense, and end up storing their guitars in damp basements or leaving them baking in the sun on the back deck in the middle of the summer. If after this winter (with lower humidity), any problems arise with my new 210E under normal care, I will probably sell it. But I don't expect that to happen. Stay tuned. Beyond the potential humidity issue, I foresee no problems arising. Keep in mind though, that this a fairly lightweight guitar. One good bang into a door knob will damage it, maybe even punch a whole though it. On the other hand, because it has the satin finish, you don't have to worry too much about cracks or such that sometimes occur with glossier finishes. One of my most playable Martins has a satin finish, and it looks as good today as it did years ago, just a bit darker from aging. I expect this Taylor's finish will hold up very well.

Been playing longer than I care to admit. I asked around about Taylors. Some folks I know have had zero problems (even with the 12 strings), others have had to replace frets or repair bridges fairly early. I figured the Taylor sound was worth the gamble in straying away from Martins this one time. This is my first Taylor. I chose to enter the Taylor family by going with the 210E because it was decently priced, appeared to be well made, I actually liked the fact it didn't have a bunch of controls on it (I set my sound through my amp anyway) and overall, Taylor's reputation seems solid. I like getting an ebony fretboard on a guitar that costs under a grand and it's the least expensive guitar in the Taylor line that is all solid wood. The 110 has laminates on the sides and back. If this 210E guitar holds up well, it probably won't be my last Taylor. These guitars sound very nice. Also, the cases that come with Taylors are amazingly solid.