Taylor Guitars 312-CE

2002 model. Case Included. Top notch Pickup/Pre-Amp.

Sounds unbelievable, can get a little crunchy if playing hard. But mostly perfectly clear tone. I gig 3-5 times a week and it's always consistent.

Amazing Finish. Neck feels great.

So far so good, had it for 2 years now. No hiccups at gigs. No backup required with this baby.

N/A - Never had to deal with them.

Been playing seriously for 10 years, I use a Strat Deluxe for lead. If I lost this, I would be devastated, but would definitely buy again (maybe a 712 next time though, I also played a 816ce recently would consider that too).

specs as 312-ce except for an aged toner applied to the table.a three piece back in tas blackwood/koa.
i took this guitar thru a trade,previous owner added ebony pins,bone nut/saddle.kept immaculate.
everything else is as 312-ce.

like to hear what i play,meaning clarity,strumming or pickin you hear every note in its key as it should be yeh ?no amp as yet cept for a little sidekick (fender)which wont/cant do a taylor justice.!i developed a lighter more controlled strumming/pickin attitude playin this thing which has helped me as a player,no bashing or thrashing on a concert size mateys! no dislikes im happy as larry.

guy who owned before me left me no probs.

rugged enuff for a concert.get a stand,give her a wipe now n then,change the strings,keep cased and no probs eh ?

nope.

best guitar of my present bunch,wish i had my old d-18 again (got pinched),thou this guitar is similar in sound quality to me without the power.remember mateys the price of guitars nowadays is silly so be carefull remember why god gave you ears and bless you.

2005 American Made. No sure how many frets, see other posts
Solid Sitka Spruce top African Mahogany sides.
The expression system contains a trebble/mid and Bass/mid tone controls as well as master volume. These work very well and agree with another poster here that you are better off using the these tone controls vs. your amps tone controls. Leave those flat.
All other features are idientical to the many other posts.

This guitar really didn't suit my style of playing too well. I tend to be a bit heavy handed. Although it sounded very clear and chimey, I couldn't get on it too heavy or I'd get too much fret buzz. I plugged it into a Fender Acoustisonic JR. This guitar and maybe only this one, emited an extremely quacky sound when picked through the amp. Chording sounded fine, but picking was horible. I compared it directly to my 30 year old dreadnaught with a Fishman Piezo and it sounded 10 times better. I am not really impressed just yet with the expression system. It may be that this one was defective. I'll wait to play the 414 before I form my final opinion. I've heard others play 410's and 412's with the expression system live and I thought they sounded great. I wouldn't mind owning it for finger picking and softer songs. I was testing if for a freind over 5 days prior to his decision to send it back and go for the 414ce.
Overall the sound is quite impressive for such a small bodied guitar.
One other peculiar thing, the satin finish when slid against clothing, or anything I suppose emitted a very noticeable sound out of my amp. It would be best not to move the guitar while playing plugged in.

The guitar was setup as good as could be expected. The action was about right and I prefer low action.
The pickup may have been defective as I stated, not only did it give a very quakcy-honking sound especially on the b and high e strings, the b string had a bit more output than the other strings, not a ton, but enough to notice.
One thing I have to rave about is the fit and finish. I don't believe I've ever seen a neck so perfectly straight, although it had just the right amount of relief.the frets were polished and evenly set. The kerfing and bracing was perfect, the overall construction was flawless. I see why they are so stinking expensive.

Don't really know, I only played it for 5 days, but it seems durable as any acoustic guitar.

N/A

I've been playing for 30 years, I have one other acoustic guitar, a full size dreadnought made of solid sitka spruce top and rosewood sides and back. Very nice full sounding guitar. I also own 2 Fender Strats, a Tele and a Les Paul copy. Through a Hughes and Koettner and Fender Blues Jr. amp.
I was not aware of the small body size of this guitar of my buddy would have ordered the 410 or 414 right off the bat.
I do love the playability and the overall sound unplugged. I'm hoping that not all expression systems sound as bad as this one did.
Taylors seem to be very nice guitars, but I'd have to go play one from a store vs. ordering on-line if I were going to buy one.

Made 2003Made in usa.
Havent counted em lol
Solid spruce top,Nice tight grain.Solid Mohogany back n sides.
Taylor expression system.Its the mutts nuts, dont sound Quacky like Piezo`s. As good as if not better than a top notch mike no Bull***T
Body nice n small n comfy.But still has enough wellie to play at home!If you gig out amplify it!Use the Eq and set your amp to 12 oclock positions, it works for me.Use guitar Eq rather than amp EQ.

Im not a technical player,i use a pick at all times.And i sound the bizz.

I find the neck nice n slim which suits me as i have small hands.It cost me a bomb but i wont need any thing else.I lowered the action a mm due to little hands and now it plays its self.Theres plenty of ooommmph to play unplugged amp it if not?

Came with a free xlr cable which fits my Marshall AS50R a treat.

I took one hell of a beating when the Mrs found out how much this cost, but its worth it lads honest!Comfy n ace sounding!

I play mainly 60s indie etc.

Sounds the mutts nuts.Big time!

No dislikes apart from arse end strap button a bit shallow.Worry about strap popping off, no room for a washer.It aint popped off yet so maybe me over concerned?

Action was set up as medium,Which is a Fair starting point.But i have girls hands so dropped it a mm acrosss the board.LOL

Searched all over it for flaws.Couldnt find any!They make em well good.I wont try to improve on this unless taylor come up with a improvement on the expression system.But i cant see that happening coz it sounds the bizz now!

This would with stand live playing with care.I only play mine when sober.Got a Tanglewood for pissed up duties.lol n that sounds good too!

Guitar is the mutts nuts ,but only a very brave man would gig with out a backup.I mean regarding this string breakages only would be my only concern.

I live in England.Taylor warrenty only valid in USA or Canada.So uk warrenty with the shop who sold it so i gather?No problems so not had to contact anyone

Been playing 2 years!Was able to try out the whole range coz went to Gak on a sunday.Used me noddle there!

If it was nicked i would track the theif down and tell him off ! lol

Compared this to Gibson Hummingbird n songwriter.Gibson quality control is Sh*t.You try running your fingers down the fret ends on a #2000 Les Paul!See you in Causalty,no Joke!

2004 model, Grand Concert body shape (smallest body available in a full sized taylor). All Solid woods (sitka spruce top and African mahogany sides and back). Top is fully laquered; sides, back, neck & headstock are satin finish. Comes with wonderful custom Taylor hard case--perfect fit. Also comes with balanced 1/4" TRS to XLR cable for high-fidelity connectivity.

I'm using it for alternative acoustic rock/ alt.country/ americana/ folksy stuff. The Taylor 312CE is perfect for it. It particularly shines when playing soft chords and arpeggios, a la wilco and ryan adams. It's sound is more intimate than my other acoustics. It has great presence and wonderful mids. For such a small body, the bass response is better than I expected.

The Expression System (ES) Pickup is absolutely amazing. Plug it in and play it back to back with a piezo system and you'll never plug your piezo in again! It amplifies the natural sound of the guitar, from the bass all the way to the shimmering highs without the harsh piezo sound. I honestly can't figure out why anyone professional performer with the means to purchase a taylor would actually get on stage with a piezo equipped guitar. Well. . . I think I've made my point.

The action on this guitar is a bit higher than one would expect from an instrument in this price range. Although I tightened the truss rod 1/4 turn and it is much better now. As far as fit and finish--astounding! The laquered spruce top is gleaming and beautiful, while the satin-finished mahogany back and sides beg to be touched. This is a beautiful guitar without all the added flash and gaudy abalone bindings and inlays that I personally don't miss.

Although I've only had it for a couple days, it seems pretty clear that this is a durable axe. The hardware seems tough and the end-pin doesn't want to let go of the strap. The satin finish seems like it will last, but must be taken care of (i.e. if playing with grimey hands, then clean it up afterwords.) If I didn't have another acoustic, I would use it on a gig without a backup, but when you have a backup guitar available--no reason to leave it at home.

Although I haven't had a chance to evaluate their customer support, I've heard wonderful things.

I've been playing for 14 years and have owned 3 or 4 other acousics. My two main acoustic guitars now are the Taylor 312CE and an Ibanez Artwood AW100CE. (Both Acoustic Electric).

I compared it to the Taylor 310CE and 414CE. Although the 414 was much louder and had a deeper bass tone, the comfort and the look of the smaller 312 as well as it's almost introspective, intimate sound made it my choice.

I don't care what any other fools say in these reviews. . . the Expression System (ES) pickup is amazing. If everything else about this guitar was crap, the ES would make it worth it for live performance.

If this guitar was stolen I'd (first murder the family of the thief) cry. I couldn't afford to buy this guitar again, but if I could--I would.

i'd like to take an oppertunity to plug the guys at jim's music in irvine calif. for their professionalism and knowledge. they have the every bit the selection of guitar center / sam ash music with even better prices and a far more knowledgeable staff. this is a dream music store!!!! if you are serious about any taylor instrument, call these guys! personal thanks to tom sebastian, thanks man!

2002 model of the 312ce. this guitar is 100% american made. top is solid spruce and the back and sides are solid sapele, which is a very beautiful mahogany-like wood. this guitar (and all other taylor models) are 100% solid wood.... no laminated wood anywhere on this guitar. the electronics are by fishman, prefix plus system. features notch adjust, volume, bass, contour, treble, balance, frequency and a phase switch. the electronics offer a ton of eq and tone shaping options. the fingerboard is ebony, bridge is ebony. the finish is a light gloss on top, satin type finish on back and sides. the body and neck are bound with black fiber binding. the body is a smaller, thinner syle they call a grand concert. it has a cutaway that allows for access to all frets with ease. this guitar is not flashy with lots of inlay and fancy bindings. it has a real understated beauty, a real eye catcher without being too flashy.this guitar (as do all taylors) included a DELUXE hardshell taylor case. not an skb "fits all" case with taylor written on it. taylor covers all the bases, no short cuts.

the sound of this guitar turns heads. it has a real vibrance and a shimmer that resonates through your whole body when playing. it has a nice bright (not tinny or shrill) tone, a real "poppy" tone. single notes ring clear and bright, strummed chords are clear and well balanced, each note in the chord rings clear. because the depth / size of the body is smaller, this guitar plays best for those with a lighter strumming technique or fingerstyle. it is not designed to be played really hard as the guitar can actually distort some. this guitar is best suited to a folk / folk rock, singer / songwriter type player. think somewhere from james taylor to jars of clay. this guitar is not a do-it-all guitar. it has it's specific place. however it can cover a wide variety of styles and the sound simply awesome!!

this guitar is built to the highest standards of quality, it's obvious that the luthiers at the taylor factory take a tremendous amount of pride in their workmanship. they are true artists. every inch of this guitar is perfect, no flaws anywhere. i really did search this whole guitar to look for any imperfections, there just are not any to be found.

i have not had it long, but it feels solid and well made. the lifetime warranty provided by taylor pretty much sums up their belief in their product. i can't imagine having any problems with this guitar.

i've never had to contact them, they give you a ton of useful literature when you buy the guitar about proper care for it. taylor's web site is super informative.

i've played guitar about 12 years now and i've been through a lot of guitars. up until a few yars ago, mostly electric. now, i play only acoustic. singer / songwriter type music and on my church's worship team. i've recently owned a takamine egs430sc which is a nice guitar but in no way measures up to the taylor. i recently owned a taylor 310 model acoustic but had to upgrade to the 312ce because i wanted the smaller body and needed the electronics. in my humble opinion, there are no better guitars built than those built by taylor. if this guitar was stolen, i'd replace it in a heartbeat. i beleive i'm found my "dream guitar."

Purchased in 2001. Sitka Spruce top, grover tuners. Comes with Fishman Piezo pickup system. Pickup has 3 band eq. 22 frets.

First of all, the sound is truly great. That is IF it fits your musical style. This guitar is not a dreadnought, and it is not meant to be played very loudly, and with hard strumming. With that said, if you are looking for a guitar for a lighter guitar sound, this is incredible. For what it does it is the best i have heard. Playing fingerstyle or lightly with a pick, this guitar is perfect. This comes across well when amplified, and i havent had much trouble at all with feedback. This guitar also has incredible harmonics. This guitar definately doesn't do everything, but no guitar does.

The set-up was done very professionally, no noticable problems. The intonation was flawless. The guitar itself looks somewhat plain, but very nice.

This guitar is very well built, and has been very reliable for me. The hardware is grover, and is definately quality. Finish is sturdy.
I would use this to gig without a backup, the only problem i could imagine would be a broken string. I have owned this guitar for over a year, and have not had a single problem with it.

havent dealt with them.

I have been playing for 10 years. I own a few other guitars, all elecrtic though. If it were stolen, i think i would look at buying a different Taylor, maybe a 414. This is only because of my personal style, but i definately appreciate what this guitar does. If you are looking for a guitar with an "intimate" sound, this is perfect. If you perfer to beat on your guitar, you might look elsewhere.

I had noticed only a couple of reviews of this particuliar model of
Taylor, so I thought I'd contribute my opinion. The other reviewers have pretty much the same opinion as me, but I'm coming from a REAL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE here, so perhaps my opinions will be of use.

1st Major caveat - I'm a BASS PLAYER, NOT A GUITAR PLAYER.

But you know, I can plink around a little bit, I know some chords, etc. I've wanted an acoustic for years, but always decided to buy more bass gear, more recording stuff, more midi gear and keyboards, etc.

One of the main reasons I bought this guitar was to have a decent acoustic around for recording. With the exception of one of my friends (who owns two series 800 Taylors) most of my friends own mediocre to flat out skanky acoustics. I thought it would be good to have a nice sounding acoustic around for recording purposes.

I was beginning to think that recording and getting a great acoustic sound was really hard. Nope, the secret is simple - get a great guitar, mic it with a good mic, great sound comes out.

Anyway, I bought this guitar for recording, and it just so turns out that I enjoy playing the thing so much that I'm actually learning how to play it pretty decent. This guitar has inspired me and frankly after only four months I can hang pretty good. I pale in comparison to a real guitar player, but I get the feeling that if I had bought a lesser guitar, it would be mainly sitting in the case.

Taylors just make you want to play them.

Oh yeah, where was I, oh yeah the guitar...

The Taylor 312-CE is the smallest "full sized" guitar in the line. It has what is called the "Grand Concert" body size, which is smaller and thinner than the other Taylors. This compromises the acoustic sound somewhat (especially the CE model, since it has a cutaway that further decreases the body volume), but for recording (more on this later), and live performance, this can be somewhat of a good thing.

Don't get me wrong, this guitar sounds GREAT, it just is not as huge as my friend's 800 Taylors are. It's a more intimate sound, this is not a good guitar for beating the hell out of. Played with the right kind of touch, it really sparkles quite nicely.

Being a Taylor, it is of course made in the USA - the workmanship is incredible. The thing I love about Taylors is that the 300 series are made just as well as the 800's and above. The main difference is not the quality - you just have to give up the fancy binding, inlays, etc.
The wood choices are still excellent, just not ultra pretty like the higher end Taylors. It's still a beautiful guitar, but more the kind you play, not look at.

The top is solid spruce, and mine has a "flaw" in the grain. Not really a flaw per se, but a spot where the grain is lighter than the rest of the top. I've started to notice that many of the 300 Taylors are like this, I imagine the flawless Spruce is reserved for the higher end models. I mean you really have to look at the guitar to notice this, and it's not really a "flaw", just a difference in the grain of the Spruce.

The back and sides are an African Mahogonay, called Sapele. This stuff is beautiful, a nice golden brown hue, and VERY Stripey, this is not a dull sort of looking wood like regular mahogany is. It looks very expensive. Again, like all the Taylor line, there are no laminates (except the back and sides of the Baby Taylors), the back and sides are SOLID sapele.

The neck is 20 frets, made of Honduran mahogany (which looks like you expect mahogany to look), nice and thin, plays like a dream. Fretboard and bridge are ebony, and the headstock is covered in nice rosewood.

Think about this for a second, this is a bottom of the line Taylor, with a pickup it costs under $900 (or at least mine did) and it has five different types of SOLID wood in it. It doesn't get any better (or more cost effective) than this. I'm amazed they can make a guitar this nice for the price.

As I mentioned t

For me the sound is perfect, very balanced, clear and open sounding.

Like I mentioned, this model does not sound as huge as the big Taylors, but frankly in a recording envirnoment this is a plus.

This is probably the easiest to record acoustic guitar I have ever encountered. The first time I mic'd it up, I had an excellent sound in about 3 mintues - just had to find the "sweet spot".

This is not a great "Strummy" guitar, but will sound good if you strum with a light touch. If you beat your acoustic, this is not the guitar for you, if you attack this guitar, the sound will get a little brittle, not bad, but if you back off some, it just sounds a lot better.

For subtle fingerpicking, or more laid back playing, it sounds fantastic. It sounds great strumming too, just maintain a lighter touch. Kind of funny you would think that I would abuse the thing, being a bass player and all, but I find my natural tendency with this guitar is to play with a very light touch.

Sometimes I run it straight into the board, but for recording I usually mic it. I run an Oktava MC-012 (bought from the Soundroom, NOT GUITAR MART) through a Rane mic preamp, sometimes with light compression, then straight into an analog recorder - NO EQ. I'll run a bit of reverb on the playback channel for hype, but this guitar needs no massaging to make it sound right.

Usually I put the mic about a foot off the guitar and about four inches above the neck, at around the 10th fret, but pointed at the 12th - 14th fret, pointed down just a little bit.

This is of course a pretty standard technique, nothing special. Like I said, good guitar, good mic, point it at the right spot, press record.

The only "dislike" that I would say is that the sweet spot for my particuliar setup seems a little narrow. The Oktava cardiod capsules actually have a pretty wide pattern but I have noticed that I can't move around a lot without the tone changing from the guitar. When I use the omni-directional capsules this is not a problem, but then again it's a different tone, sometimes I like the cardiod cap sound, sometimes the omni.

This is probably not so much an issue with this particuliar guitar, it really applies to most acoustics in a recording situation.

The sound from the built in pickup is a little harsh, but no more so than most piezo pickups. The on board EQ really helps out here, along with cutting down on the feedback through a PA.

I'm taking a point off because the 312 does not have the "huge" sound of the dreadnought or jumbo Taylors. For many recording and live applications though, this might actually be an advantage.

Setup was flawless - I haven't had to change a thing in 4 months. Action is great, it only took me about a month to be able to play this guitar without killing my fingers (remember, I'm a bass player).

Every guitar player that has played this guitar has remarked how easy it is to play.

As I noted, there is a small spot in the top that is lighter than the rest of the spruce, but hey it's wood, if it was perfect I would be suspicious.

The one REAL BITCH THAT I HAVE and this seems to be notorious with Taylor acoustic/electrics is that the damn plug jack comes loose, I mean like always comes loose.

I don't know what the answer to this is (I plan on emailing them) but it's really quite annoying to play the thing live through the PA, put it down, and then discover that the end pin jack is about to fall out.

Considering how well the rest of the guitar is engineered and made, this is REALLY pissing me off. They need to do something better..

I'm taking two points off for the damn end pin jack always coming loose...

I think Taylors are very durable guitars, but not the kind of guitar where you want to take it to an open mic and just let some drunk hillbilly play it.

If you play bars a lot, you might want to get a cheaper guitar, I mean the Taylor would stand up to abuse I would think, but if it got dinged or trashed, it would be sad, very sad.

Finish is first rate, I think it will last forever. This guitar exudes quality from 20 feet away, you can just tell that it is very well made.

Sure I'd use it on a gig without backup, just have a mic handy for when the end pin falls out...

I haven't dealt with the company but I have heard they are as outstanding as their product.

My understanding is that the guitars from Taylor have a lifetime warranty - this rocks.

Basically there is this whole cult and vibe that surrounds these guitars, once you buy one, people (well guitar players at least) kind of take notice. It's sort of like owning a Porsche, it's a cool guitar, everybody knows it, and there is a real pride in owning one.

A guitar player friend of mine that owns a Tak that I had not seen in years came by one night with his brother (keyboard player guy that I record with). I said, "want to check out my Taylor". The guy couldn't put it down, he just played it and played it, and kept muttering what a dumbass he was for not spending more $$$ and getting a Taylor.

I've been playing bass for about 25 years, but acoustic guitar for only about 4 months. I won't bore you with the gear I own, but suffice it to say that I do a lot of recording, and this Taylor is fantastic for that application.

The fact that this guitar has inspired me to actually learn how to play I think says a lot. I think if I had just bought a regular guitar, it would be sitting in the case most of the time. I get a great big woody every time I pick the Taylor up.

I started out by looking at $600 ish guitars, I mean I figured if I didn't really play, I shouldn't be dropping a grand on an acoustic.

I kept coming back to Taylors though, I would look at other guitars, and play them, but just looking at the Taylors from 20 feet away, you could tell that they smoked almost everything in the room.

So I stopped by Music City one day, because I knew he had a lot of them. He had this particuliar one, he said he'd cut me a deal, which was $885 (I think these normally sell for around a grand or $1100). It was a "leftover model", he said he needed to move it.

So I played it and fell in love. I didn't wind up buying the guitar for another two months (I had to sort of convince my bass playing self that I was worthy of owning such a guitar) but I eventually came back and bought it.

At the time, the salesman said something really profound. I had told him that "well really I wanted something more in the $600 range, but man this is a TAYLOR and for only $300 more I think it is worth it".

He told me, "well you know, I have plenty of $600 guitars here I'd be happy to sell you, but the thing is you'd wind up unhappy and just be back in a year or so and want to buy something else. Since you are not a guitar player, I figure you probably only want to buy one guitar, not two, so you should just buy this one and be done with it"

He also said something to the effect of, "you know I have never sold a Taylor that the owner wasn't totally happy with. The only Taylors that have ever come back on trade have been in trade for a nicer Taylor. And most of the time, people just buy another Taylor and keep the first one, they don't bother trading the first one in or even selling it"

Think about it, you can go on the internet or Ebay and only find a few Taylors for sale. There should be hundreds of them. The reality is that people don't sell these guitars, they KEEP THEM.

If you are considering a used Taylor, good luck finding one, most people don;t want to sell theirs.

I love everything about this guitar, EXCEPT

The damn end pin that always comes loose. If they would just fix this, the guitar would be perfect.

I compared this guitar to some Takamines, Martins (lower end ones), and Guilds, there was simply no comparison. The Taks and cheap Martins in particuliar just looked like cheesy pieces of crap compared to the Taylor, and did not play as nice.

Now Martin makes some awesome guitars, but their cheap guitars look and play cheap. The thing I love about Taylors is that they are all the same, even the cheap ones do not look cheap and don't play that way. Sure the extra inlays and binding on the higher end models are really nice, but you don't give up tone or playability by buying a 300 series Taylor.

The only thing that I wish it had was some sort of 12 string Taylor to keep it company - that one is on the long term shopping list...

The last thing I'd like to say is that Taylors have a rep for a good reason. I always knew they were good, but then a friend of mine bought two 800 series (a 6 and a 12) and just raved about them.

Now this guy had been through many acoustic guitars, quite a few of them quite nice. He also changes electric guitars and amps like he changes socks. He owns about 14 guitars, and 7 amps, and about once a year decides that his "favorite electric" or amp is no longer his favorite, and starts to sell off some guitars, and buys some new style of guitars (he's currently on

Solid spruce top, solid Mahogany back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, Fishman electronics (saddle piezo only), mahogany neck. I have been looking for about ten years for an acoustic, and settled on the 312-CE because of the features, cost, playability and tone. I considered the rosewood cutaway Martin at the $1200 price point, it was a good guitar but did not have an ebony fingerboard. I think this Taylor is untouchable at its price point.

I have had it about a year now, and it is beginning to loosen up a bit tone wise. Taylors sound a bit tight from the factory, but the highs and lows on this one are really getting sweet. It is very balanced on every note, with a good bass. I added a Fishman Cleartone saddle, this helped quite a bit and made it sound even better. If I had to complain, it's not as loud as a dreadnought (but you can't cheat physics). The only improvement would be the Fishman system used on the expensive Taylors, it has a mic and piezo and sounds stunning. It wasn't available on the 312CE.

The construction quality is flawless, no goofups anywhere. The finish and fretwork is especially good and really cannot be improved. The fingerboard actually has binding although it doesn't look like it; this is important with an ebony fingerboard as it keeps the fret ends from protruding (ebony is not a very stable wood). I lowered the saddle, adjusted the nut slots and adjusted the truss rod, it is now perfect for me. The top wood has some interesting figure to it (bear claws?) and the ebony bridge is streaked in color. I would rather have interesting looking grain than fake ebonized wood.

The guitar seems durable and reliable, the neck is pretty stable with humidity changes (my PRS drifts all over the place). The neck strap button is loosening while using a new Fender strap, no big deal. The satin finish on the neck has worn smooth after a year of playing; I think it looks great this way.

I think it has a lifetime warranty. I have never dealt with the company, never had to. Their web site is excellent with lots of good info.

I have been playing for 21 years and have had many acoustics including a Bozeman Gibson J200. I wouldn't trade any of them for this Taylor. If it was stolen, I would try to replace it with an identical one, but I watch it like a hawk! I love everything about it. Again, I looked for 10 years and played everything I could get my hands on, the 312CE is simply the finest at its price point. You can get better for more money, but I am perfectly happy with this one. Every time I pick it up I love it more. It is a fine guitar that will improve with age and playing, and become a part of you.

* 1998 312CE. 6 string Grand Concert cut away electric. Body size is smaller and thinner than a Dreadnought (15" wide at lower bought, 19 1/2" body length, 4 1/8 depth. Neck width at nut: 1 3/4".
* Top: Solid Sitka Sruce (Gloss Finish)
* Back/Sides: Solid Sapele Mahogany (Satin Finish)
* Soundhole Rosette: Plastic
* Neck: Mahogany
* Fretboard: Ebony
* Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots
* Headstock Overlay: Indian Rosewood
* Binding: Black Plastic
* Bridge: Ebony
* Nut and Saddle: Tusq
* Tuners: Chrome Plated Grovers
* Scale length: 25 1/2"
* Number of frets: 20
* Case: SKB Molded Hardshell * Electronics: Fishman Prefix. Controls for volume, bass, treble, mids, and frequency

For a smaller bodied acoustic, the sound is surprisingly full. Less bass boom than a dreadnought but extremely well balanced between bass, mids and highs. Harmonics flying all over the place. I have used only dreadnoughts in the past but was always intriqued by the smaller sized acoustics. After playing every one I could find (Guild, Yamaha, Takamine, Godin, Tacoma etc.) this Taylor just blew me away. It even sounded better than some dreadnoughts. I plug in directly to a Yamaha powered mixer and get a very good acoustic sound. The smaller body also drastically reduces the feedback problems I always had with the dreadnoughts.

Factory set up was excellent. Action is more like an electric than an acoustic. No defects. No finish flaws. No fret burrs. The transducer was a bit out of balance. The 5th and 6th strings were much quieter than the other four. The adjustment was performed at the store and is now fine. I really like the look of the Sapele wood which is a little darker and more heavily grained than other types of Mahagony. The neck is thin and a touch wider than the Taylor dreadnought which is great for fingerstyle playing.

I have owned this guitar for four months now and have already gigged out with it over 50 times. I perform both solo and with a full band and this guitar gives me the flexibility to play anything from flat-picked country and bluegrass, fingerstyle Croce or Taylor stuff or to take off on a lead. The end pin jack does have a tendancy to come loose.
I feel very confident that this guitar will hold up and I play every day and gig out 2 to 3 times a week. I do, however always take another guitar to a gig (a great dreadnought) but so far I haven't taken it out of the case.

The only time I have dealt with the company is when I sent in the warranty and asked them to send me some back issues of their quarterly periodical (Wood & Steel) and a 1998 catalogue. I received them in about 2 weeks. Taylor certainly seems dedicated to their customers and in educating the public on acoustic guitars. I would urge anyone to read any issues of Wood & Steel they can find. Much info is available for fellow acoustic guitar junkies.
The warranty is a limited lifetime.

I have been playing guitar for 27 years and gigging out for 22. I have been playing exclusively acoustic for the past 5. I can't imagine going back to an electric. I love the tremendous sonic possibilities an acoustic offers and with the right acoustic/electric you have the best of both worlds. I think I have found the right guitar for me. It's light weight, very easy and comfortable to play and has an excellent sound. I searched exhaustively for a small bodied acoustic and nothing else came close. I do a lot of fingerstyle during solo gigs and this guitar just sings along with me. I also have a Larrivee dreadnought which is also a great guitar, 'tho it requires more EQing for gigs. I am a self professed acoustic guitar junkie and I have not found a better overall value.