Taylor Guitars 110

he 110 by Taylor is a solid top, laminated back and sides with a bolt on neck. It comes with a gig bag as opposed to a solid case. I have owned Martin and Taylors in the past. This guitar attracted me because of the Taylor name and the price $563. I had been looking at several Martins, but would not want to purchase a Martin that was not a solid wood guitar. I also found that Martins tend to have intonation problems when using a capo. (I currently own a 1973 D-18 Martin, a great sound guitar, but I have to retune when I use a capo.) Taylors do not tend to have that problem. The top is spruce with a close grain.

I play folk, country, and christain music. I particularly like traditional Christmas music. I finger pick and use a medium flat pick. The one feature that this particular 110 sold me own was the sound. It has great volume and the sound is mellow. (I dumped the Elixir strings in favor of Martin SP. Elixir strings sound flat to me even when new. The best strings I have ever used were John Pearse.) I thought about changing to a lighter gauge but decided to stay with the mediums. They are a little rough to get used to but the guitar is easier to play than my Martin with light guage strings. I would recommend that you try playing the guitar. I tried 3 different 110s and this one was the best. One with electronics was really flat. But so were a number of Martins that I tried with laminated wood.

The finish is flat (just what I wanted.) The wood has a rougher exterior much like a Seagull. However, the wood is perfect in design and I love the look. The action is a little high for a Taylor but I can adjust that if I want. As i said, it is still better to play with medium guage strings than my Martin with light guage

This is a light guitar. I am not sure how it will hold up as it is a new design by Taylor. I know that the Martins I have owned always had a lighter feel than the Taylors I have owned. This one has more of a Martin light feel. I plan to use this in most any playing situation I am in. It will be my main guitar. I do believe that it will hold up well or I wouldn't have bought it.

Can't comment here much. In the past, Taylor and Martin have both been real helpful. The warrenty is limited lifetime to the original owner (ME). Any customer support has to be better than my experiences with SEARS and HP product support recently.(I will never buy another HP product after my recent experiences there!

I have been playing almost 40 years. (I started in the crib. Was a prodigy I guess.) I have bought a number of guitars in the past (about 10) and have always researched my purchases more each time. This purchase took close to 8 months before I bought. If you are looking for a pretty guitar with a shiny top and sides, one with a great pickup system, one you will sit in fear anytime someone else is near the guitar, this is not the guitar for you. If you are looking for a guitar you play to take with you every where and play in any situation, then I would recommend this guitar. I was close to buying another Martin Dreadnaught (a chery back and sides) but the price was a little problem at this time. This met all the needs I was looking for in my next guitar purchase. I love the look, the sound and the overall appeal of this guitar. I would definitely replace this one if it were stolen or lost (heaven forbid). However, I would look around for another one with the look and sound of this one. Not every guitar (regardless of who makes it) sounds or looks the same. But of course, the lookung is 90% of the fun when purchasing a guitar (a car, a house, a suit...oh scratch the suit!)

This is a comparing test: Low budget Martin vs. Taylor!

I have to admit, I took great interest in comparing the low priced Taylor Guitars to their Martin cousins, in fact the Taylor 110 and 214 to the Martin DM and D15. I had some more expensive Martins and Taylors around for overall comparison, and here is what I came up with:
First let me tell you that Martins are definetly much louder with a boomier bass and a much clearer tone. A DM or D15 should be played loud. It's voice is authoritative, with lots of sustain. The all mahogany body sounds way darker than the spruce top of the DM, which adds a lot of sparkle.
The Taylor 110 or 214 on the other hand are very quick responding guitars with a worn, broken in feeling. They are both not as loud as a Martin, but they do not need to be played loud, they sound good at low levels. They are much more balanced and "silverly" in tone, they tend to sound compressed in a nice way when played hard (wheras the Martin has that much headroom and reacts to dynaimics individually). They are much better to handle but the Martins are manufactured better, the Taylors feel grainy in no negative way.
I myself do like both the Martin and the Taylor sound. Note: More expensive Martins are not neccesserily better sounding ones (even the "cheap ones" carry that warm, boomy Martin trademark sound), more expensive Taylors on the other hand are defintely better sounding that their low budget cousins. I came out of this test of mine with both the Martin D15 and the Taylor 214 - they are the affordable best of both worlds in my opionion.
Another hint: I had two of each guitar (two D15, two 214, etc.), the Martins of one kind sound very much the same, the Taylors quite different, so try some if your store has more than one!

see above

People has mention all the features before me, Im simply going to comment on them.

The Solid Top is very pleasing although the back and sides are laminated. So this is obviously not an All-Solid Wood Guitar, so the sound of this guitar will not sound better with age, it will not mature as much as an all-solid wood acoustic guitar.

The saddle is a little bit high so that would require a bit of attending to for some lower action.

The Neck is made of Ebony yes, but I would not say that it top Grade wood. The neck is a little bit rough, fretboard and the mahogany so you will need to wipe it with some fast fret to get a nicer smoother neck.

Tuners are plastic but they keep this thing in tune for a pretty long time.

A deluxe gig bag is included, very nice, but if this is your main acoustic guitar, get it a hard shell case.

Im a Rock/Blues/- Mellow kind of music player. The guitar is very versatile but dont thing it would do the job for Metal bands....Its more of a sweet warm sound that that heavy metal deal.

why 9 and not a 10? Because nothing is perfect.

I have not rated this section because it would be unfair because of the conditions this guitar must have passed until it reached me. From the United States it was shipped to Germany, and from there it was shipped to me in Greece and it must have suffered some very ackward conditions with humidity.

The Neck need some CRAZY adjustment! No Fret Buzz but the action on this guitar is soo high I have to be bashing on my fretboard to get a chord out! The Saddle is also High and needs some lowering.

3 noticable flaws. One ohe the Top of the guitar, another scratch on the Headstock, and a bit of a scratch on the fretboard on the final fret. Not such big problems!!

Seems to be a very solid guitar. Would Gig with this without a back-up.

You may depend on it but as weird as this may sound, you need to get a nice connection, a relationship if you will with the guitar.

For example, I seem to love the sound of my guitar in my living room at 2AM more than in the afternoon in my room....Dunno why.....Just my connection!

I have been playing for around 2 years now. I do not own any other gear, sold everything. I have played all sorts of guitars from Yamaha, Fender, Samick, Washburn, Olympia, Epiphone, and some other low end acoustic guitars.......Non of them have the sustain and tone like the Taylor 110.

If it were stolen, I would buy this again HOWEVER if I had the extra cash, would definatly purchase the Taylor 310.

Love the Sound, Sustain and the fact that its a Taylor.

I am an electric play but have wanted an acoustic for 20 years but never found one I liked that didn't cost a fortune. I was amp shopping when I wandered in the acoustic section and found the Taylor. The only thing I knew about Taylor was that Mike Keneally played one. It was in the 'affordable' section with the low wnd Martins and Epiphones which sounded like crap compared with the 110. This is a very plain guitar but they put all money in the sound not in the trim level. No electronics on this one.

This guitar sang to me. Nothing else within $300 is even close. Got bottom but not muddy and brightness without sounding tinny like an ovation.

Action is a little high but fine. Great for finger picking too. Medium (13-56) Elixirs were tough for me at first but I got used to them in a week and now would not put lights on this guitar. Very light but not flimsy.

Everything feels solid to me. Came with a pretty nice gig bag to keep it warm.

The web site is pretty good. Don't know about phone support.

After 20 years I finally have my 'campfire' guitar and couldn't be happier with it.

This guitar has everything that a dreadnought needs.

This is where I will get serious. This guitar, for some reason, sounded better than 50 other guitars I tried out at the Atlanta guitar center in the same or higher price range. I sat down and played, AB'ed, etc. The 110 is LOUD, bold, bright, crisp, clear. The body resonates nicely. It sounded better than 5 different Martin's(considerably better than the mahogany one's which sounded dark and muddy). Sounded better than 6 Gibson's, including the revered and coveted J-200! I am a firm believer that a guitar doesn't always sound as good as the money spent. Sure, buy that Martin...But try the 110 out first and be AMAZED. I didn't believe it either. This guitar has magic inside it. Talk about BANG for buck. Punchy and Loud, Warm and Bright.

Everything was perfect...Action, Glue joints, Bridge. The Neck is bolt on, but who cares. This is really a good thing...and innovative. Usually when a neck breaks your screwed...now if it breaks, just Unscrew it and get a replacement. Taylor is now my number 1 favorite acoustic!

I'm sure this thing will outlast me providing I take care of it, but since it didn't cost an arm and a couple legs Im going to USE it, and not sit it on a stand like some people buy guitars for.

Revered among guitar players as having impeccable customer support.

I've been playing guitar now for 10 year's...not nearly as long as some of the vets I see posting here, and to whom I owe many thanks for helping me make more informed guitar buying decision's since find this site in 1996. If this guitar were stolen I would most certainly buy it again. I'm considering buying another. Electronics would be super, but I'll just install a Fishman Natural and EQ at the board...No problem. One day I just might cave in and buy a 614, but not until I get that record deal.

2003 model...they just released them this year. Solid spruce top and laminated Sapele back and sides. Ebony fingerboard on a mahogany neck. Satin finish on body. Comes with a gig bag. Jimmy at Southpaw guitars here in Houston put a Fishman Gold pickup in the one I bought.

I'm playing in a Celtic/Folk twisted up with pop/rock band. This guitar has lots of volume and is bright and jangly which was exactly what I was looking for. With Elixir medium guage strings the low E and A strings have a piano-like bell quality. $2K+ Martins next to it sounded lifeless and dull. I know people will be saying "how can that be?" and "this guy must be an idiot". Well, maybe I am an idiot but I played around 40 or 50 guitars before this one took hold of my ears. I play in drop D a lot and sometimes I have to work a little harder than normal with my pick hand to get the higher strings, esp. two-note stuff on the G and B strings, to ring loud enough. The low strings just have tons of volume. Other than that, I just love the sound and I really enjoy playing this guitar.

The sating finish is very nice, everything's put together very well and mine has excellent action and intonation ll the way up and down the nec.

I think this guitar will be fine but as others have said, it is pretty light. I'm not worried but I will be wary when gigging with this thing to make sure it stays in the case when not in use.

Don't know about this. I've heard great things about Taylor's customer service but haven't used it yet.

I love playing this guitar and I've played alot of them. I've been playing now for over 25 years. If I could find something with solid back and sides that sounded like this guitar I'd get it but this works fine for now. I love loud and I love bright and this guitar is both. If it were stolen or lost I'd be tempted to look at the Taylor 214's..essentially this guitar with solid sapele back and sides in Grand Auditorium size.

2003 (I think this is the first year for the 110 model) Made in the US (El Cajon,CA) This dreadnaught acoustic features a solid Sitka spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge. The neck and body are both given a satin finish. The tuners are generic die cast type with schaller-style keys. A 25.5" scale neck measures 1 11/16 at the nut. Comes with a very nice gig-bag as gig-bags go. If I'm missing anything then please see other reviews or check out the website. First I have to let you know where I'm coming from as a reviewer by saying that in 20 years of playing I've had 'em all from boutiques on down. For reasons I won't get into, I've spent the last several years playing guitars in this price range. (I paid $500 US) I give it a 9 because I might have been able to get a solid back/sides from a different manufacturer in the same price range.

I play fingerstyle stuff from classical to rock and everything in between (eclectic). Bright is an understatement, but this is what one would expect from a brand new dreadnaught built with these woods. I found each of the strings sounded off well volume-wise. Occasionally double-hammered runs on the A tend to fall-off a little quicker than I expect, but I can't say with authority that that's a problem with the guitar. I do notice, as did another rviewer, that this guitar holds up well to hard strumming. Rather than compressing the tone just opens up. Its also plaesantly loud. I once read Dana Bourgeois (spelling?) say something to the effect that the biggest contributor to tone was design. Well, this is pure dreadnaught!

Factory set-up on this guitar was great even with the medium guage strings Taylor ships on all their dread's and jumbos. The fretwork was something near flawless. I've read some complaints regarding the quality of ebony used, but Taylor denies the presence of streaks to be an indicator of low-grade wood. The grain lines on the top seem to widen out toward the edge so this probably isn't AAA stuff, but admittedly I don't know that much about identifying A vs. Z, runout, bearclaw, etc. That's for luthiers and I'm just a player. I was also quite impressed that the neck withstood a number of my altered tunings without the need for adjustment which was important for me because without altered tunings I can throw out half my repertoir. I did see a little glue at a point on the kerfing, but nothing beyond the pale. No other flaws to speak of.

I bought this to use as my primary guitar. I'm certain it will serve that purpose well. I mean one of the rasons cited by Taylor for using a bolt-on neck design was to facilitate neck adjustments which usually don't come until on down the road in the life of a guitar. That means that Taylor is designing guitars with long-life in mind. How much more security do you need than that?

'Never dealt with them. 'Can't say.

I've had many guitars in this price range and seldom if ever have I been so pleased. I think its absurd to say, "It ain't no pree-zuhn-taysh'n sarries!" Of course it isn't. I'm holding out my purchase of one of those until my gigs start warranting such. Like when I front the Tonight Show band. I said earlier that I could've gotten a solid wood back /sides for what I paid from another manufacturer, but I would've had to have given up: 1) the Taylor warranty and customer sevice which I hear so much about and 2) purchasing a US made guitar, both of which are important to me.

2003 Made in El Cajon, CA--hometown of Late Great Rock-n-Roll Hero/Scribe Lester Bangs! Solid Sitka Spruce Top-Satin Finish-etc... Dreadnought body style--ebony fretboard... Comes with the nice quality padded Taylor gig bag... Your basic, neatly crafted Dread Acoustic--simple & to the point...

Seems to suit my style & ears just right as rain--fingerpicking Delta Blues--open-chorded Rockabilly/Country & Western/Rock-n-Roll Rhythym--all the good bases... Sounds like a Taylor (meaning their expensive models)--which shocked me, because the Martins I've tried in this price range all sound like a D28 or 0018 with a damp towel thrown over them... How can I argue w/it for the price?...

Amazingly enough, though then again, perhaps not, considering Taylor's quality control, off the rack at Guitar/Shithead Center (the nation's largest sleazy music retailer) the set up was perfect & in tune to boot! (again, I credit Taylor for this-not GC) No nicks, dings, dents, etc from months of abuse by teenage shoppers... Satin quilted finish is gorgeous...

Just took her home today--but couldn't imagine that she won't last my lifetime w/the proper tlc--maybe my kid's if I ever get around to havin' one... Will absolutely gig w/her & I can't afford a back-up as of this moment...

Long before I ever bought one their gtrs (this is my 1st Taylor) I had contacted them for advice, specs, etc... They were extremely supportive & quick w/a response... To a guy who hadn't even spent a dime w/them... I can't imagine anything but the best cust srvc from these folks & I'm confident that they will stand behind every product they produce... Take that Gibson & Fender!...

Been playing for about 16 yrs--most of the last dozen seriously... Plugged in, I prefer nothing but old-style Telecasters-with a side order of '50's Strats--through Fender Tweed/Blackface amps (or some semblance thereof)... Though I've been trying out a lot of Taylors the past few yrs--my previous acoustic was a cheap but amazing sounding Yamaha FG400A that's been at my side for the past 9 yrs until finally giving up the ghost a few days ago-prompting this purchase--I was impressed by most of their models yet remained unsold because I wanted my 1st high-quality acoustic to be a Gibson or Martin (thx to musical idols like Hank Williams Sr., Buddy Holly, etc) Having been forced to make a purchase because I couldn't live w/o an acoustic & not having saved enough yet for a top o the line--I couldn't believe my ears & my eyes when I played this 110... I was looking at cheapos from Yamaha, Epiphone, Ibanez--all crafted in either Korea or Taiwan--which were a few c-notes less but didn't have a bit of the magic of the Taylor... Same with the Martin DXM series (see my comment on them above)... 5 Bills for a USA crafted gtr w/the sound that's awfully close to those in more than double the price range? I'm overjoyed! Kudos to Robert Taylor & Co.! I still believe--Martin's got the majesty & Gibson's got the legacy (I'll eventually own both someday I hope)--but Taylor is a damn fine gtr maker that stands proudly alongside the old giants... If something happened to her or she was pilfered--I'd probably get an even better model if I could--but this one's a keeper... The high ratings I gave it are justified because nothing else that I've played at this price can hold a candle to it...

gave it a 9 due to the ebony. other than that and fancy binding or whatnot, what features does a dread have or need? People will pay for stuff, but why? the guy below's complaint noted, specifically the quality of the ebony, sure, maybe better on the high end stuff, but more later I guess.

I traded a Martin D15 for it and am glad I did, sounds way more present, Very round an full. Had Elixer's on teh marting (sp?) which helped but it's just more dead sounding than this guitar. Very beautiful sounding guitar.

Ok, I picked thru the 9 of these they had in the store and picked the one w/ the best fretboard. looked kind of dry and streakey. The shop set her up while I waited and tried out a Bogner (I've bought one here recently, killer amp) The tech oiled the fretboard and now it looks beautiful. Fit and finish are perfect. I'm not sure what I think of these satin finish's that are on so many guitars. I love oil finished necks like on my Sandimas Charvel's but this is an attempt to get that feel and look w/out all the maintenance in my opinion. Not sure it's pulled off frankly, takes some getting used to. My martin had it too, so not really a suprise. Best thing about it is thte smell w/ that fretboard oil. Plus the body has that fresh sawdust type smell. Man I love the smell.

seems tough enough, just got it, so giving an 8 due to lack of experience.

N/a yet. I guess an old friend of mine from Lawrence KS (Killwhitey rules if your reading this Mike) works in Customer service/support for them, so maybe I'll have to look him up? I here they are awesome though.

For my needs (tone) it's a winner. After the setup, you couldn't find a better playing guitar. I think an upgrade model w/ fretboard binding might be cool, but unless you think of guitar's as furniture, tough to beat thiis one. Quality is a 10

This is without doubt an economy model Taylor.Not that thats a bad guitar just that it does not feel right.It does not feel very solid in construction.......has a strap button not on the heel but on top ...why could this button not be on the heel??With a strap on the guitar does not sit very well it is a bit head heavy.....fingerboard is very dry looking which is unusual for a Taylor......I own a 514CE and this was to be my casual pickup and play den guitar....comes with good gig bag

Has that Taylor trademark crisp sound ..Bass E string sounds strange not in keeping with other wound strings.have changed strings and it still sounds strange..hard to describe but not a tight bass sound ..bit empty sounding

In keeping with the other reviews on this 110 model the action is higher than I would have liked(expected)to play.It feels unlike other Taylors even the Big Baby feels great to play .This is hard work and others I tried before I purchased this guitar also had very high actions.....Come on Taylor you can sort this action problem out..

Not sure how this model will stand up to hard use..it just feels very light in its build construction and it worries me a bit

Not used yet

As I own a Taylor I am a convert but I am not too impressed with my latest purchase.If it were lost or stolen I would not buy another one in fact if it were stolen with the action it has I would wish the thief good luck with it.Sorry Taylor but this one is not 100% there yet.

Purchased new, July 1, 2003. Taylor markets this as an entry dreadnought. Cosmetics and features are minimal: satin finish, sapele plywood sides and back, arched back with out braces, solid sitka spruce top, very simple black binding, simple inlaid rosette, neck with heel (unlike the Big Baby), gigbag... But the interesting angle is it incorporates, to my visual inspection, and denied by Taylor customer service, their new "revoiced" bracing. This pattern, with the exception of the bolt-on neck and the tone bar farthest from the sound hole, is essentially a Martin forward shifted scalloped pattern. The braces are tapered in cross section (not square like Taylor classic) and appear to be 5/16" stock (not Taylor dreadnought classic 3/8"). The bridge plate might be slightly larger than what they use on the 500s and up. The top might be slightly arched or it could be the usual humidity response to summer in PA.

The 110 is loud. Great tone (seems bright but the strings are much newer than those on my benchmark - a 5 year old Martin D41). This is the perfect acoustic jam guitar. It will cut through and it is not so valuable that it needs to be treated with great care. I think from a volume and tone standpoint it competes nicely with a Martin D18GE.

The action is a bit high (4/32", 12th fret low E, 3/32" 12th fret high E), but the bridge saddle has some room and the neck can be easily re-set. The neck is relief is slightly more on the high E-side (I have a Baby with the same problem). If I put on reading glasses, the fret board extension over the top is inlaid into the top (remember it bolts on) very well, but not absolutely perfectly. Otherwise it is a modern Taylor (or Martin for that mather), it is perfect. No gaps, no drips, no nothing out of place.

I bought this one to have fun with. I plan to take it everywhere and use it hard (my D41 will sit out some of the outdoor events). I imagine it will hold up as well as any well made wood guitar. Maybe the ply sides and back give it an edge. I was considering a Rainsong. Maybe a Rainsong is a 10 in this catagory?

Lifetime warranty. I have never tested Taylor's support. The guy on the customer service line said the 110 did not have the "revoiced" bracing. Maybe he is right and it is a bit different, but where else can you get a forward shifted, scalloped, solid top guitar at this price?

I have been playing nearly 40 years. I tested it against my D41, a new DM, and a new Rainsong. The DM was pretty good too, but the 110 is louder than the DM and with this one's fresher strings, quite a bit brighter (no AB test is really fair if the guitars are not all re-strung at the same time with the same strings - not a realistic request for a $500 purchase). The Rainsong DR1100 is even louder, but the tone is a bit unique, and the price is high enough that I could not think of it as a beater.

Features, go the Taylor website for a run down. If you are looking for a full size dread with top and I mean top quality workmanship at an entry level price, this is for you. For this catagory of guitar I rate it a 10. Look at the platick Martin DX series and there is no comparison.

Guitar Player Magazine/Aug. issue did a review and raved about this guitar.

If you want a fancy dread with gold tuners this is not it. You are in the wrong catagory.

This guitar is perfect for cookouts, campfires, beach, a back up. I would hate to call it a beater because it's a quality Taylor with the Taylor sound. But if you have an expensive model, take this one to the campfire. They will sound nearly the same and you won't cry too much if you ding it!

Loud, clear, precise, ringing, full, and bright with some boomy bass response. Honestly this guitar rivals the sound of a Taylor 310 at 1/2 the price.

Comes with medium elixirs and my set up was a little high. I live light guage strings. Upon changing them I noticed the action was perfect. This guitar just like the one in the Guitar Player review was immaculate. What else would you expect from Taylor.

I use dreads for hard strumming and this guitar seems to beg to be played that way. This guitar seems very solid.

No one has better customer service than Taylor

This is an entry level dread. For the price nothing else compares. A real ebony fretboard, not plastic like Martin. Amazing quality, amazing sound.

Made April 2003, El Cajon CA. Solid Sitka Spruce, Lamanated back and sides, with bracing like the Big Baby. No bracing on the back. Satin finish, rough neck like the Big Baby, but this is a full scale Dreadnought. The neck scale is the full scale Taylor neck 1 3/4". Comes with a gig bag.

The sound is great for fingerpicking: easy to play, does not distort much when attacked hard, balanced, loud, good sustain, sharp and clear. You must try one. If you are a strummer, it must be attacked hard to get a good sound. Best for fingerpicking. This is the largest wood guitar I have tried that has no back bracing, thin sides, and thin finish. As a result this guitar vibrates well, and feels great when playing it. Also, the Elixr strings may be a major factor in the great Taylor sound.

Action is higher than the 300+ Taylor series, excellent set up. This one had a great sounding Sitka top: some mild bear claw, although not even and straight the grain is very tight (tighter than the gran on ths years 300 and 400 series). The quality of the Ebony fingerboard and bridge are of low grade. The finish on the neck, back and sides are not smooth (just like the Baby Taylors). Perhaps no filler was used. The neck seems to be attached by 3 bolts, all tucked away out of sight. String pegs are plastic, and the headstock has a Taylor decal on matt finish plastic. At any rate, the craftsmanship is outstanding (no runs, no drips, no errors).

The Taylors have Limited Warranties. It is made of Lamanated back and sides, and I will be using it at the beach and outdoors a lot. With the removable neck it will be easy to shim and adjust if needed. Refreting will also be easy (no binding). With features like this it should last a long time. This is not my giging guitar. I use a Taylor 414, and a Martin for gigs.

I have played for over 25 years, and have owned many acoustics adn electrics. I would like to see Taylor produce a 200 series, or the 110 in Ovangkol, Walnut, or Koa. I like the neck, the durable woods, and most of all, I love the sound of this guitar. I tried some Martin DX, DM, some 000s in this price range, and the Taylor had a better sound (to my ear). Of the 2 110s, I chose ths one because the top had tighter grain. They both sounded similar. Although this my cheepest guitar, it has a sound comparable to my most expensive. Because of the outstanidng craftsmanship and sound, this is a great value.