Taylor Guitars 310

2001 Taylor 310
solid sitka spruce/sapele
grover tuning machines
ebony fretboard and bridge
gloss top
satin back and sides
NT neck with headstock finger joint
nothing fancy
quality everywhere

Sound is mellow, robust, crisp and clear. Plenty of bass as well as treble. Midrange is magical, piano like. Everything is balanced making it sound just amazing. The 310 is becoming a legend. Its a sleeper guitar. Its that guitar you might pass by if you are looking for inlays or rare woods. Its the cup indiana jones drinks out of, the carpenters cup. If you dont believe me check out NEIL YOUNG playing one at live 8 in Canada (youtube). That says it all my friends. It is rediculous for Neil Young to be playing a 310, which is exactly why he is the man, and the 310 is a great guitar.

Its a Taylor

Again, its a Taylor

Taylor

If Neil Young with his precious Martins can play one. Couldnt believe my eyes when I saw it but I believe my ears, and his for sure. Great guitar.

2001 Taylor 310 with a solid sitka spruce top, solid sapele back and sides and ebony fretboard and bridge(ebony is far superior INHO). Top is gloss, sides are matte. Grover tuners are built like tanks, neck is thin and fast. Nothing fancy, just quality.

Sound is incredible. Rich and full. It grouls. Each note is pronounced and the sustain is awesome. It roars when you play it hard. Strum it medium/light and it has a sweetspot that is like butter. The sound is somewhat mellow due to the sapele. Sapele is a cool wood in its self and Im glad to have it. Mine has a couple small swirly knots in it and is beutiful. The top speaks for its self and is of high quality. This guitar has been played and it has opened up a lot. Sound is everything on this guitar. Taylor sets its self apart by making a rediculous gutiar for the price with the 310. A very smart move in my opinion.

Action is the best in the business. Taylors necks are fast and smooth. Being a 2001 it has the NT neck which is a far superior neck(check out the web site).

Customer service is great, durability is great. These guitars are build as solid as can be. Combined with the NT neck these guitars are super reliable.

Customer support is excellent

This is a great guitar, one that seems like it should cost more money. I would run in to a burning house for this guitar. IM not kidding. Im looking for a rosewood/spruce martin like a d35 or a d28 or a d16r which I think will compliment this guitar nicely. I read somewhere that Bob Taylor said 95% of a taylor 900 series which is top of the line is in a 310 and he is telling the truth. Taylor is top quality.

2001 Dreadnought, all solid wood. Sitka spruce top, mahogany sides and back, ebony fret board and bridge, grover tuners. I had a Fishman Matrix I installed, captures the sound brilliantly. This guitar is simple. Nothing fancy, just a straight up quality solid wood guitar. Its simplicity is its greatest feature. Cant rate it a ten thought because it doesnt have tons of features.

The greatest thing about this guitar is the sound. Its a 2001 so it has had some years to open up. This category is the reason I decided to write this review. The 310 is simple, its cheaper than other taylors however, I have played many new taylors/martins in the store (sam ash, guitar center) and whats amazing is that 2000 dollar and up rosewood/cedar beutiful guitars dont sound as good as my 310. Granted they are new and mine has loosened up, also I'm comparing rosewood to mohagany (different sounding woods all together) still, the 310 is a 2 or 3 thousand dollar guitar, it just doesnt cost that much. I look at this guitar as a base model Ferrari(if there is such a thing). Now you get what I'm saying!

Taylor guitars have great necks. Quality is everywhere on this guitar.

Built like a rock.

Never tried, heard they are great to deal with.

Previously I owned a Martin D1. Sounded amazing, quality built, it smelled incredible! :) However, it had laminate mahogany sides and that kept me up at night. There is much controversy regarding solid vs. laminate but in my own experience with both solid is the way to go. The martin sounded great but solid wood gets better with age. The 310 is an affordable all solid wood guitar. Taylor is a cutting edge quality guitar builder. Combine the two and you have one amazing guitar.

gloss top
ebony fretboard (much love for that)
hard case included
paid additional $100 for fishman piezo electric installation

For an acoustic, what more does a man need?

Love the sound. Emphasis on the mids and highs with a solid bottom end (a really nice full sound). It really cuts through the mix of the band and is noticable without being loud.
I play through an ibanez acoustic amp, through a zoom gfx5 pedal (love the versatility of this pedal).
I can get any sound I want out of this guitar.
I use it for church worship mainly, but it is respected in bluegrass, and country circles as well. This guitar is a great compliment for any rhythm player or serious acoustic guitarist.

This category is why I bought this guitar!!!

Guitar was set up very well, I did buy it from a Luthier shop (much respect to them).
Only flaw I have found in the 2 years I have owned this is a slight blemish in the satin finish, about 1/2 the size of a pencils eraser.

I have used this guitar weekly for two years (worhsip on sunday, practice on wednesday, and many other obligations). It has NEVER, let me repeat NEVER let me down. I often use it without any backup whatsoever.
The finish is still holding up very well.
The only noticable wear is a few of the frets are starting to show MINIMAL signs of wear (it has been two years!).

Never used it, hope I never have to!

I have played for 14 years, had this guitar for 2. If anything happened to this guitar I would buy it again, maybe even go to the 310CE.
I sold a Martin to help pay for this guitar, and played many Martins before buying this Taylor. For me, I like Martins I just think the Taylor sound cuts through the mix so much better when playing with a band.

This is a no frills Taylor, if that makes any kind of sense. The only slaient differences between the 310 and the 210 are the gloss finish on the top, the mahogany back and sides and the kerfed timber used for the interior edge joints. All timbers in this guitar are solid. If you want more features, like more adornment, then this isn't for you: everything is geared toward making the best guitar for the money. It also comes with an excellent hard case which fits it like a second skin.

I'm a finger picker and flat picker and I've been playing for around 28 years. The sound of this guitar is the thing which blows me away. It's rich, full, bright and fresh. It has so much harmonic depth that occasionally it feels like I'm playing three guitars instead of one. It responds beautifully to any subtle variations in how the string is fretted struck/plucked, making emphases and intonations exceptionally easy.

I can't believe how good the finish is on this instrument. The jions are invisible. All you see is a change in the colour of the wood. There are no lumps or gaps in the perfling, no edges to butt joined timbers like the deck or the back. It almost looks like cast fake timber! The only exception is under the neck flute where there is a very small gap left from the shimming when the neck was fitted to the body. If I understand this correctly, there would be little point in filling this.

Fabulous doesn't describe it. It's astounding.

This instrument is so well built I have little doubt as to its durability. The Grover tuning machines are beautifully smooth and built to last.

I have not needed to access Customer Support. The warranty is for the period of ownership by the original purchaser and covers defects not wear and tear. This applies only to Taylor guitars purchased in the US.

I've been playing since 1978 and own two other guitars, six and twelve string Yamahas. They are good beginner and intermediate guitars but don't compare to the Taylor. Neither they should: the Taylor costs three times as much or more. The Taylor 310 has so much spirit I reckon it's stealing the beer out of my fridge in the middle of the night. If it was stolen I'd replace it with the same thing.

1997 Taylor 310....features is kinda tough on this,...there's no mother of pearl or inlays or on board electronics,...it's perfectly simple. Every dollar goes into the sound. So if sound is a feature,...then 10. I added a Martin Gold thinline pickup along the way,....that has been a nice addition.

Sound is stunning and the select few people who I've allowed to play it agree. I recommended the 310 to a friend who bought a 2004 model year 310. Didn't feel the same,..obviously I'm biased with mine and it's had almost 10 years to mellow and improve,...but the new 310's didn't rock my world.

Very well made

I've taken good care of it,..and it's taken good care of me. No problems in 10 years of playing it.

I would run into a burning building to save this guitar.

My taylor is a 310-L30 with mrytlewood leave inlays and maple 30th anniversery inlay on headstock. back and sides are african mahogany. Nice 1 and 3/4 nut for what I think is easier playing then the D 28 I had. No electronics. Only one year made, 2004

I fingerpick more than strum and is the reason I bought this guitar, has a nice high range , but still a nice base sound, much better than the D 28 I had on the high side, the base was a little lower on the D 28

Action is a little hair high but some day I will lower it, but is not that bad so am in no hurry.

Everything looks solid, nice finish, with no flaws with sloppy glue joints.

I only called the company to find out how many of the 310-L30 where made, which was only 116 of them, talked about this guitar and others, very freidly.

Been playing about 30 years, if stolen, I would replace but probly couldn,t find another 310-L30. I drove 700 miles round trip to get this one. The sound and looks sold me on this model

Made in 2000. You've read a description of one by now. I needed an A/E, but I'm not a big fan of the Taylor expression system. So, I installed an L.R. Baggs active element. Great pickup.

Read this part carefully. My 310 is now 5 years old. It is now one of the best sounding acoustics I've ever played. The new ones sound good, but they get better. It sounds great unplugged, and through everything I've played it through.
I mostly use it to play praise and worship/contemporary Christian music at my Church.

Excellent. I'm impressed with the detail they give to even their basic models.

It has already stood up to a LOT of live playing. I believe that, with care, it will last for generations. I do depend on it, and I don't expect it will ever let me down.

Never needed any.

Been playing since'92. Own (or owned), Takamine FP360SC, Alvarez Yairi WY-1, Martin D-1, various Strat's, Tele's, Ibanez's, P.A.'s, Amps, etc....
I would absolutely buy another one. It is basic, well made, a great value, it feels/plays great, and most importantly, it has THE TONE. I have played every guitar I could get my hands on for years, and this one impresses me. No concessions made to price, or manufacturer.

Made in California in 2005, All solid African Mahogany & Sitka dreadnaught -w- ebony fretboard and bridge, scalloped braces and 14 frets clear. If I cared for abundant inlay and pearl and abalone, etc., which I do not, I'd have to give this guitar about a 2 in this category. I give it a 10 simply because I cannot think of one single thing I'd add to this guitar to make it better than it is. Aesthetically, it is very simply but nevertheless well and beautifully appointed. Price included a fantastic hardshell case and a humidifier.

My musical meanderings are pretty eclectic but I play primarily blues and rock. The tone on this thing is just beautiful, perfectly balanced and very, very responsive - so much so that I could swear the guitar is reading my mind through my fingers: I THINK of a tone and out it comes. It came strung with Elixir mediums, which did absolutely no justice to its voice. Replaced these with D'Addario custom lights (Taylor advises against using lights, but they're not the ones playing this guitar) and the difference is astonishing. It just sounds magnificent and it's truly difficult to put it down.

Factory setup was perfect for me. Action initially seemed a little high but when I chucked the Elixir mediums in favor of D'Addario custom lights, problem solved. Action now feels absolutely perfect and I've never experienced more comfortable playability in my life. I cannot overstate how fantastically comfortable Taylor's neck profile is. Perspective on what constitutes a comfortable neck will be different for every player, but for me, I couldn't begin to imagine a more comfortable or more easily playable neck than this. The finish and details are absolutely 100% flawless. Not a single microscopic speck of imperfection that I can detect (admittedly I have not used a microscope). The bookmatching on the top is seamlessly perfect.

Only time will tell on this one. Everything seems very solid and well constructed, and I'd be very surprised to encounter any problems with normal use.

Have only contacted customer support for inquiries and purchases related to accessories, but they are great - exceptionally helpful and polite. This guitar carries a lifetime limited warranty for the original owner.

If this guitar were lost or stolen, I'd find myself a good therapist to help get over the loss and with whatever money I had left after therapy I'd go out and buy the exact same model. It's a beautifully constructed, all solid, scalloped-braced, made-in-the-USA guitar for less than a grand. There is just no way I could ask for more than that. It sounds fantastic today and will sound better in five years, better still in 10 years. Best investment I've made in years.

bought my taylor 310 from guitar center new march 2005. mahogany back,sides,and neck. sitka spruce top,rosewood bridge,fretboard and head piece,tusq nut and saddle, gloss finish on top and satin finish on back,sides,and neck. comes with a very nice case.

guitar has a very bright sound with punchy bottom end. the thing about this guitar that sold me on it was that when a chord is played each string has such clean destintion. no mudd up at all. you can hear each individual note. the bass is somewhat brassy with punch. guitar has very good volume also. action was a little high but intonation was perfect, also it stays intune well.

again ,action was a little high but played great, fit and finish was like every taylor ive looked at , perfect. the guy really does build a nice guitar.

like any acoustic guitar , it needs to be cared for . heat and humidity will ruin any of them . this one will be cared for prperly and im shure when im dead and gone someone else will still be beating and banging on it for years to come

emailed them 2 times. responed both times with in 1 day

ive been playing for 36 years and own 1 other flatop guitar a 1979 martin d35. i went to a loan company back in 1979 to borrow the money to buy it. the martin d35 is diff a warmer sounding guitar and your wallet will also be a lot emptyer to but,the taylor 310 actually sounds better for a wide range of music styles. in all the 310 is a great playing, great sounding no frills guitar. martin doesnt make a guitar to compare with it for 850.00. gotta add another 1000.00. oh and like all my guitars , if some assshole stole it and i found him i would bust his brains out with a hammer

Plain Jane 310 dreadnought. Satin finish solid American mahogany back and sides. Glossy solid sitka spruce top. Mahogany neck with ebony fretboard, and bridge. No electronics. 2003 model bought brand new in January '04. I hated this guitar the day I brought it home. I wanted the 510, but couldn't justify the extra 700 bucks. I compromised, and bought a Gibson Smartwood along with the 310. Ten months later I can't give enough praise to the people at Taylor Guitars. My God! What an incredible guitar. For the price it really is an investment. This thing just keeps on sounding better, and better. Rock solid.

I use DR med/lite 11-50 strings on mine. It came with Elixers, but they kinda suck. My old Stupidvisor recomended DR's, and I hate to admit it. He was right. Fresh strings always equal better sound. Those GD DR's always last way more longer then anything else. The sound of the Taylor is 'aggresive?'. Not sure how to describe it. If I hit strings hard, they respond. If I brush strings soft, they respond. Very responsive. How's that?

Bought mine from an independent dealer. Mom & Pop shop. Had three 310's to choose from. Played 'em all. Looked at 'em all. Bought the one I thought was best. I was still kinda wishing I could get the 510. Anyone with a Taylor 310 has nothing to be ashamed of. Fantastic guitar.

I am a guy, so I guess I'm kinda rough on stuff. I can't imagine doing anything 'normal' to this guitar that would require factory service. I've done wonders with pipe cleaners, and dental floss in years past though. Maybe I am a 'luthier' at heart. Well, the 310 will not ever fulfill that dream. That's a good thing. Solid, heavy feel guitar. Pick up a $400 Yamaha, and you'll know what I mean.

Obviously this is not a guitar with major problems. Or minor problems. Or any problems. I'm pretty sure you could buy a B-stock 310, and be happy. I have not ever had to bitch at Taylor about anything. GREAT product!!!!!

Been playing around ten+ years now. Still not that great, but I have a network of friends who are way more gooder then me. Some of 'em even have way more expensive stuff that sounds crappier than the 310. Some of 'em have stuff that sounds way more better then the 310. Stupid maple Guild 12-strings! For the money though, you just can not go wrong. It will out class a lot of Martins. Hands down. Just don't put it up against a classic maple Guild. Dear Lord, gimme an old school Guild!! I'm beggin' ya!!

My 310 Taylor is a 2001 Model. I'm sure you have read all the features of it through the other reviews. It simple and to the point no thrills here. It gets the job done.

When I first got this guitar I fell in love with it. I compared it to Martins and Gibsons but for the price and quality Taylor is where it's at. The more I play this guitar the better it sounds. I notice a huge diffrence in sound when I first got it to how it sounds now. This guitar has really opened up.

Set up just fine. Low action for fast strumming and quick scales. The neck handles like a Ferrari and is very fast.

The only thing you have to worry about with this guitar is the solid wood. You have to keep it in the case when not useing it and make sure it is not to humid. Its a small price to pay for a lovely guitar.

Overall this is a guitar I'm going to have the rest of my life. It sounds better everyday I play it and is worth the investment I put into. Screw Martins Taylors RULE!

Made in 2002. You know all the features, it's a basic guitar with no frills. It is made of solid wood, Mahagany sides and back, Spruce top.
I think the laquer on top is way too thick. HSS configuration. Just kidding. Pretty hard to assign a numerical value to an intrinsic attribute which does not neccessarily coincide with the stated objectives.

I play Jazz, rock, country, blues, pop, rap, disco, grunge, death metal, gospel, new-age/fusion/seattle-based punk/hip hop, and classical/flamenco. It gets way too much hum with gain past 10. Jk!
Bright beautiful sound for all my styles. The guitar makes a loud knocking noise when I have a hissy-fit and punch it.

Neck was crooked and it buzzzzzed badly, but I fxied it myself with a pair of plyers and a screwdriver. I'm not kidding about this. The bridge was not routed for humbuckers, bummer.

I can kick it, step on it, and drop it, and some how it never breaks.

I fix evrerything myself, as I have for the last 40 years, although I've never actually improved the sound of anything, just fix junk as it falls apart.

Been playing 45 years. I have owned every model of every major company from Fender, Marshall, Gibson, Taylor, Martin, Yamaha, Mesa, Bogner, you name it. I hate Martin beacuse their stuff is crap and overpriced and made of plywood and sounds blah blah blah, flat, dull and cheap. I Hate Martin with all my heart. Taylor, Alvarez, and even Yamaha all sound better than Martin.

My Taylor was made in 2002 in El Cajon, California.
I have intsalled FISHMAN Acoustic Matric Natural-1, under saddle pickup. Like Standard 310 is has Sitka Spruce top n' Sapele sides which are really very BooTiFull. The Pickguard is also Carved very beautiful. Came with a gigbag as i wanted to waive off few $$ on case.

My music style is contemporary Indian Classical, Fusion kinds, blues, fingerpicking. I use it with Boss Chorus which is pretty nice and add flavors to d' sound, i also use L.R Baggs D.I which makes the piezo character minimized.
The guitar has a Bright Sound but Volume is low too. It sounds beautiful to ears when no other Guitar is in the Scene. Once u start doing Flatpicking it's hard to keep it Down but anyways.
As far as what i feel, this Guitar is only for Country kinda stuff or fingerpicking or just Soft Light Strumming. No Blues, No Bluegrass, No Folk nothing else.
I compared it to Martin D-35 and Believe it was no where
d' Sound of Martin. Martin is simply a Class apart with such a Crunchy tone. this Taylor has a tone which is like Compressed tone and doesn't sparkle n' comes out like Martin.
Moreover, Taylor has a very thin sound comparable to Heavy n' Thick sound of Martin. It just can't take the sustain ,vibrato kinda stuff like Martin D-35. The element os Acoustic Guitar is not in it.

Action is really nice and good good kinds.
FISHMAN is good too.
the finish on the Guitar is absolutely flawless,
oh my Lord it's Wonderful (Every)nite.
U will love the Guitar for the Finish it has like me.

It can with stand live playing easily n' hardware is made to built till last. But i'm really Apprehensive bout the Bolt in Neck it has, which tend to make d' action n' sound of higher frets waivery any time it is abused with tempertaure.
also, this guitar need lots of care, it's not for road Blues. Extra amout of heat will make cracks on the top. This is bad bout d' guitar.

No Comments, Never Done that.

In the end i would like to suggest one thing, Please consider the music style u gonna play on the guitar. Don't go for Brand name only. It is good but it has limitation as it cannot handle all kinda music.
My prefernce will be Martin D-28 or D-35, rock solid guitars and Classic Tone which can do anything.
That's it, Happy Shopping !

Beautiful sitka spruce gloss top and mohagany satin finshed back and sides.Made in Septemeber of 2003 and purchased in December 2003.Case is absolutely one of the finest in the business.Guitar has ivory fingerboard and bridge,a very well made guitar to say the least.Tuners are new Taylor Gotah type tuners and have large buttons,this is exceptional in this price range.I seldom stray from Martindom in acoustic guitars and was honestly seduced by this bright and articulate tone producing beauty.I believe the nut and saddle are tusque,again high marks for the quality materials in this price point.

The tone, sustain, articulation are beyond my greatest expectations.I play rock,folk,blues and bluegrass,this is defintely adaptible to various styles.Honestly would have expected this kind of sound quality to come from a much more wxpensive guitar.It is beautiful to flat pick and just as luscious tone wise finger picking.This guitar has a very focused jangle and is quite distinctive and a pleasure to both hear and to play.

The factory set up was dead on and have had only one adjustment for the neck due to change in the weather.The wood is very high quality,all internal sanding is neat and smooth,can find no flaws.The action is unbelieveable.Although I still prefer the Martin tone overall,this is the most exciting guitar I have purchased in many years.There is a nice bear claw pattern through the top wood,it is very distinctive.

This guitar is a no-brainer for live playing,sturdy,purdy,dependable and sounds wonderful.(Sound being the most important).As for back up,this acoustic has the sterner stuff and then some.I am old school,46 yrs old and seldom get caught up in sales hype and will say that Taylor's claim of the 310 being the full Taylor experience does mean something to me.I suspect it is only a matter of time until I play a higher end model and add another Taylor to my Martin heavy collection.The strap buttons are tight and well made,finish is very durable on both the gloss top and satin sides and back.

I have been well pleased with the Taylor help and info by phone,a set up at the dealer and sleep with no worries knowing the 310 has a lifetime warranty.

Have been playing for over 33 years ansd own some Martins,Larrivee and a vintage 12 string and a few old timers.There is nothing overlooked on this acoustic,amazed it was under a thousand dollars.If it were lost or stolen I would defintely get another.The best feature of this guitar to me is the free wheeling action and the bright jangly tone,it is defintely not a Martin tone which I prefer,it is s distinctive breath of musical life that adds much to the music.

Basic all wood Taylor. Quality of fit and finish is excellent.

It can be sweet and it can be LOUD. But whatever I play, bass, mids and treble come through clearly and distinctly. I just love it. I play mostly old acoustic rock and new country and it's perfect for finger picking or wailing away.

Like I said, fit and finish is excellent.

Been playing around for a couple of decades now, but just fooling around. My last guitar was a cheap Yamaha acoustic that was good enough for my level of interest. Something tweaked my interest again and now that I have the resources for a quality instrument, I went out and got one.

I went to my upscale music store and tried a bunch of Martins and Larrivee's that were great guitars and then I saw the Taylor. Like they say, I tried it and it sang to me . . .

This guitar is a beauty - nothing I don't like about it - and the sound is awesome. I'd replace it with the same model in a heartbeat.

2001. Very simple and clean design. Quality case included in price. To me quality is most important feature so its a 10.

Excellent intonation and action. Very responsive to playing style. Sounds great whether using fingers or pick. It can sound like 2 or more different guitars depending on how you do it. Sounded great new, but over several years it has improved dramatically. Louder, and fantastic sustain that almost reverbrates and swells. Makes me smile sometimee just to play an E chord 1st fret and listen to it ring. Med strings sound best to me

Virtually perfect. Haven't noticed a single flaw. Don't use any polish on the satin finish. As easy to play action wise as many electrics.

3yrs old. No problems.

Helpful when I called with a question

38 yr playing. Other guitar is 73 strat thru 66 super reverb or 66 princeton reverb. Tone very important to me, and this guitar has it. I played virtually every guitar in Mar's store (at least 25 or so) and this was the best for the money by far. You can feel the vibrations in the neck when you hit a chord, and that seems to correlate with a good sound in a guitar. I did take the time to play 4 or 5 different 310's and each did have it's own sound. REcommend doing this if you can. I love this guitar!

My 310 was built in September 2003 in El Cajon. I like the Taylor 310 because of the simple quality features. The wood is beautiful, and the hardware is solid. Sometimes less is more.

The sound is bright and crisp. Interestingly, almost all the guitars I tried out had a great disctinctive sound-even identical models. I chose the 310 simply because I preferred the clear high end and overall tone. I agree with Taylor that the medium strings work. While I had always played Martin Marquis I find that I like the Elixirs.

The action and playability are like butter. The intonation is perfect, and the neck is straight and true. I can easliy play a bar-chord C or D up hight and still maintain feelings in my fingers and no buzz. The only flaw is a small discoloration in the rosewood fretboard at the 12th fret. I understand this to be "character."

Since this is a brand new guitar, I am hopeful durability will not be an issue.

No experience.

I have been playing for 30 years. I had sold all my guitars, including a Guild G-37 years ago and I simply wanted to buy a guitar to once again become acclimated to the instrument. I really enjoyed the shopping experience. The short list came down to a Martin D-16GT, a Gibson Working Man 45, a Guild D-25 and a couple of Taylors. What a pleasant suprise to discover the Taylor guitars. While I found all the aforementioned guitars to be very nice, I settled on the Taylor 310 simply because of playability and tone, as this guitar just worked for my preferences.

a 2003 model 310. It has a gloss top of solid sitka spruce, and satin finish sapele( a sort of striped mahoganey) solid back and sides.
I think the striped sapele is much prettier then american mahoganey.
Believe it or not at this price it has an ebony fretboard an ebony bridge, and bridge pins.It also sports grover tuners.
Mine came with a very nice hardshell case with arched top.
A totally unbelivable guitar for around $1000. new

The sound is what sold me on this guitar. I mean I,m a martin fan all the way. I applied for and got a guitar center charge card. It had a $1000. limit. I went and looked around and found a martin D16 GT for $899.plus tax. I bought it, took it home , put on new strings. Very disapointed. I took it back and decided to wait till they got something else in. I saw the taylor 310 looked pretty good. Until then I never really liked taylors. Played it blew me away. bought it.

This guitar plays better then any guitar I've ever played.
Great action. It was close to being in tune right out of the box.The top back and sides look great . real premium woods used thru out.
I must say I never seen one set up any better. The only thing I did'nt like was the elixer strings it comes fitted with I replaced them with martin sp medium phospher bronze. I give a 9 here because of
the elixer strings.

This guitar will last a lifetime. solid as a rock. My wife and I sing
at our church and this guitar works great. You can hear even when it is being backed up by a baby grand piano and electric base.
It's great for home or travel anywhere.

Has a lifetime warranty. As of yet I hav'nt used it.
One thing I really liked about registering my guitar warranty, was that Taylor lets you do it online. No card to fill out and mail in.
Plus they sent you a free subscription of their magazine wood and steel. Somebody said you get it for life. (cool)

I haved been playing for 38 years. I also own a Gibson J60 and a martin shenedoah model like the D28. The taylor has the best range of sound. I wish that maybe the body of my Taylor was a litte thicker and had back center stripe.

I purchased my 310 (yr. 2002) from a corporate chain (I highly regret it, should of bought it from a privately owned store) in San Francisco. For the past 2 years I searched long and wide. I had the budget for $4-5.5K, and being extremely anal with sound, I chose the 310. We must remember these guitars were once living rooted to the ground. They are forever changing due to the elements within the store their in as well as their chemical compositon. Bad strings can kill any sale of any guitar.
The dreadnought design was the best for my ears and application because of it's ablility to have an overall balanced sound from the low to high MHZ's. The 310 has the depth and driving boxy loudness, yet has the suprising moderate crisp sound. Strings can make a difference. To note I use Elixir 13's for the best tone As comparing to a majority of the other series, I was impressed the most by this simple guitar. Sure the koa backed, multi-wood Presentation Series looks nice, but looking good and finding your sound is 2 different things. Guitars are like wine... BE SELECTIVE!
As for the 310 series, the are naturally produced with an higher action. If your going to be using thicker gauge strings, you might want to lower the action so that you can play easier. MAKE SURE YOUR ACTION IS SET UP BY A PRO!
I play live and use a Fishman sound hole pickup, as well as a condensed mic for external. Foe best results electrically, special order a 310 from the factory with a custom "Expression series" magnetized pickup sensor system. If your playing live, this will make your job a little easier
The action

The sound is deep rooted and punchy. With sustainable playing, you can make this guitar roar. This is by far the loudest acoustic I have played, yet having the ability to be crisp enough to distinguish a soft finger picking style with clarity.

The factory set up is pretty high. I use 13's, and it was hard to play because the tension was thicker, until I had Gary Bauer in S.F. "professionally" set my action as well as tension lower. He is the best! Please... Please, only let a pro do this. You don't want some yahoo touching your baby. As for flaws... ha ha ha. Take a tour through their factory. These guitars go through rigoruos testing, and are approved by many departments before they even leave. i had a chance to peek in the warranty department, and saw less than 30 guitars. that is pretty good for a company that sells over $30 mil a year in guitars

Wood like I said was once living. Solid wood tops, backs, and sides only get better with the more sound that penetrates. Taylors only sound better over time. I play mine on average 10-12 hours per week. There isn't one other 310 that sounds the same guranteed. I use this guitar live all the time. Relaibility is an A+

Taylor Guitars and Customer Support... ha ha ha ha ha ha. Imagine your most favorite hobby and pastime your career. Imagine waking up every morning with a smile on your face because your excited about the next 8 hours. Seriously, take the factory tour. You will see the happiest employees in the world.

I have been playing for 15 years. The only thing I wish was different is that I had the expression system pre-installed, for the 310 comes without electronics.

If your thinking about purchasing a Taylor guitar in any of the series please call me at 415-543-3557 (home office). I can help you find what your looking for, give you full detail on design/ construction, and can fit you for your application. -Jeff Yates-

I bought mine used off ebay. It is a 2002 model so it was fairly new. Had no defects, came in a mint condition.

Awesome, humble and sturdy features. Basically the same deal as all the other reviews below me(or above me) list... Solid Sitka Spruce Top, Saeple sides...yada yada.. a basic 310.

When it comes to sound, I am the most anal person in the world. It has to be perfect. While waiting for my guitar to be shipped, I visited a local Sam Ash to check out what my 310 would be like. After a couple of minutes of course, I had managed to forget my mission objectives and wandered my way to the 810 and the 910. They even had a Koa Concert that I managed to play. After hours of fiddling around with top of the line Taylors, I remembered why I originally came to Sam Ash. I sat down with a 310 and did the same testing routine. To my surprise, the tone and volume and the overall quality wasn't that far off from the 810 and the 910 I played. The sound was crisp, loud and had that trademark Taylor tone. The couple of things it lacked from its big brothers were the boomier bass and a more clear and a unified sound along with many fancy-shmancy inlays and glossing. I was pretty impressed that a model almost a thousand less sounded this great.

I received my own personal Taylor 310 via UPS a couple of days later. The sound was great, similar to the 310 I played with at Sam Ash. The only problem my anal ear had was when I lowered the action (My anal fingers had a problem with the action.), the sound sort of deteriorated. The bass wasn't as sound and I experienced slight buzzing. But I was able to find an equilibrium to fit the action and sound and now it sounds great.

Minus one point though, for not satisfying my lust for a breathtaking bass.

Remember now I bought mine used. When I received the guitar I found that the action was pretty high compared to other Taylors. I lowered the action and it seemed reasonable, though I'm considering having the saddle lowered as well after getting some consultations.

Absolutely no flaws in the construction... except there was a small miniscule speck of saw dust that was lodged inside one of the bracing rods that I managed to pick out with a needle. I like my guitars owning the title of perfection.

The finish was great. I personally like having just the top glossed and the sides and back with satin finish. I love how the satin back slides across my chest when Im playing it without a shirt on. Its hot up here in NY this month.

Minus one point for the action problem.

I think this guitar looks very durable. It is very solid and well constructed that I feel like I can render a man unconscious if were to smack his face with the saeple back. Especially with that barkskin of a case that Taylor gives you. Its like Iron-Man armor for my guitar, it is very well made and it weights a ton. I know if I smacked a man with the guitar in the case I can be looking at manslaughter charges. I really love the case of the guitar. Its the one with the golden Taylor logo badge on the side, not that cheap SKB case with "Taylor Guitars" engraved on the top. Reliability and durability is a 10.

I called their toll free number to ask about the action problem. The guy was so friendly it seemed like he didn't want me to hang up. Seemed like he enjoyed helping people and conversing about Taylor guitars all day. I ended up asking him questions about humidity and the truss rod and all sorts of stuff. Awesome Customer support... or should I say Customer Companionship. :o)

I own a Fender Strat, a handmaid classical guitar from somewhere and an Epiphone acoustic guitar. Compared to my Epiphone, the Taylor blows it away in construction, sound, appearance and value. I am planning to cultivate the value of this guitar and resell it. Then I shall hopefully be able to afford an 810/814 or maybe even a Koa once I graduate college and find a job. For the price I paid for it, it is an awesome value.

For those of you who might not be familiar with acoustic guitars or just guitars in general, you might say: $1000 dollars for pieces of wood that makes sound?! These guitar makers are robbing us!

I used to think that too but then I saw how they were made. So much procedures, man hours, care and technology are put into making these Taylor guitars, I now wonder: Man, how is Bob Taylor feeding his family? Taylor guitars are great and you should go buy one now.

I give it a 10. I am willing to look past the 9s I gave in the previous categories. This site doesn't offer a 9.5 and I can't dare give it an overall score of 9! So a 10 it is. I hope this review will be helpful to anyone shopping for a guitar. Goodbye.

Basic 310 dred specs, great silk on spruce top. came with medium elixers, which i had thought were too heavy but now like a lot. 2000 guitar, so it's played in. Asked reliable Phil at Phil's Guitars in South San Francisco (great store) to play best acoustic in store from 800-1000 and this one beat Guilds, Martins, Takamines hands down. Incredible sound.

incredible. First thing that jumps out is that the neck, intonation, trueness of notes and pitch run right up the neck. basic guitar, incredible sound. was worried that the bolt on, etc. would dampen bass but the playability of the neck actually enhances your ability to modulate volume and overall sound. very clear and crisp with fingers or pick, obviously strong treble and mids, but will growl and can be very very loud with sharper attack. a very very percussive guitar. simply, have owned lots of acoustics but never had one with this expressive/emotive range.

Phil's Guitars setup was excellent.

3 years old, a nick but holding up well.Neck is true, frets wearing well.

no opportunity to try

Been playing and writing for 30 years. This guitar has got me writing, playing better, with greater range and sensitivity. Simply, a true instrument - I've played others, the 510 is slicker, and yields quicker results, but the 'work' you put in to mastering the 310 - especially with the medium strings, will pay off. simply, wouldn't swap it for a martin or gibson of twice the price.

2002 Solid Sitka Spruce top, solid Sapele back and sides. No laminates on this puppy. This guitar has a gloss finish on the top, satin finish on the back and sides. Grover tuners, black fiber binding, dreadnought body, no electronics. Basic guitar with basic features, but one still gets the full Taylor experience. This is not a cheap guitar by any means. Comes with a hardshell case that will probably last longer than I will.

Play electric mostly (have eight of 'em) but had been jonesing lately for a good, clean-sounding acoustic with steel strings. Didn't care whether it had electronics or not, just wanted good tone.I know its a dred and you're supposed to get a concert or grand auditorium if you do mostly finger picking (which I do) but you know what? This thing sounds fantastic! The notes ring clear and separate and, having noticed some comments about the lack of bass in Taylor dreadnaughts I have to say one of the things that drew me to my instrument was the full rich bass response. I don't plan to do much rhythm or strumming with it which is what dreadnaughts are supposed to be best for so the bass response (or perceived lack of it) in that regard doesn't matter. Have been playing for 41 years, my hands are strong and I spent several years playing classical so I know what separate lines are supposed to sound like and I can say this dreadnaught has a better tonal balance than many might think.

When I bought my 310 I was looking at guitars in the $300-$400 price range and they were okay. During the hunt I did try all different price ranges and types of guitars just to see the differences in tone. One fact I came up with is that in a steel string acoustic just because a guitar is expensive doesn't mean it has great tone. You can find lower end models that sound nearly as good, you just gotta look. When I bought mine it was Father's day and had my wife with me. I was trying the less expensive guitars and she took a $1000 off the wall and said "try this". It was nice, a Takamine if I remember but it didn't ring my bell. I said to her "if you'll let me spend that kind of money I've gotta try a Taylor". Had them take the 310 down and in fifteen minutes I knew what I had to do, more expensive or not this was the guitar I had to have.

Since I've gotten it I've tried all kinds of songs out of it from Led Zep to Beatles to Windham Hill, to jazz chord-melody, etc. What REALLY blows me away is the way that some of the Renaissance and Baroque classical pieces I play sound on it. Just something about the steel string sound as compared to nylon strings.

I played some of the mondo expensive Taylors, Martins and Gibson, etc. As far as sheer beauty of tone there was NOTHING that really sounded any better than my 310.

Taylors are famous for their playability and mine is no different. It was one of the key factors in my decision to purchase this guitar. Intonation is spot-on and the bridge, saddle, nut, tuners are all the way they should be. The satin finish on the sapele (to me) looks a bit cheesy but the tone on this puppy is so great I can overlook just about anything. Besides, its a way to keep the cost down.

Its an all-solid wood dreadnought with a bolt-on neck. With reasonable care I should be able to pass it on down to my kids.

Taylor is the king of customer support. They send their publication, "Wood and Steel" to purchasers of their guitars and they are constantly educating their customers about humidity or lack thereof and how it affects guitars.

What I love about this guitar is its TONE. It is loud, well-balanced, clear and beautiful. My overiding consideration when looking for an acoustic was how it sounds first and playability second. This 310 fills the bill. I would put it up against far more expensive guitars anytime in the tone department. As a matter of fact I did when shopping, tried dozens of different guitars and NOT ONE, regardless of price, sounded any better than this Taylor. Coupled with its fantastic playability and it is a winner.

Made the very day Taylor's staff returned from their Christmas break of 2002-03, in El Cajon, CA. Standard Dreadnaught size and scale. Like all Taylor's (310 and up), the 310 has solid wood's throughout. No laminates here! Sapele back and sides, with sitka spruce as the soundboard. The neck is mahogany, and the bridge, pegs, and fretboard are all ebony. Gloss top, with satin back and sides. Chrome Grover tuners with Elixir strings round out the package...of course, comes with a beautiful hardshell case.

I tend to lean toward late sixty, early seventy's acoustic rock and the tone I might say is mind-blowing. If there's a (10) to be given in any category, it would have to be the tone!!! Clear resonant sound. Just simply beautiful to listen to.

The gentleman at the store where I purchased it, asked me to allow him to check the set-up. So, I browsed the store and he returned within what seemed like 2-3 minutes to inform me that it needed no additional set-up. He said it was perfect. I know that's not what we're supposed to put in this review, but..............Well, he said it was perfect, not me. The finish did have a couple of tiny finish bubbles. Which, I might add...can barely be seen or felt.

This guitar can take a beating, but so could Heather Locklear! Does'nt mean I'm going to beat her now does it? Seriously, I know this guitar was built last a lifetime.

I've owned (2) Taylors now and I can say that the company is a joy to deal with.

It truly is hard for me to rate anything a (10) and I won't in this category, but it's close my friends. It's real close! If you are looking for a beautifully constructed acoustic guitar, stop wasting your time with Korean's, Taiwanese, or Chinese made pieces of junk!!!
Buy a 310. And no, I don't work for Taylor. Humm, that's not a bad idea now is it?

THIS 310 WAS MADE IN 2002 IN EL CAJON, CA. IT HAS 20 FRETS AND HAS A SOLID SITKA SPRUCE TOP. THERE ARE NO CONTROLS SINCE IT IS A NON-ELECTRONIC MODEL. IT HAS SAPELE BACK AND SIDES AND A TROPICAL AMERICAN MAHOGANY NECK. THE NECK, BACK AND SIDES HAVE A SATIN FINISH, AND THE TOP HAS A GLOSS FINISH. IT HAS A DREADNOUGHT-STYLE BODY. TUSQ BRIDGE AND NUT. GREAT CHROME GROVER TUNERS. IT HAS AN EBONY FRETBOARD WITH A FAST TAYLOR-ACTION NECK. A BEAUTIFUL HARDSHELL CASE WAS INCLUDED(BROWN WITH GOLD HARDWARE). CAME STANDARD WITH ELIXIR MEDIUM STRINGS.

THE SOUND SUITS MY MUSIC STYLES JUST FINE(EVERYTHING FROM BLUEGRASS AND COUNTRY TO ROCK AND POP). I THINK THAT IT IS SYNONYMOUS THAT ALL TAYLORS HAVE A RICH/FULL SOUND. THE 310 IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE. IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THIS GUITAR, IT WOULD BE FOR IT TO COME STANDARD WITH ELIXIR LIGHT STRINGS INSTEAD OF THE MEDIUMS. ANOTHER THING WOULD BE TO HAVE AN OPTION OF TAYLOR DELUXE GIG BAG OR HARDSHELL CASE. ONCE I GOT THE GIG BAG FROM THE TAYLOR WEBSITE, I DIDN'T USE THE HARDSHELL ANYMORE. ONE TIME IT FELL OVER IN THE GIG BAG, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE AN EMPTY SUITCASE HAD TOPPLED OVER. NO DAMAGE, GREAT BAG---$84.00 FROM TAYLOR.

MOST TAYLORS COME WITH A PERFECT SET-UP FROM THE FACTORY. THIS 310 WAS NO EXCEPTION. THE TOP WAS, OF COURSE, PROPERLY BOOKMATCHED, AND THERE WERE NO FLAWS THAT I HAVE FOUND IN THE FINISH OR CONSTRUCTION OF THE GUITAR. THE CASE IS BEING REPLACED FOR FAULTY FASTENERS...ONE FALLS LOOSE AFTER FASTENED. OTHERWISE, GREAT.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS GUITAR WILL WITHSTAND LIVE PLAYING FOR DECADES TO COME. EVEN THOUGH TAYLOR ONLY HAS 29 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE ACOUSTIC INDUSTRY, HIS TRACK RECORD IS PRETTY GOOD SO FAR. I BELIEVE THAT THE FINISH WILL LAST FOR AS LONG AS I TAKE CARE OF IT. THE STRAP BUTTONS ON MINE ARE VERY SOLID. I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I CAN DEPEND ON IT FOR ANY PLAYING SITUATION I MAY ENCOUNTER, AND IF I WERE TO GIG WITH IT, I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER 310 AS A BACKUP(ONLY FOR STRING BREAKS!).

I HAVE DEALT WITH TAYLOR MANY TIMES NOW, SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ORDERING MISCELLANEOUS STUFF(LIKE THE GIG BAG, ROADIE T-SHIRT, ETC.)FROM THEM. THEY ARE AS FRIENDLY AS THEY CAN BE WITH THE VOLUME OF CALLS THEY GET. I ADMIRE THAT IN A GUITAR COMPANY. WITH THE CASE PROBLEM, THEY SENT ME A NEW ONE RIGHT AWAY AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR SHIPPING THE DEFECTIVE UNIT BACK TO THEM WITHOUT PROOF OF AMOUNT. THEY SAID THAT A TAYLOR PLAYER'S WORD IS GOOD ENOUGH.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS. THE ONLY OTHER GEAR I OWN RIGHT NOW IS A YAMAHA KEYBOARD AND A SHURE SM-58 MIC. I USE THE MIC AND KEYBOARD THROUGH A PEAVEY KB5 PA AMP. THERE WAS NOTHING I WISH I HAD ASKED BEFORE BUYING THIS GUITAR. IF IT WERE LOST OR STOLEN, I WOULD DEFINITELY BUY 2 MORE TO REPLACE THIS ONE. THAT WAY, THE NEXT TIME, I WILL HAVE AN IMMEDIATE BACKUP! I BASICALLY LOVE THE SOUND AND THE.....WELL, IT'S A TAYLOR...FIGURE IT OUT FOR YOURSELF....IT'S GREAT OVERALL. MY FAVORITE FEATURE, THOUGH, IS THE EBONY FRETBOARD. I ONLY COMPARED THIS MODEL TO HIGH-END TAYLORS, BUT I DECIDED THE FINISH ON THEM WOULD REQUIRE TOO MUCH MAINTENANCE FOR AN "AROUND THE HOUSE" GUITAR. ONE SIMPLE THING TO REMEMBER: IF YOU BUY A TAYLOR, NO MATTER WHAT MODEL, IT WILL ALWAYS BE A "QUALITY TAYLOR GUITAR."

2001 MADE IN USA SOLID SITKA SPRUCE TOP, SOLID SAPELE BACK AND SIDES
EBONY BRIDGE AND FRETBOARD, PEARL DOT FRET MARKERS, NO ELECTRONICS
JUST A BEAUTIFULL, WELL CRAFTED DREADNAUGHT WITH GLOSS FINISH TOP
AND SATIN FINISH ON SIDES AND BACK AND NECK, GREAT GROVED TUNERS,
CAME WITH A TAYLOR HARDSHELL CASE THAT HAS A VERY VERY VERY TIGHT FIT
I DONT KNOW IF THAT IS NORMAL, BUT YOU ALMOST HAVE TO SIT ON THE
GUITAR TO GET IT INTO THE CASE. THE GUY AT GUITAR CENTER SAID THE
CASE WILL BREAK IN AND THE FIT WILL LOOSEN OVER TIME, IT DIDNT BOTHER
ME TO MUCH BECAUSE THIS GUITAR NEVER LEAVES THE HOUSE AND IS RARELY
IN THE CASE.

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP REVIEW FROM A REVIEW IN FEB WHEN THE GUITAR WAS ONLY FIVE DAYS OLD, IT SOUNDED GREAT THEN, BUT FIVE MONTHS OF PLAYING
LATER ALL I CAN SAY IS, TOTTALLY UNBELIVEABLE SOUND, IT IS THE LOUDEST
CLEAREST, MOST BRILLIANT, VIBRANT SOUNDING GUITAR I HAVE EVER PLAYED
SOME SAY THE TALYOR SOUND IS TO BRIGHT, BUT IT IS BRIGHT IN A GOOD
WAY, NOT A THIN AND TINNY BRIGHT, BUT A VERY VIBRANT LOUD BRIGHT
STILL NO BUZZES WITH THE GREAT FAST TALYOR ACTION, I HAVE NO DISLIKES
SO FAR, A GREAT VALUE FOR 870 BUCKS.

THE SET UP WAS GOOD DID NOT CHANGE A THING, WORKMANSHIP IS FLAWLESS
NO VISABLE DEFECTS ANYWHERE.

DURABILITY WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR ME, THIS GUITAR WILL ALWAYS BE
BABIED, AND STAYS IN THE HOUSE.

THEY WERE VERY FAST AND HELPFULL WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THE TIGHT FITTING
CASE, THEY ALSO SAID THERE CASES ARE CUSTOM MADE AND THE FIT SHOULD
BE SNUG, I GUESS I AM JUST NOT USED TO THE TIGHT FIT, AND IT DOES SEEM
TO BE GETTING A LITTLE EASY TO GET THE GUITAR IN THE CASE.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING OFF AND ON FOR 12 YEARS, I ALSO HAVE A GUILD D15
ACOUSTIC AND A GIBSON ES 165 HERB ELLIS, THE THING I LOVE THE MOST IS
AN EASY QUESTION "THE SOUND" THATS ALL THAT MATTERS IN A ACOUSTIC
GUITAR

This is a 2001 Taylor 310-drednaught, solid sapele mahogany back and sides, solid sitka spruce top & no cutaway. I had a Fishman "Acoustic-matrix I" pick-up installed by an authorized dealer. Although it's pretty simple as far as features go, it has all I need. A beautiful guitar.

I usually play this one unplugged. I have a Blues Deville 212 that I use when I do plug in-almost always with no effects. The Fishman pick-up gets the job done, and I prefer it greatly to the soundhole pick-up I previously used. However, I do have to be careful about feedback. Unplugged it's a dream---clear and bright(but not overly so). It has good volume too, but it seems to get lost in the mix when I'm playing with other non-guitar instruments like my baby grand piano or even violins. I wish it would cut through the mix better. Anyway this guitar has a superb tone. I played most of the Taylors(400, 500, 600, 800, and koa series), and the only one that I thought sounded better was the koa one(but not $2500.00 better). I prefer the sound of the dreds to the auditorium or concert series, but I almost bought the auditorium series because I liked the size and sounded almost as good to my ears. I believe that I chose wisely in this purchase. I'll give it a 9 only because I wish it would cut through the mix better.

Perfect!

I've had it exactly a year and I haven't dinged it yet, but I know I will. I hate that I'm being so anal about a $850.00 guitar-I'm normally not that way. I need to get the big picture and not worry about such stuff. I'm quite certain the satin finish will ding pretty easily-I just haven't done it yet. I would definitely use it without a back-I do all the time.

The people at Taylor seem to be great. I've called them about a couple of things and they seem genuinely glad to talk to me.

I'm normally an electric guy but this Taylor has become my hands down fave. I also have 2 strats (1977 and tex-mex), a tele, an old univox hi-rider, an old yamaha classical, and a washburn 12 string. I play through a Blues Deville or a Laney LC-15 (I love this little amp). If it were stolen I don't think I'd sweat it. Sounds like a great excuse to splurge for the Koa Taylor.

First off, I have not ever been a big fan of acoustic guitars, until I played a Taylor. I have been looking to get away from playing electric, and after buying the 310, I sold my fender strat and amp. The top is sitka spruce, and the back and sides are listed as sapele.
Grover tuners are included and work well, but can be a little over-
sensative when tuning. The case that comes with the guitar is of the highest quality, and will provide great protection. One of the best features of this guitar is the easy access to the truss rod. It is located on the headstock, similar to an electric.

I tend to play "classic rock" style and some blues, and this guitar does well for both. The sound does lean more towards a bass sound, so if you are looking for a brighter vibe, you might want to consider a different body style. Overall though, it does sound very nice if you're an at home player, which I am.

One reason I never liked playing acoustic guitar, was the action on acoustics seemed always higher than I liked. The Taylor is very comfortable, and was set up perfectly. The top is lacquered, but the sides and back are done in a satin finish. It would have been nice if the whole guitar had been finished in a lacquer finish, but then you're moving into a higher price range. I'm really picky about flaws in new instruments, and I haven't come across any. I have read a couple of reviews that state that the finish on this guitar chips easy, but I have not experienced any yet.

I have had my Taylor for over a month and all is well so far. The strap button on the neck is metal, and sized well. The strap button on the bottom of the guitar is plastic, and rather large. This is good because you won't lose the guitar when playing, but it can be a problem slipping a strap on. It's a small gripe, but I have a fear of pulling the button out of the body if to much pressure would be applied.

I have not dealt with the company, but it does have a lifetime warranty. However, they are very picky about what the warranty covers. If your guitar cracks, and they determine it's your fault(lack of using a humidifier), you may be out of luck. I was told this by someone who had dealt with Taylor in the past. I did receive an invite to a guitar clinic in my area soon after I sent in my warranty info, pretty cool.

I've been playing for several years, and it took a Taylor to seriously get me playing an acoustic. It sounds great, and is really fun to play. For the price, you're getting a great guitar.

this is one high quality "entry level" acoustic. made in usa, solid top, sides and back put this guitar head and shoulders above the similarly priced models from guild and martin. beautiful light gloss solid spruce top, unique "sapel" solid back and sides, black binding on body, very smooth grover tuners and ebony fingerboard and bridge. comes with a very deluxe hardshell case. no flashly inlay or binding here, just attention to detail where it really matters. construction, playability, and SOUND!!!

i bought this guitar from jim's music in irvive california (just want to plug these guys..... they are awesome!!) and was able to try mine and one other 310 model. while both sounded excelent, mine had a richer quality and more depth. this guitar is so well balanced! bass notes ring out clear and pronounced, high notes are crisp and clear without being tinny or shrill. this guitar is very vibrant and shimmers when strummed with a light gauge pick. when fingerpicked, the guitar has just the right amount of sustain and each note rings clear. i play mostly folk rock / bluegrass / alt. country type music. i can't believe how "big" this guitar sounds! taylor has hit a home run with this guitar. if you are looking at the entry level martins, guilds, larivee, ect, make sure to try the taylor 310. you'll most likely end up with one.

right off the wall the action was as low as most electrics. i searched the neck, note by note, to find a fret buzz.... none here. construction is flawless. no excess glue, no finish flaws, ect. this one looks to be just as well made as it's more expensive taylor brothers which cost double to triple the price. it's quite obvious that the people who build these 310's take as much pride in them as the more expensive models. i doubt anyone involved with the building of these guitars thinks of them as the "entry level" model.

just got it, so i'm not sure on this yet. as well as it's put together, i doubt there is any need to worry about it falling apart. the lifetime warranty speaks for taylor's faith in their craftsmanship.

have not had to deal wiht them, not sure i'll ever have to. the web-site is very informative.

i've been playing for about 10 years now and i've gone through a lot of guitars, both acoustic and electric. i've owned acoustics from yamaha, epiphone, ibanez, alvarez and ovation. all of these guitars were priced between $300 and $500 dollars. this is the most i've spent on an acoustic. i can really see the difference between mid level and high end acoustics. this is truely the best sounding acoustic i've heard or played. if stolen, i'd sell other gear to get another one right away. this guitar makes me want to play and has inspired my songwriting so much. in my humble opinion, you can't find an acoustic in the same price range that even comes close for sound, playability, and workmanship.

2001 MODEL MADE IN USA SOLID SITKA SPRUCE TOP, SOLID SAPELE BACK AND
SIDES, CAME WITH A GREAT SNUG FITTING TAYLOR HARD CASE.
NO FANCY FEATURES ON THIS MODEL, JUST A VERY SOLID DREADNOUGHT MADE
WITH TOP QUALITY WOODS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP .

GREAT FOR MY STYLE WHICH IS MOSTLY STRUMMING WITH A LITTLE LEAD IN
BETWEEN, THE SOUND FROM
THIS THING IS INCREDIBLE, CRISP CLEAR LOUD WITH EACH NOTE DEFINED
CLEARLY, CHORDS RING FOR A LONG LONG TIME. I WONT GO ON AND ON
ABOUT HOW IT SOUNDS BETTER THAN GUITARS COSTING FIVE TIMES THE PRICE
JUST TRY ONE OUT IF YOU GET THE CHANCE.

THE ACTION RIGHT OUT OF THE CASE WAS GOOD, IAM NOT THAT FUSSY ABOUT
HAVING A PERFECT SETUP, IF THERE IS NO BUZZING, AND THE SOUND IS CLEAR
I DONT MESS AROUND TO MUCH WITH THE SETUP, AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM
AT ALL WITH THIS GUITAR, IT SOUNDED GREAT SO I DIDNT TOUCH A THING.

A JUST PLAY AROUND THE HOUSE, SO THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A PROBLEM WITH
DURABILITY FOR ME, I HAVE ONLY HAD THE GUITAR FOR FIVE DAYS SO I DONT
KNOW ABOUT RELIABILITY, BUT I CANT SEE THAT BEING A PROBLEM FOR
ANYBODY WITH THE WAY THIS THING IS BUILT.

NO REASON TO CALL YET.
BUT I HEAR THEIR THERE VERY RESPONSIVE TO ANY QUESTION OR PROBLEM.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING ON AND OFF FOR 12 YEARS, I OWN A GUILD D15 (1992)
AND A GIBSON ES165 HERB ELLIS, I LOVE THE SIMPLICITY AND QUALITY OF
THIS GUITAR, YOU GET EVERY THING YOU NEED IN AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR
WITHOUT SPENDING YOUR LIFES SAVINGS, I COMPARED TO MARTINS (D28) AND
GIBSON HUMMINGBIRD/SONGBIRD/WM45, I PICKED THE 310 BECAUSE IT FLAT OUT
SOUNDED JUST AS GOOD. ITS PERFECT AS IS

Everything is pretty straightforward (except the fact that it's a left handed model). Well made--feels like a million bucks in the hands. As a lefty, this is the most playable guitar I have ever laid hands on. The finish is beautiful (I love the glossy top and the satin back and sides). The grover tuners do a great job of keeping the strings in tune.

In my search for a new guitar, I played a lot of left handed models, and this is the first one I have found that sounds as good as the right handed ones do. I used to play a Yamaha (granted it was a cheap one), and the sound of this guitar puts that to shame. I also played a few lefties that cost way more than this guitar and it sounded better than any of them. Each note in a chord is even and clear. The thing that really blew me away was how loud the guitar is. It's got a booming sound without being too bassy or tinny.

Extremely playable. As stated above, it feels great in the hands. The thing that really blew me away was the neck. I don't have very big hands, so I was a bit worried about it being wider than my old guitar. But somehow everything clicks just right. The spacing is perfect and it doesn't buzz like some other guitars I played while shopping.

Can't really say yet since I haven't had the guitar very long. All indications are that it will be a great instrument that will last me a very long time.

So far so good. They reply to all of my emails and have been extremely helpful. Would rate higher if I had dealt with them more.

I've only been playing for about 6 years, but I have tons of musician friends and have heard a ton of different guitars over the years I've been hanging with musicians. This one sounds as good as (if not better than) many guitars I've heard that cost way more. If it were stolen or lost, I would be pissed and would seek to beat whoever took it. This is the perfect guitar for everything I do.

I reviewed my 310 a couple of months after I got it, and that review is still here, and still largely true.
The only thing that's changed is.. it sounds better!
Purchased around april of 2000 and not a single problem that wasn't directly my own fault.
I'm giving it a ten for features, again and I think that's fair.
If features were only cosmetic foppery, then I'd have to give it what.. a 2? After all, it has no real cosmetic features that are of the fancy type.
The features that count here are the design, the wood and the construction. When you hear solid wood from taylor think this: it gets better. When you hear bolt neck from Taylor, think this: plays like no other. When you hear about their assembly know that guitars don't play this well or sound this well unless someone who gives a damn did the work.

I've stated my playing styles etc.. briefly, this guitar handles everything I throw at it, and I throw everything at it.
The bass has gotten deeper, yet is still clear and defined. The trebles on Taylors are strong already, but not overly so to me at all.
It intonates wonderfully. It tunes easily.
When I first got it I thought the upper fretboard was a tad weak. That's gone.. it's very evenly balanced up the neck.
It sounds better than any acoustic I have owned. I wish so very much that I'd had a guitar like this as a young man. I seriously recommend to anyone reading this review that Taylors sound and playability will IMPROVE your playing. Don't wait.

I shimmed the bridge saddle when I first got it. I thought I was getting a bit of rattle, and it stayed that way until about two months ago, when, on a whim, I took the shim out. Surprise, it must have been me, because the action is now lower and there's no rattle at all.
Fit and finish perfect throughout as previously stated. I think Taylors quality control is top notch.

Some have remarked that the finish dents easily. Yet, I have actually pulled it out of the case and had the case latch peg jab into the top.
It marred the finish a bit, but didn't bite into the wood. That's a tough finish.. I'm telling you I was scared by the weight of that case hitting the top.
Otherwise, it's just like new.
I'd use it gigging with no back up, anytime, anywhere.

I know Bob Taylor likes to keep a mellow profile, and I realize a guy with a personality like mine, even if he were famous, would never become an official endorser.. so, though I appreciate Bob and wish him all the best, I want to say here that his customer support is as close to perfect as they can get short of driving over to your house and kisssing you on the butt.

I've played many years.. and I know that none of my other acoustics have aged like this 310. I really find it amazing that in just a short time the guitar has matured in the most wonderful way.
The frets are showing a little wear, but then, I play it a lot so whose fault is that?
If it were lost or stolen, I'd buy another Taylor. I'm not going to say I would buy another 310 because it hardly matters. I know I'd go with the 300 series because the price is waaaaay too good to pass up when you have a guitar this well done.
I wouldn't mind having a 312 especially for fingerpicking, and I woulnd't mind having the jumbo 315 (?) just for the big boom!
But I have to say.. this one is not just a happy medium, it does the job--period.
There's got to be a reason I've saved everything I got.. hang tags, sale sheet, video, manual, catalogs, even every copy of wood and steel Taylor sends me.
When I die, everything Taylor I ever owned will be in as close to pristine condition as I can keep it right with the guitar.. so the next owner, God bless him/her, will know that this guitar makes love.
Sure, you can find the perfectionist out there who will have lots to say about higher priced models, and competing brands.. name one area where that doesn't happen.. BUT.. you don't need to look around if you don't want to.
Buy a 310.
I have owned many electric and acoustic guitars in my life. This 310 ranks right alongside my favorite basses or electrics, and buries my fave acoustics. (save for a guild 12 string I had which was just as good.)
please read my earlier review for more detail on the Taylor 310. I really believe this is a wonderful guitar, and recommend it unhesitatingly to everyone.

This is a Taylor 310 made in Feb. 2001.It has a beautiful sitka spruce gloss top with satin sapele for the back and sides.This is an all solid wood guitar nothing laminated here.Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with laminated it's just this one isn't.Chrome tuners,large pearl dots and black binding sets it off.It has 20 frets,1 and 3/4 nut width and elixir medium strings.

Ok when i bought my 310 it sounded alot better to me then certain martins in the same price range.This guitar has awesome bass and yet you can pick every note and hear it.I do alot of flat picking and it's great for that.i'm fairly new to finger picking but it seems to be ok for that too.This guitar is almost a year old and it sounds better to me then it did the first time i played.I try to play atleast 4 hours aday and it seems to be breaking in very nicely.

This guitar plays like an electric.My action on my 310 is medium to low height and you can pick this thing with a hubcap from a truck as hard as you want and still get no buzz.I have good size hands and the 1 3/4 nut width feels perfect for me.When i bought it the thing had 0 flaws but now the binding in the back is getting dinged up a little from moving around while playing(damn chairs).The gloss top is level and smooth and the wood looks beautiful.The sides are in satin and the back has ribboned grain look to it.Special note: Don't use just any polish on satin finish or you'll F!@# it up.I looked on the taylor website and they say what works good is Smith Pro Formula Polish for the finish.My local music stores don't have this so i got it through Musician's Friend.Let me tell you first hand it works great and you can use it on the satin and gloss.

I think this guitar will withstand the test of time if it's properly taken care of.I bought a used Taylor 612(1993)and it was in awesome shape and the neck was as straight as an arrow.I kick myself in the ass for selling it.I think any guitar will last if you take care of it.I'm not good enough yet to go out and play for ppl i don't know but when i am i'm sure this guitar will be fine for gigs and be a good back up guitar if needed.

Never had to deal with the company so i can't say anything about this.But i heard that there great to deal with through my local music shops.so i'll give just a 7 here cause it's all hear say.

I havn't been playing guitar very long but i know a good thing when i feel and hear it.In just 11 months the thing sounds better now then when it was new and new it sounded great.They say you get what you pay for but in the case of the Taylor 310 you get a little more.If this guitar was stolen i would hunt the person down and floss there teeth with a rusted guitar string till they told me where the hell it was.I have almost a year of sweat and skin invested in this guitar and that's not replacable.But if i HAD to i would replace with the same model.Other then the 310 i have a Ovation 1861,Sheraton 2,american fender strat.These are all good guitars but the taylor is the one that gets played the most.Honestly i think i lean more towards the acoustics now i just like the idea of take them anywhere and play them.I'm taking my Taylor 310 to the box with me..lol

I purchased my Dreadnought 310 in 1998. It has Sapele back/sides, Sitka Spruce top, Mahogany neck, Ebony fingerboard, satin finish, pick guard, and came with a hardshell case. It's a no-frills, solidly built guitar,THE SECOND TIME AROUND - see below.

The G, B, and high E strings are particularly striking and produce notes with tremendous clarity and incredible sustain. However, my bass strings are uneventful and border on just plain dull. For a guitar its size, I would expect a boomier bass with much better resonance, and this is a continual source of disappointment for me when I play, especially when I am fingerpicking bluegrass and ragtime.

Four months after purchasing my guitar I noticed that the seam on the back was cracking and, when holding my guitar up to the light, the light would stream right through the length of the seam. There was also a small crack developing on the top of the guitar where the fingerboard meets the body. Despite dilligent humidifying, the crack persisted and never went away. My guitar sounded lifeless and dull as a result.

Taylor finally agreed to replace the entire body, and when it was returned to me, everything looked great. My major problem now is the action. Despite several adjustments, I cannot get the action low enough for comfortable, effortless playing, and barring my first fret is a chore.

Time will tell how my newly refurbished guitar will hold up. It's been 5 months since it was returned to me and so far, everything is just fine.

It took me several phone calls with several indignant and pompous cutomer support/tech support folks and THREE years before my concerns were finally addressed by a very sympathetic and reasonable fellow at Tayor, who, after I shipped my guitar to them (they paid for the shipping), concluded that the crack in the back was the result of a faulty glue joint. They agreed to replace the entire body and returned the refurbished guitar to me, free of charge, within 6 weeks.
Although my problems were eventually addressed, I'm afraid that I would not purchase another Taylor based upon the length of time it took to get the problems resolved.

One more thing - despite my protracted customer service experience with Taylor, I must admit that they have one of the most informative web sites in the business. They provide an array of tech and playing advice, and I'm a big fan of their tech sheets on stringing and humidifying.

I made a past review about my guitar and it has been over a year since i've had my guitar. It's two years old, and she's still a very wonderful guitar. Basic rundown: Dreadnought body, Sapele back/sides, Sitka Spruce top, Ebony fretboard/bridge, Rosewood headstock, Mahogany neck, chrome Grover tuners, satin/UV-cured finish, SKB moulded case and an after-market Fishman Natural I pickup installed. Durable. For its amount, it is pretty well-equipped, and so i give it a score of 10!

My guitar has been played in very well, and is played continually on a regular basis. The sound is richer than a year before and since it is made with real, solid wood... time will only tell how great it will sound! It's a good strummer (of course), but it does a great job when picked too.

Taylor is very consistent in maintaining standards on everything from build, detail and feel of the guitar. Since the last owner took good care of my guitar, the action is still super and i haven't yet had a problem with the neck bowing or anything with humidity. All of the woods on my 310 seem to be in great quality. Nice tight-grained Sitka Spruce with a goulden hue. Nearly black, unstained Ebony. The Sapele blows me away. I've seen the "Quilted" Sapele on the 25th Anniversary models, and my Sapele is just a bit under that. Good eye-candy. Haven't seen that good of a Sapele on Taylors made after mine. Feeling really lucky... :)

I depend on my 310 every week for church and she goes through constant abuse: other players, getting dinged up, being left in cars and in sunshine (sometimes)... you name it. She's still holding up real well and i haven't yet had the guitar fall apart on me. As long as you don't bash someone with your guitar, there shouldn't be any problems... provided you'd take care of it. So far... i can't see myself replacing my 310 with anything else.

Lots of people praise the Taylor customer support. I'd concur! I haven't dealt with them in a while, but whenever i sent them an email about something... they always gave back a reply. Quick service. They have also done a great job in trying to educate guitar owners on how to take care of your guitar. I really don't hope to use the repair shop! hehe

I've had this guitar over a year now, and there's no complaints about it. I still like playing with Taylor guitars and i have no qualms about any of them. If i can somehow get myself $6000, i'd like to buy the Doyle Dykes Signature Model... really awesome guitar!! Until then, my faithful 310 will weather out my guitar urges.

I've owned a Taylor 310 for about 2 years now, I have very few complaints. It's the kind of guitar you would expect from Taylor.

The guitar has a real "full" sound... Although to be honest I wish I would have gone with a guitar that was a little more trebly. It gets lost in the mix real easy. If $800 is all you can afford I would go with one of these puppies..but don't be afraid to wait to save up more money for something better. I love this guitar but I regret not having waited to get like a 714 or something.

Taylor quality.

The guitars finish seems to chip really easy, I'm pretty gentle with my guitars but after just 2 years I've got chips all over the guitar. I think it's just the style of finish, but its not cool.

If you like the sound buy it...if you don't then don't buy it..simple as that.

Born on date is july 2000. This is Taylor's no frills dreadnought guitar. Bolt on necks are usually found on $3k+ guitars, you get one here new for $850. Gloss top is a beautifully polished high tech UV cured coating, better for the environment. Ebony where it counts: the finger board and bridge. Price is nice too as well as the grover tuners. Since I installed a LRBaggs dual source myself, I really liked the bolt on endpin setup with the hole that is endpin jack ready, no drilling or cutting. Also found a nice punch mark drill guide under the saddle for pickup install. Nice touches for the DIY guitar techs like myself. The stock ELIXER strings rule if you like consistant new string tone for 6 + months. Mahogany Neck like everybody else.

The sound is incredible. It's very detailed, complex and inspiring. It's brightness suits my fingerstyle quite well because I keep my nails very short and out of the way. Personally, the tone of finger tips is what steel string acoustic guitar is all about. It's loud and balanced from the bass to treble. The Sapele tone wood used on the back and sides and traditionally used by spanish guitar makers gives this guitar a unique flamico sound on certain frets of the A & D strings.

Beautiful UV cured polished gloss top, satin everywhere else. Nothing fits and feels like the Taylor.

I monitor and control the humidity in an anal way. The tolerances are exactly the same to this day as the day I bought it from my humidity controlled dealer. I plan to travel and gig extensivly with this guitar without backup. I can walk into any humidity controlled dealer in any town a get another one with the same feel, quality, and sound, any day of the week and not be too sad if mine got stolen.

Lifetime warranty! Enough said.

I've been playing music for 20 years. I'm a singer songwriter with a home studio and I play drums, synths and basses too. I love all music. I was shopping for a Martin D-35 but I bought the 310 for the top of the line Taylor quality at an entry level price. I would buy another because it's the perfect road guitar for an aspiring pro musician like myself who demands quality, yet can't afford or justify fancy instruments.

New 2001. Playing it for 5 months now. All solid woods. Sitka spruce top. Sapele (mahogany family)back and sides. New technology neck(ask for video). Ebony bridge and fretboard with brown streaking in it, very pretty. Pearl dot inlays. Rosewood headstock. Chrome grover tuners. Black plastic binding. Tortoise pickguard. Two strap buttons. Gloss finish top, everything else in satin. Medium elixir strings. Great playability. No dead spots. Skb Taylor hardshell case. Top latch improperly installed, but still works fine.

Awesome sound. Shimmering. Crisp and clear. This guitar sounds oh so sweet. Loud and brilliant, with good bass. Either played loud or soft.

Action is very good. Very well setup. Everything fits and looks perfect. Except the pickguard is coming up on the edge. No big deal. The top is perfectly bookmatched and the finish everywhere is very nice. If you rub your fingertips on the back side of the guitar you can feel a couple of tiny,tiny knot holes?

I really baby this guitar. Not because I have to but because I want to play it for a long time.

The first time I called just to ask questions about fret care and restringing. They were very nice and helpful. The 2nd time I called and told them my pickguard was slightly coming up on the edge and within a few days I had a new one at my door. Not going to install it now.

I am a hobbyist who loves to play, on and off for 20 years now.I am 37 now. Use my heavy pick for flatpicking which is 95% of the time. Love chords. Srum heavily 3 quarters of the time. I really enjoy playing this guitar especially in the early morning with my coffee and in the evening. It is a joy to play. I can`t get enough of the great sound this guitar puts out. I tried almost all the guitars at Sam Ash and Guitar Center within this price range. Overall this was it, the solid woods, playability, tone, neck design,and price. I am finally satisfied.

no frills - basic but all you need !

crisp would be the best way to describe it - harmonic, full yet retaining crisp definition

I wanted this guitar - I went back to the store 3 times - the last time just to buy it. However after reading news about F# problems with acoustics, I checked the Taylor at the 9th fret on the A string. It revealed a honk, a dead spot. I couldn't buy it after that. I love the neck, and the playability like most electric players would, but it just wasn't right. An 814 didn't have the problem, neither did a Guild D25. I guess I'll just have to save some more for the 810!

I've 8 other guitars, Strats, Gibsons and Music Man guitars. I was really disappointed because the 310 was just what I wanted for an upgrade from other acoustics.

Solid wood ... solid sound and feel

I like to play everything ... from pop to hard rock to jazz to classical. Just sounds great.

Tested Martins which were a bit less in price, but a lot less in sound and feel. For a couple of hundred dollars this is a good investment.

Just purchased ... pickuped the demo over the "in the box". I'm sure
once it ages it will sound even sweeter.

Have not had reason to call ...

Played Les Paul Custom electric .. great guitar, Yamaha acoustic..
OK for price, Ovation... overrated.

The Taylor 310 is an all Solid Wood guitar with Sitka Spruce top and Sapele (Mahogany) Back and Sides. The Neck is also Mahogany.
Made in San Diego, CA.
I bought a 2000 model recently in April 2001. I was looking to upgrade to an all solid wood acoustic.
The 310 seemed like the best choice for the price - no frills. No fancy inlays or binding. Just plain and simple. Really, the sound does the talking.
For the price, I get the main feature I want - all Solid Wood construction.

I play flatpick and fingerstyle. This guitar is very versatile.
Good balance, excellent highs... suprisingly good bass for a Mahogany backed guitar.
Fingerstyle is subtle, mellow, and smooth.
Lay into it with a pick - it really cuts.
Very dynamic.
More bright than boomy - very much a Taylor sound. If you want tons of bass, go with a Martin.
I can't wait for this baby to open up with age.

All Taylors have medium low action. 4/64" on the Treble Side, 6/64" on the Bass side. That matches the action on my electrics.
For an acoustic, that might be a little low if you really "lay into" it. Raise it 1/64", and that should do the trick.
This guitar is really built well. No structural flaws. I can't find one thing wrong about the way it was made. No excess glue, no gaps, no poor cuts. Everything seems to "fit" perfectly.
Well, actually, the second screw that screws in the little Truss Rod cover at the headstock is not cut short enough, so it doesn't screw down all the way flush (boo hoo).

I haven't had it long enough to really say how durable it is. I'm very careful with this guitar, almost too careful.
I mainly play at home, or with friends. In Southern California, you may have to worry about the dry days - a soundhole or case humidifier will suffice.

Absolutely excellent! I can't believe that Taylor's customer support is the best customer support I've ever dealt with for ANYTHING. Not only do they answer my questions, but they follow through with phone calls. This company really cares about support, which is tough to find these days.

I own a Gibson Les Paul Custom and a Fender SRV Strat. I play these through a Marshall JCM900 50W combo. I've been playing guitar for more than 15 years.
For acoustics, I've only owned a mid-80's Yamaha FG365sII (Solid Spruce Top with Laminate Rosewood back and sides). I recently departed with that guitar only to replace it with the Taylor. I'm really glad I did. For years, I thought the Yamaha was a good sounding guitar. Once I brought the Taylor home, it made the Yamaha sound like a cardboard box.
I really feel like for the money, I hit the jackpot. A great sounding, well built, all solid wood, US made acoustic guitar for less than $900 (with case).

New 2001 Taylor 310 made in the USA. 20 fret dreadnought style. THis thing is all wood. No laminate crap here. Spruce top with mahogany back and sides. Ebony fretboard and an indian rosewood headstock. Came with a hard case.

The sound i can get out of this thing amazes me. I can go from a sweet christian music tone to some mean bluesy licks. It tends to be a brighter sounding guitar than martins, guilds or gibsons, but it is far better to play and it is more versatile. if one is a real blues fanatic opne would be better off with a martin but those are harder to play and they cost a lot more for something comparable to the taylor 310. Any martin that you buy for 900 has laminate backs whereas the taylor is solid wood. It will last you longer and is a better investment.

Everything was set up perfectly. It is very easy to play. It has nice wood grains. THe satin top looks great

THe top seems to ding easily but those are just tiny marks that dont affect the sopund and can only be seen in the right light. Everything else seems really solid

I have been playing for 20 or so years. I have owned just about every major guitar brand that exists including a martin d-45 and a gibson hummingbird. the taylor is much easier to play than the others and sounds nearly as good for a fraction of the price. if it were stolen i would buy it again or i would look at a more expensive taylor.

My Taylor is a year old. It has the standard solid spruce top with unfinished mohogony back and sides. Ebony fret board and bridge with ebony bridge pins even! Super sweet neck and action. Over all sort of plain but still very nice.

Excellent sound. I like to play country, blues and do some finger picking and it sound great doing them all. I have had this guitar for over a year now and I love its sound more and more. Every time I let somebody else play it they always comment on the sound and how nice it is. I can't believe that it is Taylor's "entry level" guitar.

The guitar came set up great. The fit and finish were all top notch. Frets were all smooth and the neck, bridge and tuners all good. A year later and it is still great.

Well it is a year old now and still holding up great. This guitar feels a lot lighter than other guitars but it is not fragile. I have taken it camping and out and about to friends to play and it holds up great. Never broken anything on it. All in all and exceptionally well built giutar that sound excellent and about half the price of similar models by other makers.

Never had a problem. But I wrote them a letter and they wrote back to say thanks.

I have been playing for about 6 years now and I have owned only one other acoustic guitar(epiphone) If this guitar was lost I would be bummed. I notice that all acoustic guitars are a little different and I really like this one. I would definatly buy another Taylor with a few more cosmetic appointments. I compared this one to a Martin D1-R which I had my heart set on but once I played the Taylor it was no contest

Sitika Spruce top, Mahogany back and sides. The back and sides are unfinished, but look beautiful. Grover tuners. Super low action make this guitar practically play itself. It's a dreadnought, and it has no electronics. A strap fits it perfectly.

This model is touted as the 'no frills' Taylor. It has pearl dot inlays, and no fancy ornamentation, but don't let that fool you. This guitar is high-end in every other department.

I bought this guitar a little over a month ago, and I am beginning to realize just how great this thing really is. The sound is awesome -- very even, and LOUD. It will suit any style that you play. You can bang on it, or play it soft and the sound is equally impressive.

Play one and you'll see -- flawless.

I've only had it for a month, but everything seems rock-solid.

Sloid strap buttons, and the overall feel is very solid.

Taylors come with a good warranty. I haven't had to deal with them yet.

I came very close to buying a Guild D-55 (Guild's top of the line dread), because I love the ornamentation on the neck and headstock. I was ready to drop $1500 on the Guild, or a Taylor 810. I played the Guild and honestly wasn't that impressed with the playability. It did not compare with the Taylor 810 at all in my opinion.

After months of looking, I picked up a Taylor 310 - I bought one the next day. The sound, playablilty, and overall feel BLEW AWAY THE GUILD D-55 - and the Taylor was 1/2 the price.

This guitar will make you smile every time you pick it up. It is so easy to play. In my 13 years as a guitarrist, this 'no frills' Taylor is one of the best guitars I've ever played. If I had the money, I would have bought the 810, mainly because it's prettier, but I am so incredibly satisfied with the 310. You get a great feeling whenever you play this guitar.

If you are looking for a high-end acoustic, play this 310 before you do something stupid, like buying a Martin. You CAN'T beat this guitar for the money. The only thing you are not getting with this Taylor is decoration.

Play it and you'll understand why Taylor is THE American acoustic guitar!

Taylor 310 Dreadnought. Spruce top, Saepele (mahogany) back & sides, mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard & bridge. Chrome Grover tuners. Gloss top, satin neck, back & sides. Black plastic binding. Custom SKB hardshell case included. "No frills" 300-series, but still a very nice looking guitar. The styling of the headstock, bridge & pickguard give this guitar a distinctive look.

I play mostly pop-folk-rock style (Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Dan Fogelberg, etc.). This guitar sounds good, no matter what I am playing. It has a very balanced tone and good projection.
Both highs and lows are clear. This is a versatile guitar -- you can strum, flatpick or fingerpick and it sounds good in any style.

Classic Taylor action -- low and fast. The thin neck is very comfortable. It came with medium-gauge strings, which Taylor puts on all their dreadnoughts. Mediums on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd were too hard on my fingers, so I switched those to lights and left mediums on the bottom. This made the guitar much more comfortable to play and gave it a little more bass response. Excellent fit & finish.

A very well-built guitar. The chrome Grovers are very solid. I play at home for fun, but I wouldn't hesitate to take this guitar on the road.

Great website!!! I learned a lot about how to care for my Taylor from the technical datasheets that you can download. I only called customer service one time, but they were very helpful and answered my question.

I have been playing for 25+ years and own two other guitars (Citation 6-string and Takamine 12-string). I wanted to treat myself to a new 6-string and was looking at a Martin DM. However, I changed my mind after playing the Taylor. For less than $200 more, the Taylor 310 was a much better guitar, both in sound and construction.

If my 310 were lost or stolen, I would probably replace it with another one. It is a great guitar for the money. However, I also might look at Larrivees and Tacomas in the same price range.

Please see the others for description. It was born in June of 2000. Nothing to add. Paid $800 out the door with a hardshell case (SKB, but without the Taylor logo). Not bad I think.

The sound is shimmerly like all good Taylors, but I have noticed an obnoxious "hooting" noise that eminates at a certain pitch and note. Has anyone heard this noise? Forgive my lack of knowledge about strings, but I think it's the G-string (heh). Seriously, when I tune down 1/2 step, the thrird highest string (F sharp I guess) makes this noticeable projection that the other strings do not. I can get the same effect by fretting a lower sting higher on the neck. I've experienced this with many Taylors that I play. Maybe it's just the nature of the acoustic beast, but it's annoying. Maybe I'm just completely anal. Otherwise, it sounds very good. Still, I can perceive that open string "hooting" on certain chords. Suppose I could tune back up to concert pitch, but that is a band-aid fix for a annoyance that shouldn't be. And it still get's produced when any string hits that pitch and specific note. Weird.

Very nice fit a finish. Mine was set up great, and there were no dings on it. The top is deep in color. I've seen any number of top colorations, and tend to like the deeper, richer colors the best.

Seems very reliable. Stays in tune great. All that talk on the Taylor web-site about humidity makes me a bit nervous, so I monitor it closely. Taylor is very conscious about humidity, which I suppose is a good thing.

Taylor is excellent in getting back with people. They have always responded quickly to my inquiries (and there have been many)

Been playing for 2 years, and have a good ear. Don't have any idea what notes I'm playing, but can pick out lots of complex stuff. I would probably not get a Taylor again, simply because of that blasted "hooting" noise the 310's make. I haven't heard it in Guilds or Larrivee's, which seem very nice.

The Taylor 310 dreadnought is made in California. Mine was made in October of 2000. It has 20 frets, a solid sitka spruce top, solid sapele mahogony sides and back, a mahogony neck, Indian rosewood headstock and ebony fretboard & bridge. No electronics. Just an acoustic. I has a fairly thin neck (Taylor trademark) and grover tuners. It came with a fairly decent SKB molded case. It's the "no frills" series, so of course there is no abalone rosette or exotic binding. It's a plain acoustic. Nonetheless, it's a beauty. Excellent work and attention to detail.

I play blues, classical, classic rock, country, jazz, funk, pop, and latin-ish sort of stuff. I would say that with the exception of classical music, this guitar does it all. A real deep punch that's not too overbearing and nice even highs. It's a little bright. Brighter than other big names. But that's the Taylor sound. It's excellent for soloing but is still extremely versatile. Strum a chord and listen to every note. Or play SRV's Rude mood and hear it come alive with every phrase. It's unbelievable...

There is not another guitar brand that I have found to be as easy on the hands as Taylor. It's what they are known for. This 310 has extremely low action. The beauty is that you really have to bang on the lower E to hear the slightest buzz. The top doesn't exactly have the bookmatch that an 810 might have. But it's still a very close match. When I got the guitar, it came right out of the box...straight from the factory. No dings, no loose screws, no chips (even inside the soundhole), nothing...absolutely gorgeous...in a simple way.

I've yet to play this guitar live, so I won't know just how solid this instrument is until I try taking it out. But after looking at the bracing and just holding it, I can tell that this guitar is built to last. When I do get around to giggin' with it, I would definately do so w/o using a backup. It's lighter than Gibson or Guild. But if I wanted a tank, I would have bought a Gibson or a Guild and sacrificed some sound. I expect this guitar to last a while and improve with age...

I haven't needed to deal with Taylor at all. However, I did order their free video on their bolt on neck. I just assumed that I would receive it without any notification. But a few days after I ordered it, I got an e-mail saying that the video would be shipped within the week. Taylor knows how to treat their customers...

I play an 83 Fender Stratocaster and run through a blues driver and into a Laney amp. I also have a Sigma 12 string and a Fender FC-30 classical guitar (It's nicer than you think). And of course the Taylor 310. I've been playing for about 7 years and this is by far one of the better acoustics that I have played. If it were stolen, I'd cry...then within time by the exact same model. No sense in spending another $500 for inlay and a miniscule difference in sound. I love everything about this guitar. I couldn't say that there's anything that I don't like about the Taylor 310. I've played a friends Larrivee and though he claims it's the most beautiful sounding guitar, I just smile and nod so that I don't hurt his feelings. I've also played Martin, Ovation, Gibson, Guild, Breedlove and many others. The truth is that these are all very fine instruments and it comes down to a matter of taste. I like a guitar to have a fast neck, a full but even sound, and some personality. That's why I got the Taylor. If Martin or Larrivee is the sound you like...that's fine. Just remember...they use a dovetail joint. 20 years from now those guitars will have to be unglued at the neck. So know a really good luthier to take care of that or get a Taylor.

The 310 is a solid wood dreadnought with a sitka spruce top, sapele mahogany sides, back and neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. Chrome Grover tuners, pearl dot inlays, black plastic binding, tortoise shell pickguard, and an attractive saddle complete the package. Like all Taylor guitars, the 310 is fabricated and assembled in El Cajon, CA. This axe is the leader of top-quality no-frills guitars, and it produces an unbelievably sweet tone. No exotic woods or fancy inlays here (not necessarily a bad thing), else it would receive a 10.

It produces a very clean, slightly bright sound which is very balanced considering it is a dreadnought. By laying off the top end a little, you can get an extremely full, harmonious, slightly bassy tone. Lay on the top a little, and watch it shimmer. I am very impressed with this tone and feel it is the best in the business, at least for under $1000, if not more. If you want a dreadnought that allows you to distinguish each note out of a chord, this is it. If you are concerned with balance (say for recording), this is a great choice. This guitar is well deserving of a 10!

Here's something you haven't heard yet... Try raising the action from the factory setting. Taylors have extremely ergonomical necks and very low action, which I love, but I have a very heavy strum and I was getting a little too much fret buzz for my liking. So, I loosened up my truss rod considerably. Now I have the same playability, only the strings are a little higher and looser -- this makes them perfect for bending. The main plus, however, is the added sound and projection you get by raising the strings ever so slightly. It's absolutely amazing. In my opinion, these things are already so easy to play, that you can afford to raise the action a little without sacrificing playability at all. Craftmanship is perfect, literally. Perfectly bookmatched, perfect finish, no glue drips, perfect everything.

This guitar is slightly lighter than the average dreadnought. While I won't say its fragile, I just wouldn't want to find out if it is, or not. I will give it an 8 here, just because I have owned much sturdier guitars (like Gibsons), but who cares, really? It's the sound and playability which matter, and Taylor excells in both.

Never dealt with them, but their website is fantastic. Lots of information. Look under Products>Models>Details. There is a wealth of information specifically tailored for Taylor guitars there (Pardon the pun). Have also heard very positive things about their customer service tech support (telephone and email). No worries here!

I've been playing 10 years. I also currently own a Larrivee Parlor (much fun to play), Godin LGX (amazing neck), and an Alvarez Minstrel Banjo (wish I could play it). I am a student, so I am not big on funds, therefore, I am forced to sell my gear to buy new things. I have owned in the past: a Gibson CL-35, Larrivee D-03R, some piece of crap Ovation, and a surprisingly sweet little Epiphone. I sold the Larrivee D-03R and Ovation to get the Gibson, and sold the Gibson to get my Taylor 310 and the Larrivee Parlor. In this tangled web, I have learned that the most important quality in a guitar is the shape of its neck. You will not find a more well-designed instrument than a Taylor. The fact that it has killer tone and sustain makes me believe Tayor is the future of the guitar industry. Giants such as Gibson and Martin should beware. Gibsons sound great, but are a pain in the ass to play. Martin's are fine to play, and fine to listen to, but seriously, nothing special. Larrivee's are high quality and very inexpensive for what you get, but sound almost muffled to me (especially the low-end ones which I could afford). Taylor's are a little more expensive, but well worth it. And, I challenge you to find a Martin or Gibson for $700 which sounds better than my 310. They don't exist. Among Taylors, I would keep my 310 any day before I exchanged it for a 400 series. 500 series guitars are nice (the 514ce has got to be the prettiest axe on the market), but their tone is not that much better than the 300 series. 6-900 series are just plain too expensive for me, so I have never even tried them. Dang, they sound good when other people play them though. One more thing, don't go drilling holes in your guitar to install a pickup, and don't buy one with the big chunky plastic electronics already mounted in your sideboards. Go to Musicians Friend and spend the $150 bucks you would otherwise spend on electrics on a decent condenser mic instead (Shure or AT). You won't regret it.

1999 Taylor 310CE with Fisherman Prefix made in El Cajon, CA. Stika spruce top with a satin finish. Bridge and Fretboard are ebony. 20 frets. Dreadnought. Came with a SKB hardshell. Being female, I appreciate the relatively thin neck as it makes it easier for my hands to reach frets etc...

I usually play folk, finger picking style and she is a beauty. Even when she isn't plugged in, she creates an extrodinarily beautiful full sound. I like th Taylor sound as it has a nice balance between bass and treble. Too much bass and a guitar can sound muddy, too much treble and a guitar starts to sound twangy. This guitar has a really nice blend of the two. I also use the guitar to accompany my voice and it does so wonderfully. It doesn't overpower the human voice but it has enough grace to not get lost in the crowd.

The true test for any guitar. Playing this guitar is like playing butter. Your fingers fly over the neck. As a female player, I really appreciate the low action. I don't have to put as much pressure on the strings to get the sound that I want. This is a problem on a lot of other guitars. I barely had to readjust the set-up, just a few tweaks and and then off I went. I had purchased my guitar straight from its box as the floor sample had a few blemishes and dings. I was a little concerned about this but Guitar Center assured me that if I wasn't happy I could exchange her. Well, she sounded wonderful and she has only gotten sweeter.

I've played her live for about a year and she has taken some major journeys in the backseat of a car and she's still hanging in there. I've had a few moments where a couple of the tuning pegs seemed a little unresponsive at times and a bit loose. They become a problem in a few years. My strap buttons are my only really huge concern. They have become quite lose over the year. I change guitar several times a night to an electric and the constant changing has made them loose.

Have yet to deal with them cause I really haven't had a problem, but I've only heard good things.

I've been playing for 9 years and I love her. I'm so spoiled I hate playing on my friends guitar. I would cry if anything happened to her. I purchased renters insurance on my apartment just to protect her. If she were stolen or lost I'd cry then I'd either buy her again or upgrade to a more expensive taylor (but I would only buy taylor). I would upgrade for vanity reasons not for sound quality. I've played the 800 series and 700 series and the difference in sound and playability of the 800 and 300 series is marginal.

My Sapele Taylor 310 was made in June 1999, and it is a guitar that incorporates the new neck design, and of course, embodies the redesigned Dreadnought shape that Bob Taylor made in 97. A side note on that one, i have a friend who owns a 1993 Taylor 610, and i do see a difference on the bodies... But anyway, my goodness... the 310 is a pure 100% Taylor, no matter if it is the "no-frills" series. The 300 Series are the lowest in price range and in the available options that Taylor has, but even still, that doesn't bother me a bit. My guitar has Sapele back/sides (tonally similar to mahogany... for a comparison, try a 500 Series and play its 300 cousin), solid Sitka Spruce top, ebony fretboard/bridge, rosewood headstock, and a mahogany neck. No pickups installed (all natural!) on it, so it's a pure acoustic. For its hardware and other "accessories," my 310 has chrome Grover tuners, and comes sheltered in a moulded SKB case with "Taylor Guitars" embossed on it. The ONLY reason why i would give my guitar a "9" is because it doesn't have an abalone rosette, so that is a somewhat bummer, but oh well... that defeats the whole purpose of the 310 being a "no-frills" guitar! Just outside of that, EVERYTHING of my 310 rings with Taylor's awesome sound and quality~ can't beat it.

OH MY GOODNESS... i couldn't (and STILL can't) believe the sound projection on this beaut! Even though it has no electronic amplification, my 310 is so dang loud! At times, i rest my ear on the body as i play, and BOY, is it LOUD~ hehe. Tonally, again, it is quite similar to mahogany, so it is a combo of being REALLY warm, yet pronounced at the same time. Even it being a Dreadnought doesn't drown out the individual notes, so that surprised me. Bass is still awesome... can feel the sound ripple in my body! The strings i installed are medium-gauge Elixirs, and with my 310, they've kept in tune. Taylor Guitars has a tech-sheet on how to properly string your guitar, and it really works! I haven't tuned my strings for a while i think... really impressive!

Taylors are known to have an excellent low action, which is really easy to play with. I remember playing with other makes from different companies, and honestly, i can't do anything with them except basic chords. No barres, no other stuff... just plain chords. With my 310 however, barres are no longer my enemy! The whole guitar was obviously made with tender, loving care, and it reflects upon how structually sound it is. The only problems are the ones i've caused... dings... :-p

The whole point of buying an expensive guitar (hey, even this LOW-END guitar costs $1300 in retail!) is to have it for as long as you want to have it. If it was made to fall apart some point in time and you paid $1000+ for it, i think you'd be pretty upset. I am sure that my Taylor (and other Taylors, and OTHER high-end maker guitars) will last a lifetime, granted the owner isn't stupid to do anything wrong with it. I am doing my best to keep it clean and well-cared for. So far, i've had mine for four months and only thing that's changed it's its tone! And plus, i bought it used, so it is remarkable how wonderful it still sounds! I DEFINITELY will depend on my guitar and i take it to church, so that i could play, and so other church kids will play, and it's a popular baby! I hope that as i grow old, my Taylor will age respectively with me, and sound more richer than it is today!

Another truly remarkable aspect of Taylor Guitars is their customer support efforts. I have had nothing to deal with them about my guitar, but i emailed them many times for other things and they ALWAYS answered it quickly and efficiently. I've asked for them to send me ANY freebies (who doesn't love freebies!), and they've heeded to my every whim! Their attitude towards each customer is a delightful change in the marketplace today??very rare nowadays. They make me feel like i'm an important superstar that obviously will get more priority and attention. Real down-to-earth, friendly folks! I just know that whenever i have a problem with my guitar (hopefully not!), then, i know i can count on them to fix it!

I've been playing guitars for four years now, and with all the different models i've come across with, my Taylor clearly beats each one away. I've handled everything from Ovations (Koreans still REALLY love them), Alvarez, Martin, Larrivee... you name it. Yet, i go back to Taylors, and more importantly, i go back to my used 310. Before i made the initial transaction at eBay, i wasn't so sure about attempting to get a 310. I didn't ever get to play a 300 Series guitar before then, so the "no-frills" thingy made me wonder... but no longer! I know i made the right choice, and the fact that i bought it used just doesn't ring me at all. I still hold it and think, "This is not mine... i can't BELIEVE i own this thing!" Regularly today, i play with other higher Taylors (614c, 814c at church) and still, my 310 beats 'em all. In fact, whenever i go to Guitar Centre or Sam Ash, i always compare every guitar, and i've played every model possible (except the new Signature Series and limited-run makes). Even a Presentation Series (worth over $10k!) doesn't compare to my 310! Impressive, eh? If it were ever stolen, lost, damaged or whatever, i would DEFINITELY replace it with another 310... possibly from the same time it was made (June 1999). Yup, i am one satisfied Taylor 310 owner!