Taylor Guitars JKSM Jewel Signature Model

Taylor JKSM Jewel Kilcher Model. This guitar was made from a really nice choice of woods. The back and sides are made of satinwood, which is a golden-honey color. When I saw the guitar among all the other Taylors, I was exclusively drawn to it. The color of the wood and deep grain is exquisite to say the least. The use of yellowheart inlays on the fretboard is a nice touch. Especually Jewels signature.
I have serial # 52 , JKSM purchased at Stutzman Guitars , Rochester NY.

I have been getting more into the acoustic textures lately. Honestly I picked up this guitar and played it for at least a 1/2 hr before I realized it was Jewels guitar model. The fact that it was Jewels model played little factor in my actual decision to buy the guitar. The guitar on its own merits alone could sell itself. The guitar sounds very well balanced from top to bottom. When you strike a chord on it, it just has that classic "Taylor" sound improved 10-fold. I really believe that the choice of woods has given this guitar a really specific sound compared to a model 314, (I think its prettier)

The only thing I will say in this catagory, is that the guitar from top to bottom, is made very nicely. Worth every dollar I paid. I am surprised that a guitar of this caliber, is not more expensive. Taylor could have asked $3000 for the guitar and still got it. it is that nice.

I have used this guitar out live and it works quite well. The only thing is that in its set-up, it has a fishman pickup that is wired straight from the input Jack to the pick-up. No tone controls in between. Some people wouldnt like that, but I will tell you this; Because it is wired direct, thier isnt a lot of electronics to get in the way to "color" the tone. What you hear is real wood and strings vibrating. A difference you can really hear when playing live or recording. The sound is innocently acoustical. This guitar will last a very long time if taken care of.

Taylor Guitars are professional. They are a standard to which other companies should look to as an example of how to treat customers.

If you have the rare opportunity to play or buy this guitar, do so.
You wont be sorry. My next purchase will be a Taylor Model 514-CE.

2000 model, Nigerian Satinwood(or Ayal wood), solid spruce top, Golden Heart wood inlays, gold tuners, simple Fishman pickup system, mahogany neck, rosewood headstock, pearl Taylor inlay, grand auditorium, neck medium/thin, price paid is sans case. Bought top of line hardwood Taylor case. It is what it is, a great blues machine for finger style or flatpicking.

I have been shopping for a high quality solid wood accoustic for about 6 years now. Played everything imaginable, including Santa Barbara, Goddall, Martin, other Taylors, Guild, ect. I got rug burns on my chin for draging it around on the floor for an hour after playing this tone monster. I like brighter sounding accoustics, and was going to try and find a used Taylor 420 series maple which Taylor, bless there hearts, decided to drop, which had become my fav for tone. All the 600 series had cutaways which if you need to be told folks, cuts into the tone. Then I picked this bad assed chick's piece of work up and promtly fell over. Not as harsh as maple, deeper bottom than maple, and even more complex. And the body resonates like maple doesn't! Doesn't boom like a lot of deadnaughts.Way better than KOA or anything else. If I can't hold Jewel, I can at least hold her ax, which might be even better.

Everthing perfect. Just like every Taylor I have picked up.

The only guitars I see being made better are Goodalls and Santa Barbara guitars if only slightly. And even those are specific to each guitar. Taylor is the best large scale maker of all. Quality control is second to none.

Taylor put a clear pickguard on at no cost to me. Drove down on Wed aft, day before Thanksgiving, on my way to Phoenix for the holiday, and they had it done in on hour. And they even put new Elixirs on and fine tuned the action. Only complaint is that they gave me my guitar back in someone else's case. Had to do a UPS trade of cases. No big to me.

The dealer forced me to buy the case extra. And they have a price guaratee. And then I found it on Jewels web site for less when you include the case. Tried to complain and sent emails, but never got a response back. Not sure I will ever buy a big ticket item there again. This is not Taylors fault.

Grand Auditorium, solid sitka spruce top, nigerian mahogany back and sides, 1 3/4 width nut, fishman matrix pickup, glossy top - mat back and sides. It came with an SKB taylor case and the tools necessary for adjusting the trus rod. The guitar is fairly plain but that's the look I like on an acoustic.

I previuosly owned a taylor 810, being primarily a finger picker and having large hands I found the 810 to be very cramped. The Jewel model fit my hands very well, the guitar comes with a fishman matrix pickup installed with preamp, the sound is very well balanced throughout it's range, the guitar sounds equally good strummed but not as much bottom end as on a full size dreadnought. I very much like the mat finish on the back and sides and the overall sound of the guitar, I would have preferred to have purchased the guitar with a clear pickguard already applied (I will be taking it to taylor to have one installed) and I would have paid an extra $100.00 or so to have some simple volume and tone controls built into the guitar, the pickup is straight through so any desired controls will have to be on an outboard processor. The best think was the price, I couldn't find one other guitar that sounded this good for the money.

This guitar did require a neck adjustment after I bought it, several strings had an annoying buzz when played open, at first I thought maybe the nut was cut to low but further examination showed the neck had a little to much tension on it. The nice thing is taylor includes very comprehensive instructions on adjusting the guitar truss rod, I had the proper measuring ruler (in 64ths of an inch) and was able to adjust the neck myself. The resulting adjustment raised the action slightly but cleared up the buzz problem.

Other than the adjustment everything else is flawless, even the frets are polished to a mirror finish. Becuase of the need for me to adjust the neck I'm knocking the rating a little (also keep in mind I bought the guitar at Guitar Center and I'm sure they didn't check anything when they received it so it could very well have been due to thier negligence).

Taylors are incredibly reliable and age very well, as a matter of fact the older they get the better they sound. I gig with guitar and find it's the only one I own (including my electrics) that will stay in tune throughout the evening, having the satin finish means I don't have to worry about wearing off a glossy coat, the grover tuners are bomb proof.

I haven't had to call taylor on this guitar, on the 810 I owned I called to ask them how best to install a fishman natural pickup, Steve at taylor told me to call him back when I was ready to do it and he would walk me through it!!!!! I did, he did and the results were perfect (even filing the bridge down to make up for the extra height of the pickup was perfect). I think that speaks for itself!

I've been playing guitar for quite a few years (I got into it watching the partridge family before they were reruns), I've owned many acoustics and electrics and can honestly say you cannot go wrong buying a taylor. If it were stolen or lost I would be depressed for a month and then I would buy another one, without hesitation. The neck, fit, sound and mechanics are top notch - nothing cheap or overlooked! Some don't like the satin finish but I think it really makes the guitar, the wood is deeply flamed and I get comments on it whenever I play a gig. When I bought this I really wasn't in the market for a Jewel, I really wanted a cut away (which I wish this had) and was ready to spend signigicantly more money than I did, it sounds great. The only things I wish it had for practicality sakes is a clear pickguard and some onboard controls for the pickup.

What a JEWEL!!!!!! I just bought #327. I play a lot and have many guitars. I needed a good fingerpicker and I found it. It's funny though---the salesman in the guitar store said "are you sure you want a chicks guitar?" I didn't know that guitars had gender.

I mostly play jazz and swing, but I wanted a guitar that worked well finger picking delta blues. This guitar does a great job. I like it much better than most Taylor's because of the 1' 3/4" nut width, and that it is not overly resonant and crashy sound like many of the higher priced Taylor's. The satin wood is much like maple but with a little better bass response.

Excellant--and it mics well too.

PERFECT

Going to have Taylor put on a clear Taylor shaped pick guard for those times that I want to use a flat pick.

Excellant!! Had questions. I e-mailed them and got as response back in just a couple of hours. Once from Bob Taylor!

The acoustic-electric Grand Auditorium 6-string features back and sides made of satinwood with an amber-esque, satin-finished stain, a gloss Sitka spruce top, 1-3/4-inch neck, faux-tortoiseshell binding, stylized "diamond" fret markers made of yellowheart wood, and special wood inlays of her name in yellowheart script on the fingerboard, and the "Jewel" symbol, in koa, on the upper back of the guitar. The guitar came with the hardshell Taylor Case

Because it is a Grand Auditorium it has a brighter sound.

This guitar is definately a Taylor..the fit finish, and sound quality are excellent. The action is excellent, no flaws whatsoever.

It's a Taylor, need I say more

Compared this guitar to a larrivee in the similar price range, and it seemed a bit more solid to me. For the quality, sound, and collectability the guitar is excellent.

Jewel Kilcher Signature Model made in 2000-a limited edition of 1000 guitars.Spruce Top,Nigerian Satinwood Back and Sides,Ebony Fingerboard and Bridge,Gild Hardware and Fishman Matrix pickup

Typical bright and balanced Taylor tone-very much like a maple guitar-lot of presence and less depth

Fantastic construction,clean great fretwork

Solid guitar though I wish the back and sides had a gloss finish

Would buy again and would spend the extra $100 for the Taylor Luggage Case