But I neeeeed it because... True confessions of GAS-aholics
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Music Junkie
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Dennis: Thank you very much. Not just for the compliment on the guitar, but for your info when I was researching a while back. I always count on your input and straight information. The toughest decision, really, was the choice between Rosewood or Mahogany. Fortunately for me, I have a Martin all Mahogany and a Taylor with Rosewood back and sides. I love the bass response the Rosewood adds, but the rich highs scared me a bit, enough to push me towards the mahogany. The sunburst is something I have wanted for a while now, and this was a great chance to go for it.... 
Bill: My wife gets all the high dollar items she wants ( I am just VERY lucky she does not want that much...
). She did make me sit down and play something though. Oh what pressure.... :woohoo: I powered through a verse and chorus of Hotel California. She really enjoyed that. I certainly could not get all of the little intricacies, but the main feel was there, and it was very cool...
Ness: Thank you very much! I will bring it to the IGC, so learn to play lefty really quick for me (I am sure you can probably already do that though...
).
Willem: It was hard to put down last night...
Bill: My wife gets all the high dollar items she wants ( I am just VERY lucky she does not want that much...
). She did make me sit down and play something though. Oh what pressure.... :woohoo: I powered through a verse and chorus of Hotel California. She really enjoyed that. I certainly could not get all of the little intricacies, but the main feel was there, and it was very cool... Ness: Thank you very much! I will bring it to the IGC, so learn to play lefty really quick for me (I am sure you can probably already do that though...
).Willem: It was hard to put down last night...
Jason,
I don't personally own a 12-string, but I read all the threads in the Taylor forum. From what I've understood, 12-strings are inherently shimmery anyway, so a lot of guys tune down a half or even a full step. It might be worth an experiment, just to see how it sounds. It'll likely add some warmth and for sure be easier to play.
By the way, as 12-strings go, I think yours is as close to perfect as I've seen: mahogany back/sides, spruce top, burst finish. If only it weren't a lefty ...
Were you able to find it in a shop or did you special order it?
Did I miss something? I thought you were about to get a Guild.
I don't personally own a 12-string, but I read all the threads in the Taylor forum. From what I've understood, 12-strings are inherently shimmery anyway, so a lot of guys tune down a half or even a full step. It might be worth an experiment, just to see how it sounds. It'll likely add some warmth and for sure be easier to play.
By the way, as 12-strings go, I think yours is as close to perfect as I've seen: mahogany back/sides, spruce top, burst finish. If only it weren't a lefty ...
Were you able to find it in a shop or did you special order it?
Did I miss something? I thought you were about to get a Guild.
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Music Junkie
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dennisg wrote:
As long as I am not playing along with a recording or anything that makes it obvious, it sounds spot on. It took forever to tune it though... :silly: I can also see why fingerpicking would be a nightmare....lol
You are quite right about the inherent shimmery sound. To be honest though, tuning down the full step eliminated some of that. Also, the Mahogany eliminates some of that too. Many of the 12-strings out there have Maple B/S and that gets very shimmery. However, in the right hands, even the shimmery sound can be quite pleasing. My hands, most certainly, are not the right hands.... Therefore, the Mahogany.... I will try to capture a few sound tidbits this week and post them. I am still jittery and can't wait to get home and play her again...
I had to special order it..... I have had to do so with all my guitars.... I hate that aspect of being a lefty. I tried to learn to play right handed, but there is just no rhythm in my right hand. So lefty it is, along with the handicaps it brings in buying new guitars....
No, you did not miss anything, I was looking at Guilds, Taylors, Martins and Takamines. In fact, Sam Ash in Hollywood, had a Martin Performing Artist Series with Sapele B/S and a Spruce top in stock (that blew me away on it's own). I test drove that for about a week. It was nice, but still a bit shimmery. It had a cut-away and Fishman electronics. Overall, it was nice for the price point, but not what I wanted. I decided not to settle. The Sapele is supposed to have qualities similar to Mahogany, but it is not quite the same... I took it back and decided to go custom. I talked fairly extensively with Taylor about what I wanted and, with the help of a great guitar salesman and the Taylor rep, we came up with this model.
As a side note, this Taylor is not as heavy as the Martin was, or any of the other models I tried out in righty. I was pleasantly surprised by that... B)
J
Last night, I played it down a whole step, and it sounded glorious...Jason,
I don't personally own a 12-string, but I read all the threads in the Taylor forum. From what I've understood, 12-strings are inherently shimmery anyway, so a lot of guys tune down a half or even a full step. It might be worth an experiment, just to see how it sounds.
As long as I am not playing along with a recording or anything that makes it obvious, it sounds spot on. It took forever to tune it though... :silly: I can also see why fingerpicking would be a nightmare....lolYou are quite right about the inherent shimmery sound. To be honest though, tuning down the full step eliminated some of that. Also, the Mahogany eliminates some of that too. Many of the 12-strings out there have Maple B/S and that gets very shimmery. However, in the right hands, even the shimmery sound can be quite pleasing. My hands, most certainly, are not the right hands....
Therefore, the Mahogany.... I will try to capture a few sound tidbits this week and post them. I am still jittery and can't wait to get home and play her again...I had to special order it..... I have had to do so with all my guitars.... I hate that aspect of being a lefty. I tried to learn to play right handed, but there is just no rhythm in my right hand. So lefty it is, along with the handicaps it brings in buying new guitars....
No, you did not miss anything, I was looking at Guilds, Taylors, Martins and Takamines. In fact, Sam Ash in Hollywood, had a Martin Performing Artist Series with Sapele B/S and a Spruce top in stock (that blew me away on it's own). I test drove that for about a week. It was nice, but still a bit shimmery. It had a cut-away and Fishman electronics. Overall, it was nice for the price point, but not what I wanted. I decided not to settle. The Sapele is supposed to have qualities similar to Mahogany, but it is not quite the same... I took it back and decided to go custom. I talked fairly extensively with Taylor about what I wanted and, with the help of a great guitar salesman and the Taylor rep, we came up with this model.
As a side note, this Taylor is not as heavy as the Martin was, or any of the other models I tried out in righty. I was pleasantly surprised by that... B)
J
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AcousticAl
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Hey MJ!
Congrats on your new addition!!
I know you've been mulling a while now and looks like you've got a winner for sure!
Can't wait to hear/SEE you play it. I know you've got it in you.. I've seen one or two vids from you in the past...
Congrats on your new addition!!
I know you've been mulling a while now and looks like you've got a winner for sure!
Can't wait to hear/SEE you play it. I know you've got it in you.. I've seen one or two vids from you in the past...
Music Junkie wrote:
You are SOOOO right, Jason. I am still amazed at some of the fingerpicking John Denver was able to do on the big old Guild 12. Yet the sound he produced is worth the effort. He also played often tuned down a full step. I prefer a half step down. If you decide to try some fingerpicking on your new baby, try Paul Stookey's "Wedding Song". It is pretty easy and still a crowd-pleaser.
Bill
..........I can also see why fingerpicking would be a nightmare....lol
J
You are SOOOO right, Jason. I am still amazed at some of the fingerpicking John Denver was able to do on the big old Guild 12. Yet the sound he produced is worth the effort. He also played often tuned down a full step. I prefer a half step down. If you decide to try some fingerpicking on your new baby, try Paul Stookey's "Wedding Song". It is pretty easy and still a crowd-pleaser.
Bill
Music Junkie wrote:
I'm not surprised you had to special order it. I've never seen that guitar in a shop -- even in a right-handed version. By the way, you have my sympathy regarding finding lefty guitars in shops. It must be frustrating for you to see all those beautiful guitars hanging on the wall, and almost none of them are playable by you. Water, water everywhere ... and not a drop to drink. The beauty of Taylor is that you can be really confident that a special order is going to turn out even better than you hoped. Very few guys and gals in the Taylor forum are disappointed in their build-to-orders. I've had mine for almost two years now, and it still blows me away. My shop carries Collings, Goodall and Martin, and I play them all the time. I've never thought one of them sounded any better than mine.
If you do play along with a recording, just capo it at the second fret, and you'll be right in tune with the musicians.dennisg wrote:Last night, I played it down a whole step, and it sounded glorious...Jason,
I don't personally own a 12-string, but I read all the threads in the Taylor forum. From what I've understood, 12-strings are inherently shimmery anyway, so a lot of guys tune down a half or even a full step. It might be worth an experiment, just to see how it sounds.
You are quite right about the inherent shimmery sound. To be honest though, tuning down the full step eliminated some of that. Also, the Mahogany eliminates some of that too. Many of the 12-strings out there have Maple B/S and that gets very shimmery. However, in the right hands, even the shimmery sound can be quite pleasing. My hands, most certainly, are not the right hands....
I had to special order it..... I have had to do so with all my guitars.... I hate that aspect of being a lefty. I tried to learn to play right handed, but there is just no rhythm in my right hand. So lefty it is, along with the handicaps it brings in buying new guitars....
No, you did not miss anything, I was looking at Guilds, Taylors, Martins and Takamines. In fact, Sam Ash in Hollywood, had a Martin Performing Artist Series with Sapele B/S and a Spruce top in stock (that blew me away on it's own). I test drove that for about a week. It was nice, but still a bit shimmery. It had a cut-away and Fishman electronics. Overall, it was nice for the price point, but not what I wanted. I decided not to settle. The Sapele is supposed to have many of the qualities of Mahogany, but it is NOT the same... I took it back and decided to go custom. I talked fairly extensively with Taylor about what I wanted and, with the help of a great guitar salesman and the Taylor rep, we came up with this model. I even got the label "1st Edition"....lol As a side note, this Taylor is not as heavy as the Martin was, or any of the other models I tried out in righty. I was pleasantly surprised by that... B)
J
I'm not surprised you had to special order it. I've never seen that guitar in a shop -- even in a right-handed version. By the way, you have my sympathy regarding finding lefty guitars in shops. It must be frustrating for you to see all those beautiful guitars hanging on the wall, and almost none of them are playable by you. Water, water everywhere ... and not a drop to drink. The beauty of Taylor is that you can be really confident that a special order is going to turn out even better than you hoped. Very few guys and gals in the Taylor forum are disappointed in their build-to-orders. I've had mine for almost two years now, and it still blows me away. My shop carries Collings, Goodall and Martin, and I play them all the time. I've never thought one of them sounded any better than mine.
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Music Junkie
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Al: Thanks! I had the video camera out last week when the family was out of town, and got some footage, but it was less than pleasing.. 
I am really limited right now, as my left arm and hand go numb if I play for too long. I have to get the pinched nerve sorted out, or I am likely to end up in the nut house... Not overly painful, but maddening none the less.
Daryl: Thank you... Oh, you meant the guitar....
Bill: I'll look that song up. I fumbled a bit last night with some picking songs, and it was comical. That would have been good video for a laugh or two.... I also watched Greg Lake play Still You Turn Me on last night on YT..... Damn..... B)
Dennis: Yeah, I used the capo on the 4th fret last night while playing Hotel California. I am down a full step, plus that part was played with a capo on the 2nd. Sounded sweet. Trips into the acoustic room at the local GC are ridiculous for me. I have my choice of the $199.00 Fender, or the $199.00 Yamaha. Maybe there will be a $299.00 Ibenez from time to time.... About the only place I can find anything is McCabes down in LA. They had a Collings down there last time I went.... That was sweet, but not what I was in the market for. The smaller guitar store where I do most of my business here in Ventura has a few taylors or Martins once in a while, but they are usually the lower end models (which are still quality guitars compared to what I can find elsewhere). You are right about the confidence in purchasing from Taylor... I have gotten used to the need to special order, but it does not make the waiting any easier sometimes... One source that has come to light lately is a site called LeftyFrets.net. There is a lot of trading/selling going on there, with some stand up folks, and a couple of Dealers that specialize in Lefty Guitars. Guys like Jerry's in Florida, and Southpaw in Texas. Both locations I hope to visit someday...
J
I am really limited right now, as my left arm and hand go numb if I play for too long. I have to get the pinched nerve sorted out, or I am likely to end up in the nut house... Not overly painful, but maddening none the less.Daryl: Thank you... Oh, you meant the guitar....
Bill: I'll look that song up. I fumbled a bit last night with some picking songs, and it was comical. That would have been good video for a laugh or two.... I also watched Greg Lake play Still You Turn Me on last night on YT..... Damn..... B)
Dennis: Yeah, I used the capo on the 4th fret last night while playing Hotel California. I am down a full step, plus that part was played with a capo on the 2nd. Sounded sweet. Trips into the acoustic room at the local GC are ridiculous for me. I have my choice of the $199.00 Fender, or the $199.00 Yamaha. Maybe there will be a $299.00 Ibenez from time to time.... About the only place I can find anything is McCabes down in LA. They had a Collings down there last time I went.... That was sweet, but not what I was in the market for. The smaller guitar store where I do most of my business here in Ventura has a few taylors or Martins once in a while, but they are usually the lower end models (which are still quality guitars compared to what I can find elsewhere). You are right about the confidence in purchasing from Taylor...
I have gotten used to the need to special order, but it does not make the waiting any easier sometimes... One source that has come to light lately is a site called LeftyFrets.net. There is a lot of trading/selling going on there, with some stand up folks, and a couple of Dealers that specialize in Lefty Guitars. Guys like Jerry's in Florida, and Southpaw in Texas. Both locations I hope to visit someday...J