It should be noted that my Martins have greater sustain and volume than any v-class guitar I've ever tried. And nearly all of the V-class Taylor's I've tried or owned have had one thing in common - they are quiet! So, at least with my feeble hands and in spite of Taylor's marketing, you can't have it all - sustain and volume - at the same. What wasn't subtle, at least with these two examples, was that the X-braced 314 was significantly louder. I thought I heard slightly more richness with the V-class guitar - it was fairly subtle. Bob is too busy traveling the world and being a wood conservationist.ĭec 23, 2020I've only done one apples-to-apples V-class versus X braced Taylor guitars that were identical except for the bracing and it was the 314ce. Yes - I do know that Andy Powers is the man behind the Taylor curtain.

He’s the innovator that came up with their V-class bracing. I think that’s more Andy Powers than Bob Taylor. But they couldn’t seem to get a 12-fret neck right on it, and I went in a different direction. I even helped them design their small, sloped shoulder dreadnought shape and dimensions. Their guitars are bright and lightweight, which is an important factor for me because of my spine and shoulder injuries. Personally, as much as I highly respect their efforts on sustainability, it bothers me that they think their bracing is so amazing that they only use it on their higher classes instruments.īefore I bought this Martin Custom model I was ready to buy from a small luthier in Portland, who uses a unique bracing pattern (but I was going to order a traditional bridge because I didn’t want his intonatable bridge). Then they discontinued that model and the whole square shouldered dreadnoughts line up.Īnd that was it for me as far as ever getting another Taylor. Very nice guitar and I almost bought one. I did like their latest 810 models with the Lutz spruce top. I used to own a Taylor GS5E which is now discontinued like many other Taylors. I haven't played any Taylor with their V class bracing.

As much as I respect Bob Taylor for his wood conservation efforts and as a person in general, his guitar company seems to lack an identity with me and they always seem to create different concept guitars while discontinuing the previous models. Sc12100 wrote:Sometimes I think Taylor's problem is they're trying to reinvent the wheel - especially when it comes to their bracing patterns.

Carvin guitars overrated