My "Friday the 13th" Guitar's 3rd Anniversary

[Winston Psmith]

I don't usually mark these occasions, other than when it's really NGD, but this one is a little different.

 

Three years ago today, right before the world shut down, I brought home a used Taylor 110CE from my neighborhood GC, right around this time of day. It just happened to be Friday, March 13th, 2020. Make of that what you will . . .

 

It's not one of the high-end, high-priced Taylors; it's an "affordable" model, which is to say, they originally went for under $1000. Solid Spruce top, laminated Walnut back and sides, satin finish rather than high-gloss, with Taylor's E-System Electronics. It's very nice to play, but it isn't pretending to be more than it is. Viewed strictly as an Acoustic Guitar, I love it. It makes me want to try one of the more expensive U.S.-made Taylors. As an A/E, however, it seems to have a surprisingly low output. I've seen this same criticism of the Taylor E-System from players with  U.S.-made models, so I'm not sure why?

 

I wasn't planning to get a "lockdown" Guitar, as such, because no one was planning for lockdown, or quarantine, if you prefer. I'd originally picked out the Taylor for the semi-irregular Hippie House Jams, with a rotating cast of old friends and former housemates, at a rotating series of friends' houses. When I first put money down on the Taylor, Covid was more of a rumor than a reality. We knew it was out there, somewhere, but that was about all.

 

By Friday the 13th, Covid was no longer a rumor, and I decided I'd better go seal the deal and pick up the Guitar before things started shutting down. Within the week, on March 19th, our Governor shuttered all indoor malls as part of his initial response to the pandemic, and that was the end for this particular GC; it never reopened when the mall did. If I'd waited just a few more days . . . ?

 

Since all of this started at the beginning of Spring, I had a lot of time to sit out in my backyard, playing the Taylor. While I can't say that it really inspired any new Music, I enjoy playing it enough that I often turn to it when I'm working on something new.

 

The Hippie House Jams were put on hold for quite a while, like many things, and in that time, there've been some changes, mostly friends who've gone to the other side. Part of life, right?

 

In thinking about this Guitar's anniversary today, I can't help thinking of them, as well; I was thinking of them when I first got it, after all. It may not be my favorite Guitar, but it has its own story, and its own sound, and I'm looking forward to bringing out to the next Jam, wherever that is, so Happy Anniversary, whatever its name is, and thanks everyone for indulging me.

 

[KuruPrionz]

A slice of life!

I've played many Taylors, almost bought a 12 string in Fresno but wound up with a Rainsong WS-3000 instead and no regrets at all. 

 

Regarding pickups, I also have a Rainsong OM-1000 six string. A friend and bandmate brought over his 6 string acoustic guitar and after installing a K&K pickup system in it, I decided to put the same into my six string. 

Just the 3 transducers glued to the underside of the top and straight to the output jack, no batteries, no built in preamps. Simple and reliable. 

 

Removing the under saddle pickup and putting in a solid saddle adjusted for the height difference made an incredible improvement in the tone of the guitar. That alone was more than worth the change. The K&K system sounds more natural, less "clicky-clacky" and the output is more than sufficient for amplifying the guitar. I've recorded direct with it as well, not quite the same sound as micing an acoustic guitar but it does eliminated any background noise which is nice. 

 

Something to consider. The under saddle pickups (I've used many) just don't seem to get that same richness of tone that an under the top pickup yields. Probably the less direct transference of vibration, going through the top instead of just the saddle. I haven't gotten around to doing this to my 12 string but I probably will at some point. 

[Larryz]

I have a couple of made in the USA Taylor Nylon string guitars.  One is a spruce top with Sapele back and sides (NS 34 Ce) and the other is a Cedar top with Rosewood back and sides (NS 74 Ce).  I really like playing them from time to time when I get the urge.  Seems like everything I play comes out in a Latin vibe though LoL!  The fretboards are not as wide as classical guitars and Taylor put them out for players that want the nylon sound without having to deal with playing on wider fretboards. I like playing them plugged in with a little reverb. The amplified sounds are very sweet, and I seldom play them acoustically.  

 

I read quite a few reviews before purchasing them and recall one guy saying the more expensive (NS 74 Ce) one sounded kind of dull to him when he tried it out at the guitar store unplugged.  When I got mine, I understood where he was coming from.  After playing them for a month or two, I got better at making them sing the more I played, and they no longer sounded dull at all.  When plugged in they sing even better under my old fingers.  You do have to play them a little differently than steel strings by lifting fingers instead of sliding fingers to avoid squeak. I run polished D'Addario EJ46LP strings which cuts down a lot on string squeak.  When bending notes, the strings bend very easy but there is some delay for the bend to occur (latency?). Learning to tie the strings on was a little tricky at first. I like using a hybrid pick and fingers style and have even used a slide just for the fun of it, nothing serious.  It takes about a week for new strings to stretch in so having two guitars is a great way to go if you're going to be playing out every week (it lets one keep stretching while at home).  Anyway, I find playing nylon string guitars to be a lot of fun.

 

Ps. I was born on Friday the 13th, so it's a lucky day for me WP LoL! 😎👍

[Caevan O’Shite]

 

18 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

In thinking about this Guitar's anniversary today, I can't help thinking of them, as well; I was thinking of them when I first got it, after all. It may not be my favorite Guitar, but it has its own story, and its own sound, and I'm looking forward to bringing out to the next Jam, wherever that is, so Happy Anniversary, whatever its name is, and thanks everyone for indulging me.

No indulgence at all- thank you for posting your story, such things are what this place is all about!

It's good to have a guitar that's 'different' for jams and the like. A different voice, a different look, a different, interesting guitar for conversation... My venerable cedar-topped Alvarez-Yairi always qualified and served me very well on all of those points over many years. And more... 😉

  

4 hours ago, Larryz said:

...and have even used a slide just for the fun of it...

I loved doing that when I had an old Silvertone quasi-Classical beater! Try Open-G6 (4th-string tuned up to "E"). (D-G-E-G-B-D, low-to-high.) Instant faux Hawaiian/Texas Swing vibes! Fantastic for "fretting behind the slide" moves for chords and melodic inner-chord-voicing moves! Beautiful!

[Larryz]

Will do Caevan, thanks for the tuning!  The 6th chord is my favorite, and I haven't tried tuning to it yet. +1 It gives me a Texas swing vibe.  Hawaiian slack key is also something I would like to try using a slide on nylon strings. Very much the same tuning D G D G B D low to high. 😎👍