Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=John How]

I hear ya Steve, I had a Cocobolo guitar that cracked up like crazy, just fell apart.......when it was ripped out of my hands by the buffer and slammed into the concrete floor [/QUOTE]

Well, there you go. Another reason to avoid cocobolo. John, I'm sure that if you had been using, say, Indian rosewood, that guitar would just have bounced right back into your hands. You could have gone right on buffing till done.   


Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

    I'll tell you Mr. LB Man, the Taylor 514(same/mahogany) is my guitar! For a factory it can't be beat! I played H&D's, Santa Cruz's, Larivee's, $8000 Clapton-Martin's... and Taylor was all over them.

    The problem I see is one can't just go down to the local guitar store and try out a Woolson/"Willaims"/Kragenbrink/Poling/Poirier/"your name here" type guitar!

    I guess the crux of the matter is how does somebody compare?

[quote=Baron Von FrankenHesh]I think that you should buy the Taylor...... [/quote]

    I'd be extraordinarily surprised if you have never had anybody come after you with a pitchfork and torches! Billy T39029.9917476852

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Thanks for the feedback fellas! Honestly, I'm reluctant to buy a guitar that I haven't played yet. I wish that I could check out some of your work, I don't suppose any of y'all are near Corpus Christi TX?

Resale value is not an issue, I still have the very first guitar I ever got, a Yamaha. I let my 5 year old play with it, but I still have it.

They are asking $2500, I won't pay more than 2k for it. The previous owner had it for two months, then traded it in for a Taylor presentation series. I assume he's one of those folks who is always looking for a better guitar to make himself play better. It's in excellent shape, the only cosmetic issues were a couple of very small indentions on the top, you have to hold it at the right angle to even see them. The Cocobolo wood is beautiful, it's the two tone variety (vanilla and the usual reddish orange/brown). It has a tremendous sound, very resonant, full on the bass, mid range and trebles are clear, and it has great sustain. Great overtones, almost gives the illusion that its got a chorus effect. The electronics are the expression system, their proprietary internal pickup setup.

I've heard different pros and cons about cocobolo. 1) that it rivals BR for resonance and tonal qualities 2) that it can be prone to cracking. I've heard also that cracking is influenced more by how the wood was processed/dried, etc, besides how the instrument is cared for.

Comments, any other suggestions?

Thank you all for your time and attention on this!

PS I'm not impressed with terms like "limited" and "custom" from brand name manufacturer. These are marketing terms and have no real descriptive value beyond knowing what materials/electronics went into it.

PSS This is the first forum I've ever posted in where people use their real names Little Big Man39030.0426157407

Little Big Man,
You seem to have all the bases covered. You seem to me to be a very smart consumer.

You are reluctant to buy a guitar you have not played. I do understand that. I was that way also. You are posting that on a website where these people hear that a lot, and I'm sure you'll get a few responses.

I have been playing guitars for about 30 years. I am a big Taylor fan. I have owned a Baby, Big Bay, 710ce, 314ce, 414ce, 812C special edition cocobolo, 450 (12 string) and a 714CE special edition cocobolo. Needless to say, I know the Taylor line pretty well.

I just started building guitars about 2 years ago as a natural progression from a lot of wood working and a mechanical engineering background. (Please do not take this as bragging. I'm just trying to make a point.) My first guitar, a cedar/rosewood OM sounded so good to me that I sold all my Taylor's because I just didn't play them anymore. I would just play my guitar. It had better action and sounded better. I say that to let you know that if I can do that on the first shot, some of these guys here that have built dozens of guitars will be able to make you a guitar that you will be thrilled with. It will be to your specifications and the only guitar like it in the world, created to fit you hands and playing style. Many offer a guarantee that you will be happy, or you can send it back.

Here is my (humble ) recomendation. Buy the Taylor for about $2000. That is a good investment in that you'll be able to sell it for that in a year. Find someone here that will make you a custome guitar for about the same price. If you don't think it is worth the money, send it back. If you like it as much as I think you will, keep it and sell the Taylor.

I'll take that challenge, but I think you would be better off with some of the more experienced builders here. Check out their web sites. They do amazing work.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Don't listen to any of these guys, they're all wrong

Buy some tools, tonewood, & books. Join the fun

[quote]PSS This is the first forum I've ever posted in where people use their real names [/quote]

Where not doing anything we're ashamed of!
At least... not on the forum!

The 514 I played was only $1800.00 filthy American dollars, and change, brand new! Are you sure you can't get a better deal somewhere else?

_________________
Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)