Taylor’s new V class bracing.

Rayk

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Been discussing that in another acoustic group . I find it interesting and it ended up with me asking more questions about all types of bracing and their function . Lol

Just heard a model here https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/builders-edition/story?utm_source=email_tg&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_products

About fell a sleep end result if the guitar was playing the whole in the background along with the opening picking I’m not impressed though then again Taylor’s never did it for me .
 
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dreadnut

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I just read that article myself. Just seems to me X-bracing would be inherently stronger over the long run, maybe even the short run. Then tone is such a subjective thing - where is the empirical data on the advantages of V-bracing?
 

Brad Little

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Reminiscent of the Gibson Mark series, when Michael Kasha and Richard Schneider adapted the classical fan bracing for the Mark series guitars. I still look for them on eBay, sometimes they show up withvery low prices, sometimes with prices too high to understand.

Brad
 

JohnW63

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I give them credit for trying all these things. Most builders, the big factory ones anyway, just build them the way they always have been built. I think too many players and builders are afraid of going outside the box of "normal" guitar building. Will the V bracing really make it sound different ? I wish there was one of those good review sites, like Pure Sound, that could do an A/B on a pair with and without. Andy didn't play much dynamic with that guitar in the clip. Just really lightly noodling around.
 

ezstrummer

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Cant really tell from videos. Probably have to play one in person to tell the difference.
 

Westerly Wood

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It does not really solve the native Taylor thinness tone however.
 

JohnW63

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I've never found Taylors to sound thin, but that they don't over emphasis the bass end, like all Martin dreadnoughts do.
 

PTC Bernie

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I've never found Taylors to sound thin, but that they don't over emphasis the bass end, like all Martin dreadnoughts do.

The way I describe it is that the overtones overpower the fundamentals.

The redesigned guitars are a bit better but still too bright for my tastes. It'll be interesting to see if the V brace makes any appreciable difference or turns out to be just so much marketing hype.
 

bert

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The acoustic qualities of Taylors are designed for playing plugged-in. I've owned a few, they just don't got no soul stand alone... imo.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Taylors tend to record easily and well, for the same reason that some folks find 'em thin. When it comes to guitar sounds I generally prefer clear & articulate over big & round, so I like the way Taylors sound. This is in part why I like small Guild, Gibson and Martin acoustics too. YMMV, but it's a matter of taste.

-Dave-
 

davismanLV

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I think Andy Powers at Taylor is a really great acoustic designer and everything I've heard from emails and from posts of NAMM sound really great so far. Trying new things is good. I'm a fan of Taylor and the things they do. My little GC8 is a super nice, small and playable guitar with great sound for it's size. Let's see how this new style bracing works out. I guess I'm gonna have to go to Guitar Center......
 

Neal

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Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

X bracing was probably controversial in the 1850's. Steel steings over gut probably raised a few eyebrows. 14 frets to the body was a bold move in the early 1930's. Nitro finish probably had its detractors over varnish.

But, together, these innovations helped create the Golden Era.
 

JohnW63

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I think it nice to see guitars made in a way that was NOT part of the Golden Era. We know more about every aspect of making guitars now than ever before. I'm sure all the top luthiers would love to get credit for improving the craft. I would bet if you could dig up some of the guys who built them back then and let them inspect and play a new guitar, they would say the same thing.
 

GuildFS4612CE

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I haven't read the technical stuff yet, but I got to experience the results up close and personal.

First, Andy demonstrated one of the guitars at a NAMM breakfast session...held in a huge hotel ballroom filled with tables and tablecloths and seated/standing people.

He used only an external mic.

Nuuska will appreciate this...they obviously have a great FOH engineer and pro equipment.

The guitar sounded fantastic...of course, Andy plays well...but the room is an engineer's nightmare.

I was impressed enough to stop at Taylor's location later. They had a number of guitars using the new design on the wall.

One of them was Macassar Ebony (striped) with an amazing multicolored/multicoloured striped sinker redwood top...the stripes on the redwood are created from mineral deposits over the years the wood is submerged...it had very fancy appointments...well deserved...it was the most remarkably well balanced, articulate, strong projection, guitar I've played in a long time...and I'm a fingerpicker.

Whatever the new system is, it worked remarkably well on this guitar...I would not dismiss it just because it's not 'traditional'...the best test is in person with your own ears...and an open mind.
 
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