Recently I upgraded my guitar to a Taylor 210CE guitar. Prior before that I was playing a Takamine EG530C which has a laminated top, back and sides. I love the Takamine because of its versatile pickup but I eventually chose to let it go for a Taylor because of its distinctive “Taylor sound”.
Taylor guitars are one of the finest guitar in the higher range price tag which competes with CF Martin & Co, Gibson, Jean Larrivee and Takamine. Taylor Guitars are made in Mexico for the 100 and 200 series and while the higher end which are the 300 series onwards are made in USA. Notable players for Taylor guitars are Rascal Flatts, Christina Perri, Goo Goo Dolls, Jason Mraz, One Republic, Plain White T's, Richie Sambora, Rob Thomas, Rolling Stones, Switchfoot, Taylor Swift and Train, just to name a few.
Billed as the series that "redefines what a mid-price guitar can be", Taylor's 200 range seeks to bridge the gap between the 100 Series and the main USA product line.
In the case of the 210CE dreadnought this means the price tag is RM4,100 and the guitar comes with a hard bag.
The Taylor 210CE features a glossy solid Sitka spruce top, gorgeous Indian rosewood laminate back and sides, and a venetian cutaway for full fingerboard access. At this price tag, it is a disappointment that it features the laminated back and sides. The 210CE comes with a built-in Taylor ES-T under-saddle transducer pickup with individual elements for each string. It features an onboard preamp and the same active controls found on the full ES. Featuring a custom-voiced EQ and dynamic response, the system is powered by a 9-volt battery, with a battery life LED power indicator (which is lit when the battery is being used). The pickup also has a Phase switch for feedback control, which is located on the preamp board inside the soundhole.. The 210ce guitar has an extremely rich and versatile voice and delivers an experience of sight, sound and touch that's unmistakably Taylor.
The finish is uniformly tidy - Taylor is famed for the consistency of its production.
This is a comfortable player, with a not-too-deep feel to the profile that encourages flatpicking and fingers, and a generous cutaway that lets you fret chord fragments - not just single notes - at the top end. A great all-rounder.
It'd be short-sighted to categorically declare rosewood 'better' than sapele, but for guitarists who want their snap 'n' pop lead lines underpinned by the warmest of thumbed low notes, the combination of timbers offered by the 210CE means it deserves serious investigation.
Even when trying to build guitars for the less wealthy among us, it seems Taylor can't help but knock out instruments of the highest quality.
Coming with a price tag of RM4100, there's no doubt the 210CE is still a serious investment, but you're rewarded with some of the sweetest tones and best playability in this price bracket. If you are looking for a guitar, you will never go wrong with a Taylor.
