I love the GA4 but.....

[Snydermerge]

So I've been playing for a year, I've got a GS Mini ltd (blackwood - love it) an Epiphone Hummingbird that was given to me and my first electric is a Joe Strummer Fender Artist Series Telecaster.  A man can never have enough guitars and I'm on the quest for a good mid level Taylor. 

I've played the GA4 in my local shop a half dozen times and I LOVE the tone, I LOVE how easy it is to play but I don't LOVE the look. I really enjoy the glossy finish some of the other Taylor's have.  I've looked at and played the 814 - the Rosewood sounds so similar and it plays like butter but its more than I care to spend right now.

Am I crazy for letting the lack of gloss bug me?  Should I just get it and remember its not a fashion show because she sounds so sweet?  Should I stall and keep socking away money for the 814?

Just venting, I'd enjoy your opinions.

Chris.

[bandit59]

Personal taste I guess I've got a 410ce and really like the satin finish ovankol it's a great looking guitar

[AugustWest]

The GA4 is a great guitar.  I like the looks of the satin Ovangkol, but I Love the sound. If you really like how it sounds & plays, you should get it. I bet visually it wil grow on you.

[Cindy]

What about a 414ce limited (rosewood with gloss)?

[lmacmil]

Play it in front of a mirror with a bright light pointing at you.  With the glare from the top, you won't even notice the satin sides and you can't see the back while you are playing anyway. 

[Fire]

What about a 414ce limited (rosewood with gloss)?

This one.

I love the satin finish on my 414ce. Smudges and fingerprints don't adhere.

[jrporter]

I have both a GA4 and a GA8 and feel/rationalize that they are very compatable. I'm not good at describing tone, but don't think that they sound the same. Not sure if it's due to adding a pickguard and Fishman Matrix Infinity to the GA4, but the GA8 has much richer, overtoned sound. I use the GA4 for playing out so I don't worry about the finish. FWIW I bought the GA4 new at GC (for a discounted price) and the GA8 barely used on Ebay; the prices were not that far apart...

[TaylorGirl]

I love the satin finish on my 414ce. Smudges and fingerprints don't adhere.

Me too! I think the wood grain on my 414 looks better with a satin finish than if it were gloss. I love its voice. I think you might be surprised on how you'd come to love its beauty. But, in the end, you have to do what's best for you and what's going to truly make you happy.

[Snydermerge]

Can we talk about how much I love this forum???  You all have strong points - I think I owe it to myself to check out the 414LTD and keep my eye out for a great GA8 but in the long run its all about sound and playability.  You all rock acoustically!

[Edward]

Bottom line is if you love the tone, and then compared it to others and still think this is the standout, you owe it to yourself to get it.  There is zero assurance another guitar, even so-called "higher up" on the line will offer you any more enjoyment, let alone "better" tone which we all know is subjective.  So I'd say buy the one now whose tone speaks to you now.  If things change for you in the future, you can re-asses at that juncture.

BTW, you can buff the satin up to a semigloss quite nicely.  Read up on it: easy and the result, while not a full/deep gloss, is very nice.  I did it myself on a BT and a 410.  This from a guy who likewise is not a fan of satin-fin bodies.

Edward

[Strumming Fool]

Ovangkol is a very pretty wood in either gloss or satin. Like you, I tend to like gloss finishes more than satin finishes. Are you opposed to looking at used Taylor GAs with gloss finishes? Maybe that's the route you could explore a bit. I have never played a bad-sounding 414ce or GA4 for that matter. They are among Taylor's most consistent models. My ovangkol-backed BTO is in gloss, and its quilted flame is mesmerizing...anyway, I would consider sound/playability first and looks second. We all like pretty guitars, but as in everything else, beauty is really subjective.

I hope you can come to peace with a decision....

[dmccrider]

A man can never have enough guitars and I'm on the quest for a good mid level Taylor. 

I've played the GA4 in my local shop a half dozen times and I LOVE the tone, I LOVE how easy it is to play but I don't LOVE the look. I really enjoy the glossy finish some of the other Taylor's have.  I've looked at and played the 814 - the Rosewood sounds so similar and it plays like butter but its more than I care to spend right now.

I've got a '09 414ce fall limited in rosewood and all gloss. I can tell you that it looks beautiful and it sounds richer than any ovankol 414 I've played. I'm like you, I like the sound of the traditional 414/GA4 (over anything 4 series and under) but I wanted a step up and that's what I got. I've heard some 814s that sound better than mine but I actually really like the way my limited doesn't look as fancy as an 814 which to me is gorgeous but almost over the top for many situations. Mine has a more understated look but I still regularly hear compliments about both its tone and beauty. I recently put ebony tuning pegs on it which makes it look even better. With all that said, I think if you "LOVE" the tone of the GA4 in the store you shouldn't take that for granted. I've heard some 4 series guitars that sound amazing and some that... not so much. If you've found one that has "it" you may want to give it a chance, beauty is only skin deep. 

[Guitar Rodeo]

Keep in mind that GA4s tend to vary aesthetically from one guitar to the next- some have a nice even gold color while another will have bold, dark stripes. If you do go that route, keep an eye out for one that speaks to you. On the other hand, a GA8 is a good choice too- and glossy 

[Snydermerge]

Again .... Thank you all for your advice and opinions.  Good news is I have guitars in house to play so i can be patient and even better news is living here in DFW there are a ton of shops for me to browse.  I'm still leaning towards the GA4.  I'll keep you posted and show it off when I pull the trigger.

[zeebow]

i know how you feel. i love the sound of my 414ce, but hate the satin sides and back.

ever since i got the 914ce w/ cedar top, i'm used to the extra bottom the rosewood provides. that makes more of a diff to me than the gloss back and sides...even tho it still annoys me that the 414ce is satin.

i asked the guys at the taylor factory, they say it's a cost cutting measure to not have gloss on the 414ce.

the 414ce feels too high pitched for me now, but still sounds great. i'd say save a few pennies and get the GA8.

i dont know how much of a price difference it is though.

if i had to go back in time, i wish i would have just got the 914ce and called it a day.