Taylor 912c Grand Concert Guitar Product Review

Pros Beautiful instrument Cons Thin sounding The Bottom Line When I sit down to play, I pull out one of my other instruments and the 912C sits in its case in the closet.

Full Review

I've owned my Taylor 912C for about 5 years. I use it for finger-style playing in the vein of Alex-DeGrassi and Ed Gerhard. I've recorded with it, used it solo on-stage and in small groups with other players. Here's what I think of it. Fit and Finish This guitar is splendidly made. Everything from the purfling to the gold-plated tuning pegs says quality. The flawless Englemann Spruce top has very tight grain. The two-piece Rosewood back is beautiful with pink, purple, gold and green highlights. All joinery is flush and trim - no rough edges anywhere. The finish on the body as well as the neck is clear with no bubbles or rough spots anywhere. Understated inlays along the fingerboard complement the mother-of-pearl and abalone trim around the top and soundhole. All-in-all, it's a piece of fine craftsmanship. Playability Here I've always been a little disappointed. I hold my fretting (left) hand in the classical position and after about 30 minutes of playing, the muscles at the base of my thumb start to throb. I have to rest frequently when using this instrument, especially when I'm practicing difficult pieces. To try and remedy the situation, I've brought the guitar to a Taylor-certified luthier to adjust the action, the bridge and nut. I also had him re-fret the neck, all to no avail. Nothing seems to help the playibilty of the guitar. On the other hand (no pun intended), the small body is perfect for the type of playing I do. It's easy to sit with the instrument rested on my left knee in the classical position, or on my right knee in the usual position. The cutaway is very effective in that it allows unrestricted access to the upper frets. But be advised that there is no pickguard, so if you use a pick, you should either get one installed or look at other instruments. Sound Quality This is, of course, completely subjective, but once again, I'm a little disappointed. As I mentioned, I'm a finger-style player and I crave that clear, bell-like, sometimes crisp, sometimes lush sound that is full of overtones and rich tonal quality. The 912C has an acceptable tone, but to my ear it's a little dry and one dimensional. The high's are thin and reedy and the lows, because of the small body, seem poorly defined. The mid-range is probably the best tonal range of this instrument, but even it seems nondescript. After years of use, the tone hasn't improved noticeably. I expected better from a guitar in this price range.

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