02/09/2026
I don't see much point in keeping a guitar if I'm not playing it and I'm always picking something else up. It became the case with my Taylor 812ce 12-Fret. Lovely guitar but;
1.) Being a 12-Fret (i.e. joining the body at the 12th fret) it cut the headroom down quite drastically. Put a capo on the 5th fret and it left you wondering "where's my fretboard gone?"
2.) It was a guitar designed more for fingerpickers with a tone to match. Quite bright and none too subtle.
I didn't connect with it at all like I did my Martins which I always preferred to play.
I'd been looking at potential alternatives for a while then, this morning, I clapped my eyes on this, in stock at GuitarGuitar Birmingham. A Taylor 912ce Builder's Edition Grand Concert. Sinker Redwood top with Honduran Rosewood body. Classed as "Nearly New" for reasons explained to me by the sales guy over the phone. He assured me that there wasn't a mark on it and it looked as new. A hefty £2.5K off the list price brought it down to £4.5K. So, off I went with two guitars to trade in including my 812ce 12-Fret.
He was right about the condition. Not a mark on it and it looks stunning. Even better, as soon as I picked it up to play, I connected with it infinitely more than I ever did the 812ce. They gave me a really good trade-in deal with the other two guitars so, the deal was done.
Another new guitar but an acoustic for a change and one I hope will be as inspiring to play as my Martin 000-42.
