D40 versus Taylor 510

jonc

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As I posted a few weeks back I acquired a 72 D-40 that I'm liking more and more, a 78 D-40 that now sounds muffled in comparison and will be going to my local school music program, and an 86 "Lemon Grove" Taylor 510, which I'm thinking will now go on the block. The Taylor lacks the full, round low end (particularly on the low E and A strings) that the D-40 has, and in general is "lighter" in tone. What it does have is more articulation, an easier playing neck, and a slightly wider nut that makes playing a cowboy "A" chord with the index/middle/ring instead of middle/ring/pinkie doable. At least for my fat fingers. Where is falls down is as a strummer but beats the D-40 as a "fingerstyle" guitar. Some folks would say that's why you get an OM and to keep dreads for flat picking and strumming. I don't like getting rid of guitars but don't see the point in having two hog dreads around. Would love to get some input about D-40's versus 510's and any thoughts about keeping both or selling off the Taylor.

Thanks
Jon

Taylor510.jpg
 

6L6

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Welp...

I've owned 3 or 4 nice Taylors. They are all gone and my '74 D-40 remains.

'Nuff said.

Here's a pic of my beloved '74 D-40. I had Gryphon refret her recently with stainless steel frets. They also installed a K&K Pure Mini pickup.

IMG_0097.jpg


Bill
 

Roger Smith

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I use my Taylor acoustic/electric for live group gigs.
My D40 is totally stock,100% original,. Not so much as a strap pin installed.
I play it mostly with friends that drop by or just by myself.

I really like the gritty, dry sound it produces...especially when playing the blues.

1967d40002.jpg
 

taabru45

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Try making the A chord like this..... Make a D7th chord, now slide your index finger up a fret so it tucks in, inbetween the middle and ring finger...practice this back and forth till it becomes easy..then do that on the next lower set of 3 strings.....now go from an E chord to an A chord but just move the middle and ring finger, and slide the index finger down to the 2nd fret...I have always done this...it's more compact, easier and way faster...for me at least. :wink: Steffan
 

taabru45

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jonc said:
As I p slightly wider nut that makes playing a cowboy "A" chord with the index/middle/ring instead of middle/ring/pinkie doable. At least for my fat fingers

Jon,try the above, Steffan
 

jonc

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thx for the tip. will give it a try. was using the example more for a reference but that's definitely a good work around.

taabru45 said:
jonc said:
As I p slightly wider nut that makes playing a cowboy "A" chord with the index/middle/ring instead of middle/ring/pinkie doable. At least for my fat fingers

Jon,try the above, Steffan
 

DenverSteve

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As you've figured already a Taylor, size for size, will never have the low-end response of a Guild, Gibson or Martin. You bought three very different guitars so you will obviously see wide variances between them. For which ones to sell, you'll have to figure out what you need from the guitar and keep that one. Have you changed the strings on the D40. You might try that to give you more of a fingerpicking response you might like better. That is certainly a very balanced and a great go-to guitar.
 

jonc

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I've had the 78 since 1982 and while it was always a bit on the tank size, it was a good friend. It just can't stand up next to the D-40 I got. So that one is easy. I got the Taylor around 10 years ago and might just end up keeping both, since it does play and sound very good. Plus I like the Lemon Grove-era guitars. But I have my eye on a 00 sized instrument and could use the $ towards that. Have not changed strings on the D40 as yet. Probably in a week or so. I have a set of Martin PB's 12's, which are the strings I use on any new guitar I get. Later on I'll try some others but this should provide a good baseline. Though I'm always interested in what strings folks like for their Guilds.

DenverSteve said:
As you've figured already a Taylor, size for size, will never have the low-end response of a Guild, Gibson or Martin. You bought three very different guitars so you will obviously see wide variances between them. For which ones to sell, you'll have to figure out what you need from the guitar and keep that one. Have you changed the strings on the D40. You might try that to give you more of a fingerpicking response you might like better. That is certainly a very balanced and a great go-to guitar.
 

davismanLV

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It's that old argument, better or best? I just say DIFFERENT.... they're all good. If you HAVE to sell one then just pick. Otherwise.... expand your collection. The one guitar I would give up to get another one would give me the LEAST amount of money towards a new one. It would be pointless to let it go because, although it's different from the Taylor and the Guild, it's still a good guitar and for what I'd get for it.... it's not worth getting rid of.

I'm not exactly stumbling over guitars yet..... so I just continue on like I always have. :wink:

My "go to" strings are always the GHS Bright Bronze..... they never let me down!!
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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Before you give up on the Taylor, try replacing the saddle with a bone saddle.
I did this on my wife's 410 Taylor with mahogany sides and back and the difference was amazing.
The guitar developed a stronger bass end and the total volume was increased.
It was like it was a totally different guitar.
Also try different strings. They can make a big difference in the tone of a guitar.
 

jonc

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thanks for all the suggestions. not so much as giving up on the Taylor as whether I need two hog dreds. although they are different enough to warrant a good think. i have an Ibanez archtop i'll be trading towards a 00-sized guitar, so will probably hold onto the 510 for now. i do kind of wish the d-40 was as easy to play as the Taylor since the sound is really great. but then it is what it is and that's just fine too.
 

jgwoods

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If I have two of the same- two 'hog dreds for example- they compete. After a while one comes out as the one I like better and the other goes. So, my final collection now that I am an old guy does not include two of anything. I'd like a Dred, a Jumbo, and a Parlor. I have the Parlor and that's all right now. It'll do as I mostly play banjo and mandolin. Someday a beautiful Guild Jumbo will join the collection and I may never get another dred as they are hard to wrap around when sitting.
 

davismanLV

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Lots of good info and opinions here.... all of it valid. However, I gave up on trying to play A with anything other than TWO fingers. My hands are just to big I guess. Index and middle finger for A here......
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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jonc said:
thanks for all the suggestions. not so much as giving up on the Taylor as whether I need two hog dreds. although they are different enough to warrant a good think. i have an Ibanez archtop i'll be trading towards a 00-sized guitar, so will probably hold onto the 510 for now. i do kind of wish the d-40 was as easy to play as the Taylor since the sound is really great. but then it is what it is and that's just fine too.

Take your D-40 and your 510 to your guitar Tech. Have him set up the D-40 to match the 510.
You should be able to play the Guild as easily as you can the Taylor. It's all in the set up.
 

jonc

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Taylor Martin Guild said:
jonc said:
thanks for all the suggestions. not so much as giving up on the Taylor as whether I need two hog dreds. although they are different enough to warrant a good think. i have an Ibanez archtop i'll be trading towards a 00-sized guitar, so will probably hold onto the 510 for now. i do kind of wish the d-40 was as easy to play as the Taylor since the sound is really great. but then it is what it is and that's just fine too.

Take your D-40 and your 510 to your guitar Tech. Have him set up the D-40 to match the 510.
You should be able to play the Guild as easily as you can the Taylor. It's all in the set up.

point taken. but part of the "ease of playability" is in part due to the neck profile, fretboard radius, etc., and this is where the Taylor is easier to manage than the Guild. at least for me. i know that my Taylor 12 string was a hell of lot easier to play then my Guild Jumbo 12, which was a chore to play no matter how well setup it was.
 
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Hi Jon, I see your post was in 2012,.. and my reply now in 2018! Hope you're still around.

I sit here in my small guitar shop in Uganda on the Sth Sudan border. ( Shop keeps me sane while I run a small charity and family.) Ive found a 1979 Lemon Grove Taylor 510 and a 2002 Guild D-40 here ( of all places) and like you were (are still?!), I've been torn between the two.

-Both are spruce and mahogany ( Ebony fretboard on Taylor, Rosewood on Guild)

-Taylor has bone nut and saddle. Guild some type of synthetics ( 'tusk'?).

-Though Guild is 1mm wider at the nut, at the third fret both necks measure very close to same in depth and width, though the Taylor neck has slightly less shoulders which makes it a little less bulky albeit easier to move around the neck on.

- Inside, the Guild has bracing on the sides, Taylor don't and in addition to the age variation in the guitars, I think its this that gives the Guild it's 'stiffer' more solid body and brighter tone.

- Strung with same strings (11-52's), initially the Taylor was indeed 'silky' to play compared to the stiffer Guild. This I fixed by making a new bone nut for the Guild with identical string spacing and nut depth of the Taylor (a very short hairs width off the first fret when fingered on the third spacing, the less space the better...as long as theres air...just.) I will make a bone saddle for the Guild soon.

- I'm no expert on tone, but my 'feeling' is that the older Taylor has 'opened up' more, is mellower in middle and bass though equally bright as the Guild on the treble strings. The younger Guild is bright all round, rich in bass register, but brighter generally, and not played a lot in it's 17 yr life. I sort of wish it was 20 years older.

As far as ease of playing goes, given the truss rod is set properly, I think its the nut which plays a critical role. String spacing must be spot on with equal and enough room for fingers not to snag other strings when playing in the rapids. Slot depth too must be low enough so pitch remains true when fretted, and equal height across the first fret. Too high and any guitar will feel clunky and pitch will f.... up. Great Nut spacing tool here: www.tdpri.com/attachments/nut-layout-pdf.12216/

- Both have exceptional machine heads , and both original I think. Guild Grovers, Taylor, don't know but on par with Grovers.

- Both are now exceptional guitars in tone and play, however the Guild has won me over as it has a stunning active saddle pick-up ( LR Baggs )..Don't know if this was original or not.

The Taylor arrived with me from a grass hut with its neck broken below headstock, and, at body joint (a brothers brawl). This has repaired well. The Guild was found kicking around a school but somehow remains in very good condition.

I'm always amazed when guitars of this quality turn up here. Often there brought here by overseas visitors / charity workers who leave them when they go. I repair and sell primarily used guitars that are brought i by customers for repair, or by hunting in second-hand shops in the countrys capital Kampala, 7 hrs bus trip away. Ive found great guitars amongst generators, broken tools, hair dryers, obsolete 8 track/cassette car stereos, kids toys, bikes, car parts, bumper bars, etc, all lumped together in the one shop. Picked up a Vox Pathfinder and a Vox Cambridge last week. These all arrive via containers from Europe, Japan, US, second hand goods which are purchased by retailers and sold, usually for pea-nuts. It's a lot of fun hunting!

Well Jon, hope you're still kickin' and enjoying your Guild...or Taylor. Regards man.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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Here's my offering....

dadmedlight.jpg


Give 'em a try. :wink:

Joe

This is a good suggestion.
Also try replacing the saddle with a bone saddle.
My wife has a Taylor 410 which is a 1991 Taylor mahogany B and S guitar.
I was blown away at how much better it sounded when I changed out the saddle on it.
The bottom end opened up and the guitar became mush fuller.
 

beecee

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Hi Jon, I see your post was in 2012,.. and my reply now in 2018! Hope you're still around.

I sit here in my small guitar shop in Uganda on the Sth Sudan border. ( Shop keeps me sane while I run a small charity and family.) Ive found a 1979 Lemon Grove Taylor 510 and a 2002 Guild D-40 here ( of all places) and like you were (are still?!), I've been torn between the two.

Why do I feel like the next post will reference Western Union and the fortune I've inherited
 

chazmo

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Welcome aboard, Gulu Guitars. Wow, holy thread revival, Batman. :) FYI, jonc hasn't posted in over 5 years, so I wouldn't count on a response. :)

Your English sounds colloquial, so I presume you are an American living in Uganda? Please tell us what it's like running a guitar store in Uganda! I can't imagine. Perhaps a new thread?
 
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