My Taylor Swift Eras Acoustic Guitar: A Good Impulse Buy?
Taylor Swift has inspired thousands of young girls to pick up a guitar. I know this personally, because I’m a guitar teacher. Over the last decade or so, I’ve taught dozens of girls (and some boys) how to play everything from “You Belong With Me” to “Shake it Off.”
So when my Swiftie friend Sara* asked me if I wanted to buy her acoustic Taylor Swift ‘Midnights’ guitar (by Epiphone) because she had no interest in playing it, I immediately said yes!
Full disclosure: I’m not a hardcore fan of Swift’s music, with the exception of a few songs (“I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Cruel Summer,” “Vigilante Shit”). But in the heat of the moment, the idea of owning a one-of-a-kind instrument that I could also potentially rent out to a guitar student was enticing.
So it didn’t feel like a bad move to fork over $550 for this baby. After all, I figured, I was relieving my friend, who bought it impulsively herself (when she was alerted about it through a fan email notice).
But as I unboxed the Epiphone and stared at the painted image of Taylor Swift on the body of the guitar, a mild wave of panic came over me: Was this the right financial move? Should I have actually saved my hard-earned cash for a real Taylor acoustic, like the one I fell in love with in a guitar store a few months ago?
WHAT I LOVE
Simply put, this guitar — which is part of the artist’s ‘Eras’ guitar series — is a beauty and truly one of a kind. I felt cool while strumming “Vigilante Shit” (from Midnights), and made a fun video. I also love that the action is super low, right out of the box. I don’t think I’ll need a setup. Admittedly, the strings are a little buzzy close to the guitar headstock, but I’m sure that will ease over time.
I also love that this guitar comes with strap buttons (for my guitar strap), since I prefer to play standing over sitting. The tone is lovely and resonant, too.
WHAT I LOVE LESS
Only when I opened the box and took the guitar out did I discover there isn’t a built-in pickup. For $550, I kind of expected one. My Alvarez acoustic came with one, and I only paid $300-ish for it.
Also, I miss the smoothness of unfinished wood (like my dream Taylor 114ce, or even my Alvarez acoustic). Sure, I can mic the guitar. People do that all the time. But it’s a pain in the butt, and I also move around a lot when I play.
WOULD I BUY AGAIN?
I don’t totally have buyer’s remorse — life’s too short to have regret. But am I obsessed with this guitar? Eh, not really. Do I kind of wish I had my $550 back? It’s hard to say. The universe obviously put this guitar into my world for a reason, right?
In all seriousness, I plan to enjoy the heck out of this beautiful instrument. It’s possibly the most photogenic guitar I own (besides my Gibson SG and Gibson ES-335). And there’s the added bonus that a handful of my guitar students will think it’s cool.
[SEE RELATED: GIBSON VS. EPIPHONE ES-335: WHICH ONE SHOULD I GET?]
* Names changed to protect privacy
Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the editor and founder of Rockmommy.
