A 1996 Taylor 812c with a Fishman under saddle p.u. This is one fine guitar.
By the mid nineties Bob Taylor had a perfect mix of experience, availability of woods and quality control.
By 2000 the overall quality of Taylor’s instruments began to decline. Taylor evolved into a mass production guitar riding the wave of it’s reputation it earned the decade prior. New 812 ce’s don’t come close to the quality of the guitars built in the mid nineties.
From my point of view as a guitarist Richard Hoover has superior business model to Taylor’s. I suppose it all boils down to the money.