Musikmesse 2013: Taylor reveals Koa Grand Orchestra

Musikmesse 2013: Taylor has revealed the latest addition to its Grand Orchestra range, the all-Koa K28e.

Launched at NAMM earlier in the year, the Grand Orchestra is a new body shape from Taylor, and the K28e joins the existing 518e, 618e and 918e.

For more information, visit the official Taylor website.

Taylor press release

The Taylor Grand Orchestra, the newest body shape in the company's guitar line, debuted earlier this year at the Winter NAMM Show to rave reviews from dealers and players. As part of a year-long rollout, Taylor is pleased to introduce the latest Grand Orchestra model, the all-koa K28e, at the Musikmesse trade show in Frankfurt, Germany.

The K28e boasts the bold yet balanced voice of its Grand Orchestra body shape, while koa's appealing tonal flavors blend the midrange of mahogany with a splash of high-end sparkle. The koa top tends to impart a more controlled attack to the guitar's sound compared to spruce, explains Taylor master builder Andy Powers, who designed the guitar. "The koa top makes a more subtle entrance," he says. "The notes have a graceful, 'fashionably late' quality, giving the player a smooth and sweet-sounding sustain." The Grand Orchestra's proprietary bracing is a hybrid parabolic and scalloped design that produces unprecedented balance and responsiveness for a big-bodied guitar.

Like other Grand Orchestra models that have been introduced this year (the 518e, 618e and 918e), the K28e makes its debut with a special release of 100 First Edition models. In addition to the beautiful wood-rich appointments that characterize other Koa Series models — Indian rosewood binding, a rosewood and maple rosette, and Island Vine inlay — premium touches include AA-grade koa and tone-enhancing Adirondack spruce bracing. Each First Edition model K28e comes with a custom label and ships in a Deluxe "First Edition" hardshell case. Once the guitar is registered, the owner will receive a custom GO First Edition guitar strap, a numbered certificate of authenticity, and a special commemorative booklet. All models are equipped with Taylor's proprietary Expression System® acoustic electronics. The K28e will eventually become a standard model with the Koa Series.

The Grand Orchestra was born from Taylor's passion for innovation and desire to revoice the Taylor Jumbo. Rethinking what a modern big-bodied guitar could be, Taylor's team of luthiers experimented with new body dimensions. One of the goals was to capture some of a Dreadnought's robust tonal personality to produce big, round, richly solid notes. The resulting Grand Orchestra shape is slightly longer than a traditional Dreadnought, features a tighter waist and a wider bottom bout to heighten the tonal properties, and a deeper body depth to increase volume output. Its voice is strong and complex, with the kind of tonal balance that fits perfectly into Taylor's family of shapes and sounds.

The Grand Orchestra is the fifth body shape in Taylor's acoustic guitar line, joining other proprietary Taylor shapes including the Grand Concert, Grand Auditorium and Grand Symphony, along with the Dreadnought. Grand Orchestra models are designated within each Taylor series by ending with the numeral "8" (e.g., 618e). GO models will be available at Authorized Taylor Dealers around the world.