NAMM 2017: Taylor launches affordable Academy Series, GS Mini Bass and Premium 800 Deluxe Series acoustic guitars
Electro-acoustic models see Taylor take on the mid-range and high-end
NAMM 2017: This looks set to be a big year for Taylor, as the American acoustic guitar giant joins the mid-range guitar market with the Academy Series, while also unveiling the GS Mini Bass and high-end 800 Deluxe Series.
Taylor Academy Series
Pictured: DreadnoughtA10e
The Academy Series aims to capture the essence of Taylor guitars in affordable packages - models include the Dreadnought A10e (£659/$798), Grand Concert A12e (£659/$798) and nylon-string Grand Concert A12e-N (£707/$858).
Each guitar is well-spec'd, too, with layered sapele back and sides, a solid Sitka Spruce top, the patented Taylor Neck, mahogany armrest, matte finish, plus ES-B electronics and a Taylor gigbag.
Academy Series models are available from March.
Taylor GS Mini Bass
The small-scale GS Mini Bass is notable for two key design features: custom bass strings with a nylon core and phosphor-bronze wrap wire developed by D'Addario; and a new Taylor-patented, dual-pronged bridge pin.
All that promises to make the bass easy to play, while an ES-B pickup and preamp, as well as layered sapele back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, matt finish and hard bag round off the spec.
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The GS Mini Bass is available from March for £827/$918.
Taylor 800 Deluxe Series
Expanding on the 800 Series, the 800 Deluxe Series adds three premium upgrades: a new, rounded radius armrest to improve playing comfort; Adirondack spruce bracing, which enhances tonal output; and chrome Gotoh 510 tuners for finer tuning precision.
Three Deluxe models have been introduced, and are available now: the Dreadnought 810e DLX, the Grand Concert 812ce 12-Fret DLX, and the Grand Auditorium 814ce DLX.
For more information on all of the guitars, check out Taylor Guitars.
Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.