NAMM 2020: Every year Taylor give us more reasons to part with our cash for a dream acoustic, and this looks like it's going to be a vintage one from the Californians with four new Builder's Editions for the well-heeled, but plenty more for players who can't stretch their budgets that far – including new Koa GS Mini guitars and basses, plus 200 Series and V-Class additions.
New V-Class Grand Symphony K26ce
Before we get to the sumptuous Builder's Edition models, this one caught our eye immediately – yes that is a second soundhole. What's going on? Taylor's Master Guitar Designer and Ownership Partner Andy Powers is the man who knows the answer…
“By adding a second aperture that’s a different size than the first one, the resonant frequency of the air inside the body gets altered in significant ways, broadening the response,” explains Powers.
The new all-koa K26ce showcases Powers’ redesigned Grand Symphony, which features V-Class bracing and that new soundport cutaway.
The guitar is a a shorter scale length (24-7/8”) and the features combine for 'a high-fidelity, symphonic sound that radiates more evenly in different directions, creates a more immersive, reverb-like effect with remarkable sustain.'
New V-Class Grand Orchestra models
Taylor’s biggest, deepest body shape, the Grand Orchestra has now got the V-Class treatment. Powers has embraced the Orchestra's deep voice and enhanced its sustain and intonation. Players down tuning will especially appreciated the V-Class difference here.
The new V-Class Grand Orchestra models are the 618e – with figured maple back/sides and Sitka spruce top – and the 818e – Indian rosewood
back/sides and Sitka spruce top.
Both the 618e and 818e share new appointment details, including a new Mission fretboard/peghead inlay in mother-of-pearl and ivoroid.
The 618e features a new Antique Blonde colour treatment (full body), while the 818e features an Antique Blonde top.
Updated 200 Series models
The 200 series has updated the 200 Series and added new 200 Plus models this year. Most of the models in the series feature layered Indian rosewood back and sides and a solid Sitka spruce top.
They're available in a Dreadnought and three Grand Auditorium models, including 12-string and nylon-string options — 210ce, 214ce (pictured above), 214ce-N (nylon-string) and 254ce (12-string).
The series also includes the 214ce-K, featuring layered koa and solid spruce and the new 200 Plus Series debuts with one Dreadnought (210ce Plus) and one Grand Auditorium (214ce Plus, pictured).
Both these models feature layered Indian rosewood back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top. Appointments include gloss finish, black binding, nickel tuners (18:1) and ES2 electronics.
Taylor have always made great gigbags for securing your nearest and dearest and each 200 Series model comes with Taylor's new water repellent AeroCase that's 1/3 lighter than Taylor's hardshell case with one-third less weight.
Updated GS Mini models
We love our little mahogany GS -Mini enough that we've gigged, recorded and travelled with it, while making it a constant companion for playing at home. These new models sweeten the deal even further.
The GS Mini-e Rosewood features layered Indian rosewood back and sides and with a solid Sitka spruce top. It also comes with a structured GS Mini hard bag.
The new GS Mini-e Koa Plus has layered Hawaiian koa back and sides and a solid koa top. The model's upgraded appointments include a shaded edgeburst body, Taylor nickel tuners, ES2 electronics and the new Taylor AeroCase.
The GS Mini-e Koa Bass is the second GS Mini Bass model and features layered Hawaiian koa back and sides and a solid koa top.
Baby Taylor Upgrade
Taylor's other popular travel-size acoustics are also getting some TLC with an upgrade. The spruce-top BT1 and electro BT1e with ES-B electronics now feature layered walnut back and sides with a maple neck.
Four new Builder's Edition Models
These five new models now bring the Builder's Edition guitars up to a total of nine. Fistyly, the V-Class bracing debuts on Taylor's Grand Symphony body style, beginning with the Builder’s Edition 816ce , featuring Indian rosewood paired with Lutz spruce.
Andy Powers modified the Grand Symphony body design to give it an 'airier, more complex, symphonic acoustic sound'.
The new body design also incorporates the soundport cutaway we saw earlier with off-axis soundport. Premium Builder's Edition contouring details include chamfered body and fretboard edges and Taylor’s Curve Wing bridge, along with Gotoh tuners and Silent Satin finish.
There's a Builder's Edition 324ce that promotes sustainability back and sides of Urban Ash sourced from trees that required removal from urban areas in Southern California due to safety issues and other factors.
Taylor says that Urban Ash has a sonic character similar to Honduran mahogany.
As well as the contouring and bevelled armrest Builder's Edition fans will be familiar with, the 324ce premium features include a Curve Wing bridge, Gotoh tuners, and a Dark Roast stain and edgeburst with Silent Satin finish.
The new Builder’s Edition 912ce and 12-string Builder’s Edition 652ce introduce the first Grand Concert models to the Builder’s Edition collection.
Both guitars are designed as a high-end acoustic for electric players. The Indian rosewood/Lutz spruce Builder’s Edition 912ce is a compact Grand Concert that features a beveled armrest and cutaway, chamfered body and fretboard edges, and 24-7/8-inch scale length.
Additional details include a Curve Wing bridge, Gotoh tuners, Wild Honey Burst top (or optional natural top), Silent Satin finish, and a new Bellefleur inlay in mother-of-pearl and pink abalone.
The 12-string Builder’s Edition 652ce pairs figured Big Leaf maple with torrefied Sitka spruce.
The guitar is reverse-strung to emphasize the fundamental note, and Taylor claims this creates a 'slightly fuller, meatier 12-string sound'.
Double-mounted string anchoring with each string pairing shares the same bridge pin hole helps create a consistent break angle and produces a more even response.
Premium details include a Curve Wing bridge, Gotoh tuners, and Silent Satin finish with a Wild Honey Burst around the body and neck (an optional natural top is also available).
More info at Taylor.com
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