Shapes
Matching up with the right Taylor
body style will give you a solid
foundation for great tone
An acoustic guitar’s body design literally shapes the sound that
comes out of it. Each of Taylor’s five acoustic shapes was developed to have a distinctive tonal personality, yet all share fundamental character traits — notably clarity and tonal balance — that
define the Taylor sound.
When considering different body styles, think about the role you
want the guitar to play. Are you looking for a one-size-fits-all model
to handle a range of playing styles, or do you have a specific appli-
cation in mind? And don’t overlook physical comfort. How do differ-
ent body shapes feel against your body and in your hands? If you
can, try playing different Taylor body styles that feature the same
tonewood combination. This will help you discern the tonal
distinctions of each shape. Once you find the right shape for
your needs, you can have fun indulging the deeper tonal
nuances that different woods bring to a guitar.
And remember, whichever body style you prefer,
you can always rely on the signature playability and
intonation of a Taylor neck.
Grand Concert (GC)
Body Length: 19 1/2”
Body Width: 15”
Body Depth: 4 3/8”
The small-body Grand Concert debuted in 1984 to meet
the needs of a new wave of adventurous acoustic fingerstyle
players. In contrast to the traditionally darker, boomier voices of
bigger body styles like dreadnoughts and jumbos, the GC’s compact size
and tapered waist kept the overtones in check. It was also more comfort-
able to play while sitting down, and the guitar’s slightly wider neck gave
players more room for complex fingerings. The GC’s smaller sonic foot-
print also fit cleanly in a mix with other instruments when tracking in the
studio and with a band on stage, making it a useful tool for professional
session and side players.
Our current generation of GC models continues to accommodate fingerstylists with finger-friendly traits like a shorter 24 7/8-inch scale length,
which makes fretting easier and adds a slightly slinkier feel on the strings
due to the lighter string tension. If you feel more comfortable with a small
body or favor controlled overtones, a Grand Concert is a great option.
Grand Auditorium (GA)
Body Length: 20”
Body Width: 16”
Body Depth: 4 5/8”
Our most popular and versatile body shape, the mid-size Grand
Auditorium arrived in 1994 bearing refined proportions that fell between
a Dreadnought and Grand Concert. While the bigger Dreadnought was
traditionally considered a flatpicker’s guitar and the smaller GC catered
to fingerstylists, the GA was designed to deliver on both fronts. The
