Left: rosewood/spruce 814ce
Right: rosewood/cedar 716ce
Dreadnought
Taylor embraced and refined the traditional
dreadnought shape and sound to capture the
potent tone that flatpickers and strummers have
loved for decades. Our version adds tonal balance and clarity to redefine the Taylor Dreadnought as a vintage sound for the 21st Century.
Jumbo
Taylor’s most voluptuous shape brings a big
sound to the party. Its midrange is big yet tight,
with a bass response that’s robust without disrupting the tonal balance. The Jumbo works well
on 12-string models since the full bass tones
nicely counterbalance the doubled treble strings.
TONEWOODS
Once you know the right body shape, you’ll
want to choose your wood pairings, which add
different sonic “flavors” to the shape’s fundamental voice. You’ll want to tune in to the tonal
character of each type of wood, including the
levels of bass, midrange and treble, along with
acoustic properties like projection, sustain,
overtones and headroom. A good test-driving
approach is to play several guitars that have
the same body style but different woods. This
should help you differentiate how each responds to your playing techniques.
Among the most popular tonewoods are
Indian rosewood and mahogany. Rosewood
boasts a broad tonal spectrum, with a full low
end and sizzling highs. Mahogany is known for a
“meaty” or “breathy” midrange that comes from
harmonic overtones that create a nice midrange
“bloom.” Maple has a bright, focused tone that
projects well and cuts through a mix, making
it a go-to choice for stage and studio players.
A dense tropical hardwood like Hawaiian koa
blends the midrange of mahogany with the
top end of maple, and with extended play, the
midrange gets sweeter and richer. Ovangkol,
an African relative of rosewood, blends many
of rosewood’s tonal properties with a splash of
extra midrange.
YOUR PLAYING STYLE
In the end, a guitar should complement
your natural playing style. Whether you’re a
seasoned pro or a beginner, understanding
what kind of player you are (or want to be) will
help you find your fit. Do you strum, flatpick,
fingerpick, or all of the above? Do you have a
heavy or light attack? What will your playing
application(s) be? Will you be playing on your
own or with other people? If you plan to sing
and play, does the sound of a certain guitar
better complement your voice? Knowing your
“player profile” will make it easier to match up
with the right guitar.
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All-koa K22ce
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Whatever your playing style, Taylor’s acoustic
line offers a broad palette of choices that cover
every playing approach. Whichever Taylor model
you choose, you can always count on clear, balanced tone, the signature playability of a Taylor
neck, and helpful customer support anytime you
need it.
If you’d like more information to help you
choose the Taylor that’s right for you, visit
taylorguitars.com to read more about our
shapes, woods, and options, or visit your local
Taylor dealer. You can also call us in North
America at (1-800-2TAYLOR), and someone
from our knowledgeable customer support team
will be happy to answer your questions.
