From acoustics to electrics, we have a Taylor for
Transcription
From acoustics to electrics, we have a Taylor for
From acoustics to electrics, we have a Taylor for every type of player. Our 2009 Guitar Guide leads you on a scenic tour of our product line. Why do we play guitar? We each have our own answer, but it comes down to some sense of well-being we get from vibrating strings and wood. Maybe it’s to relax and relieve tension. To connect with others. To find out who we are. To earn a living. The question may be philosophical, but it’s not a bad place to start as we ponder which type of guitar to play. If there’s a simple piece of advice we can give you, it’s this: Buy the best guitar you can afford. By “best” we mean a guitar that’s easy to play, has proper intonation, and sounds great. We’ve got you covered there. Beyond that, look for one that’s compatible with the kind of sound you’re looking for. In our previous features on shapes and woods, we shared some basic guidelines to help you understand what factors give each Taylor model a unique personality. (See our newly re-designed shapes and woods features at taylorguitars.com.) If you remember that shapes have sounds, that woods have unique tonal flavors, and that you have your own personal way of playing and hearing those shapes and woods, you’ll be primed to find the right guitar — one that will be your faithful muse. As part of our Guitar Guide, we include some “test-driving” tips to help you properly audition a guitar, plus the complete specifications for all models. And if you ever have any questions along the way, feel free to call our newly established Inside Sales and Customer Relations representative, Ben Benavente (1-888-2TAYLOR). Think of him as your Taylor guitar concierge. He’ll answer all your guitar questions and help you locate a particular model at a dealership if you’re on the hunt. Now promise not to slack on that New Year’s resolution to play more guitar this year. Chefs like to eat; guitar makers like to play. We rounded up Bob Taylor and a few of his boys from the product development team for a photo shoot at Bob’s house to celebrate the pleasures of jamming with friends. Everyone was invited to bring one of their favorite Taylors. From left: VP of Marketing Brian Swerdfeger with a GC8 prototype that currently lives in his office; VP of Quality Assurance, Customer Service & Repair David Hosler with a T5C2; Bob’s longtime design partner Larry Breedlove with a GA5; and the man himself, picking on an 810ce. Get these guys together and it usually doesn’t take long to coax a smile — and a song — out of them. Photo by Bil Zelman Th e pr e s e ntati on S e r i es With each tonewood we use, the best of the best represents a slim fraction of what exists in the world. One set in a thousand might be too much to promise. But this master-grade wood always finds its way into the Presentation Series. We hand off these rare natural materials to our very finest guitar makers, who pour their hearts into each guitar, using their advanced skills sometimes to infuse a guitar with exquisite appointments, and other times to abide by the simple idea that less is more. It all depends on how you want yours made. Either way, the Presentation Series is your guitar dream brought to life. Back/Sides: Choice of master-grade Madagascar Rosewood, Cocobolo, Walnut, Maple, Macassar Ebony, Hawaiian Koa or Brazilian Rosewood (limited availability) Top: Choice of premium Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar, Engelmann Spruce, Sinker Redwood (limited availability), Adirondack Spruce, Walnut, Hawaiian Koa Fretboard Inlay: Green Heart Abalone “Byzantine” (other options available) Binding: Ivoroid with Green Heart Abalone Rosette: Green Heart Abalone Additional Premium Appointments: Bone nut/saddle, abalone peghead and bridge inlays Optional Venetian/Florentine cutaway and ES pickup Models: PSDN, PSGA, PSGC, PSGS, PSJM, PSGA-12, PSGS-12, PSJM-12 His name is Russ Lewark, but his online friends know him as Koaguitarman. Russ’s first koa love was an all-koa K20c. He found the wood’s tone to be the ideal acoustic voice for him. “I play a lot of ragtime, jug band, folk-rock — a little bit of a lot of different genres,” he says. “Koa will take the softer folk fingerstyle and the strong fingerpicking of ragtime and jug band. It also comes through when softly flatpicked or even with bluegrass-style picking. It’s my tonewood of choice.” Russ currently owns 14 koa Taylors. Photo by Bil Zelman Th e koa S e r i es Ask any Hawaiian koa lover — the tropical hardwood speaks in a special Back/Sides: Hawaiian Koa Binding: Curly Maple way that no other wood can. We treat it with reverence ourselves. Visually, Top: Abalone-trimmed Sitka Spruce or Hawaiian Koa Rosette: Abalone its harmony of color, grain and figure immediately invites us in. Tonally, it rewards the player over time, as its initially bright voice opens up to reveal a mellowing sweetness in the midrange. Despite the cost and limited availability of this cherished Hawaiian native, we remain deeply committed to koa. We buy the best logs we can and build guitars that we hope will inspire a lifetime of playing — because the more you play one, the deeper you’ll fall in love. Fretboard Inlay: Abalone Koa Series Additional Premium Appointments: Maple-bound rosette Models: K10ce, K12ce, K14ce, K16ce, K20ce, K22ce, K24ce, K26ce, K54ce, K56ce, K64ce, K65ce, K66ce Indian rosewood is an enduring classic that’s loved by traditional flatpickers and modern fingerstyle players alike. For Bob Taylor, the personal connection hearkens back to the first guitar he ever made. Its appeal is as broad as its sonic range, which yields deep lows, sparkling highs and controlled midrange overtones, all of which together give players impressive articulation. Rosewood’s variety of visual colors — including mocha browns, rich purples and fiery reds — have inspired us to give it a distinctive personality in each of three series. Our 900 Series showcases our most beautiful grade, featuring tight, straight grain, a range of colors, and premium appointments that together embody vintage elegance for the modern world. Our maple-bound 800 Series has progressed from its no-frills Dreadnought roots into a more contemporary look that’s stylish but not too pretty to be played hard. Our 700 Series goes for an earthier, dressed-down feel, featuring thicker ribbons of rosewood grain and simple inlay work. Paired with either an Engelmann spruce or cedar top, it responds with vintage warmth. The best thing about rosewood might be that it offers something for everyone. Th e 9 00 S e r i es Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood Top: Sitka Spruce Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Binding: Ivoroid Rosette: Abalone Sunburst Options: Tobacco (top only) Additional Premium Appointments: Gotoh tuners, bone nut/saddle, peghead and bridge inlays Models: 910ce, 912ce, 914ce, 916ce Th e 8 00 S e r i es Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood Top: Sitka Spruce Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Binding: Curly Maple Rosette: Abalone Sunburst Options: Tobacco (top only) Models: 810ce, 812ce, 814ce, 815ce, 816ce, 854ce, 855ce, 856ce Th e 700 S e r i es Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood Binding: Indian Rosewood Top: Engelmann Spruce (710ce, 712ce), Western Red Cedar (714ce, 716ce) Rosette: Abalone Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots Models: 710ce, 712ce, 714ce, 716ce Sunburst Options: Tobacco (top only) TAY LO R I N N O VAT I O N The Expression System® Pickup Traditional under-saddle, piezo-style acoustic pickups that had been used for years never really managed to capture the natural, full tone of an acoustic guitar, let alone the nuances of the player. Instead, the amplified tone was often thin, brittle and distorted, or “quacky.” The condenser mics that were often mounted inside the soundhole and used to round out the sound were highly prone to feedback. Beyond that, the EQ controls of an onboard preamp essentially provided little more than artificial coloring of a fundamentally flawed pickup tone. The Taylor Expression System was developed at Taylor with input from pro audio icon Mr. Rupert Neve. It combines three magnetic sensors — two body sensors affixed to the underside of the top and one neck pickup imbedded beneath the fretboard extension — with a studio-quality preamp. The ES uses the guitar’s soundboard to create a network of magnetic, surface-sensing microphones. The preamp cleanly boosts the signal and eliminates noise. When the controls are set flat, the pure tone of the guitar is not colored in any way. The end result is that the natural tone of the guitar and the nuances of the player are captured in a transparent way, and the pickup is highly feedback-resistant. Three soft-touch roller controls on the upper shoulder offer plenty of real frequency control without physically intruding on the visual beauty of the guitar. Th e 6 00 S e r i es Our wood experts are always on create a hypnotic, 3-D effect. We ex- a loyal friend of recording engineers the hunt for figured maple, and they periment with colors until we get them and front-of-house sound mixers alike. never fail to come through. And as if right, and offer a range of options, Whether you want a small or a big a set of quilted or tiger-stripe maple including sunburst and edgeburst voice, on its own or with a band, our wasn’t already transfixing enough, treatments, with crisp white binding 600 Series guitars ensure that your maple’s blonde complexion plays host to detail each body shape. Looks Taylor will be seen and heard clearly. to a fiesta of vibrant color finishes that aside, maple’s bright, focused tone is Back/Sides: Big Leaf Maple Top: Sitka Spruce Fretboard Inlay: Pearl “Leaf” Pattern Binding: White Rosette: Abalone Colors/Bursts: Aged Toner, Amber, Black, Blue, Blue Burst, Cherry Black Sunburst, Cherry Sunburst (or optional top only), Green, Honey Sunburst, Natural, Orange, Purple, Ruby Red, Ruby Red Burst, Tobacco Sunburst (or optional top only), Transparent Black Models: 610ce, 612ce, 614ce, 615ce, 616ce, 654ce, 655ce, 656ce Th e 5 00 S e r i es Our mahogany guitars really let your fingers sing. And it doesn’t get much sweeter than a mahogany/ cedar combination. Our 514ce remains one of our most popular models, and the newer, bolder-voiced 516ce is a six-string revelation for its blend of power and clarity. Roots-rockers, blues players, singer-songwriters, fingerstylists, DADGAD lovers, simple strummers — you name it — respond viscerally to the organic tonal quality of mahogany. With their meaty midrange overtones, our 500 Series guitars are loaded with songwriting inspiration. Tangy licks, melodic, ringing chords, great dynamic range — they’re all there. Back/Sides: Tropical Mahogany Top: Engelmann Spruce (510ce, 512ce), Western Red Cedar (514ce, 516ce) Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots Binding: Indian Rosewood Rosette: Abalone Models: 510ce, 512ce, 514ce, 516ce Playing for Keeps: How to Find the Right Guitar A systematic approach to sampling different guitars will make your search easier. We recommend that you be consistent in the way you play each guitar you test-drive — this will allow the tonal nuances created by different shapes, woods and other construction variables to come through more clearly. Your checklist can include as many considerations as you want, but here are a few essentials to consider: ergonomics, playability, intonation and tonal compatibility with what you’re trying to do. Know what kind of tone you want. Factor in your playing technique, which includes how light or aggressive your attack is. Do you plan to strum, flatpick, fingerpick or some combination of them all? If you’re a beginner and aren’t sure, consider a guitar that offers a lot of tonal versatility, like a GA. Will you be playing solo or with a group? Do you like a guitar with a lot of acoustic bloom or do you want to keep the overtones under control? Will this be an all-purpose axe or serve a specialized role? Taylor web developer and accomplished singer-songwriter Cindy Santini with a 514ce at Lestat’s Coffee House in San Diego, a popular local venue, where she’s performed. Find your comfort zone. Consider how the size and shape of the guitar physically feel against your body — how the neck fits in your hands and how your strumming arm feels draped over the lower bout. If you’ll be playing it while standing up, try it that way. And…action! Is the action low enough that you can form cleansounding chords without having to clamp down hard? Also, try playing a moveable chord shape up the neck toward the body to see how the action feels there, and to check the intonation. Play a progression of simple chords. For each guitar you sample, play the same series of chords in the same order, with the same pick, and with the same attack. Try different dynamic levels. Play harder and softer on each guitar to assess the scope of the guitar’s dynamic range. Try at least three different types of picks (medium, heavy, plastic, tortex etc.). A certain type of guitar might match up better with a thicker or thinner pick. Bring a guitar buddy with you. Have him or her play while you listen to gain a sonic perspective from the other side of the guitar. But don’t rely on your buddy’s opinion. He or she will sound different from you. Use your own hands and ears. Consider bringing a handheld recorder to capture and evaluate the tonal distinctions. Sample a variety of shapes and woods. You never know — you might naturally be drawn to the aesthetic appeal of a certain guitar shape or wood, but actually sound better playing a different model. th e 4 00 S e r i es Back/Sides: Ovangkol Binding: White Top: Sitka Spruce Rosette: 3-Ring Finish: Satin with Gloss Top Fretboard Inlay: Large Pearl Dots Models: 410ce, 412ce, 414ce, 454ce, 455ce We don’t think your guitar should compromise your music. That said, we fully understand that you may be budget-minded. Our ovangkol 400 Series and sapele 300 Series serve up high-end, performance-ready guitars at our best price for an all-solid-wood guitar. Our 400/300 Series models are the choice of plenty of gigging performers, worship musicians, beginners and discerning others who crave the simple pleasures of a killer guitar: playability, balanced tone th e 3 00 S e r i es and a quality pickup that conveys the nuances of your playing. Maybe this is your first foray into a solid-wood Taylor experience, and you want to bolster your chops before you step up. Or maybe you just love the way ovangkol or sapele responds to your hands. As woods they might not be Back/Sides: Sapele Binding: Black Top: Sitka Spruce Rosette: 3-Ring household names, but pick up one of these guitars and you’ll be impressed by how good it makes Finish: Satin with Gloss Top you sound. Fretboard Inlay: Large Pearl Dots Models: 310ce, 312ce, 314ce, 315ce, 354ce, 355ce Just because we make high-end guitars doesn’t mean we don’t believe in affordable ones. And we don’t think you have to sacrifice great tone and playability when you’re looking for extra value. Our rosewood laminate 200 Series and sapele laminate 100 Series guitars are the real deal, crafted to deliver the complete Taylor experience, and, with laminate back and sides, are extra resilient. Both series offer optional cutaways and stage-ready electronics in the form of our great-sounding ES-T® transducer pickup. You can feel good in knowing that when you buy a Taylor at any level, you get precision craftsmanship, great tone, and our same high standard of customer service. th e 200 S e r i es Back/Sides: Rosewood Laminate Top: Solid Sitka Spruce Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots Binding: White Rosette: 3-Ring Models: 210, 210e, 210ce, 214, 214e, 214ce For some young adults, getting a driver’s license is a rite of th e 100 S e r i es Series are perfect for young players who are ready to take things Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate to the next level. With the easiest playability and best intonation Top: Solid Sitka Spruce in the industry, family porch jams never sounded so good. Here, Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots passage. For others, getting their first Taylor is. The 100 and 200 14-year Taylor veteran Ben Benavente (left), currently our Inside Sales & Customer Relations rep, looks on as his son Mason finds a groove. Watch out, Dad — you’re about to get upstaged. Photo by Bil Zelman Binding: Black Rosette: 3-Ring Models: 110, 110e, 110ce, 114, 114e, 114ce “After years of concerts with inconsistent and problematic live acoustic nylon-string sound, my Taylor NS74ce has solved all my problems. With its onboard electronics dialed in, I rarely have to touch anything, knowing that it will be consistent from venue to venue. It’s now stress-free, ‘plug-n-play,’ every time. Sound engineers love it, as well!” — Wayne Johnson, three-time Grammy Award-winning guitarist th e NYLON S e r i es The same hallmarks of quality that define Taylor acoustic/electric steel-strings were applied to our Nylon Series to give players a smooth passage to a nylon-string’s tonal flavors without having to adjust to a wide-neck classical guitar. Comfort and playability, clear, balanced tone, a cutaway for access to the upper register, and electronics for easy gigging make for an inviting and unique nylon experience that feels familiar to our steel-string customers. A choice of two body shapes and three different wood pairings offers a rich variety of tonal nuances to suit every type of player. If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration, take one for a spin. Neck Width: 1 7/8 Inches Rosette: Mexican Cypress Strings: D’Addario Pro-Arté® Extra Hard Tension Electronics: Fishman™ Prefix Pro® (NS32ce/34ce), Fishman™ Prefix Pro® Blend (NS72ce/NS74ce, NS62ce/NS64ce) Tuners: Ping Classical Gold with Ivoroid Buttons NS72ce/NS74ce Back & Sides/Top: Indian Rosewood/Cedar NS32ce/ NS34ce Back & Sides/Top: Sapele/Sitka Spruce Binding: Indian Rosewood Binding: Black Peghead Veneer: Indian Rosewood Peghead Veneer: Indian Rosewood NS62ce/NS64ce Back & Sides/Top: Big Leaf Maple/Engelmann Spruce Binding: Indian Rosewood Peghead Veneer/Bridge: Cocobolo Wood&Steel editor Jim Kirlin, clearly hard at work with a Baby Taylor on Coronado Beach in San Diego, as the iconic Hotel del Coronado reflects another inspiring sunset. It’s a tough job, but he does it all for you. Th e BABy Taylor Part of an acoustic guitar’s appeal is its portability. Wherever you might Its debut over a decade ago set a new benchmark for players on the go, Baby Size/Shape: 3/4-scale Dreadnought (22 3/4-inch scale length) Big Baby Size/Shape: 15/16-scale Dreadnought giving them a legitimate musical instrument that’s resilient and can truly Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate carry a tune, all the way up the neck. It’s also perfectly kid-friendly. If you Top: Solid Sitka Spruce or Mahogany Top: Solid Sitka Spruce Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots Rosette: Laser-etched Rosette: Laser-etched be headed, the compact Baby Taylor makes the perfect musical companion. want a bigger sound that’s still super-portable and affordable, the Big Baby is simply a killer guitar. It’s the kind of guitar you can leave around the house or the office, or have on-hand on those days when you’re supposed to be at the office. Don’t be surprised if it secretly becomes your go-to guitar. Th e ACOU STI C LINE Because each Taylor body shape yields a distinctive sound, we designed a line of pure acoustic Taylors around our shapes, allowing us to use different wood pairings to distill down to the pure essence of tone. Initially inspired by the bold voice of our newest shape, the Grand Symphony (GS), we now offer more than 30 Acoustic models in four shapes: the GS, the versatile Grand Auditorium (GA), the traditional Dreadnought (DN), and our small-body Grand Concert (GC). All of our Acoustic models are unified by the same clean, understated appointments that keep the emphasis on shapes and woods. All are designed as non-cutaways and come without pickguards (available as an option). For live performance, the optional Taylor Expression System® captures that essential acoustic sound you’ve been hearing unplugged, and shares it with the world. And its stealthy design aesthetic will never compromise the true acoustic look you crave. Standard Appointments Fretboard Inlay: Abalone Dots (5 Series & up) Pearl Dots (3 & 4 Series) Binding: Ivoroid (5 Series & up) Cream (3 & 4 Series) Rosette: Abalone (5 Series & up) 3-ring (3 & 4 Series) g ran d sym ph ony Tone Profile: Deeper, thicker and louder across the tonal spectrum, without sacrificing clarity or responsiveness. The most robust tone of the Taylor shapes, and ideal for hearty strumming or flatpicking. Full, round bass, meaty midrange, and strong trebles. Models: GS-K, GS8, GS8-12, GS7, GS6, GS6-12, GS5, GS5-12 (GS6 shown) g ran d AU DITORI U M Tone Profile: Taylor’s original signature body shape defines tonal balance, clarity, and overall versatility that modern, multifaceted players appreciate. Perfect for players who enjoy a mix of strumming, picking and fingerstyle. Offers a great blend of character and articulation that fit into a mix. Models: GA-K, GA-K-12, GA8, GA8-12, GA7, GA6, GA6-12, GA5, GA4, GA4-12, GA3, GA3-12 (GA4-12 shown) g ran d con ce rt Tone Profile: The body contours help control overtones, yet both the volume and bass response are impressive. Together, the shorter scale length and slotted peghead (on gloss models) yield a warm, slightly woodier sound. Great for fingerstylists and other players who prefer the comfort of a small-body guitar. Models: GC-K, GC8, GC7, GC6, GC5, GC4, GC3 (GC8 shown) d r ead n ou g ht Tone Profile: Our most traditional body style blends a potent, vintage acoustic sound with Taylor’s trademark tonal consistency. Great for strummers and flatpickers who like to really drive the top. Models: DN-K, 910 Legacy,* 810 Legacy,** DN8, DN5, DN4, DN3 (DN5 shown) *Features “Cindy” fretboard inlay and abalone-edged top **Features 800 Series fretboard inlay and white binding 40 t5 Three years since its breakthrough launch, our award-winning Body: Sapele Hollowbody electric/acoustic T5 has clearly come into its own. A full-range performance Top: Sitka Spruce, Maple, Koa, Macassar Ebony, Cocobolo, Walnut guitar, the hollowbody hybrid boasts proprietary humbuckers and an Expression System®-inspired body sensor, allowing players to switch between amplified acoustic and electric tones — or blend them together with an A/B/Both box — in a way that no other guitar can. Its unmatched versatility has spawned its own category in the guitar world and inspired artists of virtually every genre by giving them a multifaceted tool that enhances what they can do in the studio or on stage. Color Options: Natural, Red, Blue, Black (translucent black optional) with Edgeburst Sunburst Options: Tobacco, Honey, Cherry Models: T5-C5, T5C5-12, T5-C4, Fretboard Inlay: T5 “Artist” (Custom), T5C4-12, T5-C3, T5C3-12, Micro Dots (Standard) T5-C2, T5C2-12, T5-C1, T5C1-12, T5-C, T5C-12, Binding: Multi-layer White with T5-S, T5S-12, T5-S1, T5S1-12 Black Pinstripes Scale Length: 24 7/8 Inches Nut/saddle: Bone t3 The newest addition to our electric line, the T3 embodies our passion for expanding the range of tones Body: Sapele Semi-hollowbody available to the electric player. Inspired by both the T5 and the SolidBody, we’ve taken the classic semi-hollow- Top: Quilted Maple body sound and applied our signature Taylor design touches, blending our high-fidelity Style 2 pickup with a unique coil-splitting application to give players killer humbucker and single coil sounds in one guitar. Our push- Scale Length: 24 7/8 Inches pull tone knob brings two modes of tone control that include a fresh voice: a warm, fat, mellow vintage tone. Fretboard Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Dots We’ve also paired a Bigsby tailpiece with a metal roller bridge, giving players a high-performance vibrato bar Binding: Multi-layer White with Black Pinstripes without the pitch issues. And if vibrato bars aren’t your thing, go with the stop tailpiece. Either way, we love the look and sound of this guitar, and think you will, too. Tailpiece: Bigsby Vibrato or Stoptail with Roller Bridge Models: T3, T3/B th e s oli d b ody We celebrate the Taylor ideas, the SolidBody re-imagined sound. An innovative aluminum playing experience. A noiseless High-Definition electric flavors, but SolidBody’s first birthday proudly, what a great electric guitar could bridge design marked an advance single coil solved an age-old prob- to switch out the pickups with in- having made a potent impact on be, in a completely fresh way. in lock-down intonation. Sleek lem. And our new modular pickups credible ease. We’re in the electric the electric guitar world in 2008. Proprietary humbuckers fused ergonomic touches added a new gave players not only the flexibility world for the long haul and hope Loaded with all-original design power with a vintage, high-fidelity level of comfort to the electric to choose between High-Gain and you join us. Pickups Classic Standard Custom Style 1 Humbuckers (Classic, Custom) Style 2 Humbuckers (Standard) Style 3 Noiseless Single Coil (Classic SC) Body: Swamp Ash Body: Sapele Body: Sapele or Mahogany Neck: Maple Top: Tamo Ash Top: Walnut or Hawaiian Koa Scale Length: 24 7/8 Inches Neck: Sapele Neck: Sapele or Mahogany Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots Scale Length: 24 7/8 Inches Scale Length: 24 7/8 Inches Colors: Translucent White, Translucent Red, Black, Natural Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots Fretboard Inlay: Progressive Diamonds (Walnut top) or Koa Series Also available as after-market HD (High Definition) and HG (High Gain) pickups through TaylorWare Colors: Aged Cherry Sunburst or Natural with Shaded Edge Colors: Shaded Edge Models: Classic, Classic SC, Standard, Custom Koa, Custom Walnut Opposite page: Classic Single Coil in Trans White Above (L-R): Standard in Natural, Standard in Aged Cherry, Custom Walnut, Custom Koa TAY LO R FAQ s Does a cutaway diminish the tonal output of a guitar? Conventional wisdom would suggest that it would, since a cutaway does remove real estate from the soundboard and slightly diminish the overall air volume in the cavity of the guitar. But in reality, the tonal difference is negligible, because the soundboard area in the upper bout where a cutaway would be located doesn’t move much anyway. In fact, the relief rout that we cut on the underside of our guitar tops to enhance movement doesn’t extend into that region. Tonal output is affected more by the degree of tapering in the “waist” of a guitar body than by the cutaway. “The DDSM is the perfect guitar for me as a performing fingerstyle guitarist. The distance between the strings at the bridge is slightly wider; each string has its own voice because of the hexaphonic pickups; the shallower 16-inch body is comfortable to hold and really adds to feedback control. The short-scale neck makes playing much easier and even adds sweetness to the tone. But the number one reason I love the DDSM is that I can walk out on stage with an orchestra or a band or even just by myself and not have to think about anything else but playing the guitar.” — Doyle Dykes Does a slotted headstock affect tone? Yes, the reduced mass does slightly affect the tone, but the biggest difference is the increased string angle over the nut. The tighter tension on the nut makes the notes more staccato — they pop out a bit brighter and decay a bit more quickly, making the individual notes sound more distinct. th e s i g natu r e s e r i es ddsm Doyle Dykes Signature Model What defines true signature artists is that they do the defining. Our Signature Series evolved out of the personal relationships Back/Sides: Big Leaf Maple that Bob Taylor developed with two of the world’s most expressive Top: Sitka Spruce guitarists — Doyle Dykes and Leo Kottke — both of whom discovered Colors: Black, Translucent Black, Natural, Orange, Brown Sugar renewed musical inspiration in Taylor guitars. As stylistic trailblazers with a clear musical vision, each had his own ideas about the type of Taylor that would help them articulate their signature tone. If only it were that easy for the rest of us. Fretboard Inlay: Offset Pearl “Chet”-style Markers Peghead Inlay: Pearl / Abalone Rose Binding: Ivoroid with Abalone-edged Top Rosette: Abalone Electronics: Expression System or L.R. Baggs DDSM Hex Scale length: 24 7/8 Inches TAY LO R I N N O VAT I O N The NT Neck Straight, stable necks are DDSM Brown Sugar DDSM Black the goal of every guitar builder, but maintaining stability when a guitar is exposed to changes in humidity has long been a chal- LKSM lenge. With traditional neck assembly methods, a substantial change in humidity could cause a guitar top to swell or shrink, leading to a hump at the 14th fret, where the neck comes together with the body. Intonation problems would often follow. With Taylor’s patented NT neck design, the neck is milled so that it extends past the 14th fret (where the heel butts up against the body), supporting the fretboard to the last fret. DDSM Orange DDSM Natural A computer mill is used to rout precision pockets in the guitar body to house the neck extension. As a result, the neck fits cleanly into the body, independent of the soundboard. To ensure dead-on accuracy with lk s m Leo Kottke Signature Model In the late ’80s, a Taylor mahogany 555 would lure Leo Kottke back to the 12-string after years of hand problems. LKSM, LKSM-6 Back/Sides: Tropical Mahogany Of course, in classic Leo fashion, he christened it by using a pocket knife to whittle down the braces. When Bob Taylor Top: Sitka Spruce later got wind of Leo’s tinkering, he gave him a call, and the two hit it off. “One of the things that sold me on the idea of working with Bob and trying this 12-string was that Bob is the first person I’d run into who can talk as long as I can about guitars,” Leo would later say. “I wanted less wood than is common for a 12-string. I also wanted it built to be tuned down, instead of up to pitch… I think the real virtue of the 12-string is that it can just explode out of the bottom. So that’s what we aimed for.” the setting of the neck angle, precisely milled spacers are placed into the body pockets to micro-adjust the neck angle’s accuracy to .001 inch. Such Binding: Indian Rosewood consistent accuracy delivers Rosette: 3-Ring exceptional playability and spot- Tuning Pitch: C-sharp on intonation all the way up the neck. No other guitar neck is as stable as a Taylor. Models and specifications are subject to change without notice. 2009 Specifications Dimensions by Shape GAGSGCDN JM BABY BIG BABYT3T5SB 41” 41” 42” 33 3/4” 40 1/4” Overall Length 6-String 12-String 41” 41” • • 43” • • • 40 3/4” • Body Length 20” 20” 19 1/2” 20” 21” 15 3/4” 19 1/2” 20” 20” 17 2/5” Body Width 16” 16 1/4” 15” 16” 17” 12 1/2” 15” 16” 16” 13 13/20” *DDSM body Body Depth 4 5/8”* 4 5/8” 4 3/8” 4 5/8” 4 5/8” 3 3/8” 4” 2 1/3” 2 2/5” 1 3/4” depth is 4 1/8” • 40 1/2” 41” 41 3/16” 40 3/4” 38” Scale Length Standard 25 1/2” 25 1/2” 25 1/2” 25 1/2” 25 1/2” 22 3/4” 25 1/2” • • Short 24 7/8” 24 7/8” 24 7/8” 24 7/8”” 24 7/8” • • 24 7/8” 24 7/8” 24 7/8” Frets 20 20 20 20 20 19 20 21 21 22 Neck Width 6-String 1 3/4” 1 3/4” 1 3/4” 1 3/4” 1 3/4” 1 11/16” 1 11/16” 1 11/16” 1 11/16” 1 11/16” 12-string 1 7/8” 1 7/8” • • 1 7/8” • • • 1 11/16” • / Gauge Strings Acoustic Electric T3, SolidBody: Elixir® NANOWEB® Electric Light Gauge (.010-.046) T5: Elixir® NANOWEB® Electric Medium Gauge (.011-.049) T5 12-string: Elixir® NANOWEB® Electric Light Gauge GC, GA, Baby, Big Baby, & All 12-string Models: Elixir NANOWEB Light Gauge (.012-.053) GS, DN & JM: Elixir® NANOWEB® Medium Gauge (.013-.056) Nylon Series: D’Addario Pro-Arté® Extra Hard Tension ® ® Models by Shape GAGSGCDN JM BABY BIG BABYT3T5SB BBT PSGA PSGS PSGC PSDN PSJM BT1 PSGA-12 PSGS-12 K12ce K10ce PSJM-12 BT2 K14ce K16ce K22ce K20ce K24ce K26ce 912ce K54ce K56ce K64ce T3 T5-S SB Classic T3/B T5S-12 SB Classic SC K65ce T5-S1 SB Standard 910ce LKSM T5S1-12 SB Custom Koa 812ce 810ce LKSM-6 T5-C SB Custom Walnut K66ce 712ce 710ce 815ce T5C-12 914ce 916ce 612ce 610ce 855ce T5-C1 814ce 816ce 512ce 510ce 615ce T5C1-12 854ce 856ce 412ce 410ce 655ce T5-C2 714ce 716ce 312ce 310ce 455ce T5C2-12 614ce 616ce GC-K 210 315ce T5-C3 654ce 656ce GC8 210e 355ce T5C3-12 514ce 516ce GC7 210ce T5-C4 414ce GS-K GC6 110 T5C4-12 454ce GS8 GC5 110e T5-C5 314ce GS8-12 GC4 110ce T5C5-12 354ce GS7 GC3 DN-K 214 GS6 NS72ce 910 Legacy 214e GS5 NS62ce DN8 214ce GS5-12 NS32ce 810 Legacy 114 DN5 114e DN4 114ce DN3 GA-K GA-K-12 GA8 GA8-12 GA7 GA6 GA6-12 GA5 GA4 GA4-12 GA3 GA3-12 NS74ce NS64ce NS34ce DDSM 46 Models and specifications are subject to change without notice. Standard Features Presentation Koa Series Acoustic Koa 900 Series 800 Series Acoustic 8 700 Series Acoustic 7 600 Series Acoustic 6 Back / Sides Choice of: Brazilian Rosewood, Madagascar Rosewood, Hawaiian Koa, Cocobolo and other master-grade woods Hawaiian Koa Hawaiian Koa Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Big Leaf Maple Big Leaf Maple Top Choose from a variety of premium woods Sitka Spruce or Hawaiian Koa Sitka Spruce or Hawaiian Koa Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Engelmann Spruce / Western Red Cedar Western Red Cedar Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Neck Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Hard Rock Maple Hard Rock Maple Soundhole Rosette Single Ring Abalone Single Ring Abalone Single Ring Abalone Single Ring Abalone Single Ring Abalone 3-Ring Abalone 3-Ring Abalone 3-Ring Abalone Single Ring Abalone 3-Ring Abalone Fretboard Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Fretboard Inlay Green Heart Abalone Byzantine/other options Abalone Koa Series Abalone Dots Pearl 900 Series Pearl 800 Series Abalone Dots Pearl Dots Abalone Dots Pearl 600 Series “Leaf” Abalone Dots Top Inlay Green Heart Abalone w/neck extension Abalone Abalone Abalone None None None None None None Headstock Overlay Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony w/ Pearl Inlay Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Ebony Indian Rosewood Binding Ivoroid w/Green Heart Abalone Curly Maple Ivoroid Ivoroid Curly Maple Ivoroid Indian Rosewood Ivoroid White Ivoroid Bridge Ebony w/Abalone inlay Ebony Ebony Ebony w/ Pearl Inlay Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Bridge Pins Ebony w/Green Heart Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Nut / Saddle Bone Tusq Tusq Bone Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tuning Machines / Buttons Gotoh Taylor Gold Taylor Gold Gotoh Taylor Gold Taylor Gold or Taylor Slot Head (GC) Taylor Gold Taylor Gold or Taylor Slot Head (GC) Taylor Gold Taylor Gold or Taylor Slot Head (GC) Truss Rod Cover Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Ebony Indian Rosewood Back / Side Finish Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Top Finish Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Neck Finish Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Gloss Gloss Electronics Optional Expression System® Expression System® Expression System® ExpExpression System® Expression System® Optional Expression System® Expression System® Optional Expression System® Expression System® Optional Expression System® Pickguard None None None None Tortoise None Tortoise None Tortoise (Amber) None (colors/bursts) None Case Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) PSDN, PSGA, PSGC, PSGS, PSJM, PSGA-12, PSGS-12, PSJM-12 K10ce, K12ce, K14ce, K16ce, K20ce, K22ce, K24ce, K26ce, K54ce, K64ce, K65ce, K56ce, K66ce GA-K, GA-K-12 GC-K, GS-K DN-K 910ce, 910 Legacy 912ce, 914ce, 916ce 810ce, 812ce, 814ce, 815ce, 816ce, 854ce, 855ce, 856ce GA8, GC8, GS8, DN8, 810 Legacy GA8-12, GS8-12 710ce, 712ce, 714ce, 716ce GA7, GC7, GS7 610ce, 612ce, 614ce, 615ce, 616ce, 654ce, 655ce, 656ce GA6, GC6, GS6, GA6-12 Models 47 Standard Features 500 Series Acoustic 5 400 Series Acoustic 4 300 Series Acoustic 3 DDSM LKSM Nylon Series Back / Sides Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Ovangkol Ovangkol Sapele Sapele Big Leaf Maple Tropical Mahogany Indian Rosewood (NS72ce, NS74ce) Big Leaf Maple (NS62ce, NS64ce) Sapele (NS32ce, NS34ce) Top Engelmann Spruce / Western Red Cedar Sitka Spruce (DN) / Western Red Cedar Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Sitka Spruce Western Red Cedar (70s) Engelmann Spruce (60s) Sitka Spruce (30s) Neck Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Hard Rock Maple Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany Soundhole Rosette 3-Ring Abalone 3-Ring Abalone 3-Ring 3-Ring 3-Ring 3-Ring Single Ring Abalone 3-Ring Mexican Cyprus & Myrtle Geometric Pattern Fretboard Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Fretboard Inlay Pearl Dots Abalone Dots Large Pearl Dots Pearl Dots Large Pearl Dots Pearl Dots Pearl DDSM None None Top Inlay None None None None None None Abalone None None Headstock Overlay Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Ebony w/ Pearl / Abalone Rose Inlay Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood (30s, 70s) Cocobolo (60s) Binding Indian Rosewood Ivoroid White Cream Black Cream Ivoroid Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood (60s, 70s) Black (30s) Bridge Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony (30s, 70s) Cocobolo (60s) Bridge Pins Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony Ebony w/ Abalone Dots Ebony None Nut / Saddle Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tusq Tuning Machines / Buttons Taylor Chrome Taylor Gold (514ce, 516ce) Taylor Gold or Taylor Slot Head (GC) Taylor Chrome Taylor Chrome Taylor Chrome Taylor Chrome Taylor Gold Taylor Gold Ping Classical Gold w/ Ivoroid Buttons Truss Rod Cover Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood Ebony Indian Rosewood Back / Side Finish Gloss Gloss Satin Satin Satin Satin Gloss Gloss Gloss (60s, 70s) Satin (30s) Top Finish Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Gloss Neck Finish Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Satin Gloss Satin Satin Electronics Expression System® Optional Expression System® Expression System® Optional Expression System® Expression System® Optional Expression System® Expression System® or Baggs / DDSM® None Fishman™ Prefix Pro® (30s) Prefix Pro®Blend (60s, 70s) Pickguard Tortoise None Tortoise None Tortoise None None None None Case Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Hardshell (Black) Taylor Hardshell (Black) Taylor Hardshell (Black) Taylor Hardshell (Black) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Deluxe Hardshell (Brown) Taylor Hardshell Black (30s) Deluxe Brown (60s, 70s) Models 510ce, 512ce, 514ce, 516ce GA5, GC5, GS5, DN5, GS5-12 410ce, 412ce, 414ce, 454ce, 455ce GA4, GC4, DN4, GA4-12 310ce, 312ce, 314ce, 315ce, 354ce, 355ce GA3, GC3, DN3, GA3-12 DDSM colors: Natural Black (opaque) Black (translucent) Orange Brown Sugar LKSM LKSM-6 NS32ce, NS34ce NS62ce, NS64ce NS72ce, NS74ce 48 None (32, 62, 72) Indian Rosewood (34, 74) Cocobolo (64) Standard Features Back / Sides The Electric Line / Standard Features 200 / 100 Series Baby Taylor 200 Series: Rosewood Laminate Sapele Laminate 100 Series: Sapele Laminate Top Solid Sitka Spruce Body Top BT1, BBT: Sitka Spruce BT2: Tropical Mahogany Neck Sapele Sapele Soundhole Rosette 3-Ring Laser Etched Neck SolidBody T5 T3 Swamp Ash (Classic) Sapele (Standard, Custom Walnut) Tropical Mahogany (Custom Koa) Sapele Sapele Tamo Ash (Standard) Walnut (Custom Walnut) Koa (Custom Koa) Sitka Spruce (T5-S, T5-C); Figured Maple (T5-S1, T5-C1); Koa (T5-C2); Cocobolo (T5-C3); Walnut (T5-C4); Macassar Ebony (T5-C5) Sapele (Standard, Custom Walnut) Tropical Mahogany (Custom Koa) Maple (Classic) Tropical Mahogany Sapele Ebony Ebony Quilted Maple Fretboard Ebony (Standard, Custom) Indian Rosewood (Classic) Fretboard Inlay Pearl Dots (Classic, Standard) Pearl Progressive Diamonds (Custom Walnut) Koa Series (Custom Koa) Pearl Dots (T5-S, T5-S1) Pearl T5 “Artist” (T5-C, T5-C1, T5-C2, T5-C3, T5-C4, T5-C5) Pearl Dots Headstock Overlay Ebony Ebony Ebony Fretboard Binding None (Classic) Black (Standard, Custom) White White Bridge Taylor Hardtail Aluminum, fully adjustable Ebony Chrome Roller-style w/Stop Tail (T3) or Bigsby Vibrato (T3/B) Nut Bone Bone Tusq with Teflon® Tuning Machines / Buttons Taylor Chrome Taylor Chrome (T5-S, T5-S1 and blue bursts) Taylor Gold (T5-C, T5-C1, T5-C2, T5-C3, T5-C4, T5-C5) Taylor Chrome Back / Side Finish Satin (Classic Natural, Standard Natural) Gloss (All other models) Gloss Gloss Top Finish Satin (Classic Natural, Standard Natural) Gloss (All other models) Gloss Gloss Neck Finish Satin (All Classics, Standard Natural) Gloss (All other models) Gloss Gloss Electronics Taylor Style 1 (3/4 size) Humbuckers (Classic, Custom); Taylor Style 2 (full) Humbuckers (Standard); Taylor Style 3 Single Coils (Classic SC) T5 Electronics w/ Five-Way Switch T3 Electronics w/Coil-splitting Capability None None Fretboard Ebony Ebony Fretboard Inlay Pearloid Dots Pearloid Dots Top Inlay None None Headstock Overlay Indian Rosewood Lexan Binding White (200s) Black (100s) None Bridge Ebony Ebony Bridge Pins Black Black Nut / Saddle Tusq Tusq Tuning Machines / Buttons Chrome Chrome Truss Rod Cover Rosewood None Back / Side Finish Varnish (100s) Satin (200s) Varnish Top Finish Varnish (100s) Satin (200s) Varnish Neck Finish Varnish (100s) Satin (200s) Varnish Electronics Taylor ES-T (E and CE models) None Case Deluxe Hardshell Taylor T5 Hardshell (Black) Taylor T3 Hardshell Pickguard Tortoise Tortoise (BBT) Color / Burst Options Natural or Red w/ Edgeburst; Sunburst Options: Tobacco, Honey Gig Bag (100 Series) Black (200 Series) Natural, Red, Blue, Black (Translucent Black Optional) w/ Edgeburst; Sunburst Options: Tobacco, Honey, Cherry Case Gig Bag Classic: Translucent White, Translucent Red, Black, Natural; Standard: Aged Cherry Sunburst, Natural w/ Shaded Edge; Custom: Shaded Edge Models 110, 110e, 110ce 114, 114e, 114ce 210, 210e, 210ce, 214, 214e, 214ce BT1 (Sitka) BT2 (Tropical Mahogany) BBT (Big Baby) Models Classic, Standard, Custom Walnut, Custom Koa T5-S, T5S-12, T5-S1, T5S1-12, T5-C, T5C-12, T5-C1, T5C1-12, T5-C2, T5C2-12 T5-C3, T5C3-12, T5-C4, T5C4-12, T5-C5, T5C5-12 T3, T3/B Pickguard White Pearloid (Classic Trans White/Red) Black Pearloid (Classic Black) Tortoise Shell (Classic Natural) None (Standard / Custom) ® 49