Taylor 217e-SB | Assessment

MSRP: (UK) £1449 / (US) $1399

Restricted to only one,974 guitars and making its debut in Taylor’s fiftieth Anniversary Assortment — the 217e-SB Plus LTD introduces the Grand Pacific physique form to the 200 Collection. Layered Indian rosewood again and sides paired with a strong torrefied Sitka spruce prime supply a lovely mix of projection, heat and readability. The torrefied prime, decked out with a tobacco sunburst, yields a candy, played-in character, whereas our tone-enhancing C-Class bracing provides extra quantity, maintain and low-end presence. Nick Jennison opinions.

It is loopy to assume that Taylor is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this 12 months. In my thoughts, they’re the “fashionable” acoustic guitar model, and whereas I nonetheless really feel that is the case, their historical past of innovation stretches again additional than lots of their contemporaries have been in enterprise and longer than head honcho Andy Powers has been alive. 

So, what higher option to have fun this milestone than with a guitar that mixes conventional seems, conventional supplies, and one of many progressive new bracing kinds which have brought about such a stir? Enter the 217e-SB Plus. Sporting my private favorite Taylor physique model, the round-shouldered “Grand Pacific,” and in a really fetching darkish sunburst end, this guitar seems prefer it may have stepped proper out of 1974. 

 That is not simply pores and skin deep both – it eschews the extra fashionable renewable woods that Taylor has been championing of late in favour of the traditional recipe of Sitka Spruce prime, Indian Rosewood again and sides, and Mahogany neck. This timeless mixture of woods is actually powerful to beat and compliments the heat and richness of the Grand Pacific form with brightness and silkiness for a really well-balanced tone that speaks evenly throughout the complete frequency vary. 

Below the hood is Taylor’s C-Class bracing, first proven on the smaller-bodied GT. It is an asymmetrical bracing model that emphasises the low frequencies, which is an fascinating selection for a bigger physique model just like the Grand Pacific, nevertheless it sounds nice. The lows are very potent, however not on the expense of midrange focus and high-end readability. It is rather less “piano-like” than the V-Class guitars I’ve performed, however that is not essentially a dangerous factor.

The same old Taylor hallmarks are all right here on the 217e-SB precisely as you’d count on, chief of which is the playability. Taylor Guitars are a number of the most effortless-to-play acoustics on the market, and regardless of this guitar being constructed “throughout the border” in Taylor’s Mexican manufacturing unit, it performs each bit in addition to itsit’s USA siblings. In actual fact, I had no thought this guitar was Mexican-made till I learn the spec sheet. It additionally comes with Taylor’s wonderful Expression 2 pickup system. I am a fan of this technique – it sounds and feels very pure, and the interface is straightforward and discreet whereas nonetheless providing loads of tone shaping.

The Taylor 217e-SB Plus is ok addition to their Mexican vary, bridging not solely the outdated and the brand new of Taylor guitars, but additionally the hole between their entry-level devices and their extra premium USA fashions. 

For extra info, please go to:

taylorguitars.com