There’s one thing a couple of small guitar that speaks to my unconscious want to play. Possibly it’s a mix of lightness and luxury, that “Hey, decide me up!” vibe that makes me seize the instrument even after I didn’t assume I used to be within the temper to make music. After all, it’s what occurs after you decide up the guitar that actually issues. If I’m simply grabbing it off the stand on impulse, there must be a motive to maintain enjoying. In any other case, it goes again to its perch and I get again to what I used to be purported to be dong within the first place.

The Taylor AD12e-SB Grand Live performance didn’t return on the stand fairly often. 

A part of the corporate’s comparatively reasonably priced American Dream sequence, the $1,999 AD12e-SB covers loads of bases. Taylor calls its Grand Live performance form compact, and I believe that’s a great way to explain an instrument whose tone belies its measurement. It additionally gives the simple playability that Taylor followers count on, together with the confirmed efficiency of the Expression System 2 electronics. Its earthy attractiveness match properly into the American Dream vibe. 

For these new to the moniker, Taylor describes its American Dream sequence as American-made “all-solid-wood guitars that match nice tone with an accessible worth.” After all accessible is a matter of perspective and a guitar itemizing for slightly below two grand isn’t precisely low-cost. Having beforehand reviewed the bigger and cheaper AD27 (at the moment promoting for $1,699 with electronics) and with different AD devices obtainable for as little as $1,499, it’s fascinating to notice that the AD12e-SB prices about 18 % extra. Talking from the admittedly subjective viewpoint of a cheapskate, $2,000 is concerning the line the place “cut price worth” turns into much less of the purpose and efficiency carries extra of a premium. 

An Austere Attraction

Primarily based on our check mannequin, the AD12e-SB finds the suitable stability between worth and efficiency. It’s constructed to favor tone and playability over flash. I believe I used the analogy of well-worn denims after I reviewed the AD27, and it’s simply as relevant right here. 

Like the sooner mannequin, the AD12e-SB has an austere allure—not simply visually but additionally texturally if you maintain it. There’s a uncooked high quality to the wooden, a utilitarian vibe. Whereas not unfinished, the applying is ultra-thin (.002″), to optimize resonance. The tobacco sunburst high is new to the American Dream lineup and, together with the skinny matte end, helps the guitar stand out visually regardless of comparatively few different appointments.

Supplies embrace a Sitka spruce high and strong walnut for the again and sides, with Taylor’s V-Class inside bracing. Taylor says its designers selected walnut for its midrange. And as we’ll see, they’re not incorrect. 

The neck is tropical mahogany, a sustainable different to African mahogany, capped with a eucalyptus fretboard. Scale size is 24-7/8 inches. With a 1-3/4-inch nut, the neck profile is typical Taylor: full however not fats. The texture is someplace between a conventional acoustic and that of an electrical guitar. It’s very playable platform. 

Different supplies embrace white physique binding, Tusq for the nut and saddle, a pretend tortoiseshell pickguard, black high purfling and satin black tuners. Taylor says the appointments are stored minimal to assist hit the guitar’s worth level, however the AD12e-SB’s aesthetic works additionally higher with out the additional ornament. Suppose Levi’s 501s versus designer denims.

Small Bundle, Large Sound

I used to be interested in enjoying a walnut acoustic earlier than I picked up the AD12e-SB, however I truly didn’t actually know what it was made from earlier than unzipped the AeroCase. (As an apart, I’ve grown to essentially like these as a compromise between a hardshell case and a typical gig bag.) I suppose the suspense was ruined as a result of I knew what the guitar seemed like earlier than studying the literature on the way it was designed to sound. 

As I discussed earlier, Taylor says walnut offers the guitar a heat midrange, and whereas that’s true, it’s slightly bit incomplete. On the check guitar, it was extra the mix between mid and highs that grabbed my consideration, in addition to a spherical bass that belied the instrument’s measurement. 

Tone adjectives are nearly as unhealthy as sports activities clichés in that they’re open to interpretation whereas additionally being considerably repetitive. Daring and heat sound like barista phrases, and one individual’s heat is one other individual’s uninteresting. Resonant? Nicely, isn’t a guitar purported to be resonant? 

That stated, there I’d use two phrases for the AD12e-SB: balanced and responsive. First the stability: That heat center Taylor touted feels very centered in relationship to the highs and lows. I used to be particularly impressed with the readability and depth of the decrease strings. There have been no actual peaks or valleys within the resonance as I went decrease and whereas the underside strings had some treble chew, they didn’t have the rolled-off low finish you would possibly count on from a guitar this measurement.

As Taylor’s promotional materials suggests, the AD12e-SB is an particularly good match for fingerstyle enjoying and accompaniment and that transition excessive to mid to low is a part of the explanation. Nevertheless it’s additionally properly balanced for strumming. It’s not tremendous loud, however it will probably fill the room unplugged with out making you sweat an excessive amount of.

The responsiveness is what actually suggestions the scales towards fingerstyle. You simply don’t have to work very arduous to get a tone out of this guitar. In consequence, your fretting hand can type the notes whereas your selecting hand controls tone, assault, form, and dynamics. There’s loads of room for nuance and texture inside chords and arpeggios, which rewards you for specializing in the small print of each notice. 

Single notes are replete with overtones. I used to be particularly impressed with these on the upper strings, which sounded harmonically wealthy and by no means skinny or reedy. If tight is the phrase most frequently related to a small guitar’s bass response, I’d select punchy right here. There’s extra physique and backside to the low notes that I anticipated.

Strummed chords have a pleasant stability as nicely. The guitar is loud sufficient that you just don’t must wail on it to play massive chords behind vocals. Like loads of smaller guitars, an excessive amount of power can sound harsh, however on the flip aspect, a really mild assault nonetheless produced a wealthy sufficient tone. 

Fingerstyle could also be AD12e-SB’s meant use, however the guitar’s full midrange and balanced treble truly impressed me after I performed with a flatpick. A whole lot of smallish guitars can sound a bit clickety-clackety to me when performed with a decide as a result of the assault emphasizes the highs and higher mids. The Taylor’s comparatively full low finish diminished that impact whereas preserving the minimize that you just’d need from a decide. 

Low motion and good intonation are what I count on from a Taylor. I wasn’t disillusioned. The guitar wasn’t buzzy—one other optimistic within the tone division. My solely criticism was barely jagged fret edges, although maybe the consequence of a New York winter’s dry air. The intonation and motion remained steady over the temperature become early spring.

Good Electronics

We’ve lined Expression 2 system extensively prior to now, so there’s not a lot so as to add right here. Nevertheless, recording direct with no microphone so as to add air actually confirmed how nicely the electronics can work when set accurately. Did it sound miked? No. Did it retain the stability and dynamics of the ambient acoustic tone? To a really giant diploma, sure. For dwell efficiency, it’s greater than acoustic-sounding.

I additionally like the position of the controls (bass, treble, quantity), the texture of the knobs, and the best way the entire system visually suits into the guitar’s aesthetic. 

A New Voice to the Get together

Having examined quite a few Taylors these days, in addition to quite a few smaller guitars, I’ve to say the AD12e-SB stands out from each crowds. I do know Taylor is a high-end manufacturing facility, however this instrument nonetheless has a home made vibe, which may be very cool. It appears completely different whereas nonetheless ticking the containers as a conventional flattop. The electronics work nice. The neck feels proper. Should you like Taylors, it does the Taylor factor very well.

However ultimately, the tonal stability and responsiveness introduced these qualities to a brand new place. Judging from this guitar, walnut had lots to supply as a tone wooden: hotter than maple, with a number of the readability of rosewood and the heat of mahogany. As a fan of small mahogany devices just like the Martin 00-18, I like how the AD12e-SB guitar brings a brand new voice to the celebration.

SPECS

BODY Taylor Grand Live performance measurement; strong Sitka spruce high with V-Class bracing; strong walnut again and sides; ebony bridge and bridge pins; Tusq saddle; firestripe fake tortoiseshell pickguard; matte end with Tobacco Sunburst high

NECK 24-7/8″-scale tropical mahogany neck; 1-3/4″ Tusq nut; 20-fret eucalyptus fingerboard with acrylic dot inlays; Taylor satin black tuners; matte end 

OTHER Taylor Expression System 2 electronics; D’Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Gentle coated strings (.012–.053); Taylor AeroCase

MADE IN United States

PRICE $1,999 road

taylorguitars.com