Limited Editon tonewoods, a comfortable body shape and Taylor ES-N electronics.
The pairing of Tasmanian blackwood and Western Red cedar on the Taylor 2012 Fall Limited Grand Concert Nylon String Acoustic-Electric Guitar beautifully complements nylon’s evocative tone. Blackwood marries elements of koa, mahogany and rosewood, while the warmth of a cedar top will invite plenty of fingerstyle explorations. Wood-rich appointments include creamy rock maple as a back mini-wedge and for the binding and “fishbone”-style rosette. Small dot inlays and a satin-finish back and sides support a tastefully organic aesthetic.
Grand Concert (GC)
Body Length: 19-1/2" / Body Width: 15" / Body Depth: 4-3/8"
A smaller bodied guitar ideally suited for fingerstyle.
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 comfortable to play while sitting down, and the guitar’s slightly wider neck gave players more room for complex fingerings. The GC’s smaller sonic footprint 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. The current generation of GC models continues to accommodate fingerstylists with finger-friendly traits like a shorter 24-7/8" 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.
Tasmanian Blackwood
Origin: Australia
Tasmanian blackwood is an acacia wood species that’s a close cousin of Hawaiian koa. Though it might not match koa’s cachet in terms of exotic beauty, its tonal range is similar, and visually it often exhibits some of koa’s same character traits. Blackwood also is sourced from forests that are responsibly managed, making it a sustainable wood for guitar making. Blackwood takes koa’s basic tonal profile (a blend of mahogany’s meaty midrange and maple’s brightness) and adds a splash of rosewood’s overtone bloom.
Goes well with: Different playing styles, depending on the body style and top pairing. A cedar top will help bring out a springy, woody, warm low end with a rich overtone complement that fingerstylists may really enjoy. Stronger strummers and flatpickers will match up well with a bigger body and might be better suited with a spruce top.
ES-N
Like the the ES-T, The ES-N is a single-source, under-saddle transducer, but the preamp design and tone controls were customized to complement the nylon-string voice. Our standard ES control knobs enable plenty of tone-shaping and preserve the natural design aesthetic. Installed on nylon-string models.
