Taylor Custom 8349 Grand Concert Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Natural

Ideal for fingerstyle players, the Custom 8349 Grand Concert features the pairing of a Englemann spruce top with cocobolo back and sides for plenty of projection when unplugged and uses the trusted Taylor Expression System 2 electronics for when you are in a group session and want to be accurately heard over the mix.

Besides its CV bracing with Taylor's relief rout and a comfortable slim carve shape neck, the Custom 8349 is full of other high-class appointments, including an abalone, paua single-ring rosette; tusq nut and micarta saddle; nouveau, paua/mother-of-pearl bridge inlay; fiber black/white/black, white/white/black purfling; ebony binding; a three-piece Mini Wedge; ebony bridge pins with abalone dots; and Taylor Gold tuners. Case sold separately.

Grand Concert
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' compact size and tapered waist kept the overtones in check. It was also more comfortable to play while sitting down, and the guitar' slightly wider neck gave players more room for complex fingerings.

The GC' 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. Taylor's 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.

Englemann Spruce
Engelmann is also known as white, European or German spruce, although they are technically different species. It is usually visually distinguishable from Sitka by its creamier complexion. Engelmann trees these days are so small and twisted that we get a fair amount of runout (grain that doesn't run parallel to the surface) and as a result, mismatched tops.

Sonically, Engelmann has a mature tone, and yields a slightly richer midrange than Sitka, which makes a guitar sound a bit older. Old-growth Engelmann tends to have a sonic attribute of smoothness or refinement to it, but the days of older growth Engelmann trees are essentially gone for now.

Expression System 2
The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) is a revolutionary pickup design that delivers the latest in Taylor' ongoing innovation in acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor' proprietary behind-the-saddle pickup (patent pending), which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before.

Together with Taylor' custom-designed "professional audio"-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. On stage through a PA, plugged into your favorite acoustic amplifier, or direct into recording software, the Expression System 2 faithfully conveys the voice of your Taylor guitar.