Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium #9731 Acoustic-Electric Guitar Natural

This exquisite Custom Taylor Grand Auditorium starts with a tonewood pairing that's visually and sonically alluring. The team at Taylor Guitars comes across very rare and special wood sets and holds them aside for guitars like this. The unique and stunning bearclaw spruce tops are full of character and they reveal the wonderful figuring of this Sitka spruce. The grain of the premium Indian rosewood back and sides is straight and tight, displaying multiple hues of deep purple and red. The aesthetic package, consisting of grained ivoroid binding and inlays along with a rosewood rosette, lets the wood to do the talking on this elegant model. The bracing architecture is that of Taylor's Presentation Series, the pinnacle of Taylor's production models. Another distinction on this model is the 1-11/16" nut width (a mere 1/16" narrower than usual spec); it is familiar to many players and allows even more ease of chording. Truly a guitar built for tone, this custom Taylor also has a depth of beauty that will keep you intrigued and appreciative of this highly individual instrument for a lifetime.

Grand Auditorium
A Taylor original, the Grand Auditorium helped establish the Taylor acoustic sound. The popular body style makes for a versatile guitar that yields ample volume in response to light fingerpicking, and reacts to medium strumming and flatpicking with a clear, balanced sound across the tonal spectrum. If you want a great all-purpose guitar, the GA is an excellent choice.

Tonewood Pairing
A guitar's top is the primary filter and distributor of vibrating string energy through the guitar, which means it has a huge impact on its sound. Sitka Spruce is the most prevalent guitar top wood of the modern era. It blends stiffness and elasticity in just the right proportions which translate into broad dynamic range with crisp articulation. Visually, the "bearclaw" phenomenon results from a rippling along the fibers in asymmetrical patterns which shimmer, or appear as if a bear clawed the top. Sonically, this bearclaw offers the best of Sitka's endearing qualities. The Indian Rosewood selected for this model produces the strongest bass response among the tone woods commonly used for guitars, with a slightly scooped midrange. Rosewood's sweeping frequency range - deep lows that assert a throaty growl with sparkling highs - rings out with bell-like, high-fidelity clarity. It yields a full-range acoustic voice with complex overtones and extended sustain. Overall this model has lots of volume, headroom and amazing sustain, not to mention beautiful piano-like overtones supported by rich bass frequencies.

Electronics
Taylor's ES2 is a revolutionary pickup design that delivers the latest in Taylor’s ongoing innovation in acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor’s patented behind-the-saddle pickup, which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. Because the pickup doesn't sit under the saddle, the bottom of the saddle comes in full contact with the bridge, allowing all the nuance of the guitar's tone to come through clearly whether playing acousticly or plugged-in. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before while playing plugged-in. Together with Taylor’s 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. The Taylor Expression System 2 operates through a proprietary 9-volt battery compartment and easy-to-use volume, bass and treble controls.

The Taylor Difference
What sets Taylor Guitars apart? Unmatched build quality, the most stable and playable necks, a vast array of tonal options, eco-conscious and ethically-sourced raw materials, and a lifetime of service and support.