Earlier this year, we introduced an entirely new type of instrument to the Taylor line with a pair of double-course models we’ve dubbed the 657ce Bajo Quinto and the 657ce Doce Doble. A celebration of cross-border collaboration and a local musical culture rooted in Latin sounds, these two instruments paved the way for a new level of partnership with our fellow guitar-builders, artists and music enthusiasts in Mexico and beyond.
Now, we’re thrilled to announce the result of that partnership: the Somos Collection, a family of Latin-inspired instruments that honors a diverse, rich musical heritage and allows players across genres and borders to express themselves authentically.
What is the Somos Collection?
“Somos” is a Spanish word that translates to the phrase “we are.” On the surface, “Somos” represents the collaboration and flow of ideas that allow every kind of creation to flourish: music, art, architecture, film and anything that expresses the truth of the human experience. But it also has a deeper meaning, one that reflects a special kind of togetherness and connection that stems from a shared identity expressed by people through their creativity.
We chose “Somos” as the moniker for this new collection of instruments because at its core, this project is a truly cooperative endeavor that blends Taylor’s signature craftsmanship, design innovation and focus on the player’s experience with the deep musical traditions of our neighbors in Latin America.
For many years, Taylor has been a truly cross-cultural, international operation. In 2000, we launched a new facility in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico—just 45 minutes from our headquarters and primary factory in El Cajon, California—to handle building our guitar cases. That facility quickly evolved beyond just building cases and now produces a wide array of Taylor guitars. The Baby and Big Baby Taylor, the iconic GS Mini, the beginner-focused Academy Series, and the 100 and 200 Series are all built in the Tecate factory by skilled craftspeople in a highly sophisticated environment.
And the collaboration goes beyond simply building part of our line in Mexico. Production supervisors, wood specialists, tooling experts and other Taylor employees travel between the two facilities virtually every day, sharing knowledge, ideas, and materials across our national border. As a 100%-employee-owned company, our colleagues in Tecate share in our collective ownership and responsibility for the organization.
But even before the Tecate factory came into being, Taylor has always been inspired by our location in Southern California, a region with a truly blended culture that represents the best of both worlds. San Diego has long been a site where cultures mix and blend into something new, with music very often serving as the connective tissue between nations and people.
The Artists Who Shaped the Somos Collection
When we decided to develop the Somos Collection guitars, we knew their success would depend on input from the musicians who would be playing the instruments. After all, we know how to build guitars, but these models were something entirely new, with a different sound and fresh aesthetic that would need to appeal to players in traditional styles like norteño.
To make sure our designs reflected the musical needs of the players who inspired them, we worked with musicians in both Southern California and Mexico, people with deep experience in the styles where instruments like the bajo quinto are common. Their influence impacted the entire process, shaping the construction and final result of the Somos Collection into something that could be enjoyed as a mode of expression for musicians who, in some cases, had no prior history with Taylor guitars.
Kicking off the collection at the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we were joined by Joaquín Ruiz (Groupo Firme), Gil Leyva (Junior H), Pony (Fuerza Regida), Alan Nieblas (Alta Consigna), Ángel Aispuro, Carlos Torres (guitarist for Peso Pluma), Jorge Tapia (guitarist for Natanael Cano), and Edgar Rodríguez (Voces del Rancho and Yellowroom Studio).
Somos Collection Guitars
We’re launching the Somos Collection with a pair of double-course models initially released this past spring: the 657ce Bajo Quinto and the 657ce Doce Doble.
657ce Bajo Quinto Specs
Back/Side Wood: Big Leaf Maple
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Body Shape: Grand Pacific (with Florentine cutaway)
Neck: Hard Rock Maple
Fretboard: West African Ebony
Bracing: V-Class
Electronics: Fishman Rare Earth Bajo Quinto
Guitar Case: Deluxe Hardshell Case, Western Floral
Number of Strings: 10
Strings: D’Addario Bajo Quinto-10, .026-.078
A bajo quinto is a Mexican stringed instrument that has traditionally been a key element in Norteño music. It features ten steel strings arranged in five doubled pairs, tuned in fourths (A-D-G-C-F low to high) with the A and D courses tuned an octave apart and the G, C and F tuned in unison (matching pitch). The 657ce Bajo Quinto boasts several original design elements that will be familiar to Taylor fans, including V-Class bracing and the Grand Pacific body shape. In this case, the V-Class bracing architecture helps add stability along with its benefits to volume, sustain and harmony, making it possible to support the extra string tension on the top without additional reinforcement that could diminish the tonal output. Along with the Doce Doble, this is the first Grand Pacific guitar to feature a cutaway. We selected the sharp Florentine cutaway design for its striking aesthetic character, which falls in line with the visual style typically found in Latin instruments. We selected Fishman Rare Earth electronics for this model to ensure it would produce an amplified sound that would be recognizable to bajo quinto players.
657ce Doce Doble Specs
Back/Side Wood: Big Leaf Maple
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Body Shape: Grand Pacific (with Florentine cutaway)
Neck: Hard Rock Maple
Fretboard: West African Ebony
Bracing: V-Class
Electronics: ES2
Guitar Case: Deluxe Hardshell Case, Western Floral
Number of Strings: 12
Strings: D’Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (Double-12 Set)
Also inspired by instruments frequently associated with regional Mexican styles like Norteño, Tejano and conjunto, the 657ce Doce Doble is a modified 12-string guitar with each of its six string pairs tuned in unison. Again, our V-Class bracing pays dividends here, allowing for the full unison tuning without the need for reinforcement. Aside from the pairs being tuned to matching pitch, the Doce Doble is configured in standard tuning, so it should be easy for any player to pick it up and enjoy its unique sound.
You can read more about the inspiration and design of these instruments elsewhere in the Taylor blog and at the Somos Collection page, which will be updated in the future when new models are added to the family.
