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A Guide to the Taylor Acoustic Guitar Line

Our line of acoustic guitars is organized in two ways: by shape and by tonewood. At Taylor, we like to think about our guitars as being defined by their shape, with the wood adding the flavor and texture that gives each guitar its unique character. Most of our guitars are available in all of our primary size variations, listed here from smallest to largest:

  • Grand Concert
  • Grand Auditorium
  • Grand Symphony
  • Dreadnought
  • Grand Orchestra

The Grand Concert and Grand Auditorium body shapes are slightly smaller than the traditional dreadnought, yielding an articulate, clear sound and a more comfortable playing experience. The Grand Auditorium stands out as our most popular body shape, due to its comfortable shape and versatile sound.

Our larger sizes, like the dreadnought, Grand Symphony, and Grand Orchestra provide more low-end response and volume.

Without going into too much detail about our model numbering system, here’s a rundown of our product line by Series.

Layered Wood Options

The Taylor line progresses from our layered wood models to those featuring all-solid wood construction. Our layered wood guitars feature a solid spruce top paired with a layered wood for the back and sides. Layered wood provides strength and durability, and since these guitars are less expensive to produce, they are offered at our most budget-friendly price. But that’s not to suggest they’re of substandard quality—even our layered wood guitars are built with the care and craftsmanship of our skilled builders in Tecate, Mexico, to our exacting standards of playability and sound.

  • Academy Series
    • Solid spruce top with layered sapele back and sides
    • Student-focused guitars designed to provide a budget-friendly entry to the Taylor line
  • 100 Series
    • Solid spruce top with layered walnut back and sides
    • Excellent resonance and a smooth feel make this a great choice for beginners or experienced players looking to upgrade on a budget
  • 200 Series
    • Solid spruce top with choice of layered koa, rosewood, or sapele
    • Option to add koa top or layered maple back and sides on Deluxe models
    • Bright, clear tone with plenty of low-end response for a balanced, performance-ready guitar 

Solid Wood Options

Starting with the 300 Series, our solid wood guitars are all crafted in our factory in El Cajon, California. The variety we offer among these guitars in shape and tonewood covers a wide range of musical styles.

The all-solid wood construction complements the resonance of a solid top, increasing the projection and volume of the guitar while adding tonal complexity. Additionally, solid wood tends to age very well, meaning that your guitar’s tone will improve over time.

We offer these guitars in all body shapes to provide versatility and customization. From the robust rumble of the Dreadnought to the warm midrange of the Grand Auditorium to the clear articulation of the Grand Concert, there’s a combination to fit every musical need.

  • 300 Series
    • Made with Sitka spruce with sapele OR blackwood with mahogany
    • Focused midrange with high-end shimmer is extremely versatile
  • 400 Series
    • Sitka spruce with rosewood or ovangkol
    • Wide range of tones with a bright treble response
  • 500 Series
    • Mahogany back and sides with spruce, mahogany, or cedar top
    • Punchy mids and dry lows create a warm, rich sound
  • 600 Series
    • Torrefied Sitka spruce with maple back and sides
    • A responsive, articulate tone that’s great for recording; fewer ringing overtones to mask the notes you play
  • 700 Series
    • Lutz spruce with rosewood
    • Resonant midrange with dynamic highs and dramatic low-end response
  • 800 Series
    • Sitka spruce with rosewood
    • Upgraded feel and top-quality tonewood for a versatile blend of ringing, clear high notes and an open, harmonically rich midrange
    • Deluxe models feature an armrest and extra aesthetic appointments

Exotic Guitars

We build these guitars with exotic woods, special aesthetic appointments, and other premium features that enhance the playability and feel of the instrument. We to think that all of our guitars are works of art, but these truly are our masterpieces.

  • 900 Series
    • Sitka spruce with rosewood
    • Aesthetic appointments include upgraded binding, rosette, and fretboard inlays, plus an ebony armrest for greater comfort
  • Koa Series
    • Made from solid Hawaiian koa for a tone that sparkles in the high range with a focused midrange
    • Detailed with all-wood appointments such as custom inlay patterns and koa binding
  • Presentation Series
    • Sitka spruce with Macassar ebony, plus an armrest and our finest aesthetic appointments
    • A dark, bold tone that can shift to bright and shimmery with a different touch from the player

Other Acoustic Guitars

We also build a variety of other instruments to fit more specific types of guitar players or playing application. These include scaled-down, travel-friendly models like the ¾-size Baby Taylor and the GS Mini, the GS Mini Bass, baritone guitars, and nylon-string guitars.

An authorized Taylor dealer can recommend models from our line to discover the guitar that fits you best. You can also use our Video Comparison tool to explore our offerings.

Thank you for reading.