TAYLOR 254CE-DLX-ES2 [FREE CASE]

Taylor's 200 series is known for its great value and exceptional sound for the money. In this range the 214CE is probably the most popular guitar Taylor produce with its Grand Auditorium cutaway shape and ES2 electronics. Now Taylor have a 12 strings version available with this 254CE Deluxe acoustic guitar that has the same full set of features and rich tones.

Grand Auditorium Body

Taylor's Grand Auditorium body is one of the most versatile acoustic designs available today. It has a good mixture of highs and lows with a well defined midrange that means it works great for both strumming and finger picked styles. This body shape also helps let the higher octave strings ring out beautifully without becoming too loud or too quiet.

Quality Woods

The body of this guitar is made with Layered Rosewood for the back and sides while the top is a piece of Sitka Spruce. This is a classic wood combination that matches the designs quest for tonal versatility. While still quite dark and resonant, Rosewood actually has a fantastic high end so you get a beautifully bright tone. If you just want one 12 string that can cover almost any style this is a great choice.

Rethinking the Piezo Pickup

For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to "bounce" up and down. Taylor's electronics team discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets "locked down" due to the string tension's downward pressure. That's why a traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals often responds with a sound often characterized as thin, brittle, brash or synthetic, especially with more aggressive playing.

Taylor moved the pickup from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar's energy as it is transferred through the saddle. What this means is you get a warmer, richer sound. You can dig in and still sound great.

The ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs as previous versions. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers.

Here's what Taylor say about the 254-CE Deluxe

The comfortable body size and musical versatility of Taylor's Grand Auditorium form the foundation of a great utility 12-string guitar. The 254ce-DLX features layered rosewood back and sides paired with solid Sitka spruce, and makes a great option for someone looking to add 12-string flavor to their musical toolbox for songwriting or weaving sonic texture into recording or performance. Consistent intonation, playability, sonic focus, and the ability to fit well with other instruments in a mix make it a reliable choice for a working musician, especially with Taylor's onboard Expression System 2 electronics.

Specifications

• Shape: Grand Auditorium
• Back Wood: Layered Rosewood
• Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
• Body Length: 20"
• Body Width: 16"
• Cutaway: Venetian
• Neck Wood: Tropical Mahogany
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Pickup: ES2