2019 Taylor 517e Builder’s Edition – Wild Honey Burst

A gorgeous Wild Honey Burst together with an artfully muted Silent Satin finish conjure the warm aesthetic of an older guitar on this version of our mahogany/torrefied spruce Builder’s Edition 517e. Among the first generation of Grand Pacific guitars, this flattop pairs a refined feel with a new flavor of acoustic tone that may surprise players who think they know the Taylor sound. An exciting new entry into the dreadnought category, this round-shoulder Grand Pacific resonates with a finely-honed balance of low-end power and clarity across the middle and upper registers, producing warm, rounded tone in which notes blend seamlessly together to create a seasoned sound. Back and sides of neo-tropical mahogany flavor the sound with dry, woody character, coupling beautifully with the dynamic response of the torrefied Sitka spruce top. The Builder’s Edition stamp means that the 517e is detailed with premium features designed to maximize player comfort, including chamfered body edges and a new compound-carve neck profile that compensates for the change in your hand position as you move along the neck. Subtly contoured fretboard edges and a rounded, ridgeless heel add to the guitar’s pleasing fretting-hand feel, while our refined Curve Wing bridge shape brings extra comfort to your pick hand. Under the hood, V-Class bracing enables the guitar to pump out stunning projection and sustain, plus nearly perfect intonation, which means you won’t have to worry about sour notes on the fretboard. And with our proprietary onboard ES2 electronics, the guitar’s many tonal virtues will shine for amplified applications. Between its sound and feel, the Builder’s Edition 517 once again raises the bar on the Taylor playing experience.