TAYLOR GT 811E

We keep saying that smaller acoustics seem to be very much in vogue with both bespoke luthier builds and production-line models, and Taylor’s GT 811e is a case in point. Part of Taylor’s 800 Range, the 811e clocks in with a Sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, but the extra zest comes from master guitar designer Andy Powers’ C-Class bracing. This new design is a crucial part of the 811e’s tonal powerhouse: “The C-Class idea was a way to deliberately over-exaggerate the low-end response from a small box so that it ends up well-balanced despite its size,” Andy told us, and he was dead right. Punchy, fun and toneful, the 811e won a few hearts during its stay with us.