Grand Ambitions
Taylor find a different voice with the new Grand Pacific
Think of Taylor acoustics and the word ‘modern’ is often close behind – they don’t have the long history of some other brands, instead they use a forward-thinking instinct to their advantage. But what if the genius mind of Taylor master builder Andy Powers applied new ideas to create vintage-flavoured tones? Well, it looks like we cannow find out with the new Grand Pacific series that includes 517, 717 and 317 models.
Is it a slope shouldered dreadnought? Maybe. Andy is leaving that debate for the rest of us. His pioneering V-class bracing emerged last year and has since appeared on a few Taylor models, but it was originally meant for the Grand Pacific’s bold departure from Taylor tradition.
“This guitar is definitely a different sound for Taylor guitars,” says Andy, the charismatic craftsman also responsible for canny Taylor designs like the Gs-mini. “It’s not the real modern, vibrant character we’ve come to know that I love very much. But this is a sound I love as well,” he tells us.
Andy uses the words ‘warmth’ and ‘maturity’ to describe the Grand Pacific character, and after playing the two high-spec Builder’s Edition models (from £2,999) and the 317 (£1,919 for the non electro version with street prices already surfacing at £1,600), we’d have to agree with him. The heritage vibe of the body shape is no coincidence; it’s more of a vintage voice, less ‘lively’ than the Taylor sound we’re used to but with the detail and sustain V-class bracing offers. Surprisingly, it also sounds already EQ’D – like the balanced acoustic tone we’d want when recording. It’s also going to widen Taylor’s appeal for those who hadn’t considered them before. But the three models themselves offer different flavours of the Grand Pacific theme…
“The 517 Builders Edition is roasted spruce with Honduran mahogany back and sides,” says Andy. “That has a very unique characteristic… a warm and dry, fundamental strong sound. What you play is the note you get – it’s a very clear but approachable flavour. The rosewood 717 has a lot more harmonic content for each note. So it’s a very rich, lavish sound. We’re building a 317 as well using sapele on the back and sides with a spruce top and in some ways that’s like a mix between the two. It’s a clear but broad ranging kind of sound. A real general purpose sort of a sound. So those three personalities, they’re all good in their own way with distinctly different voices.”
Look out for our review of the 317e in TG soon