Taylor Guitars Readies the Release of New Nylon-String Model
James Rushin
Posted 2009-07-10
EL CAJON, Calif. - July 7, 2009
Founded in 1974, Taylor Guitars has evolved into one of the world's leading manufacturers of premium acoustic and acoustic/electric guitars. They represent a long line of tradition in the guitar-making world, with simple but elegant designs and low-profile electronics. Taylor guitars are all about building a solid acoustic guitar first, and perhaps that is just what has solidified their presence at the top of the acoustic world along with Martin. At one time a guitar player could simply ask another if he was a Fender or a Gibson player, and Martin and Taylor have enjoyed a quiet rivalry in much the same fashion. Taylor guitars are widely considered the best sounding and easiest to play in the world. Many of today's leading musicians make Taylor their guitar of choice, including Dave Matthews, Prince, Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift, the Goo Goo Dolls, Sarah McLachlan and more. Still, Taylor offers its line for the “common man” as well as models well above the $3,000 mark and custom shop setups that can easily reach into the $10,000’s. It’s the former we’re here for today, another offering for the man who walks into the guitar shop, drools over the vintage and custom models in the glass case, and walks over to the more affordable models (or at least the ones under $2,000).
The NS24 is set to fill that bill. The newest product to enter the Taylor Nylon String series a slim and fast neck, the familiar feel of a more expensive Taylor NS, and a more affordable price at right around the $1,000 mark. It has most of the same features as Taylor’s higher end models including the Grand Auditorium body shape, a larger and more acoustically resonant body style that allows for more pronounced and warm bass response from the strings. Even the soundhole still features a hand-inlaid pattern of Mexican Cyprus and Myrtle wood, and the fan bracing to hold it all together helps to produce a more clear and bright sound, giving the guitar a strong treble presence and rather impressive sustain. Fans of Taylor guitars have come to expect this attention to detail from the company, and this guitar should not disappoint. High-end Taylor craftsmanship at a $1k street price is well-worth the money already.
Of course, Taylor had to make some concessions to bring you a cheaper guitar, so let me spell it out for you and save you the trouble: It’s in the wood. Whereas a higher model guitar may be made with a Cedar or Spruce top and Big Leaf Maple sides, the NS24 will be crafted from Indian Rosewood laminate back and sides and a solid Sitka Spruce top, along with a Mahogany neck. The top is still top-notch quality for sure, but it’s the sides that are going to be the biggest (well, more like the ONLY) strike against what is otherwise a wonderfully solid sounding and beautiful looking guitar.
The model is offered in two styles: as a non-cutaway/electric in the
NS24e, a first for the company, or as a cutaway/electric in the
NS24ce. Both the NS24e and NS24ce feature Taylor's proprietary ES-T®
under-saddle, single-source pickup for a rich amplified tone. The ES-T
captures the individual elements of each string, while an onboard
pre-amp and the same active controls found on Taylor's Expression
System® provide clear and balanced articulation.
The NS24 joins six different nylon-string models currently offered by
Taylor Guitars. Introduced in 2001 and designed with steel-stringed
players in mind, the Taylor Guitars Nylon Series (NS) guitars feature
either a Grand Concert (GC) or Grand Auditorium (GA) body shape and
tonewood combinations of sapele/Sitka spruce (NS32ce, NS34ce), Big
Leaf Maple/Engelmann spruce (NS62ce, NS64ce) and Indian
rosewood/Western Red Cedar (NS72ce, NS74ce).
The NS24e will be offered at a suggested retail price of $1198 and the
NS24ce at $1398. The guitars will make their retail debuts at domestic
Taylor dealers in early August and internationally in September.
To learn more about Taylor's NS Series, please visit
www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Acoustic-Electric/Nylon, and while you’re there, I recommend checking out the product video for Bob Taylor’s new interchangeable pickup system on his new solidbody electrics at http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/electric. That looks like some exciting new stuff.
James is a bassist, pianist, organist, composer and writer currently living and working in the Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV areas. He is currently keeping time and holding down the low end with drummer Josh Garrett, guitarist John Posey, and trumpeter Jesse McBee in the progressive jazz band No Room for Squares.
