Taylor 417e Tobacco Sunburst

Innovative construction

Based on the classic dreadnought Western guitar, Taylor developed the Grand Pacific design. Like its prototype, this also has a voluminous body, but is more bulbous and rounded, which, in addition to a high assertiveness, has a significant impact on the sound of the guitar. Thus, the Grand Pacific produces a decidedly round, warm tone with surprisingly powerful basses. A high volume of sound is also provided by the fully solid construction as well as the V-Class bracing specially developed by Taylor, which sets the top into a two-dimensional vibration. This results in a long-lasting tone that unfolds impressively in all registers.

Proven tonewoods

For a balanced sound character, Taylor uses the absolute classics among tonewoods for the 417e. The solid body made of Indian rosewood produces full basses and pronounced mids, while the solid top made of finely grained Sitka spruce adds brilliant highs. It is not without reason that these woods are two of the most popular types in guitar making, as their versatile sound character is enjoyed by singer-songwriters, country musicians as well as representatives of rock genres.

Comfortable playable guitar neck

In order to provide comfortable playability in addition to excellent sound, the guitar is equipped with a grippy mahogany neck. Due to its acceptable weight and high stability, this sophisticated guitar part is preferably made of mahogany. It is joined by the excellently playable ebony fingerboard, whose smooth, velvety texture allows the picking hand to glide effortlessly over all 20 frets. On top of that, the nut width of 44.5 mm ideally meets all requirements for powerful strumming and delicate fingerpicking, while Taylor nickel tuners guarantee a high tuning stability.

Stage-ready pickup system

With the in-house Expression System 2, the 417e is equipped with the best electronics for professional gigs and jam sessions. This pickup system takes acoustic guitar amplification to the next level, as it is a completely revolutionary development in terms of both operation and design. Three piezo elements directly pick up the acoustic signals from each pair of strings for pristine sound transmission, while volume, bass and treble can be individually adjusted using three discreet controls.

Attractive design

The Taylor 417e is rounded out by its exciting Tobacco Sunburst finish in high-gloss lacquer as well as numerous visual details. These include the single-ring rosette, the tortoise pickguard that is both functional and chic, and fine finial inlays. In combination with the outstanding sound, the obliging handling and the high-quality equipment, the result is an absolutely stage-ready instrument in star quality.

Sustainable ebony cultivation in Cameroon

Because ebony 's hard, supple texture makes it particularly finger-friendly, it has long been the preferred choice for making fingerboards. Its attractive appearance is also extremely popular for bridges, headstock rests, bridge Pins and Bindings. However, high demand and a thriving black market outstripped stocks, landing ebony on the Red List of Endangered Species in 1994. Moreover, only the jet-black heartwood, which makes up only a fraction of the tree, was used, resulting in a disproportionately large amount of waste in production. In order to protect the forests, Taylor has therefore been working since 2011 with the Crelicam Wood Mill in Yaoundé in Cameroon to promote controlled consumption by processing waste products. Thus, not only black ebony elements are found in Taylor guitars, but also the different colored, more clearly grained parts of the tree. This complete recycling is an effective method of preserving stocks and successfully counteracts their dramatic decline and the negative ecological effects that accompany it.

"We need to use the ebony that the forest gives us" - Bob Taylor