Second Hand Taylor 522ce, Inc Hard Case

Condition:
This Taylor is in Good condition with the occasional small scratch.

PLEASE NOTE: This item is second hand and may not include all accesories. Please contact us for further information.

The Taylor 522ce takes the incredible mahogany based build of the 500 series and applies it to their grand concert body shape. This is one of the smallest guitars in the Taylor range which gives it a bright sound full of overtones making it perfect for fingerpicking styles that need great articulation.

The Build

What makes the 500 series unique in the Taylor lineup is its use mahogany for not only the neck but all of the body as well. Aside from a few touches of ebony including the fingerboard most of this guitar is made up of this dense tonewood. This makes the guitar have a rather warm tone which balances out with the brighter tone of the smaller 522 body shape.

Rethinking the Piezo Pickup

For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to "bounce" up and down. Taylor's electronics team discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets "locked down" due to the string tension's downward pressure. That's why a traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals often responds with a sound often characterized as thin, brittle, brash or synthetic, especially with more aggressive playing.

Taylor moved the pickup from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar's energy as it is transferred through the saddle. What this means is you get a warmer, richer sound. You can dig in and still sound great.

The ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs as previous versions. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers.

Features

• Model Name: 522ce
• Body Shape: Grand Concert
• Cutaway: Venetian
• Electronics: Expression System
• Solid Mahogany Top, Back and Sides
• Includes Hardcase
• See full specs below

About Mahogany Guitars

The all Mahogany acoustic guitar is making a comeback! Originally an invention of nessesity, Mahogany guitars were built in the post war period during a period when Spruce was not readily accessible. Despite it's unprecedented success as an electric guitar tonewood, Mahogany acoustic guitars fell out of fashion again once Spruce became available and it wasn't until the 90s that Mahogany was rediscovered and loved once again for its destinctive tone and looks. Mahogany has a warmer tone than Spruce with a stronger fundamental and fewer overtones, which produces a clear well defined tone.

Here's what Taylor say about 500 Series Mahogany Tops

Celebrating the rich musical heritage of mahogany, Taylor Guitars is pleased to expand its popular mahogany 500 Series with several new all-mahogany models.

Mahogany has been prized by instrument makers for decades for its beauty and tonal strength, offering players a meaty midrange character with a strong emphasis on the fundamental frequencies, especially with the inclusion of a mahogany top. “It’s a strong, direct sound,” says Taylor master builder Andy Powers. “Mahogany acts as a natural compressor, so once a note has been played and the frequency set in motion, you hear the pure note without complex overtones.” With its dry, crisp projection, mahogany lends itself to a variety of playing applications. “It works well in a live setting, amplified, on a recorded track with other guitar parts,” Andy elaborates. “Musically, mahogany offers a lot of versatility. Whether it’s someone who is playing with other musicians or a solo fingerstyle player, it will amplify well and make an amazing stage guitar.”

Specification

• Back/Sides: Tropical Mahogany
• Top: Tropical Mahogany
• Cutaway: Optional Venetian
• Headstock Overlay: Ebony
• Finish: Gloss with Satin Neck
• Rosette: Single Ring Ivoroid
• Neck: Tropical Mahogany
• Nut: Width 1 3/4"
• Binding: Ivoroid
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Inlays: Ivoroid Century
• No. of Frets: 20
• Nut/Saddle: Tusq
• Tuners: Chrome
• Bridge: Ebony
• Bridge Pins: Ebony
• Pickguard: Black
• Electronics: Optional Taylor Expression System
• Strings: Elixir with NANOWEB Coating
• Case: Hardshell Included