Do you know your 814 from your 212? Taylor's diverse range has something for every style, budget, and ability - but what do the numbers actually mean?
In this guide, we'll break down the differences between each Taylor series and help you pick your perfect Taylor strummer! Or fingerpicker, or campfire workhorse, or...
Taylor guitars are renowned for their precise action, rich & confident tones, and diverse guitar range in equal measure. Their innovations have cemented their place among acoustic guitar royalty, favoured by everyone from Jacob Collier to Taylor Swift. It's fair to say that their diverse range is crucial to their popularity, ranging from affordable & compact acoustics that are great for beginners, all the way to once-in-a-lifetime premium instruments handcrafted with the fine & rare tonewoods. So - what's the difference between each Taylor series?
In this guide, we'll look at the key differences between each of Taylor's main series', and demystify their number-based naming system. 814ce might not roll off the tongue, but it all adds up when you know what you're looking for. Read on to find out more & discover which Taylor series suits your acoustic needs!
Here's a neat and colourful breakdown of how to read Taylor model names - it's actually pretty straightforward:
8
1
4
ce
The series. In this example, it's an 800 Series.
The type of top wood and whether it's a 6 or 12-string model. In this example, it's a 6-string with a soft top wood.
The body shape. In this example, it's a Grand Auditorium.
Other notable features. In this example, it's a cutaway (c) model with electronics (e).
Probably the simplest one to decode: this is the first number of the series that the guitar belongs to. 1 = 100, 2 = 200, and so on.
This one's a little more complex to begin with; this number determines how many strings the guitar has, and the type of top wood. There's 4 main options:
This is Taylor's system for specifying body shapes, as follows:
The extra letters on the end point out other key features. The most common options you'll see include:
The Baby Taylor is just what it sounds like: a really small Taylor acoustic. It's become one of the go-to travel guitars for nomadic players, but its small size makes it great for beginners, kids, and players who struggle to get comfy with a full-size acoustic.
Taylor's GS Mini is one of their most popular guitars due to its compact size, sweet tone, and accessible price point. It's slightly bigger than the Baby Taylor but still small enough to be a great travel or busking guitar, with plenty of wood and style varieties to choose from.
The Academy Series represents an affordable way into Taylor's more conventional acoustic instruments, perfect for beginners and guitar students looking for comfortable, versatile Taylor design on a budget.
Taylor's 100 Series is their entry point to full-sized acoustics made in the USA. Sticking to classic, time-tested shapes, these are reliable instruments that are great for a range of styles, but all with that touch of Taylor precision.
The 200 Series steps up the design and features into more premium territory, making them ideal 'upgrade' guitars - the special instruments that you get once you're past the beginner/intermediate stage. Expect more luxurious woods, finishes, and features that provide a premium feel but generally below the £2000 mark.
The 300 Series is where Taylor's guitars become full solid wood. These are for the more discerning acoustic guitarist who wants the harmonic complexity of solid tonewood combinations without compromising on Taylor's signature precise design.
Taylor's 400 Series sticks with the solid woods, opting for a slightly more premium selection. Their signature V-Class bracing also gives you bigger volume and better sustain, letting those tonewoods really sing. Finally, the 400 Series guitars come equipped with Taylor's ES-2 electronics as standard for quick & authentic amplified acoustic tones.
The 500 Series branches out (no pun intended) to a more diverse range of tonewoods, including Red Ironbark, Shamel Ash, and Tropical Mahogany. With stunning Blacktop and Burst finishes in the past, these guitars really stand out both in looks and sound. Expect punchy, confident tones that are great for modern strummers.
The 600 Series comes with Taylor's tagline 'The Evolution of Maple'. This hard tonewood is associated with bright, snappy tones, but Taylor have - somehow - revoiced these guitars to find a more delicate balance between Maple's top-end clarity and the tonal depth of modern acoustics.
Spanning various series' and models, the Builder's Editions are special examples of supreme craftsmanship, simultaneously enhancing the looks, feel, and sound of popular models with special woods, luxurious design appointments, alternative ergonomic concepts, and more. Examples include a 912ce that was designed with electric guitarists in mind, with a bevelled armest/cutaway and rolled-edge fretboard, and a 524ce with a Tropical Mahogany top, Shamel Ash backs/sides and a West African Crelicam Ebony.
It's arguably in the name: this is Taylor showing how far they can really push their innovative design and ornate aesthetics. The most sophisticated inlays that have to be seen to be believed, stunning hand-picked tonewood grains, unique patterned purfling/binding, and much more.
While the Builder's Edition Collection showcases Taylor's focus on playing comfort, the Gold Label Collection heralds the arrival of the Grand Pacific and the Super Auditorium shapes. The idea is to tip their hat to classic acoustic sound and design sensibilities, without compromising their innovation when it comes to construction and playability.
Catch Custom is an annual guitar event showcasing one-off Taylor builds in advance of the NAMM show. Each guitar features a distinctive set of tonewoods, aesthetic appointments, and tonal refinements to offer players a truly unique, one-of-a-kind guitar. Each Catch Custom instrument is designed at Taylor's El Cajon (California) headquarters.
There you have it - our lowdown of Taylor's line-up. We hope you're feeling a little more confident with the differences between each series, and how to spot a Taylor model by number from a mile away. Make sure you head over to our Taylor page to shop their full range, and while you're here, you might want to check out some other useful links:
