The Complete Guide to Taylor Guitars: Body Shapes, Tonewoods, and Series

Taylor guitars are renowned for their clarity, innovation, and impeccable craftsmanship. Whether you’re a first-time player looking for beginner guitars or a touring professional in search of one of the best acoustic guitars available, Taylor offers a wide range of models to suit every level and musical style. This guide will walk you through Taylor’s body shapes, tonewoods, and distinct series—from entry-level to elite—so you can find the right high quality guitar for your needs.

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Taylor Guitar Body Shapes

Each Taylor body shape is designed to produce a unique tone and feel. Here’s an overview of the primary shapes in the Taylor lineup:

GS Mini

A scaled-down version of the Grand Symphony, the GS Mini delivers an impressively rich and full tone for its size. It’s ultra-portable, comfortable to play, and available in a variety of tonewoods and configurations. Great for travel, couch practice, or even performance.

Baby Taylor (BT)

The Baby Taylor is a ¾-size dreadnought that combines portability with surprising tonal clarity. Often chosen by younger players or as a travel companion, it’s also a solid choice for those seeking high quality beginner guitars.

Grand Auditorium (GA)

Taylor’s most popular shape, the Grand Auditorium offers balance, projection, and versatility. It’s ideal for strumming, fingerpicking, and flatpicking, making it a go-to for many who want the best acoustic guitars for all-around performance.

Super Grand Auditorium (SGA)

A newer addition to the Taylor family, the Super Grand Auditorium has a wider lower bout and deeper body for more low-end response and dynamic range. It’s excellent for players who want a rich tone and full projection without sacrificing comfort.

Grand Concert (GC)

This smaller-bodied guitar is perfect for fingerstyle players and those with a lighter touch. Its short scale makes fretting easier, which also makes it an excellent choice among beginner guitars.

Grand Pacific (GP)

Taylor’s take on the slope-shoulder dreadnought, the Grand Pacific offers a warm, seasoned tone that’s perfect for roots, folk, and Americana styles.

Grand Symphony (GS)

Larger than the GA, the Grand Symphony has a powerful voice and longer sustain. Some models include a soundport cutaway, offering a surround-sound playing experience.

Grand Orchestra (GO)

The biggest body shape in Taylor’s lineup, the Grand Orchestra delivers bold bass, wide dynamic range, and maximum projection—ideal for solo performers and open tunings.

Dreadnought (DN)

Taylor’s traditional dreadnought offers a powerful sound with pronounced bass and strong projection. It’s a reliable choice for flatpickers and rhythm players.

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Taylor Guitar Tonewoods

Tonewoods greatly influence the sound and character of Taylor guitars. Taylor uses both traditional and responsibly sourced woods to craft their high quality guitars.

• Sitka Spruce: The most common top wood, Sitka spruce offers excellent clarity and dynamic range.
• Mahogany: A warm, dry-sounding wood with strong midrange presence, great for blues and folk.
• Maple: Known for its bright tone and excellent note separation, perfect for stage clarity.
• Indian Rosewood: Offers deep lows and sparkling highs with strong overtones.
• Hawaiian Koa: Visually stunning and tonally complex, koa blends warmth and brightness.
• Urban Ash: A sustainable alternative to mahogany with similar tonal properties.

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Taylor Guitar Series

Taylor organizes its guitars into clearly defined series, each tailored to different skill levels, budgets, and tonal preferences. Here’s a breakdown of each series:

Baby Taylor Series (BT)

The Baby Taylor is a compact, travel-size acoustic that’s perfect for young players or anyone looking for a smaller guitar without sacrificing tone. It’s also popular as a songwriting companion.

• ¾-size dreadnought body

• Solid spruce or mahogany top

• Easy playability

• Ideal for travel and beginners

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GS Mini Series

The GS Mini is one of Taylor’s most beloved models thanks to its powerful voice in a compact frame. It’s ideal for students, travelers, and pros who want a lightweight yet full-sounding guitar.

• Scaled-down Grand Symphony body

• Solid spruce, mahogany, koa, or rosewood tops

• Available with or without electronics

• Optional GS Mini-e versions with Taylor ES-B or ES2 pickup

Academy Series

The Academy Series is Taylor’s entry-level line, designed specifically for beginners. These guitars feature solid spruce tops, ergonomic armrests, and short-scale options for easier playability. Despite the affordable price, they deliver remarkable tone and build quality, making them some of the best beginner guitars available.

Key Features:

• Solid spruce tops
• Beveled armrests for comfort
• Shorter scale lengths
• No-frills design for affordability

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100 Series

The 100 Series offers a step up in tone and feel with solid spruce tops and layered walnut or sapele back and sides. These guitars are ideal for players seeking high quality guitars without the higher price tag of all-solid models.

Key Features:

• Solid spruce top
• Layered walnut or sapele back/sides
• ES2 electronics on most models
• Great for students and intermediate players

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200 Series

With upgraded features like gloss finishes and layered rosewood or koa backs and sides, the 200 Series bridges affordability and performance. These guitars are great for developing players or as reliable stage instruments.

Key Features:

• Solid spruce or koa top
• Layered rosewood or koa back/sides
• Optional cutaway and electronics
• Versatile tone for many styles

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300 Series

A great entry point into Taylor’s all-solid wood guitars, the 300 Series includes models with mahogany or sapele back and sides paired with spruce or mahogany tops. These are reliable, high quality guitars suitable for serious students and gigging musicians.

Key Features:

• All-solid wood construction
• Choice of tonewood pairings
• V-Class bracing
• Optional electronics

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400 Series

Known for its rich tone and clean aesthetics, the 400 Series features ovangkol or rosewood back and sides with a spruce top. These guitars deliver a full-range voice with excellent balance and detail.

Key Features:

• Solid spruce top with ovangkol or rosewood back/sides
• Gloss finish
• Great for studio or stage

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500 Series

These guitars often pair tropical mahogany backs and sides with cedar or mahogany tops, producing a warm, rootsy tone ideal for singer-songwriters and fingerstyle players.

Key Features:

• Mahogany or cedar tops
• Mahogany back and sides
• Dry, warm tonal character
• V-Class bracing

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600 Series

Featuring figured maple back and sides with a spruce top, the 600 Series offers a bright, focused tone with plenty of articulation. Ideal for players who want clarity and dynamic response.

Key Features:

• Solid maple back and sides
• Sitka spruce top
• Bright, clear tone
• Beautiful aesthetic appointments

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700 Series

Originally known for rosewood guitars, the modern 700 Series often showcases Hawaiian koa models with rich, vibrant tone and exotic looks. These are visually striking and tonally rich.

Key Features:

• Hawaiian koa or rosewood tonewoods
• Artful detailing
• Lively tone with strong presence

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800 Series

One of Taylor’s most popular premium series, the 800 Series features Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce for lush overtones and incredible balance. It’s a top choice for those seeking the best acoustic guitars for performance and recording.

Key Features:

• Rosewood back and sides
• Spruce top
• V-Class bracing
• Elegant appointments

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900 Series

The 900 Series elevates Taylor’s craftsmanship with intricate inlays, abalone purfling, and premium rosewood. These guitars are as visually beautiful as they are sonically exceptional.

Key Features:

• Premium tonewoods
• Luxurious inlays and trim
• Studio-quality sound
• Flawless craftsmanship

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Presentation Series

At the top of Taylor’s standard lineup, the Presentation Series showcases Taylor’s highest level of detail, rare tonewoods like sinker redwood and figured koa, and stunning visual elements.

Key Features:

• Exotic and rare woods
• Advanced inlay work
• Ultra-premium features
• Collectible quality

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Builder’s Edition

Builder’s Edition guitars represent the cutting edge of Taylor’s design innovation, offering ergonomic enhancements, advanced finishes, and optimized voicing. These are some of the most high quality guitars available today.

Key Features:

• Contoured body edges
• Silent satin finish
• V-Class bracing
• Next-level comfort and sound

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Gold Label Series

The Gold Label Series is Taylor’s latest and most exclusive collection, released in ultra-limited runs. These guitars feature rare tonewoods, artistic designs, and are built to highlight Taylor’s peak lutherie.

Key Features:

• Rare, exotic woods like sinker redwood and figured koa
• Unique finishes and inlays
• Extremely limited production
• Ultimate collector’s items