Lesson 912 Review & Preview 9-21 to 9-2
Our Verdict
Ii beautifully assembled acoustics with the playability and operation to back up their looks.
For
- Excellent playability.
- Gorgeous sound.
- The 652ce is one of the best 12-strings on the market.
Against
- Aside from the price, nothing!
Taylor Guitars introduced four new Builder's Edition models at NAMM 2020 that include the 324ce, 816ce, and the 2 models on review here: the 912ce and 12-cord 652ce.
Designed by Andy Powers, these impeccably made guitars are the starting time Grand Concert models to be introduced to the Builder's Edition serial, and both draw their inspiration from the electric guitar world in order to — as Taylor says — "bring the comfort, precision and utility that electric players love in an acoustic feel."
Taylor Builder'south Edition 912ce
As the first Architect's Edition guitar from the 900 series, the 912ce is a meaty musical instrument that looks seductive with its natural Lutz bandbox top (likewise available in Wild Honey Burst), night Indian rosewood back and sides, and extensive vanquish inlays on the peghead, fretboard, rosette and top/back bindings.
This is a showpiece, for sure, and a testament to Taylor's power to manufacture high-end guitars on a grand scale. But it's a player's guitar through and through, and a big role of the feel is the way it feels. The beveled cutaway and armrest boost playing comfort, while the Silent Satin finish feels silky and minimizes handling racket.
Everything is about smoothness and condolement here, and information technology reveals itself almost everywhere — in the curve-wing bridge and rolled fretboard edges, and even in the "butterbean" Gotoh tuners, with their radiused surfaces and aged gold plating.
The 912ce is nimble and easy to play, cheers to a virtually perfect neck shape, expertly worked frets and a great setup. Information technology sounds solidly in tune in all positions, and information technology sustains wonderfully. That'south all part of what Five-Class bracing brings, including uncommonly well-balanced sound and abundant sustain.
Strum a chord and hear how fifty-fifty and consistent information technology is from tiptop to bottom. Frequencies don't jump out or reveal any peaks, even when picking hard. Rather, they coalesce into lively and full-bodied tones that breathe in response to playing dynamics.
I'g not sure anything is lost in perceived volume from having such an even response curve, just the 912ce is loud enough acoustically to cut it with singers and other instruments, and the Expression 2 electronics are certainly slap-up to have when the going gets louder. This is where the 912ce shows what a good "electric" guitar it is when pushed into higher-book realms through a P.A. or even standard guitar amps like a Fender Deluxe Reverb.
And then whether you lot're a fingerstylist, a chord-melody player, a singer-songwriter or a lead actor who loves mixing it up with solidbody and semi-hollow guitars, the 912ce is both a thing of beauty and a loftier-performance machine that does annihilation you ask of information technology.
Taylor Architect's Edition 652ce
As noted earlier, the 652ce is not simply the first K Concert introduced to the Architect's Edition series merely too the first 12-string Taylor has ever made that takes reward of reverse stringing. Information technology'due south an old setup trick used past Rickenbacker and others to identify the cardinal on acme of the E, A, D and 1000 pairs to produce more punch and low-end girth. While information technology's most evident when strumming or picking in a downwards direction, you can feel and hear it in this guitar's meaty response.
The 652ce is also aimed toward electrical players via a distinctive set of ingredients. It has a adequately slim neck measuring one 7/8 inches broad at the nut, with a calibration length of 24 vii/8 inches, and it joins the body at the 12th fret, a configuration that puts the bridge closer to the center of the lower bout for enhanced mids and a more relaxed playing feel.
As for the wood, Taylor uses maple for the back and sides and pairs it with a torrefied (or roasted) Sitka spruce superlative to provide a frontward-leaning tone that has not bad presence as well every bit arable clarity and sweet.
The 5-Class bracing enables it to sound exceptionally tuneful in all positions, and the double-crossing cord anchoring system (i.e. one bridge pivot per string pair) goes a step further by assuasive each cord to cross the bridge saddle at the same signal, enhancing intonation and tuning stability.
Of course, thecein the model's name also refers to the cutaway and Taylor'due south own Expression ii arrangement, which makes it a snap to get natural-sounding amplified tones that take advantage of the pickup's unique ability to capture the motion of the top, instead of but the pressure of the strings pushing downward on the bridge saddle.
The 652ce plays then well that it may blow away any preconceived notions that 12-string acoustics are demanding to play
Playability is crawly, thanks to a mahogany neck with a fairly shallow profile that sits beautifully in the mitt, and an ebony fingerboard with rolled edges, immaculate frets and low, fizz-free action. I detest to say things like "guaranteed to win you over," but the 652ce plays so well that it may blow away any preconceived notions that 12-string acoustics are enervating to play. Non this i, which feels and so slinky and effortless.
As to the visual and ergonomic aspects of the 652ce, it wears a Wild Honey Burst finish that brings out the lovely grain patterns in the maple, and once more, it's all about smoothness, with the beveled armrest and cutaway, bend-wing span and rounded body edges. Cosmetics consist of black/maple/black purfling lines and outburst shading to create the effect of binding, a multi-band rosette, and mother-of-pearl inlays on the fretboard and headstock. The twin rows of gold-plated Gotoh tuners make it a bit nose heavy, merely it's a modest cost to pay for the majestic audio of 12 strings working in harmony.
The 652ce has great low-finish presence and beautiful shimmer, complication and chinkle. It sounds rich and full-bodied, however it's as well very precise and articulate, making for a guitar that dazzles whether you're strumming big rhythm parts, arpeggiating chords or picking rapid-fire atomic number 82 lines.
The 652ce is mayhap the most welcoming 12-string I've ever played and difficult to put downwards once it's in your hands. Lesser line: If you can swing the toll and want a truly infrequent instrument, the 652ce is a guitar to own.
Specifications
Builder's Edition 912ce
CONTACTtaylorguitars.com
PRICE$5,299, hardshell instance included
NUT WIDTH1 3/four"
NECKTropical mahogany
FRETBOARDWestward African ebony, 24 7/viii" calibration
FRETS20 (xiv frets clear of body)
TUNERSGotoh
BODYThousand Concert shape. Indian rosewood back and sides, Lutz spruce top
BRIDGEWestward African ebony with micarta saddle
ELECTRONICSExpression System 2
CONTROLSBook, bass, treble
Manufacturing plant STRINGSElixir Phosphor Bronze Low-cal
WEIGHTiv.72 lbs.
BuiltUsa
Builder's Edition 652ce
CONTACTtaylorguitars.com
PRICE$4,199, hardshell instance included
NUT WIDTHone 7/8"
NECKTropical mahogany
FRETBOARDWestward African ebony, 24 7/8" scale
FRETS 18(12 frets clear of body)
TUNERSGotoh
BODYThou Concert shape. Maple back and sides. Torrified Sitka spruce pinnacle.
BridgeWest African ebony. Double mounted string anchoring system
ELECTRONICSExpression Organization 2
CONTROLSVolume, bass, treble
FACTORY STRINGSElixir Phosphor Statuary Light
WEIGHT4.94 lbs.
BUILTUSA
Source: https://www.guitarplayer.com/reviews/taylor-builders-edition-912ce-and-652ce-review
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