Taylor's Gold Label 517e and 717e put a high-end spin on the Grand Pacific formula, with master-grade tonewoods and refined finishes that really set them apart. Both models feature V-Class bracing and exclusive Gold Label appointments, so the hardest decision might not be if you want one, butdeciding which one. Nick Jennison is here with the full review.
It's a debate as old as time: "Taylor vs Martin vs Gibson." Taylor fans (myself included) love the bright, articulate highs, precise imaging, and exceptional playability offered by the modern V-Class guitars, but for many players, these Californian beauties lack the rich, old-school low-end warmth and extension of more traditional designs.
Enter the Gold Label series. These deeper-bodied, fan-braced guitars are still every inch a Taylor, but with a warmer, deeper, and more powerful tone that's reminiscent of the early 20th-century dreadnoughts and jumbos. In simple terms, if the SC-13 is "Martin's Taylor," then the Gold Label is "Taylor's J45."
The 517e and 717e Gold Label guitars are like cousins in the range. They're much more similar than they are different, with only a few small changes in spec to separate them—enough to make for a very different tone from each guitar, but not a drastically different playing experience. Both feature Taylor's Grand Pacific body style, but with a greater front-to-back depth that Taylor describes as the guitars having "more lung capacity." The result is like moving from a 20" bass drum to a 22"—you get a deeper, more powerful low end that sustains longer and projects harder. This, combined with the new V-Class Fan Bracing, results in a much more vintage tone, while still retaining the clarity, precision, and note separation that makes V-Class Taylors so great.
An unfortunate trade-off for many "vintage-style" dreadnoughts and jumbos is in the playability. Yes, the tone is excellent, but if the instrument is unplayable past the 7th fret because the action is so high, it does put a dampener on my enjoyment somewhat. While Taylor has always been known for their playability, they've taken this to a new level with their Action Control neck joint. This innovative long-tenon design allows you to precisely control the angle of the guitar's neck, which in turn allows you to dial in exactly the string action you want all across the neck without needing to touch the bridge saddle. For folks like me who are obsessive about playability, this is a dream come true.
Another feature that's a stark departure for Taylor is the decision to eschew their Expression 2 pickup system in favour of an LR Baggs VTC Element system. This elegant little pickup system is comprised of an undersaddle piezo pickup and a simple volume/tone control set housed inside the guitar's soundhole. I hate to say it, Taylor, but in my opinion, this system sounds leagues better than the Expression 2 system and represents a significant upgrade for my money.
The principal differences between the 517e and the 717e are in the woods used for the back and sides. Both sport neo-tropical mahogany necks with ebony fretboards and torrefied Sitka spruce tops, but the 517e has tropical mahogany back and sides, while on the 717e it's East Indian rosewood. If you know anything about acoustic guitar construction, you'll know how much of a difference this one change can make, and it plays out exactly as you'd expect. The 517e has a more pronounced midrange, more compressed highs, and a punchier delivery overall, while the 717e sacrifices a little overall volume for deeper subs and a silkier, more extended top end. I found myself drawn to the 517e more, but ask me tomorrow and that could change—they both sound excellent.
The 517e and 717e Gold Label are not as simple as "Taylors for people who don't like Taylors." Rather, they combine the best parts of Taylor precision and playability with a vintage, warm, and powerful tone. In many regards, it reminds me of the PRS McCarty 594—exceptional old-school tones, but with none of the drawbacks. And like the 594 with PRS, these might just be my favourite models in the Taylor range.
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