Taylor Guitars has completely refreshed its 600 series of guitars by redefining the sound and look of their maple backs and sides and investing
in the benefits of maple as a sustainable tonewood.
Taylor Guitars has long been a leader in acoustic guitar innovation. From their Expression System series of pickups and electronics to their use of exotic tonewoods in construction, Taylor Guitars would probably agree that the sky has always been the limit to developing a better acoustic guitar. Sometimes in order to move forward, however, you need to take a look at the past for guidance.
Maple backs and sides have been used on stringed instruments such as violins and cellos for centuries with great success. This examination of past craftsmanship led Andy Powers, Taylor Guitars' Master Luthier, to task himself with building a better maple guitar. Watch the video to learn how Andy used maple and torrefied Sitka spruce tops to create a deeper and fuller sound for Taylor Guitars' 600 Series.
Roasting the Sitka spruce tops changes the cellular structure of the wood. This yields an aged tonality with smooth high end that helps to mellow the naturally bright character of the maple back and sides. The roasting process also darkens the wood, creating the look of a well-loved guitar.
Customized bracing schemes and wood thicknesses for Taylor Guitars' different body shapes maximize the tonal balance of the maple while also increasing warmth and sustain. The back bracing profile has also been altered to specifically accommodate maple for enhanced responsiveness.
The back and sides of 600 series guitars are coated in a hand-rubbed Brown Sugar stain which enhances the natural figuring in the maple. A 3.5 mil gloss finish - 3.5 thousandths of an inch thin - is also added, allowing the wood to resonate freely for increased volume.
Taylor Guitars' proprietary ES2 system dynamically captures all the detail and nuance of the 600 series' voice. This cutting-edge behind-the-saddle piezo pickup accurately reproduces the character of the guitar so audiences can enjoy the warm and complex tone of the 600 series.
Featured appointments include a new grained ivoroid fretboard inlay motif complemented by an inlaid ebony backstrap, ebony binding with grained ivoroid body purfling, an abalone rosette edged in ebony and ivoroid, a striped ebony pickguard, and Taylor nickel tuners.