Taylor 516ce Grand Symphony Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

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An Engelmann spruce top gives this large-bodied Grand Symphony cutaway a rich and balanced tone that sounds great played solo, or blending with a band.

What's special about this item?

Feature: What it does:
Grand Symphony body shape Robust, strong bass balanced by clear articulation
Sitka spruce top Projects rich, crisp and responsive tone
Taylor Expression System 2 Captures dynamic range of acoustic sound
Venetian cutaway Cutaway for access to upper frets

Singer-songwriters are often drawn to the Taylor 500 Series because mahogany yields its inspiring tone easily, with a breathy midrange and a wonderful balance of warmth, clarity and complexity. Their larger body shapes (Grand Symphony and Dreadnought models) feature tops of Engelmann spruce, while the Grand Auditorium and Grand Concert models sport cedar tops. The refined appointment package features a laser-engraved Deco Diamond inlay scheme, faux tortoise shell binding, and a dark body stain that honors mahogany's enduring heritage.

- Shape Grand: Symphony
- Number of Strings: 6
- Back/Side Wood: Tropical Mahogany
- Scale length: 25-1/2"
- Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
- Body Length: 20"
- Electronics: Expression System 2(R)
- Body Width: 16 1/4"
- Cutaway: Venetian
- Body Depth: 4 5/8"
- Nut & Saddle: Tusq Nut/Micarta Saddle
- Neck Width: 1-3/4"
- Neck/Heel: Tropical Mahogany
- Bracing: Forward Shifted Pattern with Relief Rout
- Fretboard Wood: Ebony
- Fretboard Inlay: Century
- Headstock Overlay: Ebony
- Binding: Ivoroid
- Bridge Pins: Ebony
- Tuners: Taylor Nickel
- Truss Rod: Cover Ebony
- Back/Side Finish: Gloss
- Top Finish: Gloss
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Pickguard: Tortoise
- Case: Taylor Deluxe Hardshell Brown
- Number of Frets: 20
- Armrest Binding: None
- Back: Config 2-piece No Wedge
- Backstrap Wood: None
- Backstrap Finish: None
- Brand of Strings: Elixir Phosphor Bronze Medium
- Buttons: Nickel
- Fretboard Binding: Ivoroid
- Heel Cap Binding: Ivoroid
- Heel length: 3-1/2"
- Peghead Finish: Satin
- Peghead Binding: Ivoroid
- Peghead Logo: Ivoroid
- Peghead Type: Standard
- Rosette Mat. : Ivoroid
- Rosette Size: Single Ring
- Stain/Sunburst: Medium Brown Stain
- Type of Neck Joint: Scarf

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-943-6782

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. (2 ratings)
Submitted August 17, 2014 by Nick G in Jacksonville, FL

"Taylor 516 ce"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Overall, the Taylor delivers what I was expecting...............a full sounding strummer with a wide fingerboard also good for fingerpicking................the 516 is simply appointed and has a better price tag than the 700 or 800 series and up, but delivers the playability that I wanted..............I bought it to play not to look at.

Sound
The sound quality is excellent and so is the response to my fingers........................I brought it to a luthier to have a custom bone nut and saddle installed the second week I had it and the difference is phenomenal.

Features
The "plastic" (Non Bone) nut and saddle is useless on a $ 2,449. guitar. Also the extreme bevel on the fret ends that stop before the edge of the neck binding takes away from available playing width for string spacing.............Out of all the guitars I have owned over 40 years, I have yet to push a high E string off the fretboard due to being way too close to the edge of the fret. I corrected this by having a new nut and saddle installed out of bone while we were at it and the string spacing on the nut was corrected to alleviate this problem.

Ease of Use
Very easy to use.............and articulate what my brain tells my fingers to do. Great full tone from bass to treble.............I like it. It is my first Taylor............I have had Martin, Guild, a Lawsuit Takamine and Seagull............I have a solid wood Breedlove read more cedar/rosewood for fingerpicking..........the Taylor will be up there with the Breedlove as my 2 favorites.

Quality
The quality of design and construction is excellent...............I am a little taken back by the nut spacing problem and a small blemish in the finish at the top body binding which should have been flagged before it left the factory............those thing aside, Taylor makes excellent guitars. Surely as with any manufacturing there will be blemishes and imperfections, but normally they are flagged.

Value
Well we get what we pay for..............I do feel that the Taylors are a little overpriced as compared to other guitars such as Breedlove, Martin, Santa Cruz. Collings etc.

Manufacturer Support
Yes I contacted Taylor who was very supportive and offered to send a new nut to a luthier for them to cut. They were very friendly and discussed the issue with me. I however elected to go with a new Bone nut and saddle which I paid for out of pocket.

The Wow Factor
My favorite guitar prior to this Taylor was a hand made, all solid wood, Breedlove........made in Korea......LOL............it's a truly excellent guitar even with the Korea stigma......The Taylor is made in USA (yeah) and is a great strummer...........the 516ce is a plain looking but very nice guitar...........so, it's more of a Utilitarian thing than Wow............like a Martin D28 or a Guild D50.

Musical Background:
Have played 45 years......not professional but countless gigs. I play bass and acoustic guitar

Musical Style:
Jazz on Bass....................fingerpicking on acoustic.......eclectic.
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