Taylor 224ce Koa Deluxe Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Case)

Taylor's 224ce Koa Deluxe delivers all the essentials of a great guitar -- exquisite playability, a full and articulate voice, impeccable intonation up the neck, and Taylor's top-of-the-line, professional-grade ES2 pickup system. Fans of Hawaiian Koa will love the look, feel, and sound of this all-Koa Grand Auditorium.

The 224ce Koa Deluxe features layered Hawaiian Koa backs and sides, solid Hawaiian Koa top with a shaded edgeburst finish, a crisp appointment scheme consisting of black binding, and a gloss finish wraps the body in a rich sheen. The 224ce Koa Deluxe Grand Auditorium's musical versatility makes this a great all-purpose guitar for both strumming and fingerpicking, delivering a focused, linear voice. The 224ce Koa Deluxe ships in the Taylor deluxe hardshell case.

Expression System 2:
The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) is a revolutionary pickup design that delivers the latest in Taylor's ongoing innovation in acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor's patented behind-the-saddle pickup, which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before. Together with Taylor's custom-designed "professional audio"-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. On stage through a PA, plugged into your favorite acoustic amplifier, or direct into recording software, the Expression… read more System 2 faithfully conveys the voice of your Taylor guitar.

Behind the ES2 Design: Rethinking the Piezo Pickup:
For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to "bounce" up and down. Taylor's electronics team, led by developer David Hosler, discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets "locked down" due to the string tension's downward pressure. That's why a traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals often responds with a sound often characterized as thin, brittle, brash, or synthetic, especially with more aggressive playing.

The saddle's natural range of movement as the guitar is being played is actually back and forth like a pendulum. That revelation led Taylor's design team to relocate the crystals from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar's energy as it is transferred through the saddle. Three pickup sensors are installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle.

Like the original Expression System, the ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers. read less