Hi fam,
Chelsea and I recently did a fly gig in Toronto where I had to rent a guitar. Traveling with a two-year-old adds a lot of extra luggage. :) I ended up getting a Taylor Academy 12e and liked it so much that I figured I would do an on-the-road/real-life review of it.
I know that Taylor Guitars can be pretty expensive, but I think the Academy series is a pretty exceptional option if you want a great sound without breaking the bank. The video goes through all my thoughts on the Taylor Academy 12e, but here are some of the main things that stuck out to me.
1 - The bass response and volume of this guitar were unexpectedly great. It’s a smaller body style with laminate back and sides, so this surprised me a bit.
2 - I thought that the arm bevel was going to be more of a cosmetic gimmick, but it ended up being one of my favourite features. It was super-comfortable.
3 - Initially, I thought the electronics sounded just okay. However, the sound man for our first gig asked me what pickup was in the guitar because he thought it sounded fantastic. These two opposing views lead me to believe that the electronics on the guitar are good enough to get the job done in almost any situation.
4 - The sound profile of this guitar reminded me of a Gibson Dove. Dove’s have solid maple back and sides, and that gives them a pretty mid-scooped sound with a lot of bass and treble. The Taylor Academy 12e had a lot of bass and treble, but the mid-scoop was more subtle than a Dove.
If you’ve played or own this guitar, leave your opinions and comments below. That may help others make a more informed buying decision.
Thanks for watching,
Nate
Here is a link to the Taylor Academy 12e on Sweetwater:
Taylor's Website:
Guitar Specs:
String Type: Steel
Number of Strings: 6
Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
Body Shape: Grand Concert
Back & Sides Wood: Layered Sapele
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Finish: Varnish
Color: Natural
Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Shape: Slim
Radius: 15"
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Fingerboard Inlay: Dots
Number of Frets: 20
Scale Length: 24.875"
Nut Width: 1.6875"
Nut/Saddle Material: NuBone/Micarta
Bridge Material: Ebony
Tuning Machines: Taylor Closed Gear with Chrome buttons
Electronics: ES-B
Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light, .012-.053
Case/Gig Bag: Gig Bag
Manufacturer Part Number: FA02033017000011000