Spring sings with a Baritone Dreadnought and 400 Series Limited Editions
Taylor Guitars has unveiled its 2014 Spring Limited Editions, offering players a fresh acoustic voice and premium appointments. This year’s collection features a sumptuous baritone Dreadnought, the 320e-Baritone SLTD, and a suite of upgraded, full-gloss 400 Series models. On the baritone Dreadnought, the rich pairing of sapele back and sides with a mahogany top makes a striking impression. The combination of the baritone’s 27-inch scale length, tonewood selection, and Dreadnought body yields low-end richness with touches of warmth in a booming voice. It’s a tone profile that Taylor Master Builder Andy Powers describes as filled with “loads of growl and midrange gnarliness.” The hardwood mahogany top adds a bit of natural compression, creating a leveling effect across the tonal spectrum. “That husky, woody warmth on the low end gets spread out more evenly as a result,” Powers explains. The guitar promises to provide a great low-end complement in a variety of playing styles and in duo or group configurations. Aesthetically, the 320e-Baritone SLTD features mother-of-pearl dot fretboard inlays, a three-ring rosette, all-satin finish and a black pickguard. The guitar is also equipped with the Expression System 2, Taylor’s new pickup, which captures the baritone’s natural tonal depth and delivers plug-and-play simplicity. In the 400 Series, players are treated to ovangkol, a wood praised by gigging musicians and hobbyists alike for its full midrange and tonal versatility, making it a match for variety of playing styles. Paired with a Sitka spruce top, these guitars are offered in five models: the 410ce-SLTD, 412ce-SLTD, 414ce-SLTD, 416ce-SLTD, and 12-string 456ce-SLTD. Premium appointments include an all-gloss body, abalone dot fretboard inlays, abalone bridge pins, Taylor Gold tuners, and the Expression System 2 pickup. The 320e-Baritone and 400 Series Spring Limiteds both ship with a deluxe hardshell case and are available at authorised Taylor dealers.
