In a late year surprise Taylor Guitars shocked us with a pair of "mirror-image" like custom Grand Auditoriums. A koa GA with maple binding and a maple and bear claw GA with koa binding is a simplistic description for how incredible these guitars are. Premium woods and custom appointments left us both a bit gobsmacked.
The Maple Custom Grand Auditorium acoustic-electric boasts back and sides of stunningly figured Big Leaf maple accented with contrasting Hawaiian koa. A richly textured bearclaw spruce top and tone enhancing V-Class bracing round out the package, adding up to a vibrant yet warm tone profile that reflects each player's distinctive touch. Figured koa is featured in the beveled armrest, backstrap, heel cap, backstrip and body/soundhole binding, along with koa purfling along the fretboard and peghead plus a koa tail strip. Other visual appointments include a green abalone rosette with matching Reflections fretboard inlays, polished bronze tuners, dark-stained bone bridge pins, and a striking glossy Antique Blond finish for the entire guitar.
See the guitar here: https://bit.ly/469ExcW
In contrast the Koa Custom Grand Auditorium is crafted with back, sides and top of gorgeous AA-grade figured Hawaiian koa. Together with our V-Class bracing architecture to boost volume and sustain, this all-koa guitar yields a lively midrange attack with clear trebles and a dash of low-end presence that will grow deeper and sweeter as the wood matures. The alluring reddish hues of this beautiful batch of koa are set off with flamed maple accents for the beveled armrest, backstrap, heel cap, backstrip and body/soundhole binding, with maple purfling along the fretboard and peghead and a maple tail strip. A green abalone rosette, polished bronze tuners, dark-stained bone bridge pins, Reflections fretboard inlays in green abalone and a honey/amber aged toner color treatment (entire guitar) with a gloss-finish body complete the appointment package.
See the guitar here: https://bit.ly/3QP7ExR
Watch our full review and demo:
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