Taylor 700 Series Acoustic Guitars
Taylor's 700 series acoustic guitars have gone from a "budget 800 series" guitar, to a unique and important part of the Taylor guitar lineup in their own right. Pairing solid spruce and rosewood, these acoustics are a worthy option for any guitar shopper.
Keep reading for an in depth breakdown of these guitars, and don't forget to check them out on our website!
Pictured is the 712ce 12 Fret - in Western Sunburst! Click on a photo for a hi-res version!
History
The first 700 series guitars appeared shortly after the 800 series, in the late '70s. They were originally designed as a cheaper 800 series guitar- same tonewoods, but less abalone. Throughout the company's history, they've also popped up with unique features such as 3 piece backs, "alternative tonewood" tops, and more recently becoming the "burst finished Taylor". If you've ever seen or played a burst Taylor, chances are it was a 700 series guitar!
2016 Redesign Features
Following the successful redesign of the 800 and 600 series acoustic guitars, the new 700 series offerings boast similar structural, tonal, and aesthetic upgrades.
Optimized features for the 700 series guitars included:
Bracing
700 series Taylors use the Performance Bracing pattern. Just like the other higher end Taylors, this bracing pattern is not "one-size-fits-all" - it's customized to the shape of the guitar! It uses a traditional X-brace style with subtle shaping and placement adjustments and a two-piece bridge plate, which results in a louder and more resonant tone.
2018 V-Class Upgrade: In 2018, Andy Powers is at it again, this time revolutionizing guitar bracing! New 714ce models (and eventually all shapes) will ship with V-Class bracing - a shape that uses a large V, inspired by a wave crashing against a jetty that Andy experienced one surf-filled morning. V-Class bracing offers the perfect hybrid of rigidity (volume) and resonance (sustain) - two important buzz words that were always difficult to equally idealize without one negatively impacting the other. V-Class solves this and more - it also optimizes intonation too!
Tonewoods
Taylor has introduced Lutz spruce tops on all 700 series models. It is a naturally occurring hybrid of Sitka and White spruce - often compared to European or Engelmann spruce, a tonewood which was used on 700 series guitars quite often before the redesign. It compliments the bold, loud, and robust nature of the new 700 series guitars.
Aesthetics
The new 700 series acoustics boast Douglas Fir rosette and top trim, luxurious Hawaiian Koa binding, a weathered brown pickguard, and a new inlay pattern made from pale green abalone. They are also offered with a Western Sunburst finish - continuing the tradition of the burst finish 700 series instruments.
Glue
Glue joints between tonewoods on an acoustic guitar are also part of the tonal recipe. Synthetic glues can make a guitar sound...synthetic, but an animal glue like Protein Glue is the opposite, and helps resonance, attack, and tone.
700 Series Dreadnoughts
An entirely new 710 model has been added to the redesigned 700 series, in the form of a short scale dreadnought with a slotted headstock and a thick "V" neck shape. This model captures the "neo-vintage" aesthetic of the 700 series.
Electronics
New 700 series models include the Expression System 2 preamp and pickup system. Not quite an "under-the-saddle" pickup, the revolutionary ES2 system is placed behind the saddle. Taylor discovered that the saddle doesn't really move vertically when the guitar is played, but in a pendulum like motion, so an under the saddle pickup wasn't receiving tonal pleasing vibrations. ES2 boasts three carefully positioned sensors with allen screw adjustments, and an audiophile grade preamp with slightly more headroom than the original Expression System.
