Are dreadnoughts out of season with Taylor?

[RussL30]

Originally Posted by magazine

I finally visited the music emporium and looked at some great shots of the 517. Now I get it. That model looks nothing like any Taylor I've seen. I think that may be on my list. Stunning!

I know it’s different woods, but how would you say it compares with your DN8. I’m really curious to try one of these and compare it to my DN8.

I am disappointed that Taylor has discontinued its square dread line as it was my favorite and I think their best sounding, most balanced guitars.

[Wade Hampton]

After I wrote that I suspect Taylor will bring back square-shouldered dreadnoughts, semolina pilcher (climbing up the Eiffel tower) wrote:

Originally Posted by semolinapilcher

FWIW there is some recent precedent...

They discontinued and haven’t brought back the X15 jumbos.

I can literally say about my guitar that they don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Yeah, but these days large jumbo guitars are really kind of a niche market product when compared to square-shouldered dreadnoughts.

Hey, I could be completely wrong about this, but I do think that square-shouldered dreads will show up again in the Taylor product line, and sooner rather than later.


whm

[Dbone]

I’m definitely going to have to give these 517 and 717s a fair shake and try them. I have tried several v class including a 317 and it was no dice for me...it was the thin sound business all around that seems to becoming a common complaint for a lot of peeps...

I see a lot of references to these Grand Pacifics being a good match with the v class, being amazing etc...Encouraging...I really hope Taylor gets this stuff all sorted out and that they can build on this sort of potential reception I keep hearing about for the GP models.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I think Taylor is a great company, and there is just something about their design language that draws me in more than most brands.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I think Wade has it right. The one big caveat in all this is whether these new Grand Pacifics sell well. I’m betting they won’t.
If I’m right, the square shouldered dreads will return sooner than later.

Hmm...what makes you think that? Just curious.

I'm still emphatically crazy about my GPs and they are really quite wonderful. I'm not so sure yet if I'm going to keep both, as they are tying up a lot of "gear funds" that could be allocated elsewhere, but they are still my favorite acoustic guitar out there at the moment.

[Shades of Blue]

I've heard some murmuring that the GP line as it stands as a Builders Edition is incredibly difficult to produce on a mass produced scale. The finish is difficult, and it can't continue to be produced in high volumes at the same cost.

My thought is that they planned on testing the market for the Grand Pacific for a year or so and then will allocate the production equipment that made the dreadnoughts to the Grand Pacifics. This gives Taylor time to tool up for mass production of a more "standard" line up of Grand Pacifics that I am betting we will see soon. So, in my mind they canceled the dreads to make production space for the GPs.

What I am curious to see is which two new models become Builder's Editions this year, and which ones go to a more standard and high volume friendly model. Does the 517 and 717 get a gloss finish, standard binding, and the standard neck carve this year? Will they introduce a 417 and 817 Builder's Edition? It's exciting times.

[GHowdy]

I ordered a 320 the last week in June last year and it was built during July. That makes it one of the last and maybe the last X braced dread produced.
The Tasmanian Blackwood / Mahogany is an incredible combo and I have received several sincere compliments from die hard Martin Bluegrassers.
I’m hearing rumblings of a possible 327 model giving the GP a Tasmanian Blackwood / Mahogany offering. Watch out! This will be a game changer IMHO.

[sakar12]

The 327 is already on Taylor's website.

Originally Posted by GHowdy

I ordered a 320 the last week in June last year and it was built during July. That makes it one of the last and maybe the last X braced dread produced.
The Tasmanian Blackwood / Mahogany is an incredible combo and I have received several sincere compliments from die hard Martin Bluegrassers.
I’m hearing rumblings of a possible 327 model giving the GP a Tasmanian Blackwood / Mahogany offering. Watch out! This will be a game changer IMHO.