Taylor Guitars Winter NAMM speculations!!

[zeebow]

Wow! Just saw this on Youtube - apparently there is possibly a new Taylor Electric Guitar in the works. I think we should keep this thread rolling on what we think Taylor will introduce at Winter NAMM 2020.

My initial guess, before seeing this video was:

• Builder Edition Grand Concert: the already comfortable body size would be extra amazing w/ beveled edges and a silent satin finish
• Taylor Guitars strings: Taylor has been aggressively growing TaylorWare - and the one area I see a void is strings. Other manufacturers (like Lowden) already have "optimized" strings for their guitar

[sakar12]

Strings would be a good money maker for them. I could see that.

[jalbert]

The video describes a patent that Andy Powers at Taylor filed in 2017 that was granted in May this year for a hollow body guitar. The T3 and T5 are still in production; it's unclear if this is a refinement of one of those models or something completely different. I think the guys in the video are speculating a tad too anxiously for something new at NAMM 2020.

[mrjop1975]

I know I am swimming against the tide possibly, but I would love it if Taylor would come out with a 4 string tenor guitar in either the 100 series or 200 series. As someone who plays tenor guitar, it would be nice if there was a quality but affordable tenor guitar coming from either Taylor, Martin or anyone else instead of having to have something made.

As far as the strings go, good idea, but most people are already wedded to there strings of choice for there guitars.

[zeebow]

Originally Posted by mrjop1975

I know I am swimming against the tide possibly, but I would love it if Taylor would come out with a 4 string tenor guitar in either the 100 series or 200 series. As someone who plays tenor guitar, it would be nice if there was a quality but affordable tenor guitar coming from either Taylor, Martin or anyone else instead of having to have something made.

As far as the strings go, good idea, but most people are already wedded to there strings of choice for there guitars.

interesting, what’s the advantage of a 4 string tenor guitar? never came across one

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by mrjop1975

I know I am swimming against the tide possibly, but I would love it if Taylor would come out with a 4 string tenor guitar in either the 100 series or 200 series...

Shouldn't be too hard to execute, based on the GS Mini bass template: 23.5" scale, four-string neck, larger-than-normal (for tenor guitar) body - only a few minor changes needed to make it happen. Unfortunately IMO if it does ever see production it'll be as a member of the GS Mini lineup rather than the 100/200 Series: it's a relatively low-demand item; their only real commercial competition would be the Blueridge/Gold Tone imports, so they'll need to keep the price in line; and since many of the sales of new tenors are going to converted uke players (who use DGBE bari-uke tuning) and Irish banjo owners looking for an alternative (read quieter) instrument - IME fairly tradition-minded groups in both cases - given their "progressive" reputation they're going to need to figure out exactly how to market it within their lineup...

As far as speculation on the new electric is concerned, they appear to be addressing the problem of bridge fragility that was the Achilles' heel of the first-run solidbody line - I'll assume they're going to forged/machined metal rather than the compressed powdered aluminum of the originals - and the carved-top/stoptail/weight-relieved design appears to be directed squarely at the contemporary Les Paul. That said, Bob T. is well-known for surprises, keeping guys like us speculating while he (and Andy) pursues an unexpected path; while elements of the patents can be applied to existing designs under the heading of "improvements," there's also been a demand for a Taylor jazzbox for a while now - and given the patent drawings clearly showing the carved top IMO they may well be looking to apply some innovative new methods to this "traditional" instrument...

[mrjop1975]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Shouldn't be too hard to execute, based on the GS Mini bass template: 23.5" scale, four-string neck, larger-than-normal (for tenor guitar) body - only a few minor changes needed to make it happen. Unfortunately IMO if it does ever see production it'll be as a member of the GS Mini lineup rather than the 100/200 Series: it's a relatively low-demand item; their only real commercial competition would be the Blueridge/Gold Tone imports, so they'll need to keep the price in line; and since many of the sales of new tenors are going to converted uke players (who use DGBE bari-uke tuning) and Irish banjo owners looking for an alternative (read quieter) instrument - IME fairly tradition-minded groups in both cases - given their "progressive" reputation they're going to need to figure out exactly how to market it within their lineup...

As far as speculation on the new electric is concerned, they appear to be addressing the problem of bridge fragility that was the Achilles' heel of the first-run solidbody line - I'll assume they're going to forged/machined metal rather than the compressed powdered aluminum of the originals - and the carved-top/stoptail/weight-relieved design appears to be directed squarely at the contemporary Les Paul. That said, Bob T. is well-known for surprises, keeping guys like us speculating while he (and Andy) pursues an unexpected path; while elements of the patents can be applied to existing designs under the heading of "improvements," there's also been a demand for a Taylor jazzbox for a while now - and given the patent drawings clearly showing the carved top IMO they may well be looking to apply some innovative new methods to this "traditional" instrument...

Steve, I agree with your point about the GS Mini. I did forget about the mini being close to a tenor guitar scale which is typically 23 inches. Tenors are either CGDA (traditional tenor banjo), DGBE "Chicago tuning" or GDAE Irish tuning an octave lower then a mando. If they did a tenor, I think either traditional or DGBE because they would not have to renotch the bridges for the heavier thicker strings of GDAE.

[The Growler]

It's no secret that they've been talking about Taylor ukuleles.....

Maybe it's time has come.... We'll see in January.

[tbeltrans]

What would be interesting to see over time is the features of the current Builder's Edition (i.e. the ergonomics, since the baked spruce top I think is already on some of their other guitars) start appearing on the other product lines.

These features may seem relatively insignificant, but I find my K14ce Builder's Edition to be the most comfortable larger acoustic I have played. My preference is usually for 00 and smaller guitars. But I instantly enjoyed the K14ce when I first tried it, and bought it that same day. I think I could have reacted similarly to other Taylor models of similar size with these same features.

Tony

[BluesKing777]

Put the compound carve chunky neck from my 717e on any model, Andy, and I will seriously consider it!

And a lot of other fingerpickers might too!

Not much of a guess would be a Grand Pacific model ‘dentist guitar’.....you know, super presentation series with Martian bog timber with Martian sunset sinker spruce top or something.....


BluesKing777.

[ChalkLitIScream]

I dont know about strings… elixirs are the only strings that make them sound best...and by far, from my experiments.

The uke is gaining some traction, and its likely a new electric would be cool

[Earl49]

As I recall an "Ask Bob" response about mandolins several years ago was essentially (heavily paraphrased) "Once all twelve players in the world get the Taylor mandolin they crave, how do we sell the others"? And we've all been waiting for the ukulele for years now. Rumor has it that the Baby Taylor was originally intended to be a baritone uke, but ended up with six strings to be a travel guitar.

The only ukulele we've ever seen were hand made by Andy as part of a Builder's Reserve matched set. Stunning, but hardly ready for factory production. I am big into uke, but gave up waiting and bought something else.

[bmoss02]

a ukulele would be a great edition to the Taylor line! So would a new electric. New strings would be interesting however... I mean elixirs really help give Taylors the Taylor tone (in my experiences) so would they basically make a elixir copy...?

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by zeebow

... seeing this video was:

• Taylor Guitars strings: Taylor has been aggressively growing TaylorWare - and the one area I see a void is strings. Other manufacturers (like Lowden) already have "optimized" strings for their guitar

Originally Posted by sakar12

Strings would be a good money maker for them. I could see that.

It's my impression that sometimes Taylor tries to do things that aren't exactly in their wheelhouse or go farther than they should have. I think strings may be one of those areas, should they go there. Think of how many years they've had a deal with Elixir strings and now what? Perhaps they'd have to say, since we've moved on from X braced guitars we feel that Elixir strings aren't ideal for new Taylor guitars???? And you know that W.L. Gore (Elixir's parent) isn't going to take a Taylor departure lying down. But perhaps we'll get $10 Elixir strings out of it?

[CoffeeFan]

Originally Posted by zeebow

Wow! Just saw this on Youtube - apparently there is possibly a new Taylor Electric Guitar in the works. I think we should keep this thread rolling on what we think Taylor will introduce at Winter NAMM 2020.

My initial guess, before seeing this video was:

• Builder Edition Grand Concert: the already comfortable body size would be extra amazing w/ beveled edges and a silent satin finish
• Taylor Guitars strings: Taylor has been aggressively growing TaylorWare - and the one area I see a void is strings. Other manufacturers (like Lowden) already have "optimized" strings for their guitar

Do you have a link?