Taylor Custom GA AA Quilt Maple Adirondack Black

Last year, Tom, Maico, and myself (Maarten) had the opportunity to visit Taylor Guitars in San Diego, California. Besides conducting interviews, shooting a documentary, and getting a tour of the entire factory, one of the main reasons for going was to personally select Custom Taylors with Andy Powers himself.

The conception of a unique and handmade instrument began in our case in Taylor's CNC room, where wood is stored, selected, and the initial steps are taken to bring a guitar to life. CEO Andy Powers guided us with his enthusiasm, pulling stacks of wood from every corner, and despite Tom's already quite wild custom-order ideas, Andy managed to elevate them even further.

The first guitar on our list, and the first one we designed, was a Custom Grand Auditorium with high-quality Quilted Maple and an Adirondack Spruce top. First, we gathered the most beautiful pieces of wood. While we could only judge the appearance of the wood, Andy showed us how he could tap on the wood to get an indication of its tone. This way, he not only found the best Maple and Adi, but also knew exactly which pieces would work best together.

Then came the details. Tom and Andy inspired each other and quickly settled on this unique combination. A 'Charcoal Black' finish with ebony and abalone accents and gold hardware. The Maple neck also received a dark stain, and of course, Taylor's ES-2 pickup is already installed. So it has all the facets of a Taylor you know and love, but in an incredibly stylish package that we normally only see with smaller boutique builders.

In terms of sound, it's also evident that Andy personally selected this wood, something he naturally doesn't do with just any guitar. The tone is clear, direct, but certainly not too loud. It reminds me of a very good SJ200, combined with the versatility of, for example, a large Lowden. Although the guitar sounds absolutely great now, I'm sure that in a few years, it will really open up and reveal its most beautiful tone.

For us, this was obviously an incredibly special experience, but for me, the inspiration and enthusiasm we felt back then are also present in this instrument. I can't wait to see one of you playing this guitar, and if that's not feasible: of course, we'd be happy to take some extra photos and videos for you! This one is much too beautiful to keep to ourselves...