656ce Maple Grand Symphony 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Visually and sonically, Taylor's 656ce maple guitar commands a striking stage presence. Its bright, focused tone makes this guitar a favorite for performance, recording and any other band setting, while a variety of color and sunburst options serves to enhance the natural figure in the maple sets Taylor chooses. Other signature touches include crisp white binding and the Twisted Oval fretboard inlay motif.

Grand Symphony
The Grand Symphony shape joined the Taylor line in 2006 and delivers a rich, powerful acoustic voice. Think of it as a Grand Auditorium with a turbo boost, thanks to expanded physical dimensions, including a slightly wider waist and a bigger lower bout. Strummers and pickers with a driving attack will love the fullness, volume and sustain. Yet for such a robust voice, the GS is also clear and responsive to fast picking runs or a light fingerstyle touch, so if you'e a dynamic player, this shape is a true contender. And the big voice doesn't come at the expense of balance. The piano-like bass, meaty midrange, and thick, shimmering highs blend seamlessly. These traits also make the GS a great vehicle for 12-Strings. If you like a lush, potent guitar tone that has the horsepower to compete with other acoustic cannons out there, the GS shape is a worthy choice.

12-String Bracing
Twelve-strings generally employ heavier braces than 6-strings in order to handle the increased tension of twice the number of strings, and to prevent the top from being overdriven. Taylor 12-strings have thicker tops, thicker pin plates, and heavier, non-scalloped bracing, to support the top and adequately amplify the tone of the guitar.

Big Leaf Maple
A dense hardwood, maple's tone is like a laser beam - very focused - and dominant on the fundamental. Often described as having a "bright" sound, maple has fewer overtones than other medium-density woods, resulting in quicker note decay. This makes it a preferred guitar wood for live performance settings with a band - especially with bass, drums and electric guitar - because it cuts through a mix well, allows the acoustic sound to be heard, and is less prone to feedback issues. It has some midrange, and a lot more treble sparkle than rosewood.

Natural Sound Made Simple
People love the clear, full acoustic tone of their Taylors. Why should it be any different when they plug in? That's why we spent several years developing our own onboard acoustic pickup and preamp. Taylor's ground-breaking Expression System (ES) was designed to naturally amplify the warm acoustic sound of your guitar.

Expression System
The ES is an all-magnetic acoustic guitar pickup system that works like a microphone to produce a pure signal and a warm, natural acoustic sound. When you plug in, you'll hear the sound of your guitar, not the sound of the pickup. No complicated controls. No tone simulators. Just a clean amplified acoustic guitar sound supported by three simple controls - volume, bass and treble.

Breakthrough Technology
Nothing sounds as true and musical as a microphone. With that as a starting point, Taylor's David Hosler led the team responsible for the Expression System's breakthrough technology. Utilizing a unique Dynamic Body Sensor mounted to the soundboard, a Dynamic String Sensor embedded beneath the fretboard, and a discrete preamp, the advanced ES technology is unlike any other guitar pickup system.

Integrated Design
The ES was designed in-house, alongside Taylor's acoustic guitars, which allowed them to build the ES seamlessly into the design of the guitar, for an integrated pickup system unlike any other. From the design and location of the body and string sensors to the voicing of the preamp, the ES is fully optimized for the Taylor sound. The elegant design, including the non-intrusive control knobs, also preserves the aesthetic of a Taylor guitar.