Custom No. 12 Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Designed with eye-catching Tasmanian blackwood, this custom Grand Auditorium is a piece of art. Crafted of gorgeous Tasmanian blackwood for its character and tone, it will be a welcomed addition to any serious guitar collection. You will love how well-behaved the balance is across the entire musical spectrum. Its sound is colorful and unique in texture and voicing, blending frequencies that are not found in more traditional tone woods. For added beauty, the guitar is adorned with figured koa binding, custom single-ring rosette, Nouveau Boxwood inlay pattern, Slotted peghead, nickel tuners, shaded tobacco edge burst, and Ameritage case. Standard specs include a 25-1/2” scale length, a 1-3/4” nut width, a Venetian cutaway and ES2 electronics.

The Custom No. 12 Grand Auditorium comes with a Taylor hardshell case.

Tonewood Pairing
Tasmanian blackwood is an acacia wood species that is sometimes compared to Hawaiian koa. Its tonal range is similar to both koa and mahogany, featuring a strong midrange focus that is dry, clear and warm, with a splash of top-end shimmer and richness comparable to Indian rosewood. The overall volume and projection are strong.

Body Shape
A Taylor original, the Grand Auditorium helped establish the Taylor acoustic sound. The popular body style makes for a versatile guitar that yields ample volume in response to light fingerpicking, and reacts to medium strumming and flatpicking with a clear, balanced sound across the tonal spectrum. For players seeking a great all-purpose guitar, the GA is an excellent choice.

V-Class Bracing
Taylor's V-Class bracing marks an important evolution beyond traditional X-bracing, introducing an entirely new platform for acoustic performance. It is essentially a "sonic engine" that optimizes the response of an acoustic guitar in three key ways: by boosting volume, sustain, and by largely resolving the intonation issues that have long plagued acoustic guitars. V-Class bracing creates purer, more orderly notes that don't cancel each other out or sound "off". They have clearer, more consistent response, and the whole fretboard is brought into greater sonic alignment for a more musical playing/listening experience.

Guitars with V-Class bracing are easier to tune; the pitch sounds purer and more solid, and electronic tuners can easily locate notes for quick, precise tuning. Other benefits: harmonics ring more uniformly down the neck, notes are louder with more projection and sustain, and notes are more consistent, i.e., upper register notes don't get choked out or swallowed. Fewer "sour" sonic qualities exist with chords; a more agreeable relationship is created between notes as they ripen, bloom and decay.

Electronics
The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor’s patented behind-the-saddle pickup, which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. Because the pickup doesn't sit under the saddle, the bottom of the saddle comes in full contact with the bridge, allowing all the nuance of the guitar's tone to come through clearly whether playing acoustically or plugged-in. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before while playing plugged-in.

Together with Taylor’s custom-designed “professional audio”-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. On stage through a PA, plugged into your favorite acoustic amplifier, or direct into recording software, the Expression System 2 faithfully conveys the voice of your Taylor guitar. The Taylor Expression System 2 operates through a proprietary 9-volt battery compartment and easy-to-use volume, and active bass and treble controls.