Taylor PS12ce Presentation Series Cocobolo/Spruce Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The Presentation Series guitars occupy a class all their own. Taylor's finest sets of cocobolo are paired with premium Sitka spruce tops to make the PS12ce Presentation Series Cocobolo/Spruce Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar. A contoured ebony armrest blends beauty and playing comfort. Other high-end details include colorful paua edging, a cocobolo backstrap, and an elaborate Nouveau vine fretboard inlay complemented by elegant headstock torch and bridge inlays. Offered with Gotoh Gold tuners and a bone nut and saddle, the PS12ce features a Venetian cutaway.

A smaller bodied guitar ideally suited for fingerstyle.
The small-body Grand Concert debuted in 1984 to meet the needs of a new wave of adventurous acoustic fingerstyle players. In contrast to the traditionally darker, boomier voices of bigger body styles like dreadnoughts and jumbos, the GC' compact size and tapered waist kept the overtones in check. It was also more comfortable to play while sitting down, and the guitar' slightly wider neck gave players more room for complex fingerings. The GC' smaller sonic footprint also fit cleanly in a mix with other instruments when tracking in the studio and with a band on stage, making it a useful tool for professional session and side players. The current generation of GC models continues to accommodate fingerstylists with finger-friendly traits like a shorter 24-7/8" scale length, which makes fretting easier and adds a slightly slinkier feel on the strings due to the lighter string tension. If you feel more comfortable with a small body or favor controlled overtones, a Grand Concert is a great option.

Cocobolo
Origin: Central Mexico
Used On: Presentation Series, Limited Editions
Cocobolo is a dense, stiff tropical hardwood with a fairly bright tone. Sonically, it's similar to koa, but resonates a little deeper on the low end, although it doesn't have quite the full low end of rosewood or ovangkol. Fast and responsive, with moderate note decay, it's articulate with lots of note distinction. It works perfectly on a GS because it really pairs well with what the body shape is doing, blending the low end and midrange of the body with the wood's brightness. We also like it for fingerstyle on a GC.

Goes Well With: A wide range of playing styles (depending on the body shape). Also, with players who want a brighter rosewood sound with a little less low end and a little more treble zing.

Expression System
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' why we spent several years developing the onboard acoustic pickup and preamp. Taylor' ground-breaking Expression System (ES) was designed to naturally amplify the warm acoustic sound of your guitar.

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
Years of research brought Taylor to a simple realization: Nothing sounds as true and musical as a microphone. With that as a starting point, Taylor' 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 their acoustic guitars, which allowed Taylor 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.