Fully solid acoustic guitar in Grand Pacific design
Grand Pacific 400 Series Western Guitar
Solid, with top made of Sitka spruce and body made of Indian rosewood
V-Class bracing
Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard
44,5 mm nut width and 648 mm scale length
Taylor Expression System 2
Tobacco sunburst finish in high gloss varnish
Case included
Made in USA
Taylor 417e Tobacco Sunburst at a glance
With the 417e Tobacco Sunburst, Taylor expands its 400 series with a high-quality acoustic guitar in Grand Pacific design. This U.S. quality product features select tonewoods and masterful construction, which, combined with the in-house Expression System 2 and a sturdy case, create a professional instrument for avid acoustic guitarists.
The high-quality Taylor 417e Tobacco Sunburst in Grand-Pacific body style
The in-house design and the patented V-Bracing perfect the sound character
Innovative construction
Based on the classic dreadnought Western guitar, Taylor developed the Grand Pacific design. Like its prototype, this also has a voluminous body, but is more bulbous and rounded, which, in addition to a high assertiveness, has a significant impact on the sound of the guitar. Thus, the Grand Pacific produces a decidedly round, warm tone with surprisingly powerful basses. A high volume of sound is also provided by the fully solid construction as well as the V-Class bracing specially developed by Taylor, which sets the top into a two-dimensional vibration. This results in a long-lasting tone that unfolds impressively in all registers.
Spruce and rosewood: the classics among tonewoods
Proven tonewoods
For a balanced sound character, Taylor uses the absolute classics among tonewoods for the 417e. The solid body made of Indian rosewood produces full basses and pronounced mids, while the solid top made of finely grained Sitka spruce adds brilliant highs. It is not without reason that these woods are two of the most popular types in guitar making, as their versatile sound character is enjoyed by singer-songwriters, country musicians as well as representatives of rock genres.
The mahogany neck fits well in the hand
Comfortable playable guitar neck
In order to provide comfortable playability in addition to excellent sound, the guitar is equipped with a grippy mahogany neck. Due to its acceptable weight and high stability, this sophisticated guitar part is preferably made of mahogany. It is joined by the excellently playable ebony fingerboard, whose smooth, velvety texture allows the picking hand to glide effortlessly over all 20 frets. On top of that, the nut width of 44.5 mm ideally meets all requirements for powerful strumming and delicate fingerpicking, while Taylor nickel tuners guarantee a high tuning stability.
The Expression System 2 for superior sound reproduction
Stage-ready pickup system
With the in-house Expression System 2, the 417e is equipped with the best electronics for professional gigs and jam sessions. This pickup system takes acoustic guitar amplification to the next level, as it is a completely revolutionary development in terms of both operation and design. Three piezo elements directly pick up the acoustic signals from each pair of strings for pristine sound transmission, while volume, bass and treble can be individually adjusted using three discreet controls.
An attractive appearance perfects the stage design
Attractive design
The Taylor 417e is rounded out by its exciting Tobacco Sunburst finish in high-gloss lacquer as well as numerous visual details. These include the single-ring rosette, the tortoise pickguard that is both functional and chic, and fine finial inlays. In combination with the outstanding sound, the obliging handling and the high-quality equipment, the result is an absolutely stage-ready instrument in star quality.
Taylor - The epitome of fine quality
As one of the largest guitar manufacturers, Taylor is truly an authority in the production of first-class instruments. Thus, professional manufacturing by skilled craftsmen results in the very finest products for life, whose value is always maintained - or even increased! This is due in equal part to exquisite tonewoods, which do not warp due to long storage and selected quality and as a result can hardly be surpassed in terms of high quality. Only spruce, mahogany, cedar or Koa of proven quality are used for the tops. By the way, careful production in combination with the best materials does not only apply to guitars. Guitar bags and all accessories are also of first-class quality. Finally, a conscientious final inspection does not let even the smallest defects pass and ensures absolutely flawless guitars even before shipment.
And that's not all: Taylor also attaches great importance to environmentally conscious actions.
Ebony & Koa: Sustainability at Taylor Guitars
Uncontrolled clearing of forests and overexploitation lead to massively endangered wood species, which can no longer regenerate due to the high pace of mining. These include ebony and koa in particular, whose dwindling stocks and the resulting ecological problems have prompted a rethink at Taylor Guitars.
Sustainable ebony cultivation in Cameroon
Because ebony 's hard, supple texture makes it particularly finger-friendly, it has long been the preferred choice for making fingerboards. Its attractive appearance is also extremely popular for bridges, headstock rests, bridge Pins and Bindings. However, high demand and a thriving black market outstripped stocks, landing ebony on the Red List of Endangered Species in 1994. Moreover, only the jet-black heartwood, which makes up only a fraction of the tree, was used, resulting in a disproportionately large amount of waste in production. In order to protect the forests, Taylor has therefore been working since 2011 with the Crelicam Wood Mill in Yaoundé in Cameroon to promote controlled consumption by processing waste products. Thus, not only black ebony elements are found in Taylor guitars, but also the different colored, more clearly grained parts of the tree. This complete recycling is an effective method of preserving stocks and successfully counteracts their dramatic decline and the negative ecological effects that accompany it.
"We need to use the ebony that the forest gives us" - Bob Taylor
In video: Taylor Guitars - "The state of ebony"
Siglo Tonewoods Project
Koa acacia populations have also suffered severe losses over the last 20 years. Unsustainable forestry as well as overexploitation led to a decline that can only be stopped by proactive action and reforestation. Therefore, Taylor Guitars together with Pacific Rim Tonewoods founded the Siglo Tonewoods project, which aims to rebuild the Hawaiian virgin forest. This is a large cultivation area for koa acacia and other species, which allows the use of koa wood on a controlled scale.
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