TAYLOR

91
OCTOBER 2020 GUITARIST
reviewTAYLOR AMERICAN DREAM AD17 BLACKTOP & AD27
These instruments
don’t feel like they’ve
crossed unspoken
boundaries for Taylor
PROS A fabulous, head-turning
instrument that plays and sounds
great in a variety of musical styles.
It packs personality galore, too
CONS If you like your instruments
to look shiny and pristine then this
one may not be for you
PROS Down home and earthy
acoustic that’s brimming with
bluesy vibe and, despite austere
appointments, looks very cool
CONS Reduced bottom- and top-
ends means it’s a specialist, not so
much of a versatile all-rounder
TAYLOR AMERICAN
DREAM AD17
BLACKTOP
PRICE: £1,715 (inc soft case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: 14-fret Grand Pacifi c acoustic
TOP: Solid spruce with revealed
edges and V-Class bracing
BACK/SIDES: Solid ovangkol
MAX RIM DEPTH: 117.5mm
MAX BODY WIDTH: 406.4mm
NECK: Mahogany
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
TUNERS: Schaller style,
individual sealed
NUT/WIDTH: Black Tusq, 45.4mm
FINGERBOARD: Eucalyptus,
unbound, with 4mm acrylic dot inlays
FRETS: 20, medium
BRIDGE/SPACING: Eucalyptus with
compensated Micarta saddle/56mm
ELECTRICS: None
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 2/4.4
OPTIONS: Electro version available,
the AD17e Blacktop (£1,919)
RANGE OPTIONS: The American
Dream AD17 (£1,619), with electro
system (£1,835), has the same
spec as the AD17 Blacktop but with
natural satin fi nish top. Also see AD27
(as reviewed)
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Clear satin unbuffed
with Blacktop
Taylor Guitars
00800 23750011
www.taylorguitars.com
TAYLOR AMERICAN
DREAM AD27
PRICE: £1,619 (inc soft case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: 14-fret Grand Pacifi c acoustic
TOP: Solid mahogany with V-Class
bracing
BACK/SIDES: Solid sapele
MAX RIM DEPTH: 117.5mm
MAX BODY WIDTH: 406.4mm
NECK: Mahogany
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
TUNERS: Schaller style,
individual sealed
NUT/WIDTH: Black Tusq, 45.4mm
FINGERBOARD: Eucalyptus,
unbound, with 4mm acrylic dot inlays
FRETS: 20, medium
BRIDGE/SPACING: Eucalyptus with
compensated Micarta saddle/56mm
ELECTRICS: No
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 2/4.4
OPTIONS: Electro version available,
the AD27e (£1,835)
RANGE OPTIONS: See AD17 and also
AD17 Blacktop (as reviewed)
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Clear satin with Urban
Sienna stain
9 8
4. The grain of the AD27’s
genuine mahogany
really shows through
its ultra-thin finish,
while the simple
soundhole rosette,
eucalyptus bridge and
tortoise pickguard add
understated elegance
It’s easy to spit out adjectives such as
‘organic’, earthy’ or ‘characterful’ but in
truth they work extremely well when
offering up an impression of what these
guitars sound like – certainly compared to
Taylor’s usually pristine palette of tones.
Pin us down and we’d offer that the
ovangkol/spruce AD17 Blacktop sits within
the Gibson umbrella of sounds, whereas
the sapele/mahogany AD27 sings with a
voice more akin to Martin’s mahogany-
topped range. That said, these instruments
don’t feel like they’ve crossed unspoken
boundaries for Taylor, merely that they’ve
pushed a bit further down the path already
trodden by the GS Mini and others.
Andy Powers has succeeded in his bid
to unleash the tones of the past while
retaining the impeccable build and
stunning playability that have typified
the Taylor ethic for almost 40 years. At
around one-and-a-half grand they’re still
not cheap (get the ‘e’ version as they are
only a smidgen more in real terms), and yet
your money brings you two singular but
vibey, vintage-toned acoustics with one of
the most respected modern brands on the
headstock. Living the dream indeed!
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GIT464.rev_taylor.indd 91 02/09/2020 15:32