I was puzzled when Taylor announced their Doyle Deluxe (DDX) last year. While this isn't really a signature model, you'd expect the artist to have a fair amount of input. Yet there are some key differences between the DDX and the DDSM that confound me:
-- 1 11/16" nut width versus 1 3/4": makes a big difference for finger style
-- 25 1/2" scale length versus 24 7/8": Doyle explained that the shorter scale length would add years to his career
-- Strap button on the heel of the neck instead of on the body (near where the ES controls go); changes the balance
One might conclude that Doyle wouldn't choose to play a guitar like this!
(I'm purposefully omitting details like the use of laminated woods, lack of the rose headstock inlay, different cutaway shape, the LR Baggs pickup, etc. I can understand those choices in terms of cutting costs to lower the price of the guitar. Several years ago there was a "Doyle Dykes Anniversary Edition"--DDAE--that was more like the DDSM.)
So while I'm sure the DDX is a nice guitar, no one should conclude that it's merely a de-contented version of the Signature Model. And going forward, it's unclear just how much promotion Doyle will lend to this model, seeing as how he's apparently now with Guild/Fender.
