grand orchestra

[timfitz63]

I was at a road show last week and someone asked if the GO could be made into a 12 string, the reply was no, because the bracing was too light.  The lighter bracing is what gives the big body its responsiveness...

Curious, since the BTO program seems to offer the option...  Even the Taylor web site lists a 'standard' option under, for example, the 618e, to make a 12-string version... 

the standard model option page on the price list states the 12 string option is for the GS only - page 9
http://www.taylorguitars.com/sites/default/files/TaylorGuitars-2014PriceList.pdf?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=
Guitar%2BMenu%2BDropdown%2BLink&utm_content=PDF&utm_campaign=Price%2BList%2B2013%2BDownload

there are other models that show a 12 string as being an option,
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/312e
but it is not available on all models, such as a GC/X12

the options on the Custom program list need to be verified through a dealer -
just because the option is shown does not mean a guitar can be built with any
options combination, such as black headstock binding with an ebony overlay

Well, I'll take this opportunity to re-state a minor complaint that I've occasionally made about the information that Taylor publishes (both online and in print) about their guitar lines:  it's inconsistent at best.  One source implies one thing, another contradicts it.  Even the folks manning Taylor's own Road Show don't seem to have a common answer for the question of, for example, whether a Grand Orchestra (GO) can be had in a 12-string version...

Ultimately, your suggestion to verify a question through a dealer is probably the most fool-proof method; but one will never truly know until one is holding a guitar built with a given option...

[MR XXXXX]

I was at a road show last week and someone asked if the GO could be made into a 12 string, the reply was no, because the bracing was too light.  The lighter bracing is what gives the big body its responsiveness...

I was at a Road Show last night and they said the exact opposite. No one asked, they brought it up. They said the GO makes for a great 12 string, not only because of the nice sound, but because the body is so big it makes it easier on the saddle for a 12 string.

That runs counter to what every other report back that  I have read/heard has said about GO 12 strings.  I was at a Road Show in NY a couple weeks ago and it was stated very plainly that you could NOT get a 12 string GO even in the custom shop program as the bracing for the GO is only made for 6 strings.  Possible you misheard?  Road show staff may have just mis-spoke... I have asked this of a very large Taylor dealer, and they seemed pretty confident it can't happen (as of that moment in time).

[michaelw]

the official roll out of the GO began in 2013
http://www.taylorguitars.com/sites/default/files/Wood-Steel-Winter-2013-English.pdf
there have been first edition models, but with the exception of the PS18e,
there hasn't been a LTD model with anything other than standard woods

i think i've seen a pic of one other GOce, which was a custom with a black pickguard

this is interesting
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301149791329
oct 12, 2012 start date & a 618ce designation

[MR XXXXX]

There have been many GOce BTO's on the web over the past year...  there are some now....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-Grand-Orchestra-All-Mahogany-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Natural-/400696507867?pt=Guitar&hash=item5d4b5f7ddb

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-AA-Quilt-Maple-Premium-Sitka-/191122939612?pt=Guitar&hash=item2c7fd09edc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-Cocobolo-Premium-Adirondack-/191122939467?pt=Guitar&hash=item2c7fd09e4b

[michaelw]

There have been many GOce BTO's on the web over the past year...  there are some now....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-Grand-Orchestra-All-Mahogany-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Natural-/400696507867?pt=Guitar&hash=item5d4b5f7ddb

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-AA-Quilt-Maple-Premium-Sitka-/191122939612?pt=Guitar&hash=item2c7fd09edc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-Cocobolo-Premium-Adirondack-/191122939467?pt=Guitar&hash=item2c7fd09e4b

apparently
http://www.theguitarsanctuary.com/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-Maple-Honey-SB-p/taylor-bto5983-1103113149.htm
http://www.theguitarsanctuary.com/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-Quilt-Sapele-p/taylor-bto5982-1104163103.htm
http://www.theguitarsanctuary.com/Taylor-Custom-BTO-Grand-Orchestra-Mahogany-p/taylor-bto5982-1103073149.htm
http://randeesmusic.com/shop/taylor-bto-grand-orchestra-premium-sprucemacassar-ebony/
http://briansguitars.com/product/taylor-bto-custom-go-cocobolo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgigKSA92-Q
i guess after hearing that certain options are seemingly not available, one tends to stop looking

the florentine cutaway is not currently shown as a standard model option on the GO, but apparently it can be done
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191122939467

that's a pretty reasonable $ for a Custom
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400696507867
but, still a little bit more than a florentine cutaway 528ce with HP package, when that model/option becomes available

on another note -
314ce ES2
http://www.rainbowguitars.com/guitar/taylor/314ce-es2-grand-auditorium-acoustic-electric/314ces2/to

so, how long's it gonna be until that GO 12 string comes out

[deepermagic]

I was at a road show last week and someone asked if the GO could be made into a 12 string, the reply was no, because the bracing was too light.  The lighter bracing is what gives the big body its responsiveness...

I was at a Road Show last night and they said the exact opposite. No one asked, they brought it up. They said the GO makes for a great 12 string, not only because of the nice sound, but because the body is so big it makes it easier on the saddle for a 12 string.

That runs counter to what every other report back that  I have read/heard has said about GO 12 strings.  I was at a Road Show in NY a couple weeks ago and it was stated very plainly that you could NOT get a 12 string GO even in the custom shop program as the bracing for the GO is only made for 6 strings.  Possible you misheard?  Road show staff may have just mis-spoke... I have asked this of a very large Taylor dealer, and they seemed pretty confident it can't happen (as of that moment in time).

Definitely heard them correctly. Doubt they misspoke because they brought it up and gave a reason. Now maybe they are misinformed about their own product, but I'm just relaying what I heard. I remember it specifically because I was curious about the mention of the big soundboard space being the structural reason it'll work for a 12 string.

He was using one of the new 800 models in the demo, and each of the newly designed bodies are braced based on body size, so perhaps he was referring only to the new design? If he was, he didn't indicate it.

[DennisG]

What am I not understanding about this?  If Taylor can brace a GA, GS and jumbo body to accommodate the string tension of a 12-string, why couldn't they brace a GO to do the same thing?  Are people (reps and dealers) asserting that it can't be done ... or just that it's not yet being done?

[michaelw]

the GO has the same bracing pattern regardless of series, unlike the 300-700 GA, 800s, 900, koa & PS -
the 12 string GS bracing pattern seems to have undergone some changes,
as there have been some non-standard models offered with CV bracing

since there are dealers receiving standard 300 series models with ES2 & there have been "prototypes" of
X18ce models with that designation (rather than Cust GO) on the soundhole label before the GO FE models
were rolled out, i would be very surprised if there weren't as least some prototype GO/X58 models around -
when they are released & i have a very hard time believing that there will not be a 12 string GO model,
it may just "pop up" unannounced & just seem to magically appear on their site, as the 150e did initially

i think 318, 328 & 418 models would be pretty cool additions, as well as a 326 -
we're barely into the second quarter of 2014 & i'll bet when there are changes, they will happen quickly

[Guitardoc]

I have the 618e and it is my favorite.  Wouldn't trade it for anything.