They say that timing is everything, and I am lucky enough to have purchased the last GP 517 BE WHB currently in stock with Sweetwater. Although I am a frequent visitor here, I registered today in order to tell you all a bit about my experience with the 517. By way of introduction I have been playing guitar for over 30 years and own 10+ acoustics including a Martin D-28 custom, a Gibson Advanced Jumbo, and a 1991 Taylor 515 Ltd. (a spruce over mahogany jumbo).
I am not sure if I am courageous or foolhardy, but decided to purchase the GP 517 without ever having played this model. I love the tone and playability of Taylor guitars, but always wished they would make a model with more of a vintage sound. When the most recent Wood and Steel arrived, I thought "here's exactly what I have been waiting for" and so took the leap of faith. My guitar arrived a little over two weeks ago.
The brown western floral pattern on the case may not be to everyone's liking, but I think it looks cool and distinctive. Also, this case, manufactured by Taylor, is the tightest fitting case I have ever owned. I literally have to place the guitar in the right spot and push it down into the case. It's going to do a terrific job of protecting the guitar.
The fit and finish of the guitar, as expected, are excellent. The Wild Honey Burst finish is a little darker brown around the top edges than I was expecting, but is beautiful. There is considerable silking visible on the spruce top, and the mahogany back and sides are straight and uniformly grained. The guitar is very light, and all of the Builder's Edition comfort features make this a guitar that you want to hold tight into your body.
The neck was surprisingly a bit beefier than any other Taylor I have played. I love it! For my hand, it is the most comfortable neck that I have ever played on of any brand. This is also the first Taylor that I have played with the V-class bracing.
Now to the scary part. When I first strummed the guitar, my heart sank. It was very quiet in the trebles, and the bass sounded thuddy and muddy. My first thought was to send it back. But after I calmed down a bit, I remembered how tight and sterile my straight-braced D-28 sounded 14 years ago when I got it, and how powerful and warm that guitar sounds today. So I decided to change the strings from the Elixers it came with for a set of John Pearse Phosphor Bronze New Mediums, and play it some more before deciding whether to return it. I am so glad I did.
I took some ridicule on another guitar site for saying that after a week of hard playing, the guitar has opened up to a noticeable degree. After two weeks, it is getting better and better, but I know it still has a long way to go before it reaches its full potential. I wonder, does V-class bracing take longer to break in than other Taylor bracing patterns? What I can tell you is that after strumming it hard for about 3 days, the trebles became clearer and sweeter, and the bass deepened into a pleasing and powerful thump that I feel in my chest (just like with my D-28). When it starts reaching its stride, the tone of the 517 is absolutely intoxicating to me and my ears. I find myself playing for hours, and stop only when my fingers can't take anymore. But I barely make it out of the room before turning back for another 30 minutes to an hour of additional playing. I have not experienced this with any of my other acoustics. Still though, the first 10-15 minutes of every playing session begins with a somewhat quiet tone before it warms up and starts to sing. I detail this because I have read a number of posts on the interweb where players have got a chance to demo a new Grand Pacific and their reaction is "meh, it sounds quiet and sterile. I don't know what all the fuss is about." Well, actually having played one now for a couple weeks, I do understand the excitement surrounding this new Taylor, and urge those who are interested in this model to play it for more than 5 - 10 minutes before making up your mind.
The last thing that I want to mention is my perception of the V-class bracing. To my ear and subjective opinion, this guitar is more responsive to player and string input than any other guitar I have ever played. Also, if you play electric guitar and know what a compressor does, I feel that the 517 has a compressor built in. While there is still considerable dynamic range, the notes from top to bottom ring with uniform volume. While the bass is very present, so are the mids and trebles. The bass does not overpower, but is extremely supportive of the upper registers. In my humble opinion, this guitar is an exceptional player's instrument that adds a new and delightful flavor to the Taylor menu.
