An excellent guitar for almost any style of music, the Taylor Baritone-8 Grand Symphony 8-string guitar boasts a back and sides made from Indian rosewood. This tonewood is similar to mahogany, but in comparison it has a slightly scooped midrange frequency curve in both directions. Rosewood tends to sound deeper in the low end, and brighter on the top, as opposed to midrange-focused mahogany. The top on the Baritone-8 Grand Symphony is made from North American Sitka spruce, which yields crystalline overtones and sparkle.

A Baritone Guitar with a Couple Surprises

The Taylor Baritone-8 Grand Symphony complements the normal tonal range of a baritone guitar, with two paired octave strings on the third and fourth strings. This adds a brightness and fullness of tone that must be heard to be believed. Without a doubt, this guitar was created to dazzle acoustic players looking to develop a more lush and full sound. It also allows crafty players to add walking basslines and drone tones to their music.

Instantly Playable

The scale length on the Taylor Baritone-8 Grand Symphony is longer than most standard acoustics by two inches, measuring in at 27 inches exactly. However, the neck was designed to keep the string tension at a level standard to any other high-end acoustic, which means it isn't any more difficult to fret the strings on the Baritone-8 than on any other Taylor. For players looking to move quickly between different instruments on stage, the incredible work that Taylor… read more has done makes the instrument all about great tone and immediate playability.

Handsome, Quick-Playing Neck

The Baritone-8's neck itself is made from tropical mahogany and is set with 19 frets. Unique pearl diamond-style inlays are set in 7 frets.

A Revolutionary Acoustic-Electric System

The Expression System on the Taylor Baritone-8 Grand Symphony reflects was another of Taylor's great innovations. In collaboration with the legendary audio engineer Rupert Neve, Taylor was able to create an internal preamp capable of reproducing a Taylor guitar's incredible natural sound -- but without adding the noise or coloration created by most drop-in pickup systems. They did so with a hybrid system that functions more like a series of tiny microphones would, by inserting multiple body sensors into critical points inside the guitar. These sensors work together to deliver a complete and accurate acoustic image. The ES's brilliance is completed with an audiophile-grade Class A preamp with 2-band Bass/Treble EQ and balanced line output. This makes an excellent way to work with your guitar in the studio or on stage. It is powered with a 9-volt battery.

Truly Symphonic

The Grand Symphony body is an amazing refection of Taylor's many years spent designing and re-designing their proprietary body shapes. It grew out of a comprehensive re-thinking of their dreadnought bodies, and eventually resulted in an acoustic guitar that has exceptional throw and power across its entire frequency range. Unlike many guitars, which have different "personalities" depending on what range you're playing in, the Grand Symphony shape yields consistent tonal character from the lowest note to the highest. This body shape also benefits from a Venetian-style cutaway, that allows easy access up through the 17th fret. The body is 16.25 inches wide, and 4.625 inches deep.

As Gorgeous as it Sounds

The Taylor Baritone-8 is as elegant and attractive as the rest of Taylor's guitars. The abalone soundhole rosette sparkles under the light, while the Indian rosewood binding beautifully accents the bright Sitka spruce top. The bridge is top-rate ebony and the nut and saddle are genuine bone. The tuning machines are gold-plated Taylor tuners with an excellent tuning ratio that can keep your guitar in tune even after months in its case. That case is a GS Series Deluxe hardshell, and it is included!

Features:

- Taylor Baritone-8 Grand Symphony with Indian rosewood back and sides
- Paired octave strings with the third and fourth strings
- Integrated Taylor Expression System for amplified performance
- Pearl diamond style inlays
- Gold-plated Taylor tuners
- Venetian-style cutaway
- GS Series Deluxe Hardshell case read less