Taylor Showdown
Sponsored by Taylor Guitars:
Our third Super Auditorium Showdown features award-winning singer-songwriter Joshua Taylor putting two voices of the Gold Label Collection to the test: the Gold Label K14e with Hawaiian koa back and sides and the Gold Label 514e with mahogany back and sides. Both guitars share a torrefied Sitka spruce top, which adds a warm, played-in character right out of the case along with extra depth and sweetness.
Where these two models differ most is in the tonal personality of their back and side woods. Mahogany is known for its dry, woody and earthy voice, delivering a strong fundamental response and a thick, focused midrange that many players appreciate for clarity and punch. Koa offers a different flavor, blending some of mahogany’s midrange warmth with the sparkling top-end brightness often associated with maple. The result is a lively, articulate voice with a touch more shimmer.
In this showdown, Joshua plays both guitars using the same musical approach, so you can hear how each tonewood shapes the sound and feel of the instrument. Can you hear the difference between the two?
Inspired by the heritage sound of much older acoustics, Gold Label Collection guitars feature fanned V-Class® bracing and a long-tenon Action Control Neck™ for enhanced resonance, stability and easy adjustability.
Learn more about Taylor’s Gold Label Collection
The Koa was, for me, more engaging. There was “more to the sound” which inspired or motivated me to listen deeper. On the other hand, the mahogany felt like it needed less effort which made it a more relaxed experience. It carried the listener along with ease. Neither won over the other because they travelled different — if parallel — paths.