- Description
- More
- Features
- Specs
- Inspection and Set-up
- Humidity Care
*Photos shown are of the actual guitar. Serial Number 1211035014.
With its deep, expansive voice and extraordinary projection, the Gold Label 517e adds a powerful new dimension to the Gold Label Collection. Designed to produce an older, more traditional acoustic sound, this model blends warm, old-school tone with modern playability. Crafted with solid mahogany back and sides and a natural torrefied Sitka spruce top for a mature, played-in sound from day one, this gloss-finish Grand Pacific model offers a rich midrange character with a clear, woody response. Our round-shoulder dreadnought shape—updated here with a slightly deeper body—delivers incredible low-end power while a slender, satin-finish Taylor neck provides smooth playability. Inside, fanned V-Class bracing boosts volume, lengthens sustain and improves intonation along the entire fretboard. Taylor's patented long-tenon Action Control Neck™ joint enhances the wood coupling between neck and body to boost low-end resonance while enabling easy and precise adjustments to string height.
- CASE/GIG BAG: Hard Case Included.
Showcasing the Gold Label Collection’s unique design details, this model features a modified headstock with an angled back cut and script-style Taylor logo inlay and a firestripe pickguard with a distinct shape. The appointment package also includes a Honduran rosewood Curve Wing bridge with Indian rosewood bridge pins, cream-colored Crest inlays on the fretboard and peghead, cream body binding, and a cream single-ring rosette. Outfitted with Taylor nickel tuners and LR Baggs Element VTC electronics, the Gold Label 517e ships in a British Cocoa deluxe hardshell case.
Powerful Vintage Warmth
Deep, resonant sound meets refined comfort for players who crave vintage tone and easy playability.
Grand Pacific
This round-shoulder dreadnought delivers a new flavor of warm, rich Taylor tone.
Tropical Mahogany
A midrange powerhouse. Mahogany is prized for balance and articulation, making it one of the best all-around tonewoods there is.
Action Control Neck
Building on Taylor’s legacy of easy-playing necks, the new Action Control Neck pairs a long-tenon joint for added warmth and depth with a patented system for effortless string height adjustment.
Sitka Spruce
The soundboard choice for most guitars, Sitka spruce produces a broad dynamic range and accommodates a versatile range of playing styles.
LR Baggs - Element VTC
This undersaddle pickup channels tone from the movement of a guitar’s top, delivering a remarkably warm, detailed sound in Gold Label and Legacy Collection guitars.
Gold Label Hardshell Case British Cocoa
- Deeper Grand Pacific body for incredible warmth and power
- Torrefied Sitka spruce top adds aged-in sweetness and depth
- Solid mahogany back and sides offer bold midrange
- Long-tenon neck joint with exceptional adjustability
- Includes LR Baggs Element VTC pickup and deluxe hardshell case
Body & Construction
- Body Shape: Grand Pacific (Round-shoulder Dreadnought)
- Body Depth: 5 inches (3/8" deeper than standard Grand Pacific)
- Top Wood: Torrefied Sitka Spruce (roasted for aged-in sweetness)
- Back/Side Wood: Solid Neo-Tropical Mahogany
- Bracing: Fanned V-Class with Tonal Rout
- Finish: Full-body Gloss (Top, Back, and Sides)
- Binding: Cream
- Rosette: Cream/Black Single Ring
- Pickguard: Firestripe
Neck & Fretboard
- Neck Wood: Neo-Tropical Mahogany
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
- Neck Profile: Standard Carve
- Neck Joint: Action Control Neck™ (Long-tenon for enhanced resonance and adjustability)
- Scale Length: 25-1/2"
- Nut Width: 1-3/4"
- Fretboard Inlay: Cream Crest
Hardware & Electronics
- Electronics: LR Baggs Element VTC (undersaddle pickup with volume and tone controls)
- Bridge: Honduran Rosewood (Curve Wing design)
- Bridge Pins: Indian Rosewood
- Nut & Saddle: White TUSQ Nut / White Micarta Saddle
- Tuners: Taylor Nickel with Nickel Buttons
Miscellaneous
- Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053)
- Case: Deluxe Gold Label Hardshell Case (British Cocoa exterior)
- Orientation: Right-Handed
- Color: Natural
At Easy Music Center, we care for our instruments from the moment they arrive to when they ship to your door. All instruments are stored in a climate controlled environment and put through a 12-point inspection checklist before being shipped.
First, we check the finish of the instrument, carefully inspecting any blemishes on the surface. Next, we check the playability and setup by inspecting and adjusting the truss rod (if available), bridge, nut, and frets to manufacturer factory specifications. Any request made outside of manufacturer factory specifications can incur additional charges for parts and labor. If the instrument has electronics, we test all of the electronic components to make sure they are functioning properly.
After a thorough inspection, we then move on to maintenance. We start by lubricating any moving parts on the instrument, such as tuning machines. We then move on to cleaning and oiling the fretboard along with the frets.
Once maintenance is done, we stretch and tune the strings and play test the instrument. After this, we do a final inspection and clean/detail the instrument before packing it up for shipment.
We’re excited to be a part of your instrument buying experience.
Acoustic guitars and ukulele are made of wood, and wood is sensitive to changes in climate. Shifts in temperature or relative humidity can affect your instrument in multiple ways, some of which can lead to costly repairs if you’re not careful. Solid woods in particular are especially prone to the effects of climate fluctuation. For example, extended exposure to low relative humidity (below 40% RH) can dry out the wood, causing it to shrink and run the risk of cracking. Similarly, excessive humidity can cause the wood to absorb moisture and swell, potentially causing other problems. Without adequate humidity control (especially in drier local climates), acoustic instruments can crack and their necks can warp, causing problems with fretting, intonation and playability.
So how do you prevent this kind of damage? Easy: by keeping your guitars and ukulele properly humidified (ideally between 40-60% RH). The easiest way to do this is by storing your instruments in a case with a case two-way humidifier inside. A two-way humidifier will slowly absorb or release moisture inside your case, maintaining humidity to help ensure your instrument doesn’t suffer damage. Using a digital hygrometer can help you monitor humidity levels around your instrument.
Symptoms of a dry acoustic instrument:
- Low action. Strings are very close to the fretboard.
- Hump on the fretboard where the neck joins the body.
- Sunken top across the soundboard between bridge and fingerboard.
- The back of instrument looks very flat when it is dried out.
- Sharp fret ends extend beyond the edge of the fretboard.
- The plane of the neck angle on a dry instrument hits above the top of the bridge.
Symptoms of a wet acoustic instrument:
- High action. Strings that are unusually high off the fretboard, making it difficult to play.
- Unusually swollen top
- Unusual warp on the top, back or both at the end-block
- Improper neck angle. Sighting the neck to the bridge, the frets will appear to hit below the bridge.
The D’Addario Two-Way Humidification System
Using patented technology, the D’Addario Two-Way Humidification System features disposable, moisture-filled packets with a breathable membrane that provides two-way humidity control, meaning it can either release or absorb moisture to consistently maintain a predetermined relative humidity (RH) level of 45-50 percent.
Music Nomad Humilele Ukulele Humidifier
Music Nomad the leader in equipment care products, has developed an easy to use, no mess, and low maintenance Ukulele humidifier. The Humilele rests securely on top of the strings to safely and evenly hydrate your Ukulele to avoid these problems.
Final Notes on Humidity Control
To monitor the amount of humidity your instrument is receiving, we recommend the purchase of a digital hygrometer, a device that gauges and provides a read-out of humidity levels. It can be kept in the room where you store your instruments, or, better yet, in a central location inside the instrument case, preferably Velcro’d to the outside of the accessories compartment (facing the heel). The optimal range for your guitars and ukulele is 45-55% RH.