Taylor Gold Label 517e Blacktop Acoustic-Electric Guitar w/ Case

Gold Label 517e Blacktop

Overview

• Deeper Grand Pacific body for incredible warmth and power
• Torrefied Sitka spruce top adds aged-in sweetness and depth
• Solid mahogany back and sides for strong midrange character
• Long-tenon neck joint with exceptional adjustability
• Includes LR Baggs Element VTC pickup and deluxe hardshell case

Featuring a bold black soundboard finish, the Gold Label 517e Blacktop is a confident, road-ready powerhouse. Blending heritage aesthetics and a warm, muscular acoustic voice with old-school character, this model expands the Gold Label Collection in an inspiring new direction. Boasting a slightly deeper body than our original round-shoulder dreadnought design, this Grand Pacific produces extraordinary low-end power and projection. Solid mahogany back and sides are paired with a torrefied Sitka spruce top in a gloss-finish body, a time-tested tonewood pairing that serves up a woody, earthy voice with a thick midrange character. Our special soundboard roasting process contributes extra sweetness for a sound that’s even more reminiscent of older, more played-in acoustics. Inside, fanned V-Class bracing boosts volume, lengthens sustain and improves intonation along the entire fretboard. A long-tenon Action Control Neck™ joint enhances the connection between neck and body for enhanced tonal transfer while enabling easy and precise adjustments to string height for optimal playability in any scenario. 

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. Exuding the classic styling of mid-20th-century acoustics, it features a cream-colored pickguard with a distinct shape that contrasts stylishly with its blacktop finish. 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.

Features

Stylish Visuals Accent Classic Tone

A striking blacktop finish adds a distinctive visual character to this model's old-heritage sound and unmatched playing comfort.

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

SPECIFICATIONS

HIGHLIGHTS
Number of Strings: 6 String
Orientation: Right-handed
Bracing System: Fanned V-Class with Tonal Route
Color: Natural Back/Sides, Black Top
Case/Bag: Gold Label Hardshell Case British Cocoa

BODY
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Back/Side Wood: Neo-Tropical Mahogany
Rosette: Cream (.075")/.032" Black/Cream (.075") Single Ring
Back Configuration: 2-piece No Wedge
Body Binding: Cream
Armrest: None
Top Finish: Gloss
Back/Side Finish: Gloss

NECK
Neck Wood: Neo-Tropical Mahogany
Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Profile: Standard Carve
Fretboard Inlay: Cream Crest
Fretboard Binding: West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Finish: Satin

PEGHEAD 
Nut Width: 1-3/4"
Peghead Veneer Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Scale Length: 25-1/2"
Peghead Inlay: Cream Crest
Peghead Type: Paddle
Peghead Binding: None
Peghead Finish: Gloss

OTHER
Bridge: Honduran Rosewood
Nut & Saddle: White TUSQ Nut, White Micarta Saddle
Bridge Pins: Indian Rosewood
Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053)
Pickguard: Cream/Black
Tuners: Taylor Nickel with Nickel Buttons
Strap Pin: Black
End Pin: Bronze