Originally sold as a limited Guitar Center/Musician’s Friend exclusive, the Taylor M-522 is a rare all-mahogany Grand Concert that stands apart from the modern-day Taylor catalog. The Grand Concert is the smallest full-size Taylor body—comfortable and manageable, but still designed to produce a balanced, focused sound that is great in the studio but just as at home in the living room. The vast majority of Taylor models made today have a cutaway body, this M-522 doesn't. Then, it has a mahogany top, mahogany sides, and a mahogany back for warm, woody tones.
Nowadays, Taylor's line hypes up the V-Class bracing, but the M-522 was built with some intriguing, cutting-edge bracing, too. Interestingly, this limited edition model features a Forward Shifted X-Brace pattern with a unique Relief Rout around the edge of the top. Patented by Taylor, the Relief Rout is a tone-enhancing voicing technique in which a groove is carved along the inside edges of the top. Similar in function to the re-curve on a violin, it "loosens up" the edges of the top, generating extra flexibility without sacrificing structural integrity. The result is increased bass and volume with a balanced tone.
Almost all modern Taylor guitars come with factory-installed electronics, but this 2013 522 12-fret is purely acoustic. Let's be honest: all pickup technology WILL eventually become obsolete. But a good guitar can be an heirloom that will last for generations. The longest-lasting pickups are the simplest, and the Taylor Expression System is anything but simple. Back in 2013, Taylor didn't insist on making every model acoustic-electric, so today it's refreshing to see an acoustic-only Taylor.
This 2013 Taylor M-522 show some minor play wear, but it is nice cosmetic condition all around. The peghead shows some rash from a loose string end (see photos), and there is a 4"-long crack on that back that is neatly repaired with two mahogany cleats in the soundhole. It is setup with low action and fretwear is minimal. Another point that separates this one from other Taylors: this M-522 has a 1-3/4" nut width. All in all, this is a great-playing all-mahogany Taylor with some unique features. We love the diamond inlays and the shaded edge burst finish. Original case included!