Made in 2013, this 522 12-fret is different from most Taylor guitars made today. It starts with a Grand Concert body, which is the smallest full-size Taylor body. Comfortable and manageable in size, the Grand Concert is designed to produce a balanced, focused sound that is great in the studio. The vast majority of Taylor models made today have a cutaway body, this 522 doesn't. It has a 12-fret neck, so the bridge is positioned closer to the widest part of the top and soundhole right on the waist. Then, it has a mahogany top, mahogany sides, and a mahogany back for warm, woody tones.
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 is an heirloom that can 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.
Nowadays, Taylor loves upselling you with fancy inlays, beveled edges, and "cutting edge" bracing that doesn't actually change the sound. This 522 12-fret has understated—but elegant—inlays, and it sounds excellent with tried-and-true X-bracing.
This 2013 Taylor 522 12-Fret shows some minor play wear, especially around the pickguard. There are few minor bumps worth mentioning, and we've done our best to capture those in the photos. The insides of the peghead slots both show scratches from string ends that were left too long. The current setup is low, playable, and inviting, and it includes its original Taylor hardshell case.
The all-mahogany construction imparts a meaty midrange character to this 2013 Taylor 522 12-Fret. It produces a dry and airy tone with a clear, present midrange that doesn't overpower the bass or the trebles. The Grand Concert body shape, combined with the 12-fret design, yields a focused sound with a little extra bass response to balance it out. This makes the guitar particularly well-suited for fingerstyle playing, as it offers a balanced tonal response and articulate note separation. But it sounds great strummed with a pick, too. This 2013 522 12-Fret is a versatile guitar all around!