Deeper Tone, Familiar Feel: Taylor’s Gold Label 517e & 717e Land at Chuck Levin’s
Taylor has added two heavy hitters to their Gold Label lineup — the new 517e and 717e Grand Pacifics — and we got our hands on them as soon as they dropped. If you’re after a bigger, warmer, more vintage-leaning acoustic sound (without giving up that signature Taylor playability), these guitars are well worth your attention.
Earlier this year, Taylor launched the Gold Label series with a goal: to capture a rounder, more traditional acoustic tone — something that feels like a seasoned, old-school dreadnought — while still delivering the modern, refined feel Taylor is known for.
The first batch of Super Auditorium 814e models impressed us right away. But this next chapter, focused on Taylor’s slope-shoulder Grand Pacific shape, goes even further into that earthy, robust sonic territory.
If you’ve been in our shop, you probably know Dana — longtime acoustic expert and one of our go-to guys for first impressions. He spent time with both the 517e and 717e right out of the case, and immediately noticed what makes these stand out.
First off, the depth. Literally. The new Gold Label Grand Pacific body is 3/8" deeper than standard, giving it a full 5" depth at the soundhole. That small change adds major punch. More low-end, more volume, more harmonic richness. When you strum it, it rolls — you feel the sound just breathe out of the guitar. And even when you dig in, it holds up with clarity and presence.
The 517e: All About the Midrange
This model pairs a torrefied Sitka spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides, delivering that classic dry, woody tone. It’s responsive, with a natural compression that works especially well for strumming and flatpicking. Clean highs, tight lows, and a midrange that’s upfront but never boxy.
It’s also the first Gold Label model we’ve seen with an LR Baggs Element VTC pickup instead of the familiar Taylor ES2 system — a welcome option for players who’ve used Baggs gear before. You still get Taylor’s ergonomic comfort, but with a different flavor when plugged in.
Finish options include Natural, Sunburst (with either a cream or firestripe pickguard), or Blacktop
The 717e: Rosewood Power
If you’re after more low-end complexity and shimmer, the 717e steps in with a tonewood classic: East Indian rosewood back and sides under that same torrefied spruce top. It’s a full, bold voice — tons of depth, tons of headroom. Dana noted that it actually took him by surprise the first time he played it. There's a kind of built-in compression here too — it just gets better the more you lean into it.
The blacktop version in particular looks sharp, and the sound backs it up.
New Neck, Big Win
A big innovation on both models is Taylor’s Action Control Neck. It replaces the traditional shimmed NT neck with a long-tenon bolt-on system that lets you adjust your action in seconds — no neck removal, no strings off.
Just reach in through the soundhole with a 1/4" nut driver (or truss rod wrench) and tweak the neck angle with precision. Perfect for adapting to climate, different string gauges, or just personal preference. It’s the kind of tool-free adjustability we didn’t know we needed, but now don’t want to live without.
Quick Spec Rundown
Both guitars feature:
- Torrefied Sitka spruce tops
- Fanned V-Class bracing
- Honduran rosewood Curve Wing bridge
- Crelicam ebony fingerboard
- Taylor nickel tuners
- LR Baggs Element VTC pickup system
- D’Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light strings
- Taylor Deluxe hardshell case in British Cocoa
These Gold Label Grand Pacifics are real players' guitars — warm, punchy, and ready for just about anything. The 517e is a no-nonsense midrange machine, while the 717e opens things up with rich overtones and deep resonance.
Whether you're tracking in the studio, strumming on stage, or just playing for yourself, these guitars deliver that seasoned, broken-in tone right out of the box.
🎸 In stock now at Chuck Levin’s. Come hear them for yourself!