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Taylor 500 Series
Sustainability in the foreground
The 500 Series, which used to consist exclusively of Taylor's mahogany models, now also features backs and sides of Urban Ironbark, a completely new tonewood sourced through Taylor's ever-growing Urban Wood(s) Initiative. Unlike most premium tonewoods, this wood is sourced in California, in close proximity to Taylor Guitars. As a back-and-side wood, Urban Ironbark delivers a bold, rich and warm voice that will impress players of all styles and gives these guitars a piano-like transparency with a gentle character that enhances each player's unique way of playing. Taylor pairs the Urban Ironbark bodies with torrefied spruce tops to achieve an especially balanced sound that works particularly well on stage and in the studio. If you're looking for a guitar with a completely original, unexpected musical personality, the 500 Series is the right place to look.
All models in the 500 Series are fitted with Taylor's patented V-Class bracing, which provides greater volume, more sustain and improved tonal quality across the full frequency range. At the same time, the easy-playing Taylor neck offers a comfortable, relaxed feel when fretting the strings. Standard models in the 500 Series feature Aerial inlays made from Italian acrylic and mother-of-pearl as well as an abalone rosette. The body finish is high gloss with a subtle stain for the Urban Ironbark back and sides. The 517e features a marquise inlay pattern unique to the series.
All 500 Series models are supplied with a luxurious brown hardshell case with wine-red lining, which not only protects them perfectly on their way to your next musical adventure, but also looks great.
Overview of the features of the Taylor 500 models
- Sitka spruce top
- Body in mahogany or Urban Ironbark
- all-solid construction
- Neo-tropical mahogany neck with 44.45 mm (1 3/4") neck width
- Ebony fretboard
- Aerial inlays from Italian acrylic
- Single-ring or abalone rosette
- Taylor Expression System 2
- incl. Taylor Deluxe hardshell case
If you're not sure which body wood provides the right tone for you, you'll find a guide under the series overview that explains the different woods in the series.
Discover all Taylor 500 models at a glance:
Which wood is right for me?
That depends on several factors. You should bear in mind that the chosen body and top woods set the basic tone, but you can vary that sound significantly through your playing style and attack. If you're still unsure, make sure to get advice in one of our stores in Frankfurt or Walldorf. Here you'll get a first insight into the tonewoods used in the Taylor 500 Series:
Mahogany (Tropical Mahogany)
Mahogany has been a popular tonewood for many decades and features on many old-school acoustic recordings; that tonal heritage runs through various strands of roots music, from blues and folk to slack key. Mahogany's tonal profile emphasises the midrange. Acoustic guitars generally tend to sit in the middle of the frequency spectrum, but mahogany has a particular midrange focus. This dense, present sound is sometimes described as "organic" among guitarists. Those great midrange tones produce overtones that, over time, coalesce into a harmonic overall sound that defines the guitar's voice.
Pairs well with a wide spectrum of players and musical styles. Blues and other roots players often find mahogany's midrange character well suited to their music. A mahogany guitar with a smaller body appeals to fingerstyle players, while flatpickers usually opt for a mahogany dreadnought. For versatility, a mahogany (Grand) Auditorium is a good choice.
Urban Ironbark
Urban Ironbark offers an unexpected but appealing tone that is unique in the Taylor line. This tonewood, commonly known as red ironbark eucalyptus, is sourced in an environmentally friendly way in California as part of Taylor's Urban Woods Initiative. It is a dense, hard wood with physical properties similar to ebony, but with tonal characteristics that recall an enhanced version of Indian rosewood. Urban Ironbark delivers a lush resonance and a piano-like tonal colour while remaining remarkably balanced across the entire frequency spectrum. Its clear yet complex response gives it a richly dynamic character.
Pairs well with players who love the warmth and clarity of Indian rosewood — they will really appreciate Urban Ironbark. Its power and balance make it extremely versatile, an excellent choice for recording as well as live performance. Strummers will value the volume and projection, while fingerpickers will enjoy the definition and wide dynamic range.
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