Guitarist

Tone Lounge demo veterans Richard Barrett and Neville Marten test drive two stunning-looking Taylor acoustics in the mid-tier of the Californian company's range: the 50th Anniversary 217e SB-PLus LTD and the 50th Anniversary Builders Edition 314CE LTD. With progressive features ranging from sustainable Urban Ash (314CE) to the C- and V-Class bracing patterns pioneered by Taylor, these acoustics stand at the bleeding edge of guitar design – and represent the apex of 50 years of luthiery at Taylor. Nev and Richard put them through their paces to see how good they sound and play and decide if they are worthy commemorations of five decades of luthiery.