Introduction
Taylor Guitars is one of the most renowned acoustic guitar manufacturers, known for making high-quality, hand-crafted instruments. The Taylor AD17e Blacktop is part of their American Dream series, which aims to offer pro-level guitars at accessible price points.
The AD17e Blacktop features a stylish blacktop treatment on a Grand Pacific dreadnought body shape. It has a solid Sitka spruce top paired with layered walnut or ovangkol back and sides, delivering a balanced and articulate tone. The guitar comes equipped with Taylor’s ES2 pickup system for amplified performance.
In this in-depth review, we’ll take a close look at the specs, sound quality, playability, and overall value of the Taylor AD17e Blacktop. We’ll help you determine if this impressive acoustic-electric model is the right fit for your needs and budget.
Taylor AD17e Blacktop Specs & Features
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop comes loaded with high-end appointments you’d expect to find on more expensive guitars. It starts with the Grand Pacific body shape, which provides a balanced and versatile tonal platform. The Grand Pacific takes design cues from Taylor’s popular Grand Auditorium and Dreadnought models to deliver an organic, nuanced voice.
The top is solid Sitka spruce, a premium tonewood prized for its complexity, dynamic range, and crisp highs. For the back and sides, you can choose either striped walnut or ovangkol depending on your tonal preferences. The walnut imparts a smooth, rich low end with pronounced midrange, while the ovangkol offers more shimmer and sparkle.
Plugged in, the AD17e Blacktop features Taylor’s ES2 pickup system. The ES2 uses three proprietary behind-the-saddle sensors to accurately capture the guitar’s natural acoustic tone. The onboard preamp provides volume control, a tuner, and tone shaping to dial in your amplified sound.
The AD17e Blacktop comes equipped with Taylor’s signature slim neck profile, making it comfortable and accessible for players of all skill levels. It also includes Taylor’s V-Class bracing for improved intonation and sustain. At this price point, the AD17e Blacktop packs a ton of value into its premium appointment list.
Unplugged Sound & Tone
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop delivers a beautifully balanced unplugged tone with impressive projection and sustain thanks to its premium tonewood combination. The solid Sitka spruce top provides crisp, articulate treble notes with complex overtones. This pairs nicely with the warm low-end from the walnut or ovangkol back and sides.
The Grand Pacific body shape further enhances the balanced and resonant unplugged sound. Its slope-shouldered dreadnought design produces a vintage-inspired tone with rich, open mids and controlled bass. Strumming chords rings out with warmth and body. Even delicate fingerpicking is projected well.
Sustain is also noteworthy for a guitar in this price range. The solid wood construction allows notes to bloom and sing. There is a pleasing resonance on single-note runs. The AD17e Blacktop offers players a very inspiring unplugged acoustic tone.
AD17e Blacktop Sound & Tone
The AD17e Blacktop comes equipped with Taylor’s ES2 pickup and preamp system, which provides a very natural amplified tone. The ES2 is designed to capture the nuances of the guitar’s acoustic sound, rather than coloring or altering it significantly.
When plugging in the AD17e Blacktop, I was impressed with how closely it reproduced the unplugged tone. The amplified sound retains the balanced mids, clear trebles and tight bass response. There is no excessive boominess or quackiness that can plague some acoustic-electric pickups.
The ES2 is able to convey the guitar’s dynamics and responsiveness. Strummed chords have depth and dimension, while fingerpicked passages come through with articulation and clarity. The amplified tone has impressive headroom, allowing for both delicate fingerstyle playing and aggressive strumming without distortion.
Overall, the AD17e Blacktop’s ES2 electronics provide an extremely natural and detailed amplified performance. The pickup successfully captures the nuances of the guitar’s acoustic voice without coloration. Players who value an authentic amplified acoustic tone will appreciate the ES2 system.
Playability & Feel
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop has a very comfortable and playable feel overall. The slim taper neck profile will be enjoyable for players with smaller hands while still accommodating larger hands. The neck shape provides a smooth, sleek feel that facilitates intricate chording and fast lead playing.
The action on the AD17e Blacktop is set very low from the factory, resulting in a fast playing experience with minimal finger effort required. The strings sit close to the ebony fretboard, allowing for easy bending, vibrato, and expressive techniques. This low action allows beginners to form chords easily while advanced players will appreciate the high speed potential.
The ebony fretboard itself is smooth and fast. The dark wood has a satin finish that lets your fingers glide effortlessly up and down the neck. The fretwork from Taylor is impeccable as expected, with smoothly finished frets for a comfortable playing feel. The AD17e Blacktop also provides ample string spacing at the nut width for fingerstyle techniques. Overall, the playability and feel makes this an exceptionally comfortable guitar to play for extended periods.
AD17e Blacktop vs Other Taylor Models
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop stands out from the standard AD17e model in a few key ways that significantly enhance its sound, playability and aesthetics.
Spec-wise, the AD17e Blacktop upgrades to an all-solid wood construction with a solid Sitka spruce top and solid walnut or ovangkol back and sides, compared to the layered Sapele back and sides on the standard AD17e. This all-solid wood design allows the Blacktop model to produce a more open, resonant and naturally dynamic tone.
The Blacktop edition also comes with a gloss finish versus the satin finish on the standard AD17e. Some players may prefer the glossy look and feel. Additionally, the AD17e Blacktop incorporates Taylor’s V-Class bracing system, which helps project the voice of the guitar while adding strength and stability.
When it comes to tone, the solid wood back and sides give the Blacktop a richer, more complex sound with impressive sustain and organic resonance. The walnut model delivers a particularly warm, mellow tone, while the ovangkol provides added sparkle and articulation. Overall, the Blacktop simply has more tonal character and acoustic power versus the standard AD17e.
So for players seeking a more inspiring unplugged acoustic tone and experience, paired with Taylor’s excellent ES2 electronics, the AD17e Blacktop presents an excellent value at this price point. It outperforms expectations for the price and gives you a true all-solid wood Taylor at an accessible cost.
Value & Price
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop represents exceptional value in the acoustic-electric guitar market. Priced in the $1,000 to $1,500 range, it goes toe-to-toe with similarly priced offerings from other top brands like Martin, Gibson, and Guild.
When you consider the all-solid wood construction using premium tonewoods like solid Sitka spruce and walnut or ovangkol for the back and sides, the AD17e Blacktop punches far above its price point. Many comparable models in this range rely on laminate woods and cheaper components.
The inclusion of Taylor’s top-notch ES2 electronics and other pro-grade appointments like an ebony fingerboard and V-Class bracing further add to the value proposition. You’re getting a professional-quality instrument without having to spend several thousands more.
The included hardshell case, which normally retails for $150+ on its own, provides even more added value. All in all, the AD17e Blacktop gives you a lot of guitar for the money. Players looking for great bang-for-your-buck in an acoustic-electric will be hard pressed to find a better option than the AD17e Blacktop at this price tier.
Who Is the Taylor AD17e Blacktop Best Suited For?
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop is an excellent choice for a wide variety of players looking for a quality acoustic-electric guitar in an affordable price range. Here are some recommendations on the types of guitarists who would enjoy this model:
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Beginners – The AD17e Blacktop is a great option for beginners, thanks to its comfortable neck profile, slim body depth, low action, and overall playability right out of the box. The dynamic EQ makes it easy to get great amplified tone without much fuss. It’s a guitar that’s built to last, so it will grow with a new player’s skills.
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Fingerstyle Players – The AD17e Blacktop’s comfortable neck, great upper fret access, and balanced string spacing make it a pleasure to play fingerstyle on. The dynamic range allows fingerstyle techniques to really shine through.
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Electric Players – Players transitioning from electric will appreciate the slim, fast neck and comfortable upper fret access. The cutaway makes it easy to reach higher notes. The ES2 pickup provides natural amplified tone.
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Gigging Musicians – With its solid wood construction, great projection, and quality electronics, the AD17e Blacktop is stage-ready right out of the box. It’s durable enough for frequent transport to gigs.
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Recording Artists – The balanced tone, sustain, and ES2 pickup make the AD17e Blacktop a great acoustic to record with. It excels at everything from singer-songwriter material to full folk band production.
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Traveling Players – The Grand Pacific body’s compact shape and the guitar’s overall portability make the AD17e Blacktop a great travel companion. It’s a quality acoustic you can easily take on the road.
The AD17e Blacktop is a versatile, affordable acoustic-electric suitable for players of all skill levels and musical styles. Its combination of playability, full sound, and stage-ready features make it an excellent value.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Premium tonewood construction with solid spruce top and walnut/ovangkol back and sides
- Balanced and versatile unplugged tone
- Natural amplified sound via ES2 electronics
- Grand Pacific body shape provides great projection
- Slim and comfortable neck profile
- Low action and smooth ebony fingerboard
- Lightweight and resonant
- Excellent playability right out of the case
- Great value given the all-solid wood construction and included hardshell case
Cons
- Some may prefer a different body shape or tonewood combination
- Not as refined in construction as Taylor’s higher-end models
- Electronics and preamp are decent but basic
The AD17e Blacktop offers exceptional value by including premium tonewoods, great playability and versatile sound at a budget-friendly price point. The tradeoffs versus Taylor’s more expensive models are minor for most players. The guitar’s few cons should not deter players seeking a quality acoustic-electric at this price range.
Conclusion & Recommendation
The Taylor AD17e Blacktop is an excellent choice for players seeking a high-quality, versatile acoustic-electric guitar at an accessible price point. Its blend of premium tonewoods, comfortable playability, and natural amplified tone make it a guitar that can grow with you as you progress in your playing.
While the AD17e Blacktop may not have all the bells and whistles of Taylor’s more expensive models, it delivers impressive value. The all-solid wood construction and thoughtful appointments like the ES2 pickup and slim neck profile allow this guitar to punch well above its weight class.
After spending time with the AD17e Blacktop, I can confidently recommend it for players of all levels. It’s versatile enough to handle anything from folk to rock to country and more. The walnut and ovangkol models provide slightly different tonal flavors, but both offer rich, resonant unplugged tone and natural amplified sound.
For those seeking their first serious acoustic-electric or players wanting a high-quality option for gigging and recording, the AD17e Blacktop warrants strong consideration. While not without some tradeoffs, this American Dream series model manages to capture the Taylor spirit at an accessible price point.
My final verdict: while not for those wanting top-shelf exotic tonewoods, if you seek an inspiring, great-sounding acoustic-electric guitar right out of the box, the AD17e Blacktop is well worth adding to your wishlist.