Introduction
The Taylor AD27e Flametop is part of Taylor Guitars’ American Dream series, which aims to deliver premium features and tonewoods at accessible price points. The AD27e Flametop model stands out with its stunning flamed maple top and all-solid maple construction.
This Grand Pacific body shape guitar utilizes Taylor’s innovative V-Class bracing design to produce a robust, seasoned acoustic tone. The AD27e Flametop has an earthy midrange focus thanks to its solid maple build, making it well-suited for aggressive flatpicking and rhythmic strumming. The flamed maple top not only looks beautiful, but also adds brightness and volume.
Overall, the AD27e Flametop offers players a unique combination of striking visuals, innovative bracing, and an organic, vintage-inspired voice. This makes it an intriguing option in Taylor’s American Dream lineup for those seeking a premium, all-solid maple acoustic-electric.
Design and Construction
The AD27e Flametop features an all-solid maple construction, with a solid flamed maple top, back, and sides. This gives the guitar a very robust, earthy tone, as the maple provides a dry, focused sound with strong midrange presence.
The flamed maple top on the AD27e is stunning to look at, with distinctive curly patterns in the grain. Flamed maple is appreciated by guitarists for its visual beauty, and Taylor carefully selects tops with dramatic figuring. The back and sides also feature attractive maple grain patterns.
The Grand Pacific body shape, with its sloped shoulder, adds to the guitar’s powerful voice. This shape gives the AD27e a strong low-end thump and allows it to excel at heavy strumming styles.
The AD27e uses Taylor’s innovative V-Class bracing pattern. This non-traditional bracing improves volume, sustain, and intonation compared to traditional X-bracing. The maple construction and V-Class bracing work together to give this guitar exceptional clarity and articulation.
Sound and Tonal Character
The AD27e Flametop delivers a dry, earthy tone that oozes vintage character thanks to its all-solid maple construction. The midrange has a focused, punchy presence that cuts through the mix beautifully. Strummers will love how the maple projection and articulation enhances their rhythmic chops. Flatpickers can dig in and get tons of crisp articulation on single-note runs. There’s a seasonality to the maple sound that you just can’t replicate with other tonewoods. It’s like the guitar has been played for decades and the wood has opened up to reveal its true voice.
The maple construction also yields excellent note separation. Chords have definition without muddiness, allowing you to hear each individual string ring out clearly. There’s a tightness and control to the AD27e Flametop’s voice that makes it perfect for genres like bluegrass, country, folk, and roots music where clarity is key. The V-Class bracing provides added depth and dimension to the maple’s inherently bright, focused sound.
When it comes time to record, the AD27e Flametop excels thanks to its controlled, present midrange. It sits perfectly in a dense studio mix without getting washed out. The maple punch cuts right through electric guitars, bass, drums and keys. For singer-songwriters, the crisp maple articulation provides the perfect supporting accompaniment that highlights the vocals beautifully.
Playability and Feel
The AD27e Flametop features Taylor’s comfortable and ergonomic C-shaped neck profile that will accommodate most playing styles and hand sizes. The slim profile provides excellent access to the higher frets while still having enough meat in the lower hand position for chordal work.
The action on this model is set extremely low from the factory, allowing for easy fretting and bends without buzzing out. The eucalyptus fingerboard contributes to the buttery smooth feel, with rolled fretboard edges that prevent sharpness against the hand.
Overall, the AD27e Flametop offers exceptional playability right out of the box. From intricate fingerstyle runs to aggressive flatpicking, this guitar provides a dynamic range and responsive feel that caters to any playing style. The intonation is spot-on up and down the neck thanks to Taylor’s patented V-Class bracing design.
Whether playing seated or standing with a strap, the AD27e Flametop offers a balanced, comfortable feel. The chamfered body edges prevent the guitar from digging into the player’s body while also improving access to the highest frets. The satin finish on the back of the neck promotes fast, slick runs. Players of all styles and experience levels will appreciate the easy playability of this superbly crafted instrument.
Electronics and Plugged-In Sound
The AD27e Flametop comes equipped with Taylor’s ES2 pickup system, which utilizes three uniquely positioned and calibrated behind-the-saddle pickup sensors to accurately capture the guitar’s natural acoustic tone. This pickup system is specifically voiced to complement the unique resonance and articulation of Taylor’s V-Class bracing design.
When plugged in, the AD27e Flametop retains the robust, seasoned sound of its all-maple construction. The midrange punch and crisp treble response are amplified cleanly and purely through an ES2 preamp. This allows the guitar’s inherent acoustic tone to shine through, without coloring the sound significantly.
The ES2 system has simple volume and tone controls, giving you flexibility in shaping your amplified tone while preserving the guitar’s organic character. The volume control has a built-in tuner mute function as well, allowing for silent tuning between songs. The preamp features a phase switch, which helps eliminate feedback issues when performing live.
Overall, the ES2 pickup system makes the AD27e Flametop a very stage-friendly acoustic-electric guitar. It provides plenty of headroom and dynamic range when plugged in, easily keeping up with drums and electric instruments. The guitar’s focused maple tone cuts through a live mix very well. Whether you’re playing an intimate acoustic gig or on a large festival stage, the AD27e Flametop projects its earthy, robust voice cleanly and consistently through its ES2 electronics.
Comparisons to Other Models
The Taylor AD27e Flametop stands up well when compared to similar acoustic-electric guitars from other top brands like Martin and Guild.
The AD27e has a tighter and more controlled sound compared to Martin’s 000-15M model, which uses mahogany back and sides. While both guitars have excellent playability, the Taylor has more robust projection and articulation thanks to its all-maple construction. This allows it to excel at heavy flatpicking styles.
When positioned against Guild’s M-120, the AD27e again benefits from its V-Class bracing which gives it superior volume and sustain. The Guild, with its rosewood back and sides, produces a warmer, rounder tone that contrasts the Taylor’s focused midrange punch.
While the satin finish on the AD27e gives it a vintage vibe, the high-gloss finish of the M-120 provides a more refined look. However, the Taylor wins out with its visually striking flamed maple top and contemporary styling.
Overall, the AD27e Flametop compares very favorably and holds its own against similarly constructed guitars from Martin and Guild. Its unique tonal character and playability make it a compelling choice.
Who Is the AD27e Flametop Best Suited For?
The AD27e Flametop is an ideal choice for players seeking a bold, earthy acoustic tone for recording and live performance applications. The all-maple construction gives it the midrange focus and crisp articulation that helps it cut through a dense studio mix or stand out on stage.
Recording
Thanks to its robust low-end and focused mids, the AD27e Flametop is able to sit nicely in a full band recording without getting lost. The maple construction gives it a tight, dry character compared to rosewood models, allowing it to occupy its own space in a mix. The V-Class bracing also enhances the AD27e’s volume and projection, ensuring it is captured clearly by studio microphones.
Whether tracking solo parts or recording in an ensemble setting, the AD27e Flametop has the balanced EQ profile to blend seamlessly with other instruments. Its crisp articulation also adds clarity to chord voicings and lead lines. For artists looking for an acoustic guitar that records beautifully right out of the box, the AD27e is an excellent choice.
Live Performance
With its commanding presence and articulation, the AD27e Flametop is built for the stage. The maple top, back, and sides give it the punch to cut through a live band mix and stand out in front of an audience. The V-Class bracing also boosts volume and sustain compared to traditional designs – ideal for larger venues.
The AD27e’s electronics accurately convey its natural acoustic tone at higher stage volumes. The ES2 pickup system has plenty of headroom before feedback, even with heavy strumming. Between its acoustic power and amplified versatility, the AD27e Flametop is a reliable workhorse acoustic that shines in live performance settings.
Pricing
With an MSRP of $2,299, the AD27e Flametop is a premium offering in Taylor’s American Dream series, which sits between their entry-level Academy line and high-end presentation series. While not an inexpensive guitar, the price accurately reflects the quality materials and expert craftsmanship that go into the AD27e.
The all-solid maple construction with a visually stunning flamed maple top commands a higher price than laminate models, and is comparable to similar all-solid guitars from Martin, Guild, and other leading manufacturers. The addition of Taylor’s patented V-Class bracing and ES2 electronics also justify the increased cost over simpler braced and unplugged models.
When you consider the guitar’s robust, seasoned tone, striking aesthetics, and exceptional playability, the AD27e Flametop represents an excellent value. It’s a guitar built to last a lifetime both on stage and in the studio. For players seeking a premium, professional-grade acoustic-electric with a unique character, the AD27e is easily worth the investment over cheaper alternatives.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- All-solid maple construction gives the AD27e a bold, earthy tone perfect for heavy strumming styles
- Striking flamed maple top provides unique visual appeal that sets this model apart
- Innovative V-Class bracing enhances volume, sustain, and intonation
- Grand Pacific body shape offers a robust low-end response
- Comfortable neck profile and low action facilitate intricate fingerpicking
- Simple ES2 electronics accurately capture the guitar’s inherent acoustic sound
Cons
- The focused maple tone may be too bright for some players’ tastes
- The mid-heavy voicing means less emphasis on the lows and highs
- The lack of cutaway limits upper fret access
- The Urban Sienna finish shows wear more quickly than a gloss finish would
- The $2,299 price tag is substantial for a non-solid wood acoustic
Conclusion
The Taylor AD27e Flametop is a standout guitar that offers exceptional playability, unique visual appeal, and a robust, earthy acoustic tone. Its all-solid maple construction gives it a focused, seasoned sound that excels for Americana, roots, bluegrass and folk styles where articulate note separation and cutting through a mix are key.
The innovative V-Class bracing provides excellent intonation, volume and sustain while preserving the inherent character of the tonewoods. Between the striking flamed maple top, Urban Sienna finish, and comfortable neck profile, the AD27e Flametop is a joy to play and look at.
For anyone seeking a premium, unique-sounding acoustic with vintage appeal, the AD27e Flametop is easy to recommend. It captures the heritage of Taylor’s craftsmanship while pushing boundaries with contemporary appointments like the V-bracing and eucalyptus fretboard. Players who rely on their acoustic guitar as a songwriting tool or stage instrument will find this model inspiring and dependable for years to come.