Next Generation Grand Concert Guitars Are Here

The “Next Generation” label now featured within the Taylor acoustic guitar lineup indicates that the model includes three core design updates that improve the sound, playability and musical utility of the instruments:

• Scalloped V-Class bracing
• The Action Control Neck
• Claria System acoustic electronics

Taylor acoustic guitars without the “Next Generation” label are still widely available, but do not include the three key features outlined above. Instead, those guitars are likely to include:

• The original V-Class bracing design introduced by Taylor in 2018
• The classic Taylor Neck design originally created by co-founder Bob Taylor
• Expression System 2 (ES2) acoustic electronics 

Note that certain models in the Taylor line feature variants of V-Class bracing, such as the fanned V-Class bracing featured in Gold Label guitars. Likewise, some guitars in the Taylor line feature different acoustic electronics, such as the ES-B system sometimes found in acoustic guitars from the Academy Series, Baby Series and some GS Mini guitars.

Scalloped V-Class bracing is an evolution of Taylor’s original V-Class bracing architecture. It features braces that have been strategically lightened by removing material from key points, which alters how vibration propagates through the guitar’s top. The effects of scalloping in the V-Class bracing pattern include greater warmth, sustain and open-string resonance. Players will hear improved low-end presence and bloom in addition to the signature enhancements to volume and pitch accuracy that come with the V-Class bracing platform.

The original V-Class bracing design was a significant departure from the classic X-bracing pattern typically used in acoustic guitars. It’s a new sonic engine that alters the way the guitar’s top vibrates, creating rigidity along the center (parallel to the strings) while promoting flexibility on both sides. The result is a more orderly vibration pattern that translates to louder volume and longer sustain, encouraging notes to ring out with a rich, full sound that lasts longer before decaying. V-Class bracing also helps improve pitch accuracy across the frequency spectrum, resulting in a more in-tune sound all the way up the neck.

The scalloped V-Class bracing pattern utilized in Next Generation guitars incorporates those same benefits while providing further improvements to the guitar’s voice. The term “scalloped” in woodworking describes wood that has been carved into a rounded shape. In the context of guitar building, it typically means that material has been carved or sanded away. 

Scalloped V-Class bracing is a new variant of the V-shaped bracing design that incorporates braces that have been strategically carved down to lighten their weight, which translates into a freer, more robust vibration of the guitar’s top. It yields greater resonance and responsiveness, particularly in low-end frequencies, resulting in improved sonic warmth and richness while preserving the benefits to volume, sustain and pitch accuracy introduced with the original V-Class design.

The Action Control Neck is a patented neck design created by Taylor Guitars that includes two key features:

• A long-tenon joint that extends further into the guitar’s body than the original Taylor Neck design, coupling the neck’s heel with the body to improve sustain, warmth and resonance
• A bolt in the neck block (located inside the guitar’s body) that can be turned with a quarter-inch nut driver or a standard truss rod wrench in order to adjust the guitar’s string height (also known as action). This adjustment can be performed without removing the neck or the strings, allowing players or technicians to alter a guitar’s action in minutes to accommodate for different playing styles, musical applications or shifting climate conditions.

The original Taylor Neck design (sometimes referred to as the NT Neck) features a bolt-on neck joint and is known for its ease of adjustability compared to necks that have been glued to the guitar’s body. Because the Taylor Neck is attached to the body with two bolts, it can be easily removed, allowing a technician to insert or remove shims in order to change the neck angle. The Taylor Neck is also known for a slender, hand-friendly profile that accommodates all types of players and styles, making for easy, relaxed fretting and reduced hand fatigue. 

The Action Control Neck preserves those benefits to playability and adjustability while making it even easier to adjust the way a guitar plays. With the Action Control Neck, no shims are needed to adjust the string height; a player or technician can change the guitar’s action by turning the additional bolt in the neck block with a quarter-inch nut driver or standard truss rod wrench.

The Action Control Neck features the same slender profile as the original Taylor Neck, so it will feel familiar to musicians who have played Taylor guitars built prior to 2025. 

The Action Control Neck is currently included in Next Generation acoustic guitars as well as Gold Label acoustic guitars. Both Next Generation and Gold Label models benefit from the increased warmth and resonance of the Action Control Neck.

As of mid-2026, Legacy do not include the Action Control Neck, nor do standard-line guitars without “Next Generation” in their model name. Over time, more guitars from the standard Taylor line will shift to the Next Generation platform and will include the Action Control Neck, scalloped V-Class bracing and Claria electronics.

The Claria System is Taylor’s latest acoustic pickup and preamp system, developed with input from performing artists and live sound engineers. It pairs a reimagined undersaddle piezo pickup with a proprietary preamp to deliver clear, reliable amplified acoustic tone. Soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour and Tone controls let players shape the sound from warm and rounded to clear and detailed.

The Claria acoustic pickup system is designed first and foremost for intuitiveness, offering the player clean, usable amplified sound with minimal adjustment. This ensures that players of all experience levels can rely on their Claria-equipped Taylor acoustic guitars to perform beautifully in plugged-in scenarios while reducing the amount of setup needed by front-of-house sound professionals and recording engineers alike. 

Both the new Claria System and the older ES2 (Expression System 2) are electronic components that allow players to amplify their acoustic guitars for live performance or recording applications. Likewise, both consist of a piezo pickup that translates acoustic vibration into an electric signal and a preamp that boosts and regulates that signal.

The ES2 has been the primary pickup/preamp combo featured in Taylor guitars for many years. What makes it unique is the placement of its piezo pickup behind the guitar’s saddle rather than directly underneath it. This produces a dynamic response that captures a great deal of sonic detail. The ES2 features controls for bass, treble and volume, all located on the upper side of the guitar (when placed in playing position) next to the neck joint.

The Claria System has been reimagined to prioritize reliability, intuitiveness and ease of use for players. Its piezo pickup is located directly under the saddle and features a braided piezo transducer, selected for its natural damping qualities that reduce harsh frequencies. The result is a more natural acoustic sound.

The Claria System also incorporates different controls than the ES2. Claria-equipped guitars include three control knobs mounted discretely in the arc of the soundhole, just above the low E string. In order starting from the control nearest the bridge, the knobs control volume, Mid-Contour and tone.

The Mid-Contour knob is perhaps the most unique feature of the Claria System, allowing players to directly shape midrange frequencies instead of blending bass and treble. Set below the center detent, you’ll hear a scooped midrange that’s great for open strumming. Above the center detent, you’ll hear more clarity and treble presence, ideal for leads and fingerpicking.

No. For now, only guitars with “Next Generation” in the model name include the trio of scalloped V-Class bracing, the Action Control Neck and Claria electronics.

Next Generation guitars share three core features in common: scalloped V-Class bracing, the Action Control Neck and Claria System electronics. Within the broader Taylor acoustic guitar line, Next Generation models are designed to produce a relatively modern, contemporary sound that emphasizes clarity and balance—though their core features also yield improved warmth and depth. Next Generation is a natural extension of what players might think of as the signature Taylor voice.

Gold Label guitars are crafted specifically to channel a more vintage-inspired sound with a more pronounced low-end response and a more seasoned, old-soul character. That sound is something of a departure from the sound players have come to expect from Taylor, offering a unique tone profile within our line that shares the same comfort, playability and versatility musicians love in our instruments. 

Gold Label guitars feature fanned V-Class bracing instead of the scalloped V-Class bracing present in Next Generation models. Most Gold Label guitars also utilize LR Baggs electronics instead of Claria electronics. You’ll find the LR Baggs Element VTC pickup and preamp in most Gold Label models—however, the Trey Hensley Gold Label 510e features LR Baggs Anthem SL electronics, and the Ben Harper Gold Label 512e includes Claria electronics.

Our Builder’s Edition acoustic guitars are crafted to produce a modern, clear voice that is similar to the sound of our Next Generation guitars.

However, Builder’s Edition guitars include select features that are not found in some Next Generation guitars, such as:

• Beveled armrests and cutaways 
• Chamfered (rounded) body edges
• Premium Gotoh tuning machines
• Gloss finish

Recent additions to the Next Generation family include some Builder’s Edition models, which combine the comfort-enhancing elements of the Builder’s Edition Collection with Next-Gen features like scalloped V-Class bracing, the Action Control Neck and Claria electronics.

Where our Next Generation guitars showcase Taylor’s innovative, forward-thinking design philosophy, Legacy Collection guitars honor Taylor’s history and heritage. The Legacy name reflects a focus on our roots, combining classic design elements utilized over the years by co-founder Bob Taylor with some of the performance-enhancing innovations we’ve created along the way.

Features in the Legacy Collection include classic X-bracing, a “straight-ear” peghead, and body shapes typically considered to be more traditional, such as the Dreadnought and Jumbo. These guitars also include the original Taylor Neck instead of the new Action Control Neck included in Next Generation guitar, and boast the sleek, understated visual style that Bob Taylor preferred in his early days of designing and building acoustic guitars.

While we’re continuing to update more guitars with Next Generation features, some of the most popular Next Generation models include the:

• Next Generation 814ce
• Next Generation 812ce
• Next Generation Builder’s Edition 524ce
• Next Generation Builder’s Edition 914ce Honduran Rosewood/Sinker Redwood
• Next Generation K24ce
• Next Generation 454ce (12-string guitar)
• Next Generation 324ce
• Next Generation Builder’s Edition 814ce Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
• Next Generation Builder’s Edition 814ce Honduran Rosewood/Sinker Redwood

Next Generation features are available across a growing selection of Taylor acoustic guitars, including models in the 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 Series, as well as select Builder’s Edition guitars. Available models and body shapes will continue to expand, so visit the Next Generation collection page to discover new models as the linup evolves. You can also browse the full Taylor guitar line filtered to show Next Generation models.