Just starting out on guitar? At Music Experience, we know that high action, poor intonation, and inferior tone will quickly take its toll and derail your learning experience. That’s why you should learn on a quality instrument like the Taylor Academy 12e. This acoustic-electric guitar eschews the design shortcuts of low-quality acoustic guitars, enabling you to play comfortably and effortlessly. It removes the barriers to your development as a player, and it does so at an unbelievable price. Take note — the Academy 12e isn’t just for beginners. Even advanced player will be impressed by this Grand Concert-shaped A/E’s high-quality tonewoods, the tone-enhancing varnish finish, and the unique armrest that reduces fatigue.
Taylor's Academy 12e boasts many of the same player-friendly features that have made the brand legendary. These features include an extremely comfortable and fast-playing neck profile, bracing patterns that enhance the guitar's natural voice, and solid Sitka spruce and ebony tonewoods used in the construction.
Taylor really has gone the extra mile in crafting Academy Series acoustic guitars. Not only do they boast the company's legendary quality, but they are jam-packed with revolutionary touches that make them supremely playable for beginners and seasoned players alike. The most obvious addition is the built-in armrest for softening the contact point between the guitar's body and the player's arm. The guitar's neck is a bit shorter, softening the action of the strings. And light-gauge strings are used to further create an instant bond between fingertips and the guitar's sleek ebony fretboard.
With the onboard Taylor ES-B electronics package, your Academy 12e acoustic-electric Grand Concert guitar is as ready for the stage as it is for sitting around the campfire. The ES-B system utilizes elements of Taylor's groundbreaking Expression System 2 for one of the most natural and warm-sounding plugged-in tones out there. It mates these features with a straightforward onboard preamp boasting simple volume and tone controls. And the built-in digital tuner ensures you're tuned up and ready for the next song at a moment's notice.
Taylor’s Academy Series makes the playing experience more accessible in every way, packing signature Taylor playing features into an affordable package. With the Academy 12e, our compact Grand Concert body makes the perfect companion for fingerpicking or anyone with a lighter touch who craves the physical comfort of a small-body guitar. The guitar’s design specs are optimized for playing ease. Taylor’s patented, slim-profile neck features an array of hand-friendly touches: a shorter 24-7/8-inch scale length, 1-11/16-inch nut width, low action, and light gauge strings, all of which contribute to a slinky handfeel. The lightweight guitar body, featuring layered sapele back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top, boasts an ergonomic armrest that enhances the playing comfort for one’s picking arm. The guitar was also voiced to be extra responsive to make the playing experience as relaxed as possible. The guitar comes with an onboard ES-B pickup that includes a built-in digital chromatic tuner, and comes with a sturdy lightweight gig bag.
| Series | Academy |
|---|---|
| String Type | Steel |
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Body Shape | Grand Concert |
| Left-/Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Color | Natural |
| Finish | Satin Varnish |
| Top Wood | Sitka Spruce |
| Back & Sides Wood | Sapele |
| Body Bracing | Academy Series |
| Binding | None |
| Neck Wood | Hard Rock Maple |
| Fingerboard Material | Ebony |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Italian Acrylic Dots |
| Number of Frets | 20 |
| Scale Length | 24.8" |
| Tuning Machines | Taylor |
| Bridge Material | Ebony |
| Nut/Saddle Material | NuBone/Micarta |
| Nut Width | 1.6875" |
| Electronics | ES-B |
| Strings | Elixir NANOWEB Light Gauge (.012-.053) |
| Case Included | Gig Bag |
| Manufacturer Part Number | Academy 12e |
