Taylor American Dream AD17e Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Blacktop

A New Chapter in Taylor Value and Performance

With the American Dream series of US-built acoustic guitars, Bob Taylor and Andy Powers have opened a new chapter in Taylor value and performance. Never before has it been this affordable to own an American-made Taylor guitar with class-leading features. The Grand Pacific AD17e Blacktop slope-shoulder dreadnought is built from solid Taylor tonewoods (spruce, ovangkol, and mahogany), each with minor cosmetic imperfections to honor the mature sound and workhorse aesthetic these early guitars are known for. Taylor's V-Class Bracing gives the AD17e Blacktop impressive sustain and a clean, pure tone that stands up to even the scrutiny of the studio. All in all, the American Dream Taylor AD17e Blacktop is a professional instrument that comes in at a price that will ensure you're not afraid to take it on the road. Onboard Taylor ES2 electronics — a hallmark of all top-tier Taylors — make the AD17e Blacktop a fantastic option for plug-and-play gigging and recording.

    Taylor's American-made legacy

In 1974, a young Bob Taylor cut his teeth building custom acoustics out of San Diego's American Dream guitar factory. The American Dream series pays tribute to this time in Taylor's history with its working-class, American-made pro instruments, built with the same values and American spirit that have driven the Taylor name for the past 45+ years.

Woods with character

Have you ever owned a guitar that was too pretty to play out? With the American Dream AD17e Blacktop, you can lay your fears to rest. The woods on this guitar are chosen specifically for their sonic properties and minor cosmetic imperfections. The result is a great-sounding, well-priced guitar that you can haul from gig to gig without any compunction. An included Taylor AeroCase delivers rugged protection around town without adding much carry weight to the equation.

Spruce, ovangkol, and mahogany

The Taylor American Dream AD17e Blacktop features a matte black solid spruce top (Lutz or Sitka) on back and sides made from solid ovangkol. Ovangkol is a rosewood relative that hails from the tropics of West Africa. It shares many sonic similarities with rosewood but delivers a punchier, more articulate midrange and a little less sparkle in the upper partials. Paired with the spruce top — a Taylor standard — and great-playing mahogany neck, it's a recipe for rich tone and unmistakable Taylor playability.

Grand Pacific dreadnought design

The AD17e Blacktop's slope-shoulder Grand Pacific design is inspired by the Laurel Canyon acoustic scene that Andy grew up with in the Southern Californian '60s and '70s. Its smooth top end and full, balanced bass go naturally with the human voice. The enlarged lower bout supplies a good platform for recording and acoustic gigging of any kind. It's the evolution of the traditional dreadnought sound. And paired with Taylor's V-Class Bracing, the Grand Pacific is better than ever.

V-Class Bracing

Taylor's V-Class Bracing proves that a guitar top can be stiff and flexible at the same time. Stiffness parallel to the strings enhances rigidity for greater sustain. While flexibility on the sides generates the air movement necessary for that robust dreadnought projection. It's the best of all worlds — tone and resonance, output and sustain. V-Class Bracing also reduces harmonic distortion between the strings and top for chords that sound more in-tune. This premium feature is normally reserved for the cream of Taylor's guitar crop. But incredibly, it comes as a standard feature on your American Dream AD17e Blacktop.

Expression System 2 electronics

If you play plugged-in, you're going to love Taylor's Expression System 2 (ES2) electronics on your American Dream AD17e Blacktop. This system features a 3-sensor pickup located behind the guitar’s saddle for clear and accurate sound reproduction. A master volume control and a pair of tone controls let you tweak your sound and output from the stage. Meanwhile, a discreet phase switch offers vital onboard feedback suppression.

Taylor American Dream AD17e Blacktop Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:

• A pro guitar with character
• Proudly built in the USA
• Woods chosen for their mature sound and workhorse aesthetic
• Grand Pacific slope-shoulder dreadnought body honors the Southern California '60s music scene
• Matte black solid spruce top — a Taylor twist on a longstanding acoustic guitar standard
• Solid ovangkol back & sides — sonic properties similar to rosewood
• Easy-playing mahogany neck and eucalyptus fingerboard supply sought-after Taylor playability
• V-Class Bracing increases output, enhances sustain, and reduces harmonic distortion for a more in-tune sound
• Three-sensor ES2 electronics deliver a sophisticated plugged-in tone, without the quack common to undersaddle systems

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

See how Sweetwater goes to great lengths to give you the very best online guitar buying experience. From our online Guitar Gallery that allows you to see and select the exact instrument you want to our 55-point Inspection process and our in-house guitar techs, we take the guesswork out of buying your next guitar online.

    Additional Media Tech Specs

• String Type: Steel
• Number of Strings: 6
• Body Shape: Grand Pacific Dreadnought
• Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
• Color: Blacktop
• Finish: Satin
• Top Wood: Spruce
• Back & Sides Wood: Ovangkol
• Body Bracing: V-Class
• Neck Wood: Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Standard Carve
• Radius: 15"
• Fingerboard Material: Eucalyptus
• Fingerboard Inlay: Italian Acrylic Dots
• Number of Frets: 20
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Tuning Machines: Taylor Nickel
• Bridge Material: Eucalyptus
• Nut/Saddle Material: Tusq/Tusq
• Nut Width: 1.75"
• Electronics: ES-2
• Strings: D'Addario, .013-.056
• Case Included: Softshell Case
• Manufacturer Part Number: AADS034011006731268