Taylor Gold Label 917e Prototype Sunburst Honduran Rosewood w/case 5077

The Taylor Gold Label 917e Prototype offers a rare opportunity to own an early version of one of Taylor’s most ambitious modern acoustic designs. Prototype builds like this exist before a model is fully finalized for wider production, giving players access to instruments that represent an earlier stage in the evolution of the platform. Even when the final production model remains close to the prototype—as it does here—there’s still something distinctly special about owning a guitar from that developmental stage.

The Gold Label series marks a noticeable shift in Taylor’s acoustic direction, leaning into a warmer, more open, and more vintage-inspired tonal character while still maintaining the precision and consistency the company is known for. The 917e sits at the top of that lineup, pairing premium Honduran rosewood back and sides with a torrefied Sitka spruce top for a voice that feels deeper, richer, and more overtone-heavy than a traditional modern Taylor.

Built around Taylor’s new Super Auditorium body shape, the Gold Label 917e expands on the familiar Grand Auditorium concept with slightly larger dimensions and a fuller low-end response. The torrefied Sitka top gives the guitar a more relaxed, broken-in character right out of the case, while the Honduran rosewood adds exceptional harmonic complexity, depth, and clarity across the spectrum. Taylor specifically positions the Gold Label series around a more heritage-inspired tonal direction, emphasizing warmth, bloom, and a less compressed response compared to their traditional voicing.

Taylor’s Fanned V-Class bracing with tonal rout helps the guitar remain remarkably responsive and balanced while enhancing sustain and projection. Visually, the Sunburst finish, cream binding, Crest inlays, and redesigned Gold Label headstock aesthetic push the model further into vintage-inspired territory without abandoning Taylor’s clean design language.

Highlights

• Prototype build offering a rare pre-production version of the Gold Label 917e
• Honduran rosewood back and sides for exceptional depth and harmonic complexity
• Torrefied Sitka spruce top for a warm, played-in tonal response
• Super Auditorium body shape with expanded low end and bloom
• Gold Label-exclusive appointments and redesigned vintage-inspired aesthetic

Specifications

Body

• Body Shape: Super Auditorium
• Top Wood: Torrefied Sitka Spruce
• Back & Sides: Honduran Rosewood
• Bracing: Fanned V-Class with Tonal Rout
• Finish: Full Gloss Sunburst
• Binding: Cream
• Rosette: Single Ring
• Pickguard: Firestripe

Neck

• Neck Material: Neo-Tropical Mahogany
• Neck Profile: Standard Carve
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Fingerboard Material: West African Crelicam Ebony
• Fingerboard Radius: 15"
• Nut Width: 1 3/4"
• Inlays: Crest

Hardware

• Bridge: Honduran Rosewood Curve Wing
• Saddle: White Micarta
• Nut: White TUSQ
• Tuners: Taylor Nickel

Electronics

• LR Baggs Element VTC

Miscellaneous

• Prototype Build
• Included: Taylor Deluxe Hardshell Case
• Made in USA

Why Buy from Tone Shop Guitars?

At Tone Shop Guitars, we specialize in hand-selected premium acoustic instruments built for serious players who care about feel, resonance, and long-term inspiration. Every boutique and Custom Shop acoustic we bring in is chosen for responsiveness, tonal balance, and musicality—not just specs on paper. When you buy from Tone Shop, you’re getting an instrument we genuinely believe in.