Build your Own Custom Taylor Guitar with CME!

Chicago Music Exchange Makes it Easy to Build a Custom Taylor Guitar

Do you dream of a Taylor acoustic guitar that’s uniquely yours, brought to life with Taylor’s renowned craftsmanship? The Taylor Custom program makes it easy to turn the Taylor of your dreams into a reality—giving you the opportunity to design your own personal signature model, which will stand out as a unique expression of your musical and aesthetic tastes.

As a Taylor Custom dealer, Chicago Music Exchange will work with you to help you choose from an assortment of Taylor’s finest tonewoods, which have been hand-selected by CME's CEO Andrew Yonke and Director of New Product Dan Bordonaro—including non-standard species and premium grades—as well as a rich palette of feature options and premium appointments that’ll help you bring your distinctive Taylor dream guitar to life!

Taylor Custom
Taylor Custom Wood Set

Taylor Custom Models from "The Catch" at NAMM 2022

To give our customers the next level, we went out to the factory ourselves and picked out some of the best woods they have available! While only some of those models are in the shop, now, some are still in production. Here’s a look at some of the new arrivals that we have so far. 

Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought

Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack Top/Urban Ash Tobacco Sunburst

£4,418.00
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific
The Taylor Custom program makes it easy to turn the Taylor of your dreams into a reality, giving you the opportunity to design your own personal signature model, which will stand out as a unique expression of your musical and aesthetic tastes. As a Taylor Custom dealer, Chicago Music Exchange will work with you to help you choose from an assortment of Taylor’s finest tonewoods—including non-standard species and premium grades—as well as a rich palette of feature options and premium appointments that’ll help you bring your distinctive Taylor dream guitar to life!

Hand-Picked Tonewoods
To give CME customers a truly next level Taylor acoustic, CME’s CEO Andrew Yonke and Director of New Product Dan Bordonaro went to the factory, themselves, and hand-selected the top on this Taylor Custom model. 

Grand Pacific
Featuring a figured mahogany back and sides, paired with a Bear Claw Lutz spruce top that’s received an “aged toner” treatment, accompanied with an easy-playing neck, sporting a soft V profile, Taylor’s Grand Pacific round-shoulder dreadnought is designed to deliver a different flavor of Taylor tone: a warm, seasoned voice in which notes overlap in a way that recalls traditional acoustic guitar recordings, requiring no studio enhancements. With Taylor’s V-Class bracing, the Grand Pacific pumps out clear low-end power, making the Grand Pacific’s voice more musical and usable, while remaining as versatile as a Grand Auditorium and as assertive as a traditional dreadnought.

V-Class Bracing
The Taylor Custom Grand Pacific features Taylor’s innovative new V-Class bracing, which lets the soundboard of the guitar vibrate naturally, increasing sustain and overall cohesiveness, and generating additional volume without sacrificing sustain. This design puts the body more in tune with the strings, improving articulation and harmonic alignment,  resulting in a sound that is optimally warm and seasoned, nicely blended, and full of luscious low end without being muddy. 

ES2 ELECTRONICS
The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) delivers the latest technology in Taylor acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the ES2 system is Taylor’s patented behind-the-saddle pickup, featuring three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The new positioning enables the piezo pickup’s crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar’s energy as it is transferred through the saddle, with three pickup sensors installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle. Together with Taylor’s custom-designed preamp, this ES2 system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. 

Serial#: 1208042186
Weight: 4lbs 12oz
Number of Strings: 6 Strings 
Orientation: Right Handed
Body Shape: Grand Pacific 
Bracing System: V-Class Bracing
Cutaway: None
Color: Tobacco Sunburst
Electronics: Expression System 2 
Case: Western Floral Taylor Deluxe Hard Shell Case
Top Wood: Adirondack Spruce 
Back/Side: Wood Urban Ash
Rosette: Maple Single Ring
Body Binding: Flamed Maple 
Top Finish: Gloss
Back/Side Finish Gloss
Neck Wood: Neo-tropical Mahogany 
Nut Width: 1-3/4"
Neck Profile: V Carve 
Scale Length: 25-1/2"
Peghead Type: Paddle
Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony 
Peghead Veneer: Wood West African Crelicam Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Hard Rock Maple / Cocobolo Art Deco 
Fretboard Binding: West African Crelicam Ebony 
Neck Finish: Satin 
Peghead Finish: Gloss
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony 
Nut & Saddle: Black TUSQ Nut, White Micarta Saddle
Bridge Pins: Stained Bone 
Pick Guard: Fire Stripe 
Tuners: Gotoh 510 Antique Gold with Antique Gold Buttons
Strap Pin: Gold 
End Pin: Black
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor Custom Grand Auditorium Cocobolo & Lutz Spruce Aged Toner Natural w/Figured Hawaiian Koa Binding

£6,027.00
Featuring Cocobolo back and sides, paired with a Lutz Spruce top that‚'s received an ‚aged toner treatment, accented by figured Hawaiian koa binding, Taylor‚'s medium-sized Grand Auditorium body shape offers balanced highs and supportive lows, making it a versatile choice that‚'s fit for nearly any playing style. Boasting bold, balanced tone, the Taylor Grand Auditorium provides vibrant, well-defined sound across the entire tonal spectrum, thanks to a more tapered waist than a traditional dreadnought, making the Taylor Grand Auditorium the Swiss Army Knife of Taylor‚'s body shapes.

Taylor Custom Models from "The Catch" at NAMM 2022

As an example of the premium customization that Taylor has to offer, just take a look at the custom models first displayed at Taylor’s annual event “The Catch”—held as part of The NAMM Show 2022—which CME purchased after the event. 

Whether you’re looking for Grand Concert Blacktop with Big Leaf maple back and sides; or, maybe a Grand Symphony with hand-selected quilted maple back and sides, plus paua Spring Vine inlays floats your boat; or maybe you’re on the hunt for a hybrid hollowbody T5z design with a gorgeous hand-selected quilted Big Leaf maple top and Byzantine inlays in green abalone that set it apart from the crowd—you can choose from any of our pre-selected Taylor Custom models, or fully customize your own signature Taylor model at Chicago Music Exchange!

Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck

£8,033.00
This custom guitar was displayed at Taylor's annual Catch Event as part NAMM 2022.

Taylor Custom Grand Symphony
The Taylor Custom program makes it easy to turn the Taylor of your dreams into a reality, giving you the opportunity to design your own personal signature model, which will stand out as a unique expression of your musical and aesthetic tastes. As a Taylor Custom dealer, Chicago Music Exchange will work with you to help you choose from an assortment of Taylor’s finest tonewoods—including non-standard species and premium grades—as well as a rich palette of feature options and premium appointments that’ll help you bring your distinctive Taylor dream guitar to life!

Acquired at “The Catch”
As an example of the premium customization that Taylor has to offer, this Taylor Custom model was first displayed at Taylor’s annual event “The Catch,” where it caught our eyes and we decided to add it to our full-wall Taylor display in CME’s Acoustic Room. 

Grand Symphony
Featuring a Sitka spruce top paired with amber-tinted Big Leaf Maple back and sides, further accented with paua spring vine fretboard inlay and rosette—in addition to cocobola and paua binding—Taylor’s Grand Symphony models offer the high-fidelity voice and immersive, reverb-like effects produced by a larger air chamber coupled with V-class bracing and an innovative soundport cutaway, with a modern feel and articulate response—as well as easy access to the upper frets allowed by the contoured cutaway.

V-Class Bracing
The Taylor Custom Grand Symphony features Taylor’s innovative new V-Class bracing, which lets the soundboard of the guitar vibrate naturally, increasing sustain and overall cohesiveness, and generating additional volume without sacrificing sustain. This design puts the body more in tune with the strings, improving articulation and harmonic alignment,  resulting in a sound that is optimally warm and seasoned, nicely blended, and full of luscious low end without being muddy. 

ES2 ELECTRONICS
The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) delivers the latest technology in Taylor acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the ES2 system is Taylor’s patented behind-the-saddle pickup, featuring three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The new positioning enables the piezo pickup’s crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar’s energy as it is transferred through the saddle, with three pickup sensors installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle. Together with Taylor’s custom-designed preamp, this ES2 system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. 

Serial #: 1211111189
Weight: 4lbs 13oz

Body Shape: Grand Symphony 
Cutaway: None
Electronics: Expression System 2

Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Rosette: Paua Single Ring, Bound Sound Hole
Body Binding: Cocobolo
Top Finish: Gloss

Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Profile: Standard Carve
Backstrap: None
Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Paua Spring Vine
Fretboard Binding: West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Finish: Gloss Peghead Finish Gloss

Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony
Bridge Pins: Stained Bone with Green Australian Opal Dots 
Pick Guard: None
Strap Pin: Gold

Bracing System: V-Class Bracing
Color: Amber Back / Sides / Neck, Aged Toner Top
Case / Bag: Brown Taylor Deluxe Hard Shell Case

Back / Side Wood: Big Leaf Maple
Back Configuration: 2-Piece, No Wedge
Armrest: None
Back / Side Finish: Gloss

Nut Width: 1-3/4"
Scale Length: 24-7/8"
Peghead Type: Paddle
Peghead Veneer Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Peghead Inlay: Paua Spring Vine
Peghead Binding: West African Crelicam Ebony

Nut & Saddle: Black TUSQ Nut, White Micarta Saddle
Tuners: Gotoh 510 Antique Gold with Antique Gold Buttons
End Pin: Black
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert
Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / Concert

Taylor Custom Grand Concert 12-Fret Sitka/Flame Maple w/Black Top & Vintage Sunburst Back/Sides/Neck

£4,418.00
This custom guitar was displayed at Taylor's annual Catch Event as part NAMM 2022.

With its gorgeous figuring and bold, player-reflective voice, the hand-selected, figured Big Leaf maple that forms the back and sides of this custom Grand Concert serve up a delightful combination of visual style and sonic sophistication. A Sitka spruce top rounds out this compact custom model, which is detailed with exclusive appointments like a maple neck, faux tortoiseshell binding, a single-ring rosette in ivoroid and faux tortoiseshell, a glossy Vintage Sunburst finish for the back, sides and neck with a black top treatment, Gotoh 510 tuners in antique gold with black buttons, and bone bridge pins with a dark stain.

Serial #: 1209031201
Weight: 4lbs 11oz

Body Shape: Grand Concert
Cutaway: None
Electronics: Expression System 2

Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Rosette: Grained Ivoroid / Faux Tortoise Single Ring, Bound Sound Hole 
Body Binding: Faux Tortoise
Top Finish: Gloss

Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Profile: Standard Carve
Backstrap: West African Crelicam Ebony
Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Grained Ivoroid Heritage Diamond
Fretboard Binding: West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Finish: Gloss

Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony
Bridge Pins: Stained Bone
Pick Guard: Tortoise
Strap Pin: Gold

Bracing System: V-Class Bracing
Color: Vintage Sunburst Back / Sides / Neck, Black Top
Case / Bag: Brown Taylor Deluxe Hard Shell Case

Back / Side Wood: Big Leaf Maple
Back Configuration: 2-Piece, No Wedge
Armrest: None
Back / Side Finish: Gloss

Nut Width: 1-3/4"
Scale Length: 24-7/8"
Peghead Type: Paddle
Peghead Veneer Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Peghead Inlay: Grained Ivoroid Heritage Diamond
Peghead Binding: None
Peghead Finish: Gloss

Nut & Saddle: Black TUSQ Nut, White Micarta Saddle
Tuners: Gotoh 510 Antique Gold with Black Plastic Buttons
End Pin: Black
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body
Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst Electric Guitars / Hollow Body

Taylor Custom T5z Quilt Maple Top Supernova Burst

£4,820.00
This custom guitar was displayed at Taylor's annual Catch Event as part NAMM 2022.

Taylor's hybrid hollowbody T5z design is ripe for customization, and this model boasts a gorgeous hand-selected quilted Big Leaf maple top that sets it apart from the crowd. Custom appointments include black binding with green abalone top edge trim, Byzantine inlays in green abalone, bone bridge pins with green Australian opal dots, and a custom glossy Supernova Edgeburst finish.

Serial #: 1204132119
Weight: 5lbs

Body Shape: T5z
Cutaway: Venetian
Electronics: T5 System

Top Wood: Big Leaf Maple
Rosette: F-Holes
Body Binding: Black
Top Finish: Gloss

Neck Wood: Neo-tropical Mahogany
Neck Profile: T5 Carve
Backstrap: None
Fretboard Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Green Abalone Byzantine 
Fretboard Binding: Black
Neck Finish: Gloss

Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony
Bridge Pins: Stained Bone with Green Australian Opal Dots 
Pick Guard: None
Strap Pin: Black

Bracing System: None
Color: Custom
Case / Bag: Grey AeroCase

Back / Side Wood: Sapele
Back Configuration: Multipiece
Armrest: None
Back / Side Finish: Gloss

Nut Width: 1-11/16
Scale Length: 24-7/8"
Peghead Type: Paddle
Peghead Veneer Wood: West African Crelicam Ebony
Peghead Inlay: Green Abalone Byzantine
Peghead Binding: None
Peghead Finish: Gloss

Nut & Saddle: White Bone Nut, White Bone Saddle
Tuners: Taylor Satin Black with Satin Black Buttons
End Pin: Nickel

How To Order A Taylor Custom Guitar!

Step 1: Choose a Shape

Not only does an acoustic guitar’s body shape help define the fundamental voice of the guitar, but it’s also an important consideration in terms of physical comfort, since your arms will be wrapped around the body of the guitar for as long as you’re playing it. 

Grand Theater (GT)

Sporting the curves of the Grand Orchestra (Taylor’s “Jumbo” body style) scaled into uniquely compact proportions—including a shorter, 24 1/8-inch scale length for a slinky and responsive handfeel—Taylor’s Grand Theater (GT) body shape employs C-Class bracing to pack the tonal depth of a full-size guitar into a form that’s easy to play. With dimensions that fall between the travel-friendly GS Mini and Grand Concert body shapes, the GT represents Taylor’s reimagination of the parlor-style guitar for the present day.

Grand Concert

With its shorter, 24 7/8-inch scale length the Taylor Grand Concert body shape favors the fingerstyle player, as well as single-note lead and solo guitar arrangements, issuing notes with precise clarity and offering easy action even on the highest frets. The model’s smaller body makes for a comfortable feel, without skimping on rich, robust tonal resonance, or valuable volume. 

Grand Auditorium

The brand’s flagship body shape, the Taylor Grand Auditorium’s medium size offers balanced highs and supportive lows, making it a versatile choice that’s fit for nearly any playing style. Boasting bold, balanced tone, the Taylor Grand Auditorium provides vibrant, well-defined sound across the entire tonal spectrum, thanks to a more tapered waist than a traditional dreadnought, making the Taylor Grand Auditorium the Swiss Army Knife of Taylor’s body shapes.

Grand Symphony

The Taylor Grand Symphony models offer the high-fidelity voice and immersive, reverb-like effects produced by a larger air chamber coupled with V-class bracing and an innovative soundport cutaway, with a modern feel and articulate response—as well as easy access to the upper frets allowed by the contoured cutaway. 

Grand Pacific

The Grand Pacific is Taylor’s round-shoulder dreadnought, designed to deliver a different flavor of Taylor tone: a warm, seasoned voice in which notes overlap in a way that recalls traditional acoustic guitar recordings, requiring no studio enhancements. With Taylor’s V-Class bracing, the Grand Pacific pumps out clear low-end power, making the Grand Pacific’s voice more musical and usable, while remaining as versatile as a Grand Auditorium and as assertive as a traditional dreadnought.  

Grand Orchestra

The Grand Orchestra is Taylor’s biggest, deepest body shape, designed to represent the latest evolution of the Taylor “Jumbo” style. Featuring a wider waist than typical jumbos, Grand Orchestra models harness V-Class voicing architecture to unleash a powerful sound—projecting a deep rumble and rich sustain, while also boasting heightened touch sensitivity for wide dynamic range and increased versatility.

Taylor Guitars Shape Showcase - Featured Video Series

Step 2: Choose Tonewoods


The sonic flavor and characteristic sound of any guitar comes from the tonewoods used on its top, back and sides—plus, their visual beauty can also be its own source of artistic inspiration.

Hand-selected by CME's CEO Andrew Yonke and Director of New Product Dan Bordonaro, the wide variety of wood options offered through CME’s Taylor Custom program means that you can design a guitar that delivers both the sound and looks you’ve been looking for. In addition, with Taylor Custom instruments, you’ll be able to choose from types and grades of woods not typically offered through Taylor’s standard guitar line. 

Top Woods

A guitar’s top wood tends to have the greatest impact on the overall sound of the guitar. The unique acoustic properties of top woods help color a body shape’s fundamental sound.

The key is to find the wood that matches up best with your playing style. Popular “soft” top woods include various spruce offerings—like Sitka, Lutz, or Adirondack, for example—as well as “hard” tonewoods, like mahogany and koa, for more focused fundamental frequencies.

Body Woods

Helping to fine-tune the voice of your custom instrument, the unique acoustic properties of bood woods help “flavor” a guitar shape’s fundamental sound. Body woods also boast an inherent visual appeal that can be deeply inspiring, with characteristics that differentiate a guitar and showcase each as a truly unique instrument.

Popular body woods include the tonewood superstar, Indian rosewood, or the midrange powerhouse, tropical mahogany—to the cannon-like cocobolo, and the beautiful Hawaiian koa.

Step 3: Choose Features/Appointments

This is where the process gets really fun! Add an elaborate fretboard inlay made from koa or abalone, for example; or give your guitar a bold outline with bloodwood binding. Choose an alternative neck profile that perfectly fits your hands and playing style; or, add an armrest to give your guitar a beautifully sculpted look and extra playing comfort for your strumming arm.

Whether your aesthetic preferences are understated, elaborately detailed, or somewhere in between, this is your chance to commission a singular work of art and craftsmanship. In all, Taylor offers dozens of customization options, from major features like the Expression System 2 electronics to dimensional features such as scale length and nut width, to aesthetic touches like color finishes, truss rod cover, and the material of the Taylor headstock logo. You can even select from several available bracing patterns to further distinguish the voice of your Taylor. 

Step 4: Submit Your Order Through CME

As an authorized dealer of Taylor Custom guitars, Chicago Music Exchange will walk you through the ordering process, help you make final selections, and place your order for production, then keep you updated regarding turnaround time, so you can get your Taylor Custom guitar as soon as it’s ready.Visit us in the store, call us, or chat us online to learn more about how you can place an order for your next Taylor Custom guitar with Chicago Music Exchange!

CONTACT US TODAY!

Help us, help you! Call us at (773) 525-7773 or chat us on our website and we can help find the perfect gear to add to your own collection!

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Taylor Custom "The Catch" NAMM 2024 #14 C14ce Grand Auditorium Bearclaw Sitka/AA Indian Rosewood Natural

£4,017.00
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Taylor Custom "Catch" 2023 #033 T5z Figured Big Leaf Maple/Urban Ash Watermelon Supernova

£3,213.00
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Taylor Custom "Catch" 2023 #047 Grand Pacific Lutz Spruce/Rosewood Black

£3,856.00
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Taylor Custom "Catch" 2023 #002 Grand Auditorium Torrefied Sitka/Quilted Big Leaf Maple Natural

£4,820.00
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Taylor Custom "Catch" 2023 #020 Grand Auditorium Sitka/AA Rosewood Charcoal Black Top

£5,061.00
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor Custom Grand Symphony Sitka/Quilt Maple Aged Toner Top w/Amber Back/Sides/Neck

£5,576.00
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde
Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde

Taylor Custom Grand Orchestra Lutz Spruce/Maple Full Body Antique Blonde

£4,820.00
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor Custom Grand Pacific Adirondack/Rosewood Natural

£4,418.00

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