Gold Label 517e
The Taylor Gold Label 517e pairs a deeper Grand Pacific body with solid mahogany back and sides, a torrefied Sitka spruce top and fanned V-Class bracing. Introduced in 2025, it combines a warm, powerful acoustic voice with Taylor’s Action Control Neck and LR Baggs Element VTC electronics.
THE RICH TONE MODEL GUIDE
Taylor Gold Label 517e: warmth, depth and a new Taylor voice
The Gold Label 517e pairs mahogany and torrefied spruce with a deeper Grand Pacific body. Its heritage-inspired acoustic voice and newer Taylor construction make it a distinctive option for players who enjoy warmth, projection and a woody midrange.
A deeper Grand Pacific
The Gold Label 517e uses a modified Grand Pacific body with greater depth than Taylor's original round-shoulder dreadnought design. Taylor describes it as powerful and warm, with strong low-end projection and a clear, woody midrange.
Mahogany and torrefied spruce
The model pairs solid mahogany back and sides with a torrefied Sitka spruce top. Taylor uses heat treatment for the soundboard to add an aged-in quality, while the mahogany contributes a focused, midrange-rich character.
Gold Label construction
Fanned V-Class bracing and Taylor's long-tenon Action Control Neck are central to the collection. The neck system allows string-height adjustment, while current 517e models use LR Baggs Element VTC electronics rather than Taylor ES2.
A 2025 addition to Gold Label
Taylor launched Gold Label in January 2025 with Super Auditorium models. The deeper Grand Pacific 517e and 717e followed that summer, bringing the collection’s approach to a round-shoulder dreadnought format.
Gold Label and Builder’s Edition
The earlier Builder’s Edition 517e belongs to the original Grand Pacific family introduced in 2019. Gold Label adds a deeper body, fanned V-Class bracing, the Action Control Neck and LR Baggs Element VTC electronics: a distinct interpretation of the 517e name.
Finish choices
Taylor introduced natural, blacktop and sunburst presentations, including different pickguard treatments. These offer individual looks around the same mahogany-and-torrefied-spruce recipe.
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Your questions answered
What is the Action Control Neck?
Taylor’s long-tenon neck design includes a system for precise string-height adjustment, making it easier to tailor the playing feel.
Which pickup does it use?
The Gold Label 517e uses LR Baggs Element VTC electronics, a different amplified system from the ES2 found in many other Taylor models.
Does it have a cutaway?
It retains a full, non-cutaway Grand Pacific body. The e in 517e identifies its electronics.