Titans in the Arena of Tone
Who will be victorious? Read on or come to Musicmaker to find out.
The gates creak open.
Heat shimmers above the sand. The crowd roars with the hunger of centuries. Two warriors step forward beneath a white-hot sky — not of flesh and bone, but of torrified spruce and carved hardwood. Two dreadnought gladiators forged in Taylor’s Gold Label foundry.
On one side: Taylor Gold Label 517e SB Torrified Spruce / Mahogany – Sunburst. Cloaked in fire and dusk.
On the other: Taylor Gold Label 717e Blacktop Torrified Spruce / Rosewood. Draped in shadow and storm.
There will be no easy victory here. Only thunder. Only glory.
Let the rounds begin.
Round 1: Design & Aesthetics — The First Strike
The 517e SB advances first.
Its sunburst finish burns like a dying sun over ancient stone. Amber melts into shadow across the torrified spruce top, revealing grain lines that look carved by time itself. This is heritage made visible — a nod to tradition without a trace of nostalgia fatigue. It feels lived-in before a single note is struck.
The arena murmurs approval.
Then the 717e Blacktop steps forward.
No flame. No glow. Only authority. The Blacktop finish absorbs the light, swallowing glare and returning presence. It is stark. Modern. Unflinching. Against the pale sand, it looks like a blade laid flat before battle. Rosewood rims the body like dark armour beneath a midnight sky.
The crowd gasps. Two philosophies collide — warmth versus severity.
The sunburst draws first blood. The drama of colour and grain wins the opening clash.
Round 2: Build & Materials — Forged in the Fire
Steel rings against steel.
Both combatants share a common weapon: torrified spruce tops. Heat-treated to simulate decades of ageing, the wood responds with startling openness and maturity. From the first strum, they speak like instruments that have already seen a thousand nights on stage.
But beneath that shared crown, the difference becomes decisive.
The 517e SB wields solid mahogany back and sides. Mahogany is focused, direct, muscular. It does not waste energy. It delivers tone like a spear thrust — clean mids, controlled lows, and a woody punch that sits perfectly in a mix.
Across the sand stands rosewood.
The 717e Blacktop’s solid rosewood back and sides are deeper, heavier, more harmonically complex. Rosewood is not a spear — it is a broadsword. Lows rumble like distant thunder. Highs shimmer with glassy overtones. The air itself seems to vibrate when it moves.
The arena floor trembles.
Round 2 victor: 717e Blacktop.
Rosewood’s vast tonal spectrum overpowers mahogany’s precision in sheer scale and grandeur.
The score is tied. The crowd grows restless.
Round 3: Tonal Characteristics — The Roar of the Crowd
Now they sing.
The 517e SB steps forward and strikes a chord. It blooms immediately — warm, present, articulate. The midrange carries a human quality, almost vocal in its projection. Fingerpicked passages sound intimate and woody; strummed chords punch with clarity but never overwhelm.
Mahogany keeps the voice centred. Honest. Earthbound.
Then the 717e answers.
The first strum is not a chord — it is weather. Bass rolls outward like a war drum. High frequencies shimmer overhead like steel flashing in the sun. Harmonics leap from the fretboard and linger in the air.
The difference is not subtle. It is elemental.
But as the dust settles, something shifts. The 517e’s focused midrange cuts cleanly through the imagined crowd. In ensemble settings, in storytelling, in roots-driven rhythm, it stands unshaken. The rosewood’s breadth is majestic — yet the mahogany’s voice is unwavering and pure.
The crowd splits. Cheers echo from both camps.
For balance, clarity, and emotional immediacy, the sunburst warrior strikes true.
Two rounds to one.
Round 4: Playability & Comfort — The Dance of Blades
Fatigue creeps in. The sun burns higher.
Both guitars carry Taylor’s signature craftsmanship — smooth neck profiles, impeccable fretwork, and precise setup straight from the case. But in battle, nuance matters.
The 717e Blacktop feels commanding in the hands. The rosewood body carries weight and authority. Strumming feels expansive. There’s a sense of commanding a wide sonic field — ideal for players who want to fill space with conviction.
The 517e, by contrast, feels nimble. Responsive. Immediate.
Yet as the duel continues, something remarkable happens: the 717e’s dynamic headroom begins to dominate. Dig in hard and it refuses to compress. Play softly and it still whispers detail. It has stamina. It thrives under force.
The Blacktop refuses to yield.
Round 4 victor: 717e Blacktop.
Dynamic range and sheer sonic scale level the score once more.
Two rounds each.
The sand is scarred. The air is electric.
Round 5: Hardware & Electronics — Weapons of Amplified War
The sun dips lower. The sand is thick with effort. Now the battle moves from wood and will… to the unseen machinery beneath the surface.
Both gladiators draw the same concealed blade: the LR Baggs Element VTC pickup system.
This is no flashy contraption. No over-engineered spectacle. The Element VTC is revered for one thing — natural acoustic honesty. Its undersaddle pickup captures the vibration of the guitar’s top with startling transparency, while the discreet soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls allow quick adjustments mid-performance.
The 517e SB steps forward first. Plugged in, its mahogany warmth translates beautifully. The midrange presence remains intact, making it a formidable companion for live singer-songwriters. It cuts through a mix without sounding brittle. Earthy. Direct. Controlled.
The 717e Blacktop responds.
Through the LR Baggs system, its rosewood depth retains body and breadth. The low end remains authoritative, the highs retain shimmer without harshness. On a larger stage, that expanded tonal footprint feels cinematic — expansive without losing articulation.
There is no distortion of character. No electronic veil. The LR Baggs Element VTC serves both warriors faithfully, amplifying truth rather than colouring it.
The crowd leans in.
This is not a round won by force. It is a round defined by integrity.
Round 5: A dead draw.
Two guitars. One trusted amplification system. No compromise. No surrender.
The arena falls silent — not from defeat, but from respect.
The Verdict: No Victor, Only Legend
Four rounds fought. Blood in the sand. Glory in the grain.
Round 5: Draw
The Taylor Gold Label 517e SB Torrified Spruce / Mahogany stands radiant — warm, articulate, and emotionally direct. A storyteller’s dreadnought with vintage soul and striking sunburst presence.
The Taylor Gold Label 717e Blacktop Torrified Spruce / Rosewood towers beside it — expansive, harmonically rich, and visually formidable. A modern classic wrapped in shadow.
There is no fallen warrior here.
Only two expressions of Taylor’s Gold Label philosophy — instruments built with mature tone, premium tonewoods, and uncompromising craft. At Musicmaker in Dublin, where guitars have passed through passionate hands since the early 1980s, debates like this unfold daily across counters worn smooth by decades of chords.
The arena may empty. The sand may cool.
But the echo of this clash — mahogany warmth versus rosewood depth — will ring on in rehearsal rooms, stages, studios and late-night writing sessions for years to come.
Choose your champion.
Or better still — step into the arena and feel the battle for yourself.
