Taylor 112ce-S

Taylor’s most affordable grand concert model is an incredible value.

December 13, 2023

Taylor’s 100 series guitars are the company’s least-expensive, standard-size, full-featured instruments. Remarkably similar to Taylor’s higher-end models in many important aspects, these guitars offer a stunning amount of bang-for-the-buck. Earlier this year, Taylor expanded the line with a couple of models built with sapele back and sides, rather than the walnut that has most recently been standard for 100s. We already demoed the dreadnought-size 110ce-S, and recently we had a chance to check out the grand concert 112ce-S. In this video, I demo the guitar in the Peghead Nation video studio.

The 112ce-S is built with a solid Sitka spruce top and layered (a type of laminate) sapele back and sides. On our demo guitar, the top is fairly wide-grained, but even in color. Sapele is often compared to mahogany, and Taylor has used it in both solid and layered varieties for decades. On our 112ce-S, the wood features some attractive striping on both the back and sides. As with other entry-level Taylors, the back is arched, which provides strength without internal braces. Speaking of braces, the top has traditional X-bracing, rather than the V-Class bracing used on Taylors from the 300-series on up. The neck is made from maple, and while it is slightly narrower at the nut (1¹¹/₁₆ inches rather than 1¾ inches), it has the same general shape and profile as other contemporary Taylors. The guitar’s appointments are simple: black binding with white purfling on the body, simple dots in the fingerboard, and a black pickguard. While the body has the same general shape as other Taylor grand concerts, its cutaway has a slightly less rounded shape than that on high-end models.

I’ve played a lot of Taylor grand concerts over the last 30 years (I’ve owned a 712c since 1994), and the 112ce-S delivers a high percentage of the qualities I’ve come to appreciate about these instruments. It’s comfortable to hold and easy to play, and delivers a wide range of tones that make it suitable for many musical contexts. It’s a great fingerstyle guitar, and while it’s not the loudest guitar on the block (it’s similar to other Taylor grand concerts), it held up well when strummed with a pick, and sounded great for single-note lead lines. Even though I’m used to playing wider necks, I found the slightly narrower string-spacing quite comfortable, and players with smaller hands may actually prefer this neck to Taylor’s standard measurements. Plugged into a Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge, the guitar’s ES2 electronics (the same system found on other Taylors) delivered the results you’d expect from one of the best systems on the market.

Overall, the 112ce-S offers a mind-boggling level of performance for less than $800. The only things “entry-level” are the price and the placement in Taylor’s catalog; otherwise this is an instrument worthy of any stage or studio.