Taylor 150ce electro-acoustic guitar

Taylor 150ce 12-String Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The Taylor 150ce is one of the world's most popular 12-string guitars, pairing a traditional dreadnought body with a Venetian cutaway and Taylor's Expression System 2 electronics. Built around a solid torrefied spruce top and layered sapele back and sides, this 12-string dreadnought acoustic-electric delivers the rich octave shimmer and powerful low-end response that flatpickers and strummers love. The Taylor 150ce is the right choice for players who want a stage-ready 12-string that plays as comfortably as a six-string.

What Makes the 150ce Stand Out in the 12-String Category

Two design choices set this model apart from typical budget 12-strings. First, the torrefied spruce top is treated with Taylor's roasting process, giving the guitar a played-in warmth and depth that traditional spruce tops usually take years to develop. Second, the asymmetrical C-Class bracing pattern improves projection, sustain, and bass response while keeping the dreadnought body balanced and articulate across all twelve strings. A Venetian cutaway rounds out the body for easy upper-fret access during solos and intricate chord work.

Tonewoods and Body Construction — A Balanced 12-String Voice

The tonewood pairing on the 150ce is engineered to tame the inherent complexity of a 12-string while preserving its signature shimmer. A solid top delivers the dynamic response that octave pairs demand, while layered back and sides add durability and tonal consistency in changing climates.

• Top Wood: Solid Torrefied Spruce — roasted for vintage-style warmth and immediate played-in depth
• Back & Sides: Layered Sapele — adds clear, ringing note articulation with mahogany-like warmth
• Bracing: C-Class Bracing — asymmetrical pattern that increases projection, sustain, and bass response
• Body Finish: Matte — understated look that feels modern and reduces glare on stage

Neck, Fingerboard, and Scale — Built for Comfortable 12-String Playability

12-strings are notoriously harder to play than six-strings, so Taylor engineered the 150ce with a slender neck profile and a wider fingerboard to keep chording manageable. The result is a 12-string that many players describe as playing almost as easily as a six-string.

• Neck Wood: Neo-Tropical Mahogany — standard Taylor carve that reduces hand fatigue during long sessions
• Fingerboard: Ebony with 20 frets — smooth, responsive surface with strong note sustain
• Scale Length: 648 mm (25.5") — standard Taylor scale for familiar string tension and intonation
• Nut Width: 1-7/8" (47.6 mm) — wide enough to seat 12 strings cleanly without cramping the hand

Electronics and Hardware — Stage-Ready Performance

The 150ce ships with Taylor's Expression System 2, a behind-the-saddle pickup design with three individually calibrated piezo sensors that capture the guitar's natural acoustic energy. Combined with die-cast chrome mini tuners and a Nubone nut, the guitar stays in tune and translates faithfully through a PA or acoustic amp.

• Pickup System: Expression System 2 (ES2) — behind-the-saddle design with custom preamp for natural amplified tone
• Controls: Master Volume, Active Bass, Active Treble, Phase Switch — onboard feedback control for live performance
• Tuning Machines: Die-cast chrome mini tuners — stable, precise tuning across all twelve strings
• Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.010 - .047) — coated 12-string set for long tone life
• Included Case: Gig Bag — lightweight, portable protection included at no extra cost

Who the Taylor 150ce Is Built For

The Taylor 150ce is the right choice for guitarists stepping into the world of 12-strings who refuse to compromise on playability or amplified tone. Singer-songwriters will appreciate the balanced dreadnought voice and the Venetian cutaway that opens up the upper frets for melodic lead lines. Gigging players benefit from the Expression System 2 electronics, which deliver a transparent, feedback-resistant signal on stage. Studio musicians get a versatile 12-string that records cleanly and pairs well with both acoustic and electric arrangements. Whether the player is a flatpicker chasing that classic jangle, a fingerstylist exploring octave textures, or a six-string player ready to add a 12-string to the rotation, the 150ce offers an accessible entry point into Taylor's 12-string lineup at a price well below the company's all-solid 12-string models.

Taylor Guitars — A Legacy of Acoustic Innovation

Taylor Guitars has built its reputation since 1974 on a relentless focus on playability, tone, and sustainable wood sourcing. The 150ce sits in the company's 100 Series, which brings Taylor's most popular design features — including the patented Taylor Neck, Expression System 2 electronics, and C-Class bracing — into a more accessible price tier. The 150ce is manufactured at Taylor's Tecate, Mexico factory, where the same quality standards and responsibly sourced tonewoods used across the Taylor lineup are applied to every instrument.