See the video review of the R. Taylor Style Two

Since 1974, when Bob Taylor and his partners opened their first shop, the Taylor brand has become one of the most renowned names in guitar history—not just for its highly popular guitars, but also for the many manufacturing innovations the company has brought to the market. Ideas such as bolt-on necks, fast-curing UV finishes, and the use of CNC machines allowed production of quality solid-wood guitars on an impressive scale, cementing Bob Taylor's place as a genuine guitar innovator.

Given these mass-market successes, Taylor's return-to-its-roots creation of the upscale R. Taylor sister brand was welcomed by players eager to experience the sum of Taylor's expertise in a high-end custom model. With a staff of four luthiers working in a dedicated shop space, Taylor and a team headed by Taylor vets Larry Breedlove and Tim Luranc developed the Style One (a guitar that shares the same body style as Taylor's Grand Symphony, which was introduced at the same time in 2006) and custom crafted the instrument from Taylor's stash of personally selected woods.

Now, R. Taylor has released the Style Two, a more compact-bodied cousin to the Style One. Like all R. Taylor guitars, the Style Two can be ordered in wood combinations that include Alpine spruce, redwood, koa, and cocobolo among others. But for review purposes, we evaluated a guitar with a classic combination of Adirondack spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides.

UNDERSTATED STYLE, FLAWLESS CRAFTSMANSHIP

As you'd expect from a guitar in this price range, the Style Two exhibits flawless fit and finish. The Adirondack top was straight-grained and perfectly matched, and the grain of the Indian rosewood back and sides displayed incredible depth, definition, color, and character. The bridge, unadorned fretboard, and headstock back strip overlay are crafted from deep-hued ebony, and the body, neck, and headstock are flawlessly bound in striped cocobolo (wood binding is also optional), displaying textbook miters at every exposed intersection. Fans of understated class and fine tonewood will love the looks of this guitar. According to sources at R. Taylor, the shop benefits from access to the best wood that Bob Taylor has acquired over his career. And the care taken in selecting those woods is evident in the Style Two.

The 14⅞-inch body reflects its family relation to the Taylor GC and GS, but it's more slender through the bass bouts, creating a profile that's svelte and beautiful. And a peek inside the soundhole confirms R. Taylor's emphasis on craftsmanship. The scalloped top braces, which seem almost delicate in places, are precisely carved, placed, and sanded smooth. Other unusual details, such as the solid kerfing (which R. Taylor uses to stiffen the sides and body structure) and a routed edge relief in the underside of the top along the lining, combine to keep more string energy active in the top and to enhance response.

BOLD TONE

The result of all this effort is a compelling combination of bell-like shimmer, rock-solid and focused lows, a throaty midrange, and fat, fundamental highs. Played with a flatpick, single-note runs pop with an alluring combination of complexity and a weighty, vocal quality. The top's wood and slight arch (it has a 65-foot radius) make the Style Two guitar more resistant to overdrive under aggressive picking. But I most enjoyed strumming full chords, and the Style Two's perfect combination of jangle, pure fundamental tones, and spot-on intonation made it a joy to hear first-position G, D, and A chords in full, overtone-rich, panoramic sound.

Switching to fingerstyle mode and working in a variety of tunings, I remained impressed by the Style Two's wealth of tone, robust low end, sustain, and super-easy playability. At times, the stiff top did seem to require more energy than my nails could provide to gain access to its considerable headroom. And while that speaks volumes about Style Two's considerable ceiling, it suggests that another top option, like Engelmann, might be a better choice for a fingerstylist who plays with a soft touch.

Most issues with playability were mitigated by the R. Taylor's short scale and the fast and comfortable Taylor neck contour. And though players can order either a thicker "V" or a thinner "low profile" neck, along with nut widths from 1 to 1⅞-inches, this particular guitar's combination of a medium nut width and neck profile proved a delight to handle.

THE WRAP

With its bold sound, gorgeous woods, and clean craftsmanship, the unique Style Two is balanced, rich with lush midrange tone, and brimming with boutique élan. The wide harmonic range makes the Style Two a great guitar for singer-songwriters, but it would just as easily suit a fingerstylist with a penchant for dynamics. Versatile, beautiful, and easy to play, the Style Two is one of the more impressive acoustic guitars to emerge from Bob Taylor's workshops, and a fine summation of almost four decades of guitar-building experience—until the next one, we expect.