The new Taylor Academy series.

Ya, I just checked prices here too.  Seems they're listed for around 800 bucks with pickup, exactly the same as the 100 series guitars with pickup.  You get the same ES2 pickup system, but with different pre-amps or interfaces (the Academy comes with a tuner etc, the 100 series still gets classic 3 button thing).

So, ya, if they were actually 500 bucks, that'd be one hell of a deal, but for the same price as the 100 series guitars, I dunno.  800 bucks ain't no "entry level" guitar or price.

I did listen to a bunch of review/demos of the Academys and they do sound really great though.  But, would I buy one over a 100 series guitar for the same price?  I dunno.  The sound and playability would have to blow away the 100 series equivalent for that to happen; which I don't think would be the case.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with either the Academy series or the 100 series.  It seems to me that one of them might be redundant right now.  But maybe not.  Thoughts?

Derick ,TonyKgull , the Academy Series isn't the same price as the 100 series. I went to the shop in town today, and played several Taylor Academies - they had a 10, a 12, and one with an "e" on the end, one with an armrest. The higher price was $499. These guitars can compete favorably with a Seagull S6, and many others at this price point. The Taylor playability is very much in evidence - a beginner who wants to learn Barre chords will chose an Academy over any sub $800 Seagull, in my opinion.
While I am not in the market for such a guitar, it was a real eye opener - I now have another recommendation for new players at lower price points. These Academy guitars have hit a sweet spot in my opinion, just as good or better a sound as other guitars at the same price point, with a significant advantage in playability. Granted, you can get a guitar set up, but most people do not do that, or even think about it. And if there is a competitive guitar in front of you that is already set up....... with no bill to pay.....
I think Taylor is going to sell these guitars.

And then I played some other stuff....they even had the first Crafter I had seen in there, which was a 6 string dread that appeared to be a maple body. I liked that guitar quite well, but then I began to A/B several of the other Taylors I've been gassing over, a 714ce, the same 2011 DNce-FLTD that I almost fell for last fall, a 418e-R, a 414ce (ovangkol), a 414ce-R, and several of their newer 12 frets. I did learn that 12 frets aren't for me, and that the 714ce is a really great guitar, but might be a lot like my 514ce-LTD..... and an all KOA GC that was surprisingly nice, if you want to pay $4300 for your couch noodler..... lots of really nice Taylors in there.
But I came away thinking that if I buy a rosewood guitar that perhaps it should be a Martin.... I've been remembering that HD28 that almost hooked me last year.

Not sure where you live, but up here in Ontario, Canada, they're the same price for the comparable models.  Some variances exist, like pickup vs no pickup etc, but basically, they're the same price.




The same guitar in a Seagull:





So, up here, strictly going by price here, the Academy is the same price as the 100 series and does not compete at all with the Seagull S6 as the Seagull is 37.5% cheaper and that's before taxes.

I did not realize, but I guess in the U.S. and other parts of the world, the price differences will be, um, well, different.  lol.    But I wouldn't think by that much.  So, I still think one of the series of the Academy  and the 100s are a bit redundant.  The only exception being that the Academy offers a body size that I don't think the 100s do, the GC.  So I guess it more depends on what body size/shape you want.

TonyKgull , that pricing is quite surprising. Kind of negates the business case for introducing the Academy Series in the first place. Also quite different from the prices I saw yesterday - I live in the state of Maryland. That 12e was $499 in the shop yesterday, a 10 was $399. USD, I'm assuming the ad you posted was CD. As a comparison, the Seagull S6 was about the same as the 12e. Comparing beyond price, the S6 was a louder guitar, but the 12e was sounding suprisingly good. I say surprisingly, because my expectation wasn't that high going in.....

Greg Ballantyne,

This is just a play on words, both of us don't need another new guitar, but we definitely want one or two.
 Generally our women do not understand our want's.
Only today I said to the wife, think I may take this guitar to the little guitar shop, to see if I can get a trade for a new guitar, the wife said, you said you liked that guitar, what's that got to do with anything.
 I know the answer, don't tell the wife where I am going, 
 Some people only have one guitar, and are very happy, unfortunately I am not one of those people.
 When are you getting your new guitar. 😀