Taylor FA02032017005111000 Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Taylor Academy 20e is a compact, stylish acoustic-electric guitar with a strong focus on playability and balanced tone. Part of Taylor's Academy Series designed for new players, the 20e has a scaled-down Grand Auditorium body shape made from solid Sitka spruce and layered Sapele back and sides. The short 24-7/8" scale mahogany neck and pleasing hand-feel make the 20e an accessible instrument for smaller hands or younger players. With its built-in ES-B pickup and onboard preamp, the Academy 20e allows plugging in for amplified jam sessions while retaining the warm, full Taylor acoustic sound. Overall, the 20e aims to be a high-quality, entry-level electro-acoustic that makes playing and practicing fun.

Body Style and Design

The Taylor Academy 20e features a classic dreadnought body shape that projects volume and punch. The top is constructed from laminated Sitka spruce, which provides brightness and articulation. Sitka spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops due to its resonant tonal qualities.

The back and sides are made from layered Sapele, which adds warmth and definition to the overall tone. Sapele is known for its clear, balanced sound and attractive grain patterns. The combination of spruce and Sapele produces a nicely balanced acoustic tone that works well for all styles of playing.

The dreadnought design with Spruce top and Sapele back and sides makes the Academy 20e an excellent choice for players looking for a great sounding, affordable acoustic-electric guitar. The materials and construction allow it to produce rich, dynamic tone while keeping costs down.

The Ibanez AEWC32FM AE is another great option for an acoustic-electric guitar. It features a cutaway Florentine body style made of mahogany back and sides with a solid spruce top. This combination produces a balanced, articulate tone well-suited to many playing styles. The thinline body increases comfort during long practice or gigging sessions.

Some other features that make the AEWC32FM AE stand out are its mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, and Ibanez under-saddle pickup with tuner. The pickup allows you to plug into an amplifier or PA system for amplification, while the tuner makes on-the-fly tuning adjustments easy. This guitar provides great plugged-in and unplugged tones at an affordable price point.

Both the Taylor Academy 20e and Ibanez AEWC32FM AE are excellent acoustic-electric options. The Taylor offers a traditional dreadnought sound with Spruce and Sapele, while the Ibanez provides a bright, balanced tone from its mahogany and spruce Florentine body. Players looking for stage-ready amplified acoustic tones would do well to consider either of these guitars.

For more details on the Ibanez AEWC32FM AE, check out this link: Ibanez AEWC32FM AE

Neck and Fretboard

The Taylor Academy 20e features a slim, fast-playing hard rock maple neck with a Performing Artist taper profile that provides comfort and smooth playability. The ebony fretboard offers 20 medium frets and a 1-11/16" nut width, giving you plenty of room for chords and intricate fingerpicking while still feeling sleek and smooth. The ebony is durable and provides crisp note definition. Overall, the neck and fretboard allow for versatile playing across different styles, especially for fingerstyle techniques. The smooth neck, slim profile, low action, and roomy fretboard combine to make the Academy 20e a joy to play.

The neck shape and fretboard width give you versatility to play different styles. The slim profile is comfortable for chording while the 1-11/16" nut width provides room for fingerpicking. This combination works well for fingerstyle players who want to switch between playing chords and lead lines. The smooth neck and ebony fretboard facilitate quick movements up and down the neck. The Academy 20e gives you a fast, slick playing feel which lends itself to fingerstyle techniques. The neck isn't overly thick so barre chords are manageable as well. Overall, whether you prefer to strum chords or weave intricate fingerstyle patterns, the Academy 20e neck and fretboard will accommodate your playing.

In addition to the comfortable neck shape, the medium jumbo frets are an ideal height for precise fingering. The ebony fretboard offers a smooth surface and helps produce clear, distinct notes. Ebony is harder than rosewood and provides excellent durability. It also gives you clear note articulation from the very first fret all the way up the neck. The smooth finish allows your fingers to glide effortlessly during quick position changes. Between the slick ebony, jumbo frets, and Performing Artist profile, the Academy 20e really shines for lead playing across different styles from blues and rock to folk and fingerstyle.

Compared to other acoustic-electric guitars in its price range like the Fender CC-140SCE, the Academy 20e excels in terms of its fast neck, quality fretboard, and comfortable yet agile feel. It outperforms other entry-level acoustic-electrics with its versatile design that caters well to fingerstylists but provides a great playing experience for all styles thanks to the smooth neck, slim profile, and quality ebony fretboard. Overall, the neck and fretboard specs allow players to explore different genres and techniques on a great sounding, comfortable, and playable acoustic-electric.

Pickups and Controls

The Taylor Academy 20e comes equipped with Taylor's ES-B pickup system, which utilizes an undersaddle piezo pickup and a body sensor to capture the guitar's natural sound. The onboard preamp features volume and tone controls that allow you to blend between the two pickup sources to achieve your desired amplified tone.

The volume control adjusts the overall output level, while the tone control lets you dial in more brilliant highs or robust lows depending on your needs. With the ES-B system, the guitar is stage-ready for plugging into an amplifier or PA system. The controls are located just inside the soundhole for quick and easy access while playing.

Overall, the ES-B pickup configuration aims to accurately convey the Academy 20e's balanced tonal character, making it a great choice for amplified gigs or recording scenarios where you want to replicate the guitar's unplugged voice. The simple volume and tone knobs give you flexibility without overwhelming you with too many parameters.

Hardware

The FA02 features quality hardware to provide great tunability and tone. It has sealed chrome tuners that keep the guitar in tune reliably. The nut and saddle are both made from Tusq, a synthetic bone material known for warmth and clarity. The Tusq nut promotes smooth open string tones while the Tusq saddle gives you excellent intonation and resonance. Overall the hardware complements the solid tonewoods beautifully. The chrome sealed tuners combined with the Tusq nut and saddle make this a great playing and sounding acoustic-electric.

Sound and Playability

The Taylor Academy 20e has a well-balanced tone that works well for playing chords or single-note lines. The smaller Grand Auditorium body style produces a focused and articulate sound, while still delivering enough low-end warmth. The solid Sitka spruce top provides crisp highs and articulate note separation. The ovangkol back and sides add good midrange punch, while also contributing to a balanced tone across the frequency spectrum.

The Academy 20e feels very comfortable and easy to play, thanks to its compact Grand Auditorium body and slim mahogany neck. The shorter 24-7/8" scale length reduces string tension, making it easier on your fingers when forming chords. The neck is very playable for a wide range of hand sizes. The smooth satin finish also allows your hand to move up and down the neck smoothly. Overall, the Academy 20e delivers a great playing experience suitable for new and experienced players alike.

Pros

The Taylor Academy 20e has a lot to offer for players looking for a quality acoustic-electric guitar at an accessible price point.

• Quality Taylor build: As you'd expect from Taylor, the Academy 20e features their expertise in acoustic guitar construction. It's an all-solid wood guitar made from quality tonewoods. The solid spruce top and layered Sapele back and sides produce a balanced and articulate tone.

• Great electronics: The guitar comes equipped with Taylor's ES-B pickup system, providing natural amplified tones. The onboard preamp has built-in tuner and EQ controls for shaping your amplified sound.

• Easy to play: With its super playable neck profile, low action, and comfortable body size, the Academy 20e is designed for effortless playability. The shorter 24.875" scale length makes it a great choice for beginners too.

Cons

The Taylor Academy 20e has a few downsides to consider.

• Laminate construction - The top, back, and sides of the Academy 20e are made of laminated sapele rather than solid wood. While laminate is durable and resistant to climate changes, many players feel it doesn't produce as complex and warm of a tone as solid wood models. The laminate construction helps keep costs down, but it limits the guitar's acoustic resonance and sustain.

• Limited tone woods - With the laminated sapele top, back, and sides, the Academy 20e lacks the tonal variety you'd get from premium tone woods like solid mahogany, rosewood, maple, or spruce. The sapele laminate has a focused and balanced sound, but it may not have the richness, complexity or character that discerning players seek in an acoustic guitar. Those looking for the nuanced tonal flavors of exotic woods may want to consider a step-up model.

Who It's For

The Academy 20e acoustic-electric from Taylor is an excellent option for beginning and intermediate guitar players looking for a versatile instrument. With its compact grand auditorium body shape, playability is a major priority. The slim neck and shorter 24-7/8" scale length allow easy fretting and chord changes, making this guitar ideal for players still developing their techniques.

The layered sapele back and sides and solid Sitka spruce top produce a balanced, articulate tone across multiple genres, appealing to developing ears. An acoustic newbie can really grow into the guitar, taking it from lessons and practice sessions to coffee shop jams. The onboard ES-B pickup makes it stage-ready when the time comes. Players can plug in for mic'd gigs without sacrificing the Taylor tone.

Its compact size and light build also make the 20e a great choice for younger players and smaller-statured musicians. The comfortable neck and overall playability allow beginners to stick with it through the frustrations of callouses and chord changes. And as intermediate players polish their skills, the 20e supports acoustic tone and playing dynamics well enough to avoid immediate upgrade fever. While not a forever guitar, it’s a perfect fit for early development and gigging readiness.

Alternatives to Consider

Yamaha FG-TA

The Yamaha FG-TA is another top acoustic-electric guitar in the lower price range. It has a solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides for a balanced tone. The neck is also mahogany for good sustain and playability. It comes equipped with a System66 pickup and preamp system which provides great amplified tone. The slim neck and string spacing make this a comfortable guitar for all players. Overall, the Yamaha FG-TA provides great value with its quality construction and amplified sound capabilities.

Fender FA-125CE

Fender's FA-125CE is an affordable option worth looking at. It has a laminated spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The slim neck is easy to play, and it comes equipped with a Fishman preamp system for plugging in. While it may not have the resonant tone of a solid wood acoustic, the Fender FA-125CE offers good quality and features for the price. The Fishman pickup allows it to hold its own when amplified.

Epiphone DR-100

The Epiphone DR-100 is one of the least expensive acoustic-electric options. It has a select spruce top and mahogany body. The pickup and preamp system is fairly basic, but gets the job done for plugging in. While it lacks the rich sound of more expensive models, the DR-100 gives you an amplified acoustic for a very wallet-friendly price. The tone is balanced and the playability is decent. Overall, the DR-100 is a good choice for acoustic players on a tight budget.