Taylor Academy 12e-N Grand Concert Nylon-String #6047

The Academy 12e-N takes the Academy 12e's Grand Concert body and rebuilds it around nylon strings and fan bracing, the traditional bracing pattern classical builders use to let a top move more freely under nylon's lower string tension. The same torrefied spruce top and layered walnut back and sides carry over from its steel-string siblings, but the fan-braced top and a wider 1-7/8-inch nut turn this into a genuine classical guitar rather than a nylon-strung dreadnought.

Nylon trades steel's brightness and sustain for a rounder, warmer voice with a faster note decay — chords bloom rather than ring, and the wider string spacing gives a right hand room to plant fingerstyle and classical technique without strings colliding. The Grand Concert body keeps the low end controlled rather than boomy, so the guitar stays balanced whether a player fingerpicks it quietly in a practice room or strums it with a pick for a folk or Latin-influenced set.

West African Crelicam Ebony replaces eucalyptus on the fingerboard and bridge — a firmer material suited to a tied bridge and nylon's lower string tension — and the wider 12-fret-to-body neck join, 17-fret board, and flatter 20-inch radius all follow classical convention rather than steel-string spec. The ES-B pickup still puts the Academy 12e-N on stage or in a mix without a second guitar for plugged-in sets. For a player moving from steel strings into classical technique, or a working musician who needs one nylon-string that also plugs in, the Academy 12e-N covers both jobs.

The Acoustic Shoppe is an Authorized Taylor Premier Dealer and Gold Label Advantage Dealer. Every instrument ships after a full 23-point professional inspection by our in-house repair tech. As a twelve-time consecutive NAMM Top 100 Dealer, we handle warranty concerns directly on your behalf.