Just like the debut of the Grand Pacific body style revealed a different flavor of Taylor sound — warm and seasoned, with notes that blend smoothly together — the new AD27e Flametop from the American Dream Series leans even farther away from the sound often associated with Taylor. The guitar features a figured maple top, solid maple back sides, and a maple neck, but forget any association of brightness you might have with maple guitars. Between the GP body, maple top, V-Class bracing and the choice of uncoated D’Addario Nickel Bronze strings (.012-.053), master builder Andy Powers has shaped this guitar’s voice into an earthy, midrange-focused sound. By design, the guitar produces fewer overtones, giving it a dry, more muted, slightly mellower sonic texture that will sound right at home in Americana circles and make a great strummer for chunky acoustic rhythm work. Visually, the guitar channels the gritty character of a worn-in pair of boots or jeans with a dusky Woodsmoke finish, shaded edgeburst and satin sheen. Like other American Dream models, the Flametop features chamfered body edges, 4mm dot inlays in Italian acrylic, and onboard ES2 electronics (also available without electronics). The guitar ships in a Taylor AeroCase.