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Many players consider a 12-string an indulgence. In fact, that notion seems to be the raison d’être for the Taylor 150e, a guitar that the company designed as a guilt-free and affordable means to satisfy the occasional 12-string urge.

But the 150e is much more than just a serviceable 12-string that can serve in a pinch. It sounds rich and robust, it’s very playable and easy to record, and it makes a case that an acoustic 12-string isn’t only justifiable for the serious guitarist, but indispensable—especially at less than 700 bucks.

Though the 150e’s satin finish and the light hue of the layered sapele back and sides hint at a down-market instrument from 10' away, it is, somewhat paradoxically, close inspection that leaves you guessing about the price tag. The guitar is flawless—at every seam, at every joint and fret end, and in every last little nook and cranny where a less careful builder might stash an un-sanded bit of bracing or kerfing.

The layered sapele actually has a very handsome grain with a vaguely tiger-stripe pattern that almost shimmers in the light. The solid Sitka spruce top is comparatively plain. And the stark contrast between the pale spruce top, dark ebony bridge and fretboard, and the 1-ply black pickguard give the guitar a kind of two-dimensional look that you’ll either love or find lifeless, depending on your alignment with minimalist design.

Some guitarists reflexively balk at acquiring an affordable 12-string, citing concerns about high action and poor intonation. There are no such issues in play with the 150e. In standard tuning, the guitar feels slinky and even just a bit rubbery and flexible under the fretting fingers. The 1 7/8" nut width gives the fretboard a spacious feel. Fretting a barre chord at the 9th fret doesn’t take much more effort than it does on a good 6-string. And overall, there’s a relaxed sensation to playing chords on the 150e that, depending on your experience with entry-level acoustic 12s, can be delightfully disorienting and counterintuitive.

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