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Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
Taylor 412ce-R
VS
Playability
77
Sound
86
Build
90
Value
69
Score
84
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Playability
77
Sound
86
Build
85
Value
73
Score
83
FIND IT ON:
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Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood vs 412ce-R

Reasons to Get
Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood over 412ce-R

Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year

Reasons to Get
Taylor 412ce-R over PS12ce Honduran Rosewood

Value Score
73 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood vs 412ce-R

Body Wood
Redwood vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood vs 412ce-R

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
West African Crelicam Ebony
Same Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.9'' (632.5mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Taylor 412ce-R's 83 score, although not by a lot.

The Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Taylor 412ce-R has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Taylor 412ce-R
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood Overview

  • From Taylor's 2022 Presentation series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.9"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sinker Redwood top
  • Solid Honduran Rosewood back
  • Solid Honduran Rosewood sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gotoh tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Taylor 412ce-R Overview

  • From Taylor's 2018 400 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.9"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid Indian Rosewood sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Taylor Nickel tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood

Redwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Redwood

Redwood is found in North America and comes from the tallest and oldest trees in the world. The tone it produces is warm and highly resonant.

Woods Used in the Taylor 412ce-R

Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Winner: Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Taylor 412ce-R
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood compares to the Taylor 412ce-R.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Taylor 412ce-R comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood's are Gotoh while the Taylor 412ce-R's are Taylor Nickel

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor 412ce-R
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
Quality of materials 96
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 90
Taylor 412ce-R
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 85

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 44.5mm (1.75'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood and Taylor 412ce-R's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.9".

This is the scale found in most triple-O acoustic guitars. It's still considered a long scale, but shorter than the standard 25.5" scale.

A shorter scale length guitar has a few advantages. One is that it is easier to play because the strings are under less tension. This can be helpful for beginners, or those with smaller hands.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood and the Taylor 412ce-R have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood and the Taylor 412ce-R have the same fretboard radius of 15". This radius y closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still comfortable for playing chords without muting strings.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Taylor 412ce-R:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood and Taylor 412ce-R Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Taylor 412ce-R
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood vs 412ce-R
General Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood 412ce-R
Brand: Taylor Taylor
Year: 2022 2018
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Presentation 400
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sinker Redwood Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gotoh Taylor Nickel
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Material: Tropical Mahogany Tropical Mahogany
Decoration: Renaissance
Scale Size: 24.9" 24.9"
Shape: Acoustic Taylor Standard Acoustic Taylor Standard
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15" 15"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp / Active) Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp / Active)