Premier Guitar's Shawn Hammond is on location in Omaha, Nebraska, where he catches up with Yes' Chris Squire and Steve Howe to check out their vintage gear, including old Rickenbackers, Gibsons, Fenders, and more.
Guitars
Steve Howe’s main guitar for the current Yes tour—on which the band is
playing The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, and Going for the One albums
in their entirety—is his No. 2 1964 Gibson ES-175 (which he only uses in
the U.S.). For “Parallels” off of Going for the One, he uses a mid-’80s
Fender Stratocaster modified to use just one volume and tone knob (the
original volume-pot position is vacant). And for Close to the Edge
tracks he uses this 1970 Gibson ES-345 with stereo wiring and a Gibson
Byrdland tailpiece.
Also on tour is a 1955 Fender Telecaster with added neck humbucker and a 3-way upper-bout switch and individual string saddles (also for “Awaken”) and Portuguese 12-string acoustic tuned E–B–E–B–E–Ab (for “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Wonderous Stories”). Not pictured is a Gibson Steve Howe signature ES-175 with middle humbucker and ES-5 Switchmaster-style switching (functions as a standby to No. 2 and for Fragile tunes that originally featured a Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster), double-neck Fender steel guitar with one neck in E-major tuning and the 6th string tuned to the same pitch as the 4th and another neck in E9 tuning (used on “Going for the One,” “Awaken,” and “And You and I”), 1956 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” (for “Turn of the Century”), and 24-fret Steinberger 12-string with EMG SA single-coils (for “Awaken”). Martin MC-38 Steve Howe signature model (for “Clap” and “Turn of the Century”)
Howe also uses a Line 6 Variax 600 (for Danelectro Sitar, Guild 12-string, and Martin 0-18 sounds).
Chris Squire brought a number of basses on this tour, including a Kid’s Guitars replica of a Bob Wal triple-neck bass (left), which he uses on “Awaken” from Going for the One. Its 6-string top neck is tuned A–D–G (with octave strings for each), while the middle neck is fretted, and the bottom neck is fretless. In the middle is Squire’s legendary 1964 Rickenbacker 4001, which has powered “Roundabout” and countless other Yes classics. The 8-string Ranney (right)—which Squire plays on “Going for the One”—has a 5-piece body and active electronics.
He also travels with a ’70s custom Jim Mouradian green bass with J-style pickups and dual volumes and tones for each, spare Rickenbacker 4001 with custom graphics from Squire’s 1975 Fish out of Water solo album, an early-’70s Fender Jazz bass (played on “Parallels” from Going for the One), and, not pictured, a custom Tobias 5-string normally tuned to B–E –A–D but tuned to C–E–A–D for “Turn of the Century,”
Amps
Squire has relied on the same two vintage Marshall heads for decades, though his main one—the 1965 JMP on bottom head—has never broken down so he’s rarely used the top one. (Wondering about those mods? For the 1978 Tormato tour, it was customized to work with a separate power amp feeding two custom 6x12 cabinets in which each driver was angled to fire in a different direction.)
Squire blends his Marshall signal with one from a pair of Ampeg SVT-2PRO heads (bottom). An SWR Bass 350 head (middle) amplifies the Moog Taurus bass-pedal tones generated by his E-Mu ESI 2000 (second from top).
Though he long famed for using two Fender Twin Reverbs, Howe is now relying on a Line 6 DT50 amp, which works in tandem with his painstakingly programmed Line 6 PODHD500.
Effects
Howe and his tech have spent many hours programming true-to-the-record tones into his Line 6 PODHD500—his only effects device. He uses the Morley A/B pedal to switch between acoustic and electric guitars.
Squire’s pedal drawer features an ancient vibrato pedal custom-built for him in the ’60s (top middle). Also on the top shelf are a 1960s Maestro Bass Brassmaster fuzz (front left), a TC Electronic Chorus+ (right), and a rarely used Boss OC-3 Super-Octave (back left). The bottom drawer is stocked with a TC Electronic
Last year, Taylor Guitars capped its 50th Anniversary by introducing a new guitar collection celebrating the contributions of co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug to the guitar world. The Legacy Collection revives five of Bob Taylor’s classic acoustic models, curated by the legendary luthier and innovator himself. “To imagine that we’re doing guitars that harken to our past, our present and our future all at the same time,” Bob says, “I really like that.”
In developing the collection, Bob preserved the essence of his originals while integrating performance and playability upgrades introduced during his tenure as designer-in-chief. “It’s an up-to-date version of what those guitars would be,” Bob explains, “but with the same sound.”
Visually, these guitars feel classic—clean, understated and unmistakably Taylor. While Bob’s original aesthetic preferences are showcased in his Legacy models, the nod to the past runs deeper than trade dress.
From his earliest builds, Bob favored slim-profile necks because he found them easier to play. That preference set a design precedent that established Taylor’s reputation for smooth-playing, comfortable necks. Legacy models feature slim mahogany necks built with Taylor's patented New Technology (NT) design. “My first neck was a bolted-on neck but not an NT neck,” Bob says. “These are NT necks because it’s a better neck.” Introduced in 1999, the NT neck allowed for unprecedented micro-adjustability while offering a consistent, hand-friendly Taylor playing experience.
What makes this collection unique within the Taylor line is Bob’s use of his X-bracing architecture, favoring his time-tested internal voicing framework over more recent Taylor bracing innovations to evoke a distinctive tone profile. Since Andy Powers—Taylor’s current Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO—debuted his patented V-Class bracing in 2018, V-Class has become a staple in Taylor’s premium-performance guitars. Still, Bob’s X-bracing pattern produces a richly textured sound with pleasing volume, balance and clarity that long defined the Taylor voice. All Legacy models feature LR Baggs VTC Element electronics, which Bob says “harkens back to those days.”
The team at Taylor thought the best way to demonstrate the sound of the Legacy guitars was to ask Andy Powers, Bob’s successor, to play them. A world-class luthier and musician, Andy has spent the past 14 years leading Taylor’s guitar innovation. In addition to V-Class bracing, his contributions include the Grand Pacific body style, the ultra-refined Builder’s Edition Collection, and most recently, the stunning Gold Label Collection.
Below you’ll find a series of videos that feature Powers playing each Legacy model along with information about the guitars.
Legacy 800 Series Models
First launched in 1975, the 800 Series was Taylor’s first official guitar series. Today, it remains home to some of the brand’s most acclaimed instruments, including the flagship 814ce, Builder’s Edition 814ce and new Gold Label 814e.
The Legacy 800 Series features the 810e Dreadnought and two Jumbos: the 6-string 815e and 12-string 855e. Each model serves up a refined version of the Dreadnought and Jumbo body shapes Bob inherited from Sam Radding—the original owner of the American Dream music shop where Bob and Kurt first met. “I was making my guitars in the molds that Sam had made at American Dream,” Bob recalls. “There was a Jumbo and a Dreadnought. That’s all we had.”
All three Legacy 800 Series guitars feature one of Bob’s favorite tonewood combos. Solid Indian rosewood back and sides are paired with a Sitka spruce top, yielding warm lows, clear trebles and a scooped midrange.
Aesthetic appointments include a three-ring abalone rosette, mother-of-pearl Large Diamond inlays, white binding around the body and fretboard, and Bob’s “straight-ear” peghead design. Both Jumbo models also showcase a mustache-style ebony bridge—a nod to Bob’s early Jumbo builds.
Legacy 810e
The 810 Dreadnought holds a special place in Bob Taylor’s heart. “My first 810, the one I made for myself, was a thrilling guitar for me to make,” he says. “It’s the one and only guitar I played. It didn’t matter how many guitars we made at Taylor, that’s the one I took out and played.” The Legacy 810e brings back that bold, room-filling Dreadnought voice along with the easy playability expected from a Taylor.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 810e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 855e
Taylor’s first 12-strings found an audience in 1970s Los Angeles. “I was making guitars that would find their way to McCabe’s in Santa Monica and Westwood Music,” Bob says, “and these guitars were easy to play. Twelve-strings were a popular sound in that music. It was a modern country/folk/rock music genre that was accepting our guitars because they were easy to play. They also liked the sound of them because our guitars were easier to record.” The Legacy 855e, with its resonant Jumbo body, slim neck and gorgeous octave sparkle, carries that tradition forward.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 855e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 815e
The Legacy 815e revives Taylor’s original Jumbo 6-string, delivering a big, lush sound with beautifully blooming overtones.
Legacy Grand Auditoriums
In the early 1990s, Bob Taylor heard a consistent refrain from dealers: “Not everybody wants a dreadnought guitar anymore.” Players were asking for something with comparable volume but different proportions—something more comfortable, yet still powerful. This feedback inspired Bob to design a new body style with more elegant curves, more accommodating proportions and a balanced tonal response. The result was the Grand Auditorium, which Taylor introduced in 1994 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Thanks to its musical versatility and easy playability, Bob’s Grand Auditorium attracted a wide variety of players. “We came into our own with our Grand Auditorium,” he says. “People were describing it as ‘all around.’ It’s a good strummer and good for fingerstyle, but it’s not totally geared toward strumming or totally geared toward fingerstyle.” Also referred to as the “Swiss-Army Knife” of guitars or the “Goldilocks” guitar, the GA quickly became a favorite among guitarists across playing styles, musical genres and different playing applications including recording and live performance. “That guitar made studio work successful,” Bob says. It gained a wider fanbase with the debut of the “ce” version, which introduced a Venetian cutaway and onboard electronics. “That became one of our hallmarks,” says Bob. “If you want to plug in your guitar, buy a Taylor.”
Today, the Grand Auditorium is Taylor’s best-selling body shape.
The Legacy Collection features two cedar-top Grand Auditoriums inspired by past favorites: the mahogany/cedar 514ce and rosewood/cedar 714ce. Both models incorporate Bob’s original X-bracing pattern for a tonal character reminiscent of their 1990s and 2000s counterparts. Shared aesthetic details include a green abalone three-ring rosette, ebony bridge pins with green abalone dots, a faux-tortoiseshell pickguard and Taylor gold tuning machines.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 815e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 514ce
The Legacy 514ce features solid mahogany back and sides paired with a Western Red cedar top, yielding a punchy midrange and dry, woody sonic personality that pairs beautifully with cedar’s soft-touch sensitivity and warmth. It’s a standout choice for fingerstyle players and light strummers who crave nuance and depth. Distinct visual details include faux-tortoise body and fretboard binding, black-and-white top trim, and mother-of-pearl small diamond fretboard inlays.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 514ce | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 714ce
The Legacy 714ce also features a cedar top, this time matched with solid Indian rosewood back and sides. The result is a richly textured sound with deep lows, clear trebles and a warm, mellow response. Inspiring as it is, this specific wood pairing isn’t currently offered in any other standard Taylor model. Additional aesthetic details include green abalone dot fretboard inlays, black body and fretboard binding, and black-and-white “pinstripe” body purfling.
While the Legacy Collection spotlights Taylor’s past, newer models from the Gold Label, Builder’s Edition and Somos Collections show the company’s legacy is always evolving. Explore the Legacy Collection at taylorguitars.com or visit your local authorized Taylor dealer.
