Crafted in collaboration with International House of Music, the Taylor 150CE “Doce Doble” celebrates the sound and spirit of Mexican music while delivering Taylor’s modern playability and reliability. A torrefied Sitka spruce top provides a quick, lively response with vintage warmth and strong projection, while layered sapele back and sides add midrange focus and durability that travels well from stage to street. The West African Crelicam ebony fingerboard and bridge contribute a smooth feel and clear note separation that keeps complex 12-string parts articulate in ensemble settings.
Voiced to support traditional strums, rhythmic requinto-style passages, and contemporary arrangements, the “Doce Doble” offers shimmering octave detail with balanced lows and present, singing highs. It is a stage-ready instrument designed to inspire across genres rooted in regional styles, norteño, and beyond—made to cut through with clarity, stay stable across climates, and invite long sessions without fatigue.
Somos Collection collaboration: Taylor’s build precision meets IHOMI’s cultural roots to honor Mexican traditions with a modern, gig-friendly 12-string that projects, records, and travels with confidence.
Key Features
Torrefied Sitka spruce top for vintage-style warmth, fast response, and strong projection
Layered sapele back and sides for balanced mids and climate-resistant durability
West African Crelicam ebony fingerboard and bridge for smooth feel and clear articulation
Voicing tailored for traditional Mexican styles with rich shimmer and focused lows
Taylor build quality for stable tuning and consistent performance on stage
Specifications
Brand
Taylor
Model
150CE “Doce Doble” · Somos Collection
Item Number
150CEDDSOMOS
UPC
00887766140825
Top Wood
Torrefied Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides
Layered Sapele
Fingerboard / Bridge
West African Crelicam Ebony
Strings
12-string configuration
Related Keywords:Taylor 150ce, Doce Doble, Somos Collection, IHOMI collaboration, torrefied spruce top, layered sapele, Crelicam ebony, Mexican music guitar, 12-string acoustic electric, Taylor acoustic
Taylor Guitars’ collaboration with International House of Music (IHOMI) was a significant milestone, combining craftsmanship and tradition to create the Taylor 150CE Doce Doble. This partnership aimed to bring together the legacy of Taylor’s innovative guitar-making techniques with IHOMI’s deep roots in Mexican music culture.
The 150CE was designed with Mexican music traditions in mind, specifically the requinto and other traditional stringed instruments. The Bajo Quinto that takes inspiration from the "Doce Doble " tuning used in traditional Mexican music, incorporating elements that make it well-suited to the rich, vibrant sounds of this genre. It features a distinctive sound that is louder and more resonant, offering musicians a unique voice in the music they create.
The launch event celebrated the fusion of cultural heritage and modern design, emphasizing how Taylor's high-quality craftsmanship could help bring traditional Mexican sounds into the spotlight on a global stage.
Tonewoods & Construction
The top of the Taylor 150ce is crafted from torrefied Sitka spruce, a specially heat-treated version of the most popular soundboard wood in acoustic guitars. Torrefaction (or “roasting”) removes excess moisture and organic compounds, essentially aging the wood in a controlled environment. This process enhances the tonal qualities by improving resonance, response, and sustain—giving the bajo quinto a broken-in, vintage warmth from day one.
For the back and sides, Taylor uses layered sapele, a tonewood that shares visual and tonal similarities with mahogany. While it’s not solid wood, the layered construction offers several benefits: it’s durable, resistant to climate changes, and helps keep the guitar affordable without sacrificing tonal quality. Tonally, sapele contributes midrange warmth and balance, complementing the brightness of the spruce top. This balance is especially important on a Bajo Quinto, where clarity across the spectrum is essential to prevent muddiness in strumming or arpeggios.
Ebony Fingerboard & Bridge
The fingerboard and bridge are made from West African Crelicam ebony, a tonewood known for its smooth feel, long-lasting durability, and elegant dark appearance. Sourced responsibly through Taylor’s own sustainable forestry initiative in Cameroon, this ebony ensures that the guitar’s playing surface is both beautiful and ethically crafted. Ebony’s density gives it a snappy response and smooth articulation, which helps sharpen the note definition—especially valuable on a wide 10-string neck where finger clarity is essential.
Tone & Sound Quality
The Taylor 150ce Doce Doble is engineered to produce a vibrant and complex sound, with the 10 strings offering a unique choral effect that enriches the overall tone. The guitar's dynamic range is expansive, offering everything from bright, jangly highs to warm, resonant lows. The sound is ideal for both solo playing and accompaniment in traditional Mexican music, where the guitar often carries a strong melodic role.
Overall Wood Benefits
The combination of torrefied spruce, layered sapele, and ebony results in a guitar that offers rich tone, structural resilience, and stage-ready playability. This thoughtful wood pairing makes the Taylor 150ce not only an excellent introduction to 1Bajo Quinto acoustics, but also a reliable instrument for working musicians who need performance-grade tone without the fragility of all-solid wood.
