A Taylor Swift signature guitar has been a long time coming. However, in true T-Swift fashion, the global star has subverted expectations by launching a custom Epiphone acoustic guitar on her official merchandise store – and they're already sold out.
The model she chose? An Epiphone DR-100, equipped with finishes that nod to her various albums – or Eras – representing Fearless (Taylor's Version), Speak Now (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version), 1989 (Taylor's Version), Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, and The Tortured Poets Department.
The 25.5" scale budget guitar features a mahogany body, back, and sides, with a spruce top. It has the same exact specs as Epiphone's standard DR-100 – coming fitted with a rosewood fingerboard with pearloid inlays, a SlimTaper neck shape for enhanced playability, and Epiphone Premium Tuners. Each guitar also comes with a unique serial number printed on the back of the headstock.
The regular DR-100, it should be noted, is an entry-level Epiphone acoustic, available online for $169. Swift's own custom designs clock in at $399, but their limited availability could lead to an increased value over time.
As noted in Guitar World’s interview with Gibson’s Vice President of Product, Mat Koehler, “Taylor favors a fairly unique Gibson model – a J-180 acoustic with a long scale length.” However, her choice to go for an Epiphone DR-100 – a more budget-friendly model – makes these Eras guitars more accessible to fans.
Swift's move counters the knock-off models – such as the one memorably smashed by an auction winner in Texas – that have recently been appearing for sale, claiming to be Swift's or signed by Swift.
To see the full range of Taylor Swift Epiphone guitars, head to store.taylorswift.com.
