The centerpiece of the 500 Series is Tropical mahogany, whose tone produces a strong fundamental focus that's often described as 'meaty' (especially in the midrange), 'woody' and 'dry,' due to a lack of richly stacked overtones. Top options include Sitka spruce or mahogany. The latter, all-mahogany pairing responds especially well to assertive strumming or picking and matches up nicely for blues and other roots music playing styles. A mahogany top also adds a dark, neo-vintage visual character to the guitar, while a full-gloss body highlights the richness of mahogany's grain structure. Complementary appointments include grained ivoroid binding and ivoroid Century inlays, with a black pickguard on mahogany-top models or faux tortoise shell for spruce tops. An optional Venetian cutaway and Taylor Expression System 2 electronics add modern amenities to a classic look and sound.