Electro acoustic guitar with cutaway, armrest and including case
Grand auditorium shape with cutaway
Full solid construction with armrest
Adirondack spruce top with maple binding and rosewood edge trim
Flared rosewood body with maple backstripe
V-Class bracing and Gloss 4.5 lacquer finish
Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard and element abalone inlays
44.5 mm wide nut made of black GraphTech TUSQ
Compensated Micarta saddle
Taylor Expression System 2
Smoked nickel tuners
Case included
The Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce at a glance
With the Builder's Edition 814ce, the US manufacturer from San Diego, California, presents the flagship of its all-massive Grand Auditorium models, which, in addition to its versatile sound characteristics, convinces with its decidedly accommodating playability. Equipped with Taylor's patented V-Class bracing, which promotes two-dimensional vibration of the Adirondackspruce top, the acoustic guitar features near attack and clean intonation across the entire tonal spectrum. Other highlights represent the Radius-style Rosewood armrest, Taylor Expression System 2 pickup system, and Smoked Nickel tuners, making the instrument perfectly equipped for any situation and giving players their full money's worth. The scope of delivery includes a brown Taylor Deluxe hardshell case.
Perfectly equipped with numerous specifications for a clean sound and comfortable playability
The uniform grain of California Adirondack spruce.
Sitka Spruce and V-Class Bracing
For a maximum sound experience, the manufacturer uses Adirondackspruce wood for the top construction, which produces both defined midrange and subtle treble frequencies. Supported by the innovative V-Class bracing, the top is set into a two-dimensional vibration with each stroke, which results in each note unfolding quickly and persistently in all registers. This phenomenon is further enhanced by a paper-thin finish and lightweight construction, making the 814ce suitable for fingerstyle as well as expressive strumming. Bordered by a maple binding with a rosewood edge trim, the evenly grained top wood is perfectly accentuated and contrasts tastefully with the other materials of the body. Matching the fine Inlays and the high-quality single-ring soundhole rosette, the top is equipped with a generous rosewood pickguard that gives the instrument an individual touch.
Rosewood for powerful bass frequencies
Rosewood for an additional saturation
To enrich the sound with rich bass frequencies and the necessary volume, the back and sides are made of coarse-grained rosewood. The fine tropical wood also provides an almost attack and allows the individual notes to decay long in the overtones. The hinged back is separated by a backstripe of maple, which subtly brings the symmetry of the grain to the fore. Delicate bindings of maple separate the back of the 814ce from the rounded sides and provide a subtle visual contrast to the dark rosewood. The thin varnish also plays a decisive role on the back and sides, as it allows for perfect sound development even with the lightest of touches. Thus, the medium-sized Grand Auditorium design turns out to be a true all-rounder that can be used in many areas and is still comfortable to hold.
The mahogany neck is the heart of the GItarre
An incomparable playing comfort
For a particularly obliging playability, Taylor relies on a flat neck construction made of mahogany with an ebony fingerboard that, in combination with a nut width of 44.5 mm, allows a perfect and clean grip on all 20 frets. Made of black GraphTech TUSQ, the nut is perfectly matched to the compensated Micarta saddle, so the 814ce intonates perfectly over the entire scale length of 648 mm. The distinctive headstock is equipped with Smoked Nickel tuners that guarantee precise tuning and also perfectly match the intricate Element fretboard inlays. The guitar is completed by the in-house Expression System-2, which also amplifies the acoustic sound in a very natural way.
The Taylor ES-2 is an absolute innovation
Expression System 2
With the Expression System 2, Taylor presents a pickup design that truly revolutionizes acoustic guitar amplification. Three piezo elements directly pick up the signals from each pair of strings, thus transmitting a completely unaltered sound. Meanwhile, three knobs allow the volume, bass and treble to be individually adjusted and optimally adapted to the ambient conditions and personal preferences. The knob are visually discreet in the form of unobtrusive buttons on the frame and therefore almost invisible.
Taylor - The epitome of fine quality
As one of the largest guitar manufacturers, Taylor is truly an authority in the production of first-class instruments. Thus, professional manufacturing by skilled crafts men results in the very finest products for life, whose value is always maintained - or even increased! This is due in equal part to exquisite tonewoods, which do not warp due to long storage and selected quality and as a result can hardly be surpassed in terms of high quality. Only spruce, mahogany, cedar or Koa of proven quality are used for the tops. By the way, careful production in combination with the best materials does not only apply to guitars. Guitar bags and all accessories are also of first-class quality. Finally, a conscientious final inspection does not let even the smallest defects pass and ensures absolutely flawless guitars even before shipment.
And that's not all: Taylor also attaches great importance to environmentally conscious actions.
Ebony & Koa: Sustainability at Taylor Guitars
Uncontrolled clearing of forests and overexploitation lead to massively endangered wood species, which can no longer regenerate due to the high pace of mining. These include ebony and koa in particular, whose dwindling stocks and the resulting ecological problems have prompted a rethink at Taylor Guitars.
Sustainable ebony cultivation in Cameroon
Because ebony 's hard, supple texture makes it particularly finger-friendly, it has long been the preferred choice for making fingerboards. Its attractive appearance is also extremely popular for bridges, headstock rests, bridge Pins and Bindings. However, high demand and a thriving black market outstripped stocks, landing ebony on the Red List of Endangered Species in 1994. Moreover, only the deep black heartwood, which makes up only a fraction of the tree, was used, resulting in a disproportionately large amount of waste in production. In order to protect the forests, Taylor has therefore been working since 2011 with the Crelicam Wood Mill in Yaoundé in Cameroon to promote controlled consumption by processing waste products. Thus, not only black ebony elements are found in Taylor guitars, but also the different colored, more clearly grained parts of the tree. This complete recycling is an effective method of preserving stocks and successfully counteracts their dramatic decline and the negative ecological effects that accompany it.
"We need to use the ebony that the forest gives us" - Bob Taylor
In video: Taylor Guitars - "The State of ebony"
Siglo Tonewoods Project
Koa acacia populations have also suffered severe losses over the last 20 years. Unsustainable forestry as well as overexploitation led to a decline that can only be stopped by proactive action and reforestation. Therefore, Taylor Guitars together with Pacific Rim Tonewoods founded the Siglo Tonewoods project, which aims to rebuild the Hawaiian virgin forest. This is a large cultivation area for koa acacia and other species, which allows the use of koa wood on a controlled scale.
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