Taylor Guitars 314-CE L7

I am reviewing a 2004 Taylor 314-CE L7 with Expression System. Features are: Spruce top, Black Koa back and sides, Mahogony NT neck with Ebony board and bridge, Rosewood face on headstock. The controls are Volume, Treble and Bass. A hardcase is included

For a compact body shape with cutaway this guitar sounds huge. I have never played such a resonant acoustic guitar. This model exhibits the classic Taylor tone - crystalline highs and rich lows whilst all the time remaining articulate and dynamic. What else could you want in an acoustic? It is so easy to pull nuances out of this guitar. It works just as well strummed or fingerpicked.

The construction is unbelievably clean and precise. The NT neck means that the factory setup was perfect with an action that is very comfortable with no buzz, even when strummed hard. The woods used in the construction are exceptionally beautiful, especially the Koa back and sides. The perfect intonation means chords sound in tune all the way to the top frets (which are easily reachable with the great cutaway). The incredible resonance lets harmonics (natural and false) to ring out for ages.

The inclusion of the expression system (ES) is probably the biggest bonus for me. Most of the time I'm playing plugged in or recording and the ES gives the most faithful reproduction of an acoustic tone I have ever heard. And that's with only 3 controls! This system is out of this world and almost immune to feedback. I cannot think why anyone would want to use any other system. Believe me I have tried alot of systems all of which seem to have tonnes of controls that need a huge chunk of the guitar taken out for them to be installed. The ES sits so gracefully on the upper flank and with only bass, treble and volume gives you all the adjustability you could ever need. Furthermore, this system delivers the true dynamics of the guitar. No more compressed sounding, quacky pezos!

This guitar is solid as long as you are sensible. Solid woods mean that humidity becomes a factor - just treat it as the investment that it is and it's a guitar for life. Used the recommended string guages - I stepped up a gauge and it really choked the voice of the guitar and restricted the dynamics. Get the battery compartment changed - in 2004 there was a bad run of battery compartments. The battery compartment has a small circuit board built on which houses some voltage regulation. In the bad compartments the voltage regulator introduces a whistling sound into the signal. Changing the compartment is easy and my dealer sent me one for free.

Again, the distributor/dealer network in the UK is great and sent the spare battery compartment for free. It arrived the next day.

I am a professional guitarist and require my gear to be versatile, great sounding and reliable. This instrument fulfills all of those requirements but is also becoming one of those few guitars that truly becomes an extension of you. This is down to the superb resonance and dynamic of the guitar which just sends out everything you put in. I can't fault it. Taylor prices in the UK are a little inflated but this is a professional instrument that will last me many years to come.

specs listed above. The main feature is the blackwood sides and back. It's a great fit except for the larger dots on the fingerboard. I wish taylor would just use the smaller dots on all of the guitars, instead of only the 500 series and up. I should mention that I switched out the tusq saddle for a bone one. The tusq sounded really good, but the bone makes the sound even better.

Responds great to any level of strumming. Decent with fingerpicking, just like all GA body style guitars. Set-up is nice and low but no buzzing. After the saddle replacement, the sound is the best of any of my acoustics, including the vintage martins.

Set-up was a little too high for my taste, so I had a pro. set-up. Great on everything else!

Very sturdy guitar. This one is good to go.

Taylor has the best customer service of any major guitar builder. No worries there.

This 2004 Limited model was made in El Cajon, CA. It features an Ebony fretboard and bridge, a Sitka Spruce soundboard, and for the first time on a Taylor that I am aware of, sides and back of Tazmanian Blackwood, a.k.a. Black Koa. Both Blackwood and Koa are members of the Acacia family. This model features Taylor's patented Expression System electronic pickup system. The case is a very nice hardshell, black interior/exterior. The 314 CE is the cutaway version of Taylor's popular and versatile grand auditorium model which was patterned loosely off of Jean Larrivee's "L-series" models.

I shopped for over two months before this one grabbed me. I almost bought a L05 Larrivee, and I still think they are excellent, but the tone of this Blackwood L7 blew me away. The "Talyor cliche'" bell-like clarity has never been more true, yet this one has way more depth than any other 3-series or 4-series Taylor I tried. I handles strumming much better - it can be strummed fairly hard, especially for a -14. I played 5 or 6 standard 314 CE's and liked their brightness, but their bottom end couldn't compare to the rich, sweet tones this particular 314 CE L7 produced. The day I found this guitar, five other guitar players we with me. We were actually there (Wildwood Music in Coshocton, OH) to buy a Martin HD28 for our Praise & Worship leader, and when the guys saw and heard the difference between this L7 and the standard 314's they were really impressed. We did buy the Martin that day, but a week later I returned (after playing a half dozen other guitars at Sam Ash in between) and bought the 314 CE L7. I actually chose it over a 2002 514 CE (Red Cedar topped) listed on EBay that was local so I checked it out. It was also awesome, rich and even in tone, but not as bright or as loud. Simply put, it is the best, most versatile sounding accoustic guitar I have played.

No need to touch the action - it was far better than that of the other 314's and 414's I tried. I have played it through my Marshall practise amp and the Expression System on mine is great so far - no noise whatsoever. As much as I love the sound, I may be even more impressed with the looks. The Blackwood back and sides is so beautiful I can hardly describe it. It is very highly figured, almost 3-dimensionally irredescent. It ranges from very dark brown (almost black) to goldish orange. Think of some of the insanely flamed koa's you've seen only much darker. I actually wish Taylor had glossed the back and sides of this particular one - I am really amazed that this grade of wood was used on a 3-series guitar. It looks that good. While I was at Wildwood to pick this guitar up, several other customers asked what it was, and one (who was himself buying a HD28-V) commented about how perfect the bookmatching was. He noticed a figure perfectly centered on the back that is in the shape of a guitar but can only be seen at just the right angle. Magical! He also praised the setup, saying he'd leave it alone too. I have yet to find a flaw, which means there isn't any because even though I've only had it 10 days, I can't put it down. I even love the smell of this wood. I will be very surprised if this species of wood doesn't become very desirable.

This is my first Taylor, but it probably won't be my last. I actually was somewhat biased against Taylor when I started shopping, assuming that their popularity would boost the price unnecessarily. I was looking to like something else better, such as Tacoma or Larrivee. After playing them all enough to be familiar, Taylor's quality consistantly inpressed me to the point of winning my heart. Yes, I do believe this guitar will last if taken care of reasonably. It feels precise and sturdy without being heavy. I particularly like the lack of a big hole in the side that the Expression System allows. As I said, I do think the wood in this particular speciman would look even more awesome all gloss, but the satin on the back and sides is beautiful in it's own way, as it adds to the "flip flop" appearance of the grain.

I have not contacted Taylor myself yet, but their reputation rates a 10. Don at Wildwood speaks highly of Bob Taylor, and that's good enough for me. (That and the lifetime warrantee).

I have been playing on and off for about 30 years, though you wouldn't know it to hear me play. This is my first quality accoustic guitar. I have a vintage T-60 Peavey I bought new in 1978, a Fender TG-4 travel guitar, and nothing else worth mentioning. I think I drove everyone around me nuts shopping for this guitar,but I'm glad I was so persistent in searching for "that one" guitar. I can't even imagine what I'd do if this one were stolen. I really love THIS ONE! I guess I'd have to go on, in which case I'd replace it with a 314 CE L7 as close to mine's serial number as I could find. I honestly wouldn't trade this one for anything less than a K-14 CE.

Year- 2004 (one of the guitars brought to NAMM 2004)
Frets- std.
Controls- Volume, Bass, Treble
Top- Solid
Pick-up- Taylor Expression System
Woods- Spruce top, Tazmanian Blackwood back and sides
Body Style- Grande Auditorium/14

I play mostly play worship music, so I am usually STRUMMING light to heavy.
The guitar sounds great throughout the whole range of strumming. It does seem to have a warmer sound when strumming light or medium, but it does hold it's own when strumming heavy.
I found this guitar to have a fairly flat sound not to much treble, not to much base...it's beautiful!

I can't say it was set up very well when I bought it. I don't blame this on the manufacturer, due to shipping and being at the NAMM show, the guitar went through alot. It will just take a little setting up to get rid of the fret buzz and she will be ready to go!

Everything is very sturdy. In fact one of my buddies played it (after buying a new Larrivee) and his first comment was "this feels REALLY STURDY).
Tuners feel bullet proof...it's all good...it's a Taylor!

This is a VERY well run company. I have emailed them before and they were back to me very promptly, with a very educated answer, dispite my stupid question.
Later I called them, and they were more than happy to answer any question I had (even stupid questions)!
Like I said, A VERY WELL RUN COMPANY!

2 words! GREAT GUITAR! 3 more... IT'S A TAYLOR!