Taylor Guitars 314-CE

I just bought an unused 314CE on E-Bay last month and got it from a LA. friend who never played it...It sounds so good. The smell of the woods was so fresh. The case was first class, and the expression system never ever has buzzed. The tuners are perfect a lot like Grover's. Came in from swimming and picked it up got water all over it and simply wiped it of, the satin finish is flawless. The sound is better than most guitars at 3 times the price. Never touched a Martin or Gibson that could touch it. Also it is very light meaning it's easy to move around. The only negative is I wish the action could be right next to the neck, it's a little higher than I like but that's cause I played a lot of electric before. I use a Fender "Frontman" 15R
just a tiny amp but the 'expression' system has no problem making it sound great! I have a Guild campground guitar which is not bad but no competition.

I play Blues,and a finger picking type style. A great low bass sound, of course the adjustment buttons make it what ever you want. I use a Fender 15R 'Frontman' It would work anywhere.

Not a good set-up when I got it action is a little higher than I like. Had a professional fix the bridge, a little better but want the action lower, otherwise it's very playable and I would give it [the action] 90%.

This Taylor is not a wimp...no babying this guitar it's tough. Solid as a rock!.

Taylor in my humble opinion makes the best reasonably priced guitars in the world! Very good customer service, these guys know what they are doing and they are American made.

Save your money check around...I bought my Taylor 314ce for 1/2 the price from on e-bay. It would have cost me twice that if I would have bought it from a dealer here in town.

Grand Concert (smaller but deep body, I guess,) Sitka Spruce top, African Mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and bridge, Tayor tuners, etc. Expression system, bought it around 2004, came with a nice hard shell case.

Suits my style perfectly. I play with fingerpicks most of the time, Cotton picking, some bluesy stuff, lots of folk music, both traditional and modern and I sing a lot. This guitar has a really well balanced sound from bass to treble and everything in between. I use light gauge strings so it is very easy to play and still has good volume acoustically. Not the same as my Martins but different and very acceptable. I was a little disappointed in it when I first bought it, but then I was fitted for a hearing aid AND ALL OF MY GUITARS SUDDENLY SOUNDED WAY BETTER. If you are over 60 like me and/or have been subjected to a lot of loud noise or if hearing loss runs in your family, I highly recommend that you get your hearing checked. It makes a tremendous difference in how your instruments sound. There is nothing about this guitar that I don't like. I don't plug it in very often, but when I do, the sound is clear and the same as it sounds acoustically, just louder.

Every thing pm this guitar is perfect. They have fit and finish down to a perfect science at Taylor. Unlike some other more expensive guitars that I have bought in the last several years, I have never had to take this one back in for an action adjustment. I have some relatives who also play and we "jam" when there are family outings. They all love this guitar.

Yes to all. I would take some extra batteries if I were going to use it for something important. I am not sure how long those little batteries would last. I think I read that the newer ones use 9v batteries now. Maybe that was/is a problem. Not real important to me.

This instrument has never needed repair, just a minor neck tweak when it was brand new. However I have dealt with Taylor and also Elderly Instruments in East Lansing, Michigan where I bought it, with issues regarding other instruments. They are both very helpful and generous in their backup. I have visted the Taylor factory. Wonderful people in every respect. When I bought my Taylor 855 12 string I had some questions and wrote them a letter. Kurt Lustig called me personally and talked with me for about fifteen minutes. I am sure his time was more valuable than mine. I can't say enough good things about them.

Been playing for nearly 50 years. Have two Taylors, two Martins, a Manuel Rodrequez Model BC, Fender Tele, Danelectro Ho-Dad, two five string banjos, a nice uke, cheap mandolin, Trace-Acoustic amp, some recording stuff (Korg, Shure mics.) If it were stolen I would either buy another one or a higher grade one of the same shape. The thing I like best about it is the shape. It is the perfect size and shape for me, easy to play and very handy. I play it the most often of all my guitars. The Martins have a little richer sound in some ways, but every guitar is different. Like dogs. I love them all.
If I had my druthers, the top would be Adirondac Spruce and the body would be American (Honduras) mahogany. But then it would cost twice as much, and when I bought this I had just so much in my hobby fund.

Grand Auditorium, African Mahogany back and sides with a Sitka Spruce top. Taylor expresssion system provides nice tone. All solid woods. It's a 2005 California model. Came with a nice case, and strap.

I play percussive music, fingerpicking, and strumming. I was looking to play this right through a PA for stage performance, and for songwriting at home. It came with the Taylor Expression System. Played through a Marshall AS100R, it sounded absolutely wonderful, and hard to improve if you get the EQ right. It's quite bassy, and certainly has some meat behind it plugged in, and the Expression System appears to improve its tone. However, unplugged, it's a different story. This is not a guitar you want to buy if you are never performing live. I just felt the sound was very restrained, and had come to expect more from Taylor, one of the most reputable acoustic guitar brands. Just to make sure, I played 4 of these guitars, and felt the same about all of them. Unplugged, it's like a bullied child.

Action seemed perfect to me, and was a beautiful guitar to play. But whereas with some guitars you get a nice euphoric feeling when you are playing harmonious music, this one didn't seem to offer the same kind of feeling. It just didn't sing well for me. Hard to fault everything else though. It felt nice, but not quite nice enough. Electronics perfect.

Well, it's an acoustic, and it's a Taylor so you'd beter be careful with it, as is the case with all acoustic guitars. It has a pickguard to decrease the chance of wear from picking. As a gigging guitar, it's solid and I would very much depend on it. It's quality you'd expect from this company.

I've been playing 10 years, and I also have a Gibson Chet Atkins SST, and a Cole Clark FL1A. I have to say that the Cole Clark is around half the price, and is about double the quality, in my opinion. It appears that a large portion of the money you pay for this guitar goes into its looks and its brand name - both of which are beautiful in their own way. I like its electronics a lot. I don't think it hacks it as an unplugged instrument though. Unplugged, it has less sound than a Taylor 110. In fact, if the 110 had the expression system I would almost certainly pick it in preference to this one.

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 8 .... currrent rating 8 .... Nothing has changed .... 3 button controls, very simple. Works great .... ebony frett board with Leaf style frett markers, Koa Rosette, Expression system, Plane blk binding, Spruce top ...

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 9 .... currrent rating 9 ... Recent upgrade to the next revision of transducers. I originally had a hiss problem, with the new electronnics its allot better. This hiss is due to the single coil transducers under the top. It can be problematic to get rid when recording through a some recording systems like Fostex or Tascam systems. Over the last 2 years of light to moderate gigging I've play'd through most of the brand name sound boards, solid state amps, and some tube amps. Sounds great through anything. I'd like to see a Ballance adjust for the top transducers relitive to the neck ....Oh ya, Im a solo instrumental guitarist, I play most popular styles in my act stuff like Jazz, folk, classical. Latin/Flamanco, Country, Rock(Light). I play finger-style on this unit, but I have played afew flatpickin bluegrass tunes on it as well ..... I think its just as good as a Martin for that stuff to, but thats me

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 7 .... currrent rating 8 ....... With the exception of a neck reset, that happened early in its life, and the recent upgraded electronics nothing has else has acted up. In fact the sound has mellowed abit, and it's maturing nicely. This is good, The top is aging gracefully and not sinking or bowing, and none of the binding is popping off. The machine heads are still tight, no slop ... The battery compartment scares me, if you leave your batteries in too long, they seem to leak, then you can't get them out. This almost happened to me, but i got them out with some begging and pleading. A buddy of mine with the same model guitar had to take it to the shop for a new battery compartment. Everything else has stood up great to 2 years of light to moderate gigging

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 1 .... currrent rating 9..... I've been playing live about 2, sometimes 3 nights a week, and the odd recording tossed in ... I love it, It's been bumped in bars, the odd time, and none of the finish chipped off, or heads busted off .... It's never fed back on me, nor have i had any problems with the electronics in a live setting. All the sound tech's seem to love it, at least thats what they tell me ..... the strap never mysteriously popped off, the dials and machine heads are still tight. Which is good, 30% of my act uses open tunings. Tight machine heads are important to me. The case does a good job of protecting the guitar. At first there was some slop, but after abit of this and that its ok now. I depend on it. I would trust it to get me through the night without a back up, I do it all the time. But, just not for the super important gigs ;-) ....

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 1 .... currrent rating 9 ...... Since I bought it new, It's under a life time non-transferable warranty ... So, all the work and parts have been free. The Music Store I purchased it from ..."Lauzons Music Center" in Ottawa, Canada now has a Taylor Tech .... So it no longer needs to go cross country for work. I really like this. I have never had a problem getting work done, and they've always answered even the most off the wall question honestly ... I've only dealt with the Mother company for registration info. All rework has gone through my local music store ... rework to date has been a neck reset, and all new electronics installed(upgrade)

2 year update from date of purchase - Original Rating 3 .... currrent rating 9 ....... Oh, you don't want to know how long I've played. But, Over the last two years of light to moderate gigging I've come to really rely on it. I don't take the wasburn back-up anymore. I like them so much that I now own another Taylor, one with the L.R. Baggs Hex system .... I find the Taylor sound to work best for me, and for what I do ... Even after some of the grief I initially went through, I really like this guitar. It has worked well for me in the gigging circuit. Due to the little hiss problem i don't care much for it for direct in recording. If it were stolen, I'd use the Ins. money for a higher end model, but I would deffinately replace it with another Taylor ... I've compared this unit to equal level Gibson, Fenders, Martins, Tak's, Laravee's, Guild, Ovation, Art Luthier .... and I like mine, I can't imagine playing anything else, for now anyway ...... I still think that little ballance adj would help to reduce some of the single coil hiss when trying to record would help, but that's me

Solid Wood guitar
Sitka Spruce top, Ovangkol Body, Indian Rosewood Neck
Taylor Expression System
Case, DVD, Balanced TRS cord (thumbs up taylor!)
Taylor turners
Volume, Treble, Bass controls, onboard preamp

Bright with a medium bass, great for medium strumming and arpegios

great action
finish is very nice, the wood looks amazing
everything was set very well

everything seems like its gonna hang in their with me for sure,
i use without a backup all the time, no sweat!

taylor support is awesome, lifelong warranty for as long as i own it

i freakin love this guitar, if it was ripped off i would cry my eyes out and kill the fool that took it, i dont let a lot of people touch it.

Recently purchased a Taylor 314CE with the "Expression System". The guitar features a solid spruce top and african mahogony side and back, with a gloss finish top and satin back and sides. The Expression System consists of a magnetic neck pickup and two sensor pickups mounted under the sound board, all operated by 2 AA batteries. It comes with a rather well constructed hard case.

I am a finger stylist in the lines of James Taylor, etc., so the bass and melody lines in my intricate picking style must remain clear..however, with the Taylor they do not. The guitar is extremely "noisy" unplugged..there seems to be some inherent musical distortion going on..not immediately noticable, but after settling in and playing it a few weeks it has gotten to the point of being extremely annoying. There apparently is some fluke with the AA batteries as Taylor requires them to be wrapped with a sticky note..I imagine that contributes greatly to a light "rattling" sound heard during strumming. Plugged in, the problems are magnified ten-fold, with added distortion to the point that it is literally unplayable through a sound system.

Action from the factory is adequate, although for a guitar in this price range I would think the action could be a little lower. Overall construction seems to be of good quality as to finish and fit.

Not sure if it will withstand live playing, as first it has to qualify to even be played live..mine is not..As to product longevity I'll never know as I am returning mine for a complete refund..and I'll never buy, nor recommend another Taylor again.

Contacted Taylor support and received no response. The store where I bought it only sells them and does not repair them. I will not pay shipping and insurance to return a $1500 guitar I purchased only weeks ago to Taylor for warranty work (as their warranty information implies). Shame on Taylor...they should be picking up the tab for shipping and repairs.

I have been playing guitar and other instruments for 30 years and have toured all over this country. I also own an Alvarez Artist F-60, an original 54 Tele, a 62 Strat re-issue, a 90 G&L ASAT, a PRS Santana, a Gibson Mastertone Banjo, a Regal Black Lightening Dobro, an original Fender Super amp, a Roland SR-9 synth, a home studio with both a Zoom hard disc recorder and Cubase software for my PC with too much outboard gear to even mention, my own small acoustic gig set up which includes, JBL Eons, a Mackie board and alesis verb. I wish I would have seen all the complaints about Taylor guitars in their forum before buying one. My general opinion is that there are far far better guitars for the money available. Forget about buying a Taylor unless you're just buying it to look at.

2006 Taylor 314 CE. Solid all the way around. Incredible pick up system. It is Grand Aud. size which is great for speed runs up and down the neck. Action is perfect

I have owned probably 30 guitars. Everything from junk Hondo's to some high end Tak's, Martins, etc., so I can confidently say I know what I am talking about when it comes to guitars. The combination of the perfect action, fast neck, and great sound make this a great guitar and a solid value. Great sound whether plugged in to an amp, a mixer, or played acoustically.

Wow. Taylor means business. This is a well put together axe. Action is perfect and set up from the factory was spot on. I have not concerns at all

It seems solid but I will refrain from rating until a few years from now

No need to contact them yet, but they certainly seem like a strong customer service company

If you can afford this guitar, and you need a high end guitar with a fantastic pick up system, you will have no regrets going with the 314CE. If you can afford more guitar, save your money and buy the 314CE.

See company site for detail.

Very nice. But head to head with the Martin JC 16 RGTE the Taylor didnt pack the volume, or depth of tone. You can really hear it. The Taylor electronics also pale in comparison to the Fishman mic/piezo blender that the JC 16 has. You can match the Martin if you move up to the pricier Taylor "14's". The Taylor Grand Auditoriums are almost exactly same size as Martin Jumbo.

Flawless. Except for satin back/sides.

Solid. But satin back sides will take a scratch or two.

Playing 30 years. Own Martin JC 16 RGTE. (recommend you at least try one). 65 Precision Bass. '84 Telecaster. '77 Takamini knock off of a Martin D-28. Again I'd say the Taylor is a really nice guitar. Many reasons to like it. However when head to head with the Martin, you just can't escape the tone/power unplugged. Then when you plug it in, the Fishman Premium blender just shoots it all to another level.

This is a 2002 model with the Fishan Prefix Plus Pre-amp. I initially bought a new 2004 model with the latest "Expression System" pre-amp at Guitar Center but found it to be not only noisy, but the B string sounded like 10db hotter than the rest of them. It was obnoxious. I returned it and sought out this older model. It was worth the hunt. This one is even, balanced and sweet.

Incredible unplugged. Strum a chord and just let it ring, and ring and ring. It's just a sweet musical sound, reasonant and woody. The 314 does not have all of the inlay flash and sparkle of the higher end Taylors, but it sounds great to me. Plugged in it is fantastic also. I upgraded from an Ovation LX which is supposed to be famous for that Ovation plugged in sound. The Taylor blows it away in all categories. The Fishman is excellent with a notch filter, sweepable mids and brilliance adjustments. You can custom the sound exactly to your liking and I have yet to experience any kind of feedback, somethine I was constantly plagued with on the Ovation,

Just flawless all around. This was a 3 year old guitar that could cosmetically put new ones to shame. The previous owner took very good care of it and it is as new in all respects.

3 years old and it still looks and performs like new, and better than the new ones with the ES system. Blechhhh!

No dealings. I hear they are excellent however.

Been playing about 35 years. I am the main guitarist in a praise and worship band. I also goof around with pop and country with a little classical thrown in to keep me cultured. If it were stolen, I'd find another one Pre Expression System. I recently stumbled across the Acoustic Guitar Forum, formerly the Taylor Guitar Forum and there were some threads discussing the problems with the ES system. Nothing but the Fishman for me.

2004, 314-CE, 30th Anaversary model, bought in the fall of 2004, only because my 30 year old Washburn does not have a pick up, and mic' ing it is a pain, with the same strings, the Wasburn sounds every bit as rich and nice as the Taylor,,,,, This Taylor, that I've got has the same features every other article mentions with a couple of cosmetic changes, very nice control location, good for on the fly adjustments, nice smooth cutaway. Very lite, much liter than my 70's Washburn D-28.

The guitar's case is sloppy, the machine heads, for the treble strings smack into the inside of the case as evidanced by the imprints in the plush liner ..... this occurs while it is being hand carried, allot of guitar cases have this problem ..... but, for the money i paid for this box, this should not be happening .....

Sounds great, pugged or un-plugged, to me this is important.... it must sound good unplugged as well as electrified ..... un-like some ..... everyones exhausted this section as well

a few problems, it's not perfect .... internal cables rattle,............. Taylor has already acknowleded that the battery compartment is a little too big and this can cause a rattle during a live performance as well(checkout the CD that comes with it) .... but this is cured with sticky memo tape .... the guitar was not set up at the factory, or it shifted during transit, i wonder if there getting shipped with out a proper burn-in period?? ... it needed minor truss rod adj..... no big deal. Before buying this one, i test drove three(3), CE-314, 30th Anaversary models, that day, at the store i bought this one from ....and i noticed allot of differance between the three guitars of the same model, i thought this odd. These are NOT hand built guitars, these ARE hand shoved into the big milling machine built guitars. Again, check the CD, lets be straight on this, there should be more consistancy then what i saw .... but, i eventually bought the one i liked ...

This is a bad one ..... this is were I fail the guitar, and ask myself "why did i buy this" again ,,,,, after 6 months .... it's back in the shop getting a neck re-install ..... i'm 44, .... i'm very gentle to all(i have a buinch) of my instruments. It's in my hands or, in it's humidified case. My house has two large humidifiers blowing away, and 2 temp/humidity meters as well. I did not neglect or abuse this instrument. Not only did the neck shift .... no one in Ottawa, capital of Canada, can re-set it .... that's right ................ I can have glued on necks removed here, and any guitar with a bolt on neck, re-set while i wait, Strat's, for instance, and strats., for that matter, i can do myself, inluding truss rod, Some Epiphones 12-string acoustics have easy bolt on necks as well .... oh well, it's been gone a week now, i have gigs today, and tommorro .... and no Taylor ... This sort of neck problem is also evidant in some models of Simon Patrick & ArtLuthier(Lasdo Corp. aka Godin). That's one reason i didn't buy one of them, stupid me. My 35 year old glued-on neck, washburn is still going strong ... supiour quality, rugedness and lasticity in the Washburn ... which is my back up, and i'll be using it in 6 hours from now .... and i know it will be ok, it has, long ago, proven it's self ..... This makes me wonder what sort of shape my Taylor will be in in 35 years .... i'd like to see that .... i don't beleive i will make it, and neither will the Taylor .... But i would not be surprised to see the Washburn still around .... I've played 120 year old Washburn Taterback Mandolin's .... Now that's reliability/Durability ....

i took it to the shop i bought it from, not the Taylor company .... so i don't know, the shop had to send it out of town .... we'll see .... i'm not happy right now with this thing bouncing around in the back of a truck to the opposite end of the province ...... It's only a bolt on neck, not the saturn moon probe

I've been playing for over 30 years, everything from Mozart and Beethoven to Metallica. I have a small little collection of guitars, and accessories. If it were lost or stolen, i would look at acoustic guitars from Spain..... If i'm gonna spend this amount of money again, i'm going to the guys who have been in the stringed instrument business for hundrreds of years, not just a few decades ... get my drift .... I would not play this one without my backup close at hand. I don't trust it, as i do my 30 year ole washburn D-28 flat top .... which now by the way, has a pick up in it .... At this point I'm thinking the Taylor should be re-assigened to the seldom seen back up position, rather then the prima dona ....sad, but true

Just picked this one up at local Guitar Center, $899 used but NOT A SCRATCH ON IT. Thought it was a mistake as the posted list for a new one is around $1500 or so. And a nice Taylor case to boot. Sweet.
Has the Fishman electronics package w/ EQ, single cutaway....I gotta believe it's the standard configuration for this guitar. I'm guessing it's less than a year old.

Typical Taylor sound....bright and lively. My prior Taylors(Big Baby, 214) just sounded too thin and tinny. Finally I've got one that has a bottom end and therefore a decent balance of sound. I think it'd great, but I haven't plugged in as of yet(need to get an acoustic amp to do it right I'm told).

Nice fast, thin neck and great action. Ebony fretboard, natch. Very little fret buzz and just enough relief in the neck to keep it there(prob.could back off the truss rod just a bit but right now I'm not bothering it).

I have a very light touch so I don't suspect a problem here. But Tayler's rep. is good and I'll trust the other reviewers' opinions on this one.

Never had to contact them.

I'm a bedroom picker, don't gig but will play with friends on occasion. Played on and off for about 35 years, mainstream stuff and NO alternate tunings(what's with that anyway?). If stolen I'd buy another(esp. at this price) for sure. I'd give it a 10 except that it's just not at that level of perfection...sound is fairly balanced but could be richer(more midrange) and perhaps project a bit more. But I expect to pay over 2 kilodollars to get there. Even at list price this is a great buy!

This is a 2004 Taylor 314 CE with the Expression System included. Made in California... solid top.. bass, treble and volume control on the neat little knobs that are quite smooth. African Mahogany sides and back.. Beautiful grain with that neat little bear claw flaw that gives it character. Simple, yet beautiful.

I play mostly singer-songwriter style music that incorporates fingerpicking, light strumming and occasionally heavy strumming.. think Jason Mraz mixed with John Mayer, Dave Matthews and Stevie Ray Vaughan.... I'm currently running it through a Roland Keyboard Amp... The guitar is not noisy, but when around other microphones, it has a tendency to slightly feedback... nothing a soundhole cover can't fix... On the Roland, the sound is brilliant, with great lows and brilliant, poppy highs, but through other amps, the tone is comprimised... plugging straight in to the system is recommended with the expression system, but it is better to run through an amp if you don't good subwoofers, because on the crappy speakers I always end up playing through, my highs are nice but my lows are non existant.

The action on this guitar is great... imagine pushing down on a limp fishing line... okay.. fun right? Good. Thats not a good way to describe the action at all. It's fast okay?? I love it... the people at Taylor really take their time on these instruments...

Of course this guitar will withstand alot, but the problem is in your head... one scratch on this gitfiddle, and you'll be crying... it hurts... i have two barely noticable divots on my top and headstock and everytime i see them i want to cry.

Wood and Steel is neat. I like the company... When I registered the guitar they were helpful and let me know when my guitar was made. Neato!

Ive been playing for 2 years and decided I'd trade in my crap to get something nice.. that will give me inspiration... well i've found it for sure! I would have asked if they had a buy one get one half off sale when i bought this... i would have forked out the cash. If I lost it i wouldn't buy it again... i'd go with a higher series.. not because i dont love it... but because I want to give Taylor the best business i have. Other guitars are cool, but my Taylor is the poop.

2004 Taylor 314CE 6 String Grand Auditorium with Expression System: gloss Sitka Spruce top, satin African Mahogany back and sides, 25.5 inch scale with a 1.75 inch nut width. I actually prefer the satin back and sides to the gloss finish of the more expensive Taylors.

I play mostly finger style jazz/folk and lots of Beatles on the acoustic and this guitar is unbelievable! The sound is very clear and perfectly balanced. I tried almost every guitar in the humidor and instantly fell in love with the 314CE. I even prefer it to the high-end Taylors. In the Leo Kottke song "Twilight Time" there's a B7 chord on the four low strings and this guitar sounds very similar to Kottke's. I've never heard such clarity on the low strings - now I know why he plays them. The only thing I don't care for is the strummed sound with a pick - a bit metallic or something - not very warm. I also tend to have a pretty heavy strum that suits a jumbo better so that's not surprising. I think the brightness that makes it such a great finger-style guitar is the reason it is too bright strummed.

The action on the 314CE is so good - not too high but not so low as to get fret buzz - that it practically sold the guitar without even hearing it. Different people will prefer different necks but this neck fits my hand like a glove. I could actually play better on this guitar because it was so much more comfortable than my old Ovation and even the other Martins and Gibsons in the shop. As I mentioned earlier, I actually prefer the satin finish on the back and sides and I don't like lots of inlays and things on guitars. The workmanship on this intrument is flawless - you'd never guess that it is Taylor's entry level guitar.

Seems solid enough for me and it has withstood my twin two-year olds. I haven't played out in years so I can't really comment on its durability. I haven't played it outdoors because I read about the humidity problems with Taylors. I live near the Texas Gulf Coast so I'm more concerned with too much moisture.

I was so concerned about the humidity issue that I called Taylor the day after I bought the guitar and asked them to recommend a humidification system in case my air conditioner were to dry it out. They were extremely friendly and helpful on the phone and sent me their recommended humidification system for free!

I've played acoutic guitar off and on for 30 years but played mostly electric until recently (when I bought the Taylor). My wife and I saw Rhett Butler (www.rhettbutler.org) open for Eric Johnson (www.ericjohnson.com) on Eric's acoustic tour and my wife loved Rhett's tone. She asked what kind of guitar he had and I told her that it was a Taylor. She said that I should get one of those. I had always loved the sound of my Ovation (laugh if you want but Al DiMeola plays one too!) but I hated the neck. I hate going to guitar stores but I went to Guitar Center one day and tried them out. I played everything else in the humidor just for fun and I had no intention of buying anything when I walked in. I wasn't that taken by the high-end Taylors but from the moment I played that 314CE I knew I had to take it home. It was truly love at first play. I knew I was probably paying too much because Guitar Center tends to be a rip-off but I just couldn't let go of it. I've played it almost every night for 6 months and I love it more every day. I actually ordered a Peterson VSAM tuner just so I could make it sound as good as possible. If anything happened to it I would replace it immediately. I owe Rhett Butler a big "Thank You" for convincing my wife that I needed a new guitar!

Taylor 314ce from 2002, made in USA in Southern California. 20 frets (medium, stainless steel, perfectly mounted and finished), a solid sitka spruce top and solid sapele (african mahogany) bottom and sides, a solid one-piece mahogany neck, with the TM Taylor "jigsaw" joint between the headstock and the main part of the neck, the "old" Fishman Prefix Piezo System, with a four-band equalizer and the volume control, a natural gloss finish on the top and a satin finish on bottom and sides, a grand-auditorium shape, very comfortable, with the venetian (rounded) cutaway I greatly prefer to the florentine one, dark ebony fretboard (flawless, with dot inlays) and bridge, a TUSQ nut and saddle, and chrome-plated Grover Rotomatic tuners. It gets a 10 just because it has all solid woods, a quality electronics system, its a great looking guitar, built with quality (flawless), and has awesome components.

I play a lot of modern acoustic rock, and play a lot of shows with a full-size band. The sound is quite a bit brighter than a dread, especially amplified. This really works well with a full band because the sound cuts through the mix easily without sounding brittle. Acousticly, this guitar is really fun to play. It is percussive and punchy, a very clear and balenced guitar. It has that sound that can only be obtained by a solid wood guitar. I have never played a laminate acoustic that has the sparkle or rich overtones a solid wood guitar has. To add to that, those of you who know fine acoustic guitars know that they "open up" as they get older and play more. They get louder, overtones become richer as the grain "opens" as the finish becomes more brittle. This guitar has started opening, and sounds better all the time.

Amplified, the Fishman Prefix Plus is a great preamp, really the workhorse of the acoustic world. There are quite a bit of very usuable sounds that can be obtained from this instrument through the preamp. I really lovethe sound of this guitar. If you want to get an idea of how the Prefix Plus sounds like, listen to Dave Matthews Band live. He uses the Prefix live, and it sounds great. Just proof that this electronics system is a great-sounding little unit. Gets a 10 because it makes me want to play, even when I'm feeling lazy.

The 314's size is great for playing sitting or standing. Sometimes a dread is just too big. The cutaway is perfect, and unlike many acoustics you can accually use it. I've played quite a bit of lead on this guitar, something that is not easy to do on all acoustics. As far as action and playability, this guitar was perfect when I bought it. The ebony fretboard is great to play on, it looks so clean and flawless. The stainless steel frets are sweet. They are going on all my guitars from now on, all my Gibsons already have them thanks to this guitar. If you've never played a stainless-steel fretted guitar, do it, its worth it, you might find your new best friend. The action is low, and if you've never played a Taylor, only play one if you can get enough money to buy one, because it's what you will be wanting. I have Les Paul Standards, Fender American Strats, and have even had PRS's at one time, and this guitar's playability beats them all. My playing - I'm not joking - has improved a lot since I got it (that is, October 2003). This, not to mention the wonderful tactile sensation I feel when I put my fingers on the ebony of the fretboard. I play with more style, more attitude. I can just spank this guitar and it sounds great. Intonation is awesome. I can barre a chord at the 14th fret and it sounds great, oh yeah, and I'm pretty picky about tuning. Nothing sounds worse than an out-of-tune guitar.

Gets a 10 because its more fun to play than my older PRS's, and set up better too.

This guitar has a gloss top and satin-finished sides and back. The finishes are durable. The Grovers are great tuners, this guitar does not go out of tune easily, usually it will stay in tune for weeks. the finish is what I'd say is perfect, and "tough", both on the top and on the bottom and the sides. It surely will last. This is not a cheap guitar, but it certainly isn't an expensive one compared to some of the higher-line Taylors and Martins, or other boutique makes. This is a working guitar, and even though it might be about $900-$1000 than what most recreational guitarists whould want to spend, I thrash this guitar. It has it's share of dings and nicks, has been dropped and taken on countless trailers across warm country roads and it still plays as strong (and sounds even better) than the day I bought it. I have a Taylor 810LTD that I love to play at home, and thats also a remarkable guitar, but the 314ce is my workhorse, it goes on the road everywhere with me. It gets a 9 because its not dead yet, and its not going anywhere soon.

I havn't done many modifications to this guitar, but I have removed the pickguard and replaced it with a clear one. Taylor has awesome customer service (probably the best of the corperate guitar companies) and they sent a clear pickguard, in a padded envelope, with instructions how to mount it like a pro for FREE. I'd like to see Fender do that, even though they have way more money than Taylor. Also, as a note, when I called to get the pickguard, I got an answering machine, and left my number and request, and they called me back in no more than 15 minutes. I dont know of many companies that would call back so quickly for someone looking for a freebee. Way to go Taylor, much more of my money is going into more Taylors!

Like I said before, I play mordern acoustic rock (a la Dave Matthews). I have a very percussive playing style (a la Dave Matthews) Dave plays Taylors, and now I see why. I have been playing for about 12 years, since I was 8. At first I wanted to be a rocker, you know, play Metallica and Slayer. Then I grew up after listening to more acoustic stuff. I guess I got tired of the scooped sound and sought more soulful sounding music. I now own Les Pauls, Fenders, Taylors, a Martin, an Explorer, and have owned PRS's. I play my electrics through Marshall vinatge 45 reissue halfstacks and a Mesa Heartbreaker. I love fine gear, and this guitar takes a blue ribbon from me. This guitar makes me want to play, and has helped me appreatite playing acoustic guitar more overnight. If you are considering this guitar, just buy it, its worth the price. It makes your Fender acoustic look like a Yugo. A Taylor is a Porsche. It gets a 10 because I love this guitar. Long live Taylor, Amen.

usual configuration...ebony fretboard, solid glossed top, satin finish back and sides, fishman electronics, and so on. 2001 model.
If "features" means that its component parts are as they ought to be, than it has features galore.

WOW. Really, WOW. I tend to be hyper critical of guitar tones but this thing is amazing. Bright, full, even tones with enough treble to let you know you're playing a fingerstyle/concert guitar and not a dreadnought. If you want a cannon with strings get a gibson jumbo or a martin d-35. This guitar blends with higher voices very nicely.
I wish I had a complaint to balance my gushing but I honestly can't think of any.

The guitar is exactly as described. Comparing apples to apples all the workmanship is perfect and correct for the model. I'm not that crazy about the satin finish on the neck and back but it's well done and the Taylor line has a lot of different price points. Unlike some other guitar companies, the workmanship on taylors is constant at all $ levels, only the wood, cosmetics and "bells and Whistles" change. There don't seem to be any "Friday afternoon" Taylors.

Gigged the guitar a lot for the last 2 1/2 years and there have been no problems. Stays in tune in a lot of different environments. The satin finish is scratch prone but oh well. The gloss top really keeps this from having a buget vibe and gives it a "pro" look. I have gigged it frequently w/o a backup but prefer to keep something else handy.

Not much contact with them but they do send a newsletter to customers which is a nice touch.

I've been palying for 20 years and have usually used Martins or other full sized guitars. I had no idea what I was really missing. I do a lot of acoustic shows and after I got the taylor I sold all my steel six string acoustics except a seagull f-6 folk I keep as a string breaker (it was a gift from my wife so it stays)and returned a Martin d-35 that was on long term loan from a relative. This is the last in a long line of acoustics and I couldn't be happier.

Made in 1999 (as I can guess from the serial nr.) in the US.
As for the features, you can take a look at <www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/model.aspx?model=314-CE>.

Anyway, just to point out the main ones, it has got:

* 20 frets (medium, stainless steel, *perfectly* mounted and finished)
* a solid sitka spruce top and solid sapele (african mahogany) bottom and sides
* a solid one-piece mahogany neck, with the TM Taylor "jigsaw" joint between the headstock and the main part of the neck
* the "old" Fishman Prefix Piezo System, with a four-band equalizer and the volume control
* a natural gloss finish on the top (the wood of which, by the way, is incredibly "textured", as regards the fibers of the cut; and is beginning to darken to an astonishing reddish tone) and a satin finish on bottom and sides
* a grand-auditorium shape, very comfortable, with the venetian (rounded) cutaway I greatly prefer to the florentine one
* ebony fretboard (with dot inlays) and bridge
* TUSQ (that is, synthetic bone) nut and saddle
* chrome-plated Grover Rotomatic tuners, absolutely perfect
* dimensions (I quote from the Taylor website): body width
16 Inches X body depth 4 5/8 Inches X body length 20 Inches, with an overall length of 41 Inches. Furthermore, a scale of 25 1/2 Inches with a neck width of 1 3/4 Inches at nut
* obviously, the original hardshell case, quite strong

Everything considered, I think it has got every feature one could desire, without going too far into the realm of "heavy adornment" (which I personally dislike, since I do play guitars and not collect them, and I tend to think to guitars as "tools"). This is why I give a sound 10

I play jazz and blues. I use this "tool" mainly for fingerpicking and flatpicking stuff. I think it is *the* thing. Period.

If I just wanted to be pedantic, I should say it is more on the "bright" and "hollow" side of the tonal spectrum, and it has not that much of sound presence: that is, more or less the opposite of what I would have preferred. In other words: it could be said to confirm what somebody has told of Taylors, i.e. that they are kinda "dull" instruments, with little "personality". The point is that I eventually love it *just* for this little bit of "dullness", or "lack of personality", it has got: which allows me to put what I like into it, and correspondingly to take what I like from it, without having to be too much "stuck" to a specific tonal personality, which - should it be too present - could drive me more heavily than I wanted to "soundscapes" I might not be in the mood of exploring. I'm not sure I've been able to explain myself, but... ;)

Anyway: acoustically it nevertheless has a great voice: great definition and very focused, it shines in harmonic work. When amplified, it surely is nice too: though it doesn't drive me crazy. Both on the purely acoustic side and on the amlified one, I think there's better stuff out there: but we also have to remind we're talking about a $ 1800-2000 guitar, which puts itself in the "entry level of a famous and very authoritative maker" - if I can speak this way - sector of the market.

As for intonation: perfect, all over the neck. Period. I have just said it has not a "boomy" voice at all: but, if I play the 12-th fret harmonics, I can hear these bell-like sound project themselves from the guitar into the room, and remain there forever. Fantastic.
And the same note, no matter where and on which string you play it, is always firmly the same. Once more: fantastic.

Everything considered, then, I'd say 9 to 9.5

Since I bought it second-hand from a luthier, I have no idea of what it was set up like at the factory.

Anyway, the luthier has consigned it to me set up to a **perfect** level.

Action: incredible. Who says Taylors actually are electric guitars disguised as acoustics is **completely right** ;)
My playing - I'm not joking - has improved a lot since I got it (that is, october 2003). This, not to mention the wonderful tactile sensation I feel when I put my fingers on the ebony of the fretboard.

As regards the other items: yes, there are a couple of minor (but, really: very very minor) flaws, but I don't care. Everything is quickly forgotten when I take it out of the case, put in a stand and sit there, in a wordless state of admiration in front of it, watching the top... which is too beautiful for words, and seems to become even more gorgeous as days go by =)

Everything considered, I'd say 10

Heh... I don't know. But I suspect it is quite fragile. For example: my luthier has told me Taylors are among the most fragile instruments as for the humidity-dryness issue and the possibility of developing cracks. So, be careful, you all.

Hardware: the Grovers are first class and work to the highest of levels: smooth as silk, precise as Swiss-made clocks, I think they will last forever, even if I suspect they will begin to tarnish, one day or another. Luckily enough for me, I admit I haven't to use it very much... since this 314CE seems to stay tuned forever ;D

The strap buttons seems to be solid: but I use to play sitting down, so it doesn't really matter. By the way, I like the fact they have put the jack in the bottom strap button: a solution I find much more classy than opening a "second hole" in the side ;)

The finish: I'd say perfect, and "tough", both on the top and on the bottom and the sides. It surely will last.

No: I don't think I would gig without a backup. I repeat: it seems so delicate and fragile to me... I tend to handle it, so to speak, "with my hands in white gloves". I think I would take a backup with me...

Everything considered, then, I'd say 9 to 9.5, in consideration of the fact that it tends to resemble a high-end guitar, even on the side of the "idiosyncracies".

I have no idea.

I have been playing from 1977, beginning with classical. I suspended in 1979 because of a serious personal problem with my teacher of that time. I took up guitar again in 1989, and "messed about" (just limiting to doing some "fingers gym" with Sagreras, Abloniz and Carulli) till 1999 with my very first (and cheap) spanish classical. In 1999, all of a sudden, things have gone as if the previous ten years would have "precipitated" in some new chemical compound: and I've suddenly begun to take harmony out of the guitar, and to play harmonic progressions which at last begun to make some sense. From that moment, events have assumed, so to speak, the shape of an "avalanche"... and now, five years after, I feel a daily need of putting my hand on something with six strings attached, even if only for half an hour.

I bought this 314 CE last october, and I can say with no doubt it has been one of my best strikes ever. This "tool" is perfect for me, it suits "as a glove" to my style and to my body.

Should it be stolen, or go lost, I - there's no doubt - would buy another one. Maybe a 414/514/614/714/814/914, still CE, though still Taylor.

2003 314CE Grand Auditorium model, Solid spruce top, Sapele back/sides, Ebony fretboard/bridge, Gloss top, Satin back/sides, Chrome Taylor tuners, Fishman Stereo Blender electronics, beautiful Taylor hardcase. Neck very comfortable to play. The action on mine was perfect. It plays like butter.

Sound is awesome! Rich and full, clear ringing highs with nice sustain and nice low end not overly boomy. The grand auditorium body is a finger picker's delight and very comfortable to hold. The Fishman microphone blender tends to feedsback too much under certain settings and playing environment. I keep it mostly on the Piezo side to prevent the feedback.

Action was on target from the factory. Nice and easy playing with a comfortable neck size. I didn't have to sand down the saddle or adjust the neck to get suitable playing action. The finish was flawless and the top was nicely bookmatched. It would be nice to see gold hardware as standard on this model.

Should hold up for years and years of play. Very well constructed and durable.

The best customer support! The people at Taylor are very helpful and courteous. They truly care about their customers. I have been able to get parts directly from them with ease.

Overall a fabulous guitar. No fancy inlays or frills. Just pure great sound and high quality construction from all solid woods. You can't go wrong with a Taylor.

let me first plug my friends at Jim's music in Irvine.... by far the nicest and most knowledgable staff around. best taylor dealer in so. cal. special thanks to Tom Sebastian. Taylor 314ce acoustic electric with active fishman prefix stereo blender electronics. mine is a 2003 model. guitar is 100% SOLID WOOD! no laminents here. top is sitka spruce and back and sides are sapele, which i understand is a tropical wood. satin finish on the back and sides, gloss on the top. ebony bridge and fretboard. perfectly smooth grover tuners and a DELUXE taylor hardshell.... these cases are a work of art in themselves. taylor takes no short cuts anywhere, they cover all the bases.

ok, this guitar has the grand auditorium body stlye. slightly larger and deeper than the 312ce grand concert, but more comfortible and easy to play than the 310 dreadnought. i actually owned both of those guitars prior to this one. the 312ce is a fingerpicker's delight, the 310 is a strummer's delight. the 314ce combines the best of both of those guitars into one. fingerpicked notes are clear and balanced with nice projection. strummed lightly or with a medium attack, the guitar shimmers with beautiful clear highs and tight balanced bottom end. the fishman blender system allows for a nice balance of piezo and mic sound. i've never been a "plugged in" acoustic fan, but this electronic system does a suitible job of making you guitar sound "acoustic" through a p.a. system. i tried Martin's grand auditorium version for comparison at the store and it really didn't come close in feel or sound. in my opinion, there are no better sounding acoustic guitars out there.

the action is low and comfortible to play. the guitar is built to the highest quality standards. i've tried to find flaws on all three taylors i've owned... haven't yet. the luthiers at Taylor are obviously very pridefull in their work. they don't treat any of the 300 series guitars as "entry level" instruments. everything on this guitar is without flaw or blemish.

seems like a really tough guitar. i baby my guitars, it won't see any real abuse in my hands. i think Taylor's lifetime guarantee speaks volumes for how well they expect their guitars to perform.

i've contacted taylor once and got next day response. they do really value their customers. the web-site is jam packed with all kinds of valuable info. on care for you guitar, detailed explainations about types of wood, how to tips, ect. very informative.

this guitar makes you want to play. i'm a singer / songwriter, and for me, this is the best sounding, nicest playing guitar i've owned. it is the combination of all the best features of both of the 312ce and 310 i owned before. i don't think anyone would ever be disapointed with any Taylor product.

My 314-CE was manufactured in 2003. As previous reviewers have stated, "you know the features." I was looking for a cut-away acoustic; actually, I was looking at a brand my brother, who has performed professionally, recommended. However, a colleague who is in a folk duo suggested Taylor. I play whatever kind of music I can learn, though I tend toward old time rhythm and blues and folk rock. I had a chance to compare the Taylor to the other brand, and the Taylor just felt SO good. It was everything I wanted--and it came with a terrific case!

When I was in the store, another customer about my age was playing guitars. I joked about my playing skills (I don't play because I'm good; I play because I'm having fun), but he said that once I got the Taylor, I would want to play more, and it would make me a better player. He was right. The acoustic sound is phenomenal. I enjoy just playing arpeggios and strumming. There is a tendency to get some nasty feedback when I plug it in to an amp, but my amps are low-end Peaveys designed for an electric guitar and a bass. The Taylor sounds better through the bass amp than the guitar amp; when I use the guitar amp, I play "clean" rather than "lead." Also, I 've never been shown how to set all the controls, so I play around a lot with adjustments on both the guitar and amps. It may not be pretty, but it is fun.

As I said earlier, this guitar feels so good. If I've been playing my electric, the strings seem stiff and hard on the Taylor when I switch; but really, the action, etc., was fine out of the box. I've never had it set up. The top has a couple of spots some people might consider flaws--pale "bubbles" in the grain. Personally, I find it attractive.

I expect to give this guitar to my son when the time comes. I don't perform, so I guess I won't be using it on a gig. By coincidence, I'm watcdhing Ruthie Foster on "Austin City Limits" as I submit this report, and she seems to be playing a 314-CE (or another Taylor in-distinguishable from the 314-CE).

I've contacted Taylor several times with questions, and the company's response has always been friendly and prompt. In fact, they welcomed me to the Taylor family a few weeks after I bought my guitar. "Wood and Steel" and the on-line messages are great. In fact, I asked about obtaining a copy of one oftheir ads, and they sent me six poster-quality reprints.

I'm a hobbyist: I sarted playing 35 years ago, but hadn't really played for the last 25. My wife and kids bought me a Fernandez Retrorocket (a fantastic guitar) two years ago, and since then, if I don't play, I get irregular ;)The 314-CE was swort of a spontaneous purchase, but one I haven't regretted. I've been looking for a travel guitar, and the Baby Taylors are my first. I would definitely recommend Taylors in general and the 314-CE in particular.

This is a 2003 Made-in-USA Taylor 314CE. 20 frets with all-solid wood (sapele back/sides and spruce top). It has the Fishman Prefix EQ preamp with Treble/Bass and a parametric midrange. The back and sides are a satin/natural finish and the top is a gloss finish. The guitar is a 25-1/2 inch scale and came with a HEAVY Taylor case and humidifier

I play a weird mix of blues/progressive 70's/ and modern eclectic; the 314CE feeds back badly through a guitar amp, but is more well-behaved through a directional PA system with acoustic guitars in mind. The Fishman piezo is dead quiet - but a tad boomy on picking (compared to a microphone)

The sound is phenomenal. I was looking at Martin D16's, but the Taylor sounds better and doesn't have a "plastic" fretboard for the same of less money!

The 314CE responds well to different picking/muting styles - I play mostly finger-picking and flat-picking and the guitar responds nicely to either method. It could be louder (compared to say an Ovation) but the tone is superb.

The guitar is outstanding in every respect. If there are flaws, I haven't seen them yet. No sawdust, rough wood, poor bookmatching, anything!

The guitar is well-protected in a brick-outhouse case. The components are comparable to anything in it's price range and slightly higher. I would have no problem using it as my only working guitar. My only reservations are about the material (I'm not familiar with sapele) and I haven't dealt directly with Taylor.

Can't say - this is a 2003 model and I haven't dealt with the company. Heresay has been positive.

I've played for 28 years but this is my first really nice acoustic. Previous acoustics included Sigma and Takamine 6 and 12-strings. They didn't stand the test of time very well and I'm hoping that the Taylor will age more gracefully than those acoustics. I primarily play electrics (ALL kinds) and am pleased with the playability of the Taylor.

You know the features. I would give it a 10, but I guess it would need some fancy inlays for that. This guitar has everything you will ever need less special cosmetics.

Clarity, bell like tones, harmonics, deep lows and bright highs. Nothing sounds like a Taylor. They have captured something special with their sound. You can fingerpick softly with amazing clarity or strum it hard. It handles what ever you give it.

Mine came perfectly set up from the factory. No adjustments were needed. No flaws, the construction is superb. This guitar feels so solid. This finish was beautiful.

Everything about this guitar is solid and screams quality.

Taylor customer service is what every guitar company aspires to. They are the best with out question.

Been playing for 25 years. This guitar and most all Taylors are magic.

314c, custom ordered with no electronics in 2002. Made of all solid woods. Sitka spruce top, african mahogany (Sapele) back and sides. Tropical mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard with big dot inlays. Chrome grover tuners. Satin finish. I recommend that you put EZ pinz brass bridge pins on it. Nothing wrong with the sound, but the bridge pins will give you a livelier, brighter sound. It has great features compared to the majority of factory made guitars, but the higher end taylors and other guitars like breedlove push the rating down a little

suits my style perfectly. I like to play james taylor and other fingerstyle stuff along with some classic rock and dave matthews. Has beautiful sounds all around the fretboard and has a very rich tone.

The guitar was set up perfectly, and i dont think that the previous owner made any changes. The action is the typical taylor action, very low and fast with not much buzzing at moderate strumming levels. If you are a heavy strummer, I suggest you look at a taylor dreadnaught(x10 models) or jumbo(x15 models) because you will get buzzing on a grand auditorium if you are an aggressive strummer. There are absolutely no signs of finish flaws or faulty worksmanship anywhere on the guitar.

I have not played this guitar live, but i think it could easily withstand the punishment of gigging. The finish will last, and the hardware is very solid. The strap buttons are a little different than other guitars. The neck button is a little smaller than normal, and you may have trouble keeping the strap on the guitar. But the easy solution is to get a taylor strap that fits perfectly. I dont think I would need a backup, primarily because I can't afford one.

I'll give Taylor the benefit of the doubt. I haven't had to deal with them, but I've heard they value their customers.

I'm going to have to give it a 10. This is the best value I've ever seen. Taylor definately makes the best factory built guitars and have very reasonable prices. Personally, I like the much better than Martins.

Standard 314-ce. I upgraded, at the Taylor dealer, to the Fishman Stereo blender. Has everything you need. Wood and Steel. All wood Saple, ebony, mahog. Suu-weet. I really like the neck width for fingerstyle playing, and you can special order even wider width if you want. Body stlye is very comfortable sitting or standing.

Very well balanced and crisp. Great for fingerstyle. However not too loud acousticly. I put an ebony John Pearse armrest on mine and it helps increase the volume and tone and keeps your bare arm off the top(and looks cool). The biggest improvement came from upgrading to the Fishman stereo blender(with the added internal mic)(about $100 more). Through my Fender Acoustasonic Junior(highly recommended)this guitar is outstanding. It is the most incredible, sweetest tone you can get from an amplified acoustic guitar and between the Fishman blender and the amp, you can really shape the tone in a hundred ways. The mic (1/3 mic+2/3 piezo)warms up some of the piezo harshness and give a more "woody" tone. When playing with the band, I use a sound hole mute to reduce feedback at loud volumes. The playabillity is superb. In its price range, nothing touches it.

In this price range, don't expect master grade tops. But so what. The construction is top notch. The woods and hardware are beautiful and it plays like butter out of the box. Really. No flaws at all in the instrument. I have the poly case which is well fitted and seems well constructed. But the interior foam has a terrible smell which has not lessened much over the three years I've had the guitar. I give a nine because of the case smell.

I've had this guitar three years and it is in my hands alot. Very durable and as reliable as any fine, beautifully made, all wood instrument. Its fussy about humidity so watch the dry air and keep it in its case when not in use.The satin finish is particularly tough but thin.

I've had many dealings with Taylor over the years. Let me tell you,it is not only the finest customer service I've ever received from a music company, it the finest customer service I've ever received from ANY company, ever! Got a technical question, "I'll connect you directly to that department, Mr. M". Need a new set of ebony bridge pins,"we'll send that right out, Mr. M", no charge! I needed a pick guard for my Baby Taylor, they sent that too no charge. Remarkable. Great web site, too! Also you'll actually find Bob Taylor in the acoustic guitar chat rooms talking shop. Great Guy. Great Guitars. Great company.

I,ve been playing over twenty five years. I have lots of top end gear for acoustic and electric guitar. While a custom built axe by a top boutique builder is the pinnacle of guitars, for the money, this Taylor offers high end tone and playabillity that can't be matched. You really can't go wrong. But if you get the 314-CE, pop for the upgraded Fishman Stereo blender, you'll be glad you did.

This is a classic looking acoustic guitar...it is not meant to be looked at, it is meant to be played. That is not to say that it is not meticulously crafted...it is. There is not one flaw on this guitar, or any other Taylor that I have played for that matter. Absolutely amazing craftsmanship. These guys really take pride in their work. The reason I have given only an eight in this category is probably because I am obsessed with the cosmetic beauty of the Taylor 614ce...but that is simply out of my price range.

This is a versatile guitar. I do not label myself as a musician into any one particular genre, as I play a variety of styles including rock, classic rock, reggae, jam-band, and punk. This guitar complements all of these styles with ease. This is do to its well-balanced tone, only leaning slightly towards the bright side. The 314ce comes with Fishman prefix plus electronics which provide amazing sound in all types of setups and situations. I have been gigging with this guitar for quite some time now and I am extremely impressed. My only slight complaint is that it could be a bit louder. The 310 (full-sized dreadnout) model achieves a louder sound, yet lacks the comfortable feel of the smaller 314 guitar.

This guitar is perfectly set up, right from the factory. The action of Taylor guitars is impecable. There is a very slight buzz when strumming bar chords which is due to the low action of the guitar. This buzz is very slight, and does not effect the sound at all. I have searched this guitar inch by inch for flaws, and have found none. Although not a high end Taylor model, the manufacturers of this guitar certainly treated it as one. Taylor must be commended for their attention to detail, and their determination to satisfy.

This guitar will definitely withstand live playing...why buy a guitar that wouldn't? Keep in mind the fact that this is a solid wood guitar and must be maintaned properly, and you will have this guitar for life. All feautures seem to be very strong, the strap buttons are seemingly indestructable, the finish is well applied and thick enough, and the electronics are dependable. Playing a gig with this guitar and no backup is fine...again, why buy a guitar that will not withstand a gig? Just bring some extra strings so you don't look like an idiot when a string breaks.

I have not had to deal with Taylor yet, however I am fully confident in their reputation...it seems they more than take care of their customers, going above and beyond the call of duty.

Overall this is a finely tuned instrument, as all Taylors are. I have been playing guitar for 8 years now, and only within the last year have I made the switch to Taylor. I own many electric guitars, and one other acoustic, a Takamine (which is just crap in comparison to the Taylor). I am completely satisfied with this purchase. Do not let the price of Taylor guitars deter you from buying one, they are the epitomy of quality, and it will last you a lifetime...consider it an investment. I compared this guitar with about 40 other acoustics (as everyone should-you are choosing a lifelong partner here!) such as Larivee, Martin, Takamine, and Gibson and was inferior only to one guitar...the Taylor 614ce. If I had another thousand dollars I would have gotten it, yet this guitar is very close in comparison.

Made in the USA in April 2002 and bought in Newcastle, England in August 2002. 20 frets,solid spruce top,sapele back and sides,Fishman Prefix Plus electronics,Grover tuners and impressive hard case.

I am one half of an acoustic duo and I found it awkward to mike up my Gibson J200. I also found the Gibson a bit cumbersome to play standing up. It was easy to make the decision to go for Taylor on the basis of reviews and I did not want to spend more than necessary on higher end models. I noted in my research that many professional guitarists of repute play lower end Taylor acoustics. Another consideration was to choose a model which complimented the sound produced by my fellow player. He plays solos on a dreadnought shaped Seagull and I play backing rhythms. I tried a 310-CE and a 314-CE. The 310 was fine but produced a sound which was not dissimilar to the Gibson. The 314 was produced less bass and a much more balanced tone. The 314 was better for my particular needs although in different circumstances I would have been more than happy with the 310.

I played the guitar in the shop and was very impressed with the fit and finish. I have made no adjustments. Everything looks and feels top class. The guitar is obviously made with tone a higher priority than looks and the contrast between the 314 and my J200 (which looks very nice with all the inlay) is very apparent. The action is superb and the intonation is spot on. It is interesting that the Taylor highlights the flaws in my partners Seagull which is never in tune everywhere and requires those annoying compromises. The guitar came with Elixir strings and I would recommend these to anybody on the basis of playability and durability.

It is too early to say but the guitar is well built and I see no reason to doubt its durability.

The Taylor warranty does not apply in England so I have to rely on my dealer. I have not needed to contact Taylor via the internet and hope that they are as good as Gibson who have always been very helpful. There are some good tech sheets which can be downloaded from the Taylor site which give advice on humidity control, stringing and a host of other things.

I played in a band over 30 years ago and have only come back to playing since my retirement 18 months ago. Apart from the Gibson and Taylor acoustics I have a Gibson Les Paul Standard and a wonderful Tom Anderson Hollow T Contour. I also own a Mesa Boogie Maverick amp. I think the Taylor is great and would replace it if it were damaged or stolen.

2002 made with Jig saw new technology design joint that provides nice action and reliability, come with beautiful case. Disappointingly that its spruce top has not been bookmatch and has too diferrent big line color on top of my guitar.It's so ugly!!!!! It might be possible that they used 2A not 3A grade for this model. I found it after I brought and got my home. That make me sad that I too high expected with it appearnace. No choice for me in my Country, dealer has only one. Quality is not equal to buy in USA

Clean bright snappy base and bell ilke sound

OK. fit

OK

Not well for international service , I ever ask to their web but no answer I got.

Compare more than 2 if you want to buy

You know all the features from all the other reviews; I would give this catagory a 10 if the Fishman electronics featured a mic w/ a blender to go with the pickup, but it still sounds wonderful plugged in.

The sound is amazing- don't let the fact that this is a relativly low-end Taylor cost-wise fool you. It's an amazing guitar for band use; it's bright enough to fit perfectly in the mix, but where I think it really shines is with fingerpicking. It's such a balanced guitar- not too muddy, not too bright. Just to be fair I wish the electronics included the mic that higher-end Taylors have. Unplugged it sounds incredible.

Very sparse as far as frills go (which is the way I like it); you're not paying for extras that don't really affect the tone anyways. Very simple and elegant. There wasn't one flaw finish wise and the grain from the sapele wood on the back and sides looks wonderful. As always with Taylors, the action is perfect.

So far it's withstood about a year of live playing and traveling in the back of a hot trailer for days. I've dropped it once and run into several things with it and it still plays great. I have and tendency to not really take care of my guitars so this is the perfect guitar for someone like me. Very reliable so far. I've used it many times without a backup (which is not a good idea because strings break no matter how great the guitar is).

Never dealt with Taylor yet; I hear they're great in the customer support department. It's never needed repairs.

I love this guitar. My friend plays an 814ce and I personally like the tone of the 314ce better. Another friend of mine says it's the closest acoustic tone-wise to his Olson that he's played (notice I said "closest"- let's not get carried away here). Like I said earlier, don't let the lower cost fool you- this is a great guitar.

2002 taylor 314ce, 20 frets, spruce top,sapele sides back, fishman prefix plus, volume notch control trebel bass briliance controls, mahogany neck satin finish (nice and smooth) hand slides very easy no sticking like with urethaned necks when sweat builds up, venecian cutaway, ebony fretboard and bridge pearl dot inlays black fiber binding on body comes with excellent case, very snug fit a little heavy but very protective.

i have been playing recreationally for >20 yrs. classic rock acoustic blues a little finger style playing delta blues. i have only played this guitar acoustically so far. the acoustic qualities are what is important since you will play acoustically much greater than plugged in. i actually have purchased and compared three taylors 314ce,414ce,514ce and finally decided on the 314ce due to its clear bell-like tones, when strummed the individual notes stand out and when
picked the notes are extremely clear. the 414ce gave a little more volume but at the expense of tone as far as i could tell. don't get me wrong the 414ce was good also however it just lacked the bell like tones that the 314ce had. the 414ce had a slightly fatter feel to the neck due to the binding that is not present on the 314ce. i have relatively small hands and the 314ce just felt more comfortable to me as i played. felt like i played more accurately. the 514ce was more of a finesse instrument with a sweet tone and a more delicate cedar top and mahogany sides and back. for my recreational playing i believe the 314ce has a very nice tone. this guitar inspires me to want to play it is sooo clear and bright. after playing taylors in 3 different cities and spending many hours in showrooms playing gibsons, martin, alverez, ibanez, guild etc. nothing holds a candle to taylor as far as clarity and tone. once you play a taylor just strumming other acoustics open strings while hanging on the wall will make you ill. the tone just isn't there with the others.wish this guitar had just a tad more volume but the tone is so nice i am willing to overlook this dislike.

this particular guitar has been hanging in a showroom for 8 mos and has probably been played by many grimy hands. this guitar still sounds awesome. grover tuning pegs work perfectly. every looked fine on this instrument except for a slight dip in the top just to the left and right and beneath the bridge. could be a humidity issue being this is a solid wood guitar

i;m sur this guitar will withstand live playing. i played it for a couple of hours in the house and it never went out of tune even with some string bending while playing. the satin finish looks very durable
the spruce top is a harder wood than the cedar on the 514ce the finish was without blemishes and the grain is tight and even with a few interesting variations within it that run perpendicular to the major grain which gives the top a little bit of visual interest. strap buttons are solid however the end button is a little short and
concerns alot of people that the strap may come off while playing. too early to tell if this will be a problem or not

comes with lifetime warrenty. talked to a taylor sales rep reguarding the lack of volume which was a concern. the salesman was very knowledgable not only about taylors but also my current guitar which is a yamaha fg420a. he discussed the difference between laminated and solid wood guitars and how it affects volume and tone. he was very helpful and friendly. we also got into discussions re: atones of different woods and body styles and out of that conversation i got the idea that taylor would build any guitar personally for you if you had a special request. for example taylor doesnt build a 515ce like they do with 400 series & 600 series and so on but he said they could build a 6 string using the 555 series which is made to be a 12 string. sounds like these guys will do anything to make you happy! what a nice change from the run of the mill customer service with most companies

been playing >20yrs recreational. also own a yamaha fg420a acoustic, fender lonestar strat, epiphone les paul, fender prosonic amp. the taylors can also be ordered with a 1 11/16 inch neck vs the standard 1 3/4 inch however felt this could alter the decrease the volume a little therefore will stick with the standard neck. if stolen i would go right back to taylor the tone is awesome. the weak volume is a little disappointing (compared to my old yamaha) the tone makes up for that.compared to gibson, guild, martin, ovation etc. the action of the taylor is so much nicer and the tone is even and resonant with good sustain. the only thing i wish was it had just a "tad" more volume but not much more.

The Taylor 314-CE may be part of their entry level offerings, but put it next to the 414-CE and the features are really close. The back and sides are made from a Sapele Mahogany. The top is a Sitka Spruce. The neck is a tropical American Mahogany(mine is beautiful!). It feels wonderful as you play up and down the neck. As with all Taylors since 1999, the NT neck with truss rod adjustment makes you feel at ease knowing that you will always keep your neck straight for life. The pickup is a Fishman Prefix Plus and makes the guitar sound awesome. As is all *14-ce models, the body length, width, and depth are the same. And last but not least, the hardshell case is a beauty all in itself.

If you're looking for a really full rich tone, get a Taylor. I have several acoustics and nothing sounds as clean and bright as my new 314-CE. As you play up the neck, you'll not hear fret noise. The NT neck design assures you of proper alignment from fret one to 16 and beyond. As for playing the pickup through an amp, it's not something I will be doing very often. But this guitar maintains its true sound right out of my amp speakers. I couldn't be more pleased overall with the sound coming from my Taylor.

Every attention to detail was performed on this guitar by Taylor at their California factory. You would have thought they were building an 814-BCE Brazilian that lists for over $4000. Once I tuned the Grovers, the guitar stayed in tune. I played for hours, put it back in the case, and when I pulled it out later . . .still in tune. The neck fits my hand like a glove. Each time I play it, it gets better. As for flaws, not a one. The wood on the top, sides, and neck are more than beautiful. Taylor is concerned that you maintain their "works of art", they include several instruction sheets on maintaining the neck, using humidifiers to keep your guitar from drying out, and other useful tips. They really care and it shows in their craftmanship.

Only having had it for a short time, I can only hope it lasts a life time. Based on what I've read and heard, this instrument should be with me forever (provided it's maintained properly). The finish on the 314-CE and 414-CE is satin with gloss finish. Therefore, do not use a polish when cleaning or you will absolutely ruin your guitar. Taylor recommends using a damp cloth to clean it followed by a dry cloth. If you do this, it will be your best friend(this is only for the 300 and 400 series). As for live play, I won't be playing out much, but I know they'll withstand the rigors of the stage or all the music stars wouldn't be playing them

Once I ordered my guitar, I went to the website and sent an e-mail asking a few questions and requesting some back issues of their Wood and Steel publication. Within about 24 hours, I had a response to my questions. In less than a week, I had 2 years worth of Wood and Steel back issues. They are fun to read and I highly recommend you get them sent to you. It looks as if I've married into a family that will be there to support me if I need them.

I've been playing guitar for over 30 years. As for other gear I own, I have an Ovation Celebrity Deluxe A/E, a Yamaha acoustic, an Epiphone 12 string acoustic, a Les Paul Deluxe, a Fender DuoSonic, a Hagstram 1 Bass and a Gibson EB-O bass. But I plan to own another Taylor as soon as I can. I really do love this guitar. My first choice was actually the 514-CE. But to be honest, the pretty inlay, gold grovers, and Fishman stereo blender pickup weren't enough to pay over $1000 for. I think they sound the same and they sure played the same. But who knows, maybe one day I'll have one. Overall, for those of you debating on a Taylor, yeah, it may be a bit pricey compared to other models and brands. But, it's something that with care you'll have forever. It took me 2 years to pull the trigger and buy one. I have absolutely no regrets or buyers remorse. Everytime I pick it up and begin to play, I know I made the right decision.

2001 USA made solid wood construction w/ ebony fretboard & bridge and Fishman electronics. Gloss spruce top, satin mahogany back, sides, neck. Cutaway, Grover tuners.

I am a die-hard Guild nut and have several electrics including a Starfire 3, an s-100 and an x-82. I have a D30 I bought earlier this year that I love that has a great warm, rich tone, but honestly the body size makes it a little uncomfortable for me to play. I also wanted something brighter, more dynamic and articulate. Went to my local G.C. (have their # on speed-dial) and tried MANY guitars including Martins, Tacomas and pricier Taylors and when I picked up this one and played it, I knew it was the tone I was looking for. UNBELIEVABLE.

This is the second thing after tone I fell in love with. Put your arms around it and it just feels good. Very comfortable. Smoothest, easiest playing acoustic I've tried- the neck is great! Low action that doesn't buzz, beautiful woods & attention to detail. Nice & light, but solidly built.

I don't gig, but I believe this guitar would have no problems. Very well built.

Have not dealt w/ cust support

When I purchase a new guitar, I always take real good care of it, especially during the refund/ exchange period. The FIRST day I bought it I put a ding in the headstock and almost didn't care, because I knew there was NO WAY this was ever going back. If lost, etc. I would go purchase another immediately and pray I could find the same tone.
How do you justify a lot of money for a guitar? Go play a Taylor.

This is a 2000 model I guess. It has a Fishman Prefix onboard blender. (great with Fender Acoustasonic amps) It's all solid wood construction. It makes it sound sooo good. It has a satin finish which I like a little better than the high gloss. The style is Taylors Grand Auditorium Cutaway. It has 20 frets and plays awesome. For being a 'low end' Taylor it is VERY nice.

I play Hard Rock, Blues, Classical and all sots of stuff. I am using a Fender Acoustasonic 2 x 10 80 watt combo. This really brings the TRUE acoustic tone out. The amp has reverb and chorus and flanger and stuff like that. This guitars pre-amp is very nice. It has very low noise unless you are right next to the amp above volume 1. The sound is very well balanced. The tone is wonderful. The nass is not to overpowering and the mids and highs are rich, full and bright. Nice sustain also. I totally love this guitar.

The action is typical Taylor. PERFECT. This guitar was great right from the start. No problems what so ever.

I know people who have had Taylors for 20 years and they still play great. It really just depends if you take care of it or not. I would play with this w/o a backup for sure!

Very nice and answers question promptly.

This is a totally grewat guitar for the money and sound. You can cover and musical ground with this. If it were lost or stolen I would cry. Unless someone gave me 1,200 bucks to go get another.

Taylor seems to be pretty standard in their features. I was initally irked by their lack of gloss finish on the 300 series, but I got over that quickly. There is simply nothing wrong with the low-gloss finish. Just different.

I did a LOT of testing of the 314CE versus more expensive models. Frankly, I was dissapointed by the more expensive Taylors. I was obsessed with the cosmetic options of the 614 (and the ego associated with a higher end Taylor). I was more than willing to wait another year to save enough money to go for the 614, but the tone didn't justify it. The 314 has such an accentuated low and high end tone. The bass is snappy and responsive, and the trebble is bright, yet sustaining. A dream.......

Plays like a dream. I recently played an Ibanez AW200VV that felt better (suprise!). Perhaps it was the string gague. No complaints on the Taylor though. It seems that Taylor sets up their guitars with heavier strings to accentuate the bass response. I once again wish they had glossed the back and sides. Not that the satin finish is bad, but I would gladly pay an extra $100 for the gloss.

I would give this to my grandchildren. That is the point. If I spend money on a Taylor, it is going to become an heirloom. Taylor's construction seems to understand this philosophy.

I've never had to deal with Taylor, but have heard nothing but great things. I hope to tour their factory one day. Shaked hands with Bob a couple times at NAMM shows......

There is nothing like a Taylor. Baby, 900 series......wonderful.

It's a taylor, whats else do you have to say. Nothing really needs to be done to it unless your tweek freak. the only thing I'm gonna work on is the little bit of a tinny sound when its plugged in. and that can almost be accomplished with the prefix plus that comes with it. maybe an internal mic would help?

i play alot of kotke type stuff and unplugged its perfect. plugged in it could use a tiny tweek. couldn't afford th leo

I'm reeally impressed by the action! its a blessing compared to my martin d 35. Can't find any thing wrong with the feel of the guitar.

seems pretty good to me. only had it a month but no worries its a taylor

man they're great called them about a humidifier suggestion. they sent me one in three days free of charge.!!!THANK YOU TAYLOR STAFF!!! plus other goodies. don't be afraid to ask them questions you might just get a prize.

I've played for about 22yrs of my 30 and grew up with martin hand me downs. isn't that sad. I borrowed a buddy's 914taylor for a show a couple years ago and loved it. WISH a 914 was a practical road guitar, they're so pretty. but the 314 is great guitar: nice looking, clean sounding and extremely playable.

This guitar is Handmade in the USA, and you can tell. It is constructed of solid, seasoned Sitka Spruce top and Mahogany back and sides, and neck as well. It comes stock with a Fishman Acoustic Matrix Pickup. It has a beautiful bookmatched, high-gloss top, with a neatly trimmed shell pickguard. The back and sides are satin finish. It has grover tuners, and the most playable "electric-like" neck I have ever played on an acoustic guitar. It comes with a beautiful and sturdy Taylor-SKB case, and a neck-adjustment tool.

I play mainly rock and modern rock, I write and compose my own stuff. currently, I am not in a band. This instrument is extremely versatile, and it has caused me to start playing bluegrass, folk, and whatever musical style comes to mind. It is really suited to many, many musical styles, and damn fun to play!! This guitar has the sweetest acoustic sound I've ever heard. The magazine ads are correct -- it took me about 46 seconds to decide on this beautiful instrument. The bass is solid but not overpowering like my Fender Dreadnought, the mids and highs sing! There is nothing negative about this guitar at all. I like (love!) everything about it.

The guitar was set up so well at the store, I thought it was an electric neck. It is easy on the fingers, and you can lead on this as if it were a Fender American Strat. There were no flaws on this guitar -- Solid Handmade Craftmanship. Worth every penny.

Cared for, this guitar will last a lifetime. I know I will be passing this on to my son or daughter (both are leftys!). This guitar is worthy of live playing. It is simple and gorgeous. I would depend on this without a backup, if I had to, but when playing out, it is good to always have a backup...

Never had to deal with them. Others seem to think they are very accomodating. If the service is anything like the quality of this instrument, it would get a "10". But to be fair...

I have been playing for about 30 years. I played in bands in the seventies, but not much now. I have a basement studio where me and my partner (original band mate and brother-in-law!!!) write and record original music. I have an American Strat, Two Mexican strats, one equuipped with a GK-2A Pickup, a Danelectro 56 U-2, a Fender Jazz Bass, and a Fender DG-31 Acoustic (a beauty in it's own rite...). If it were stolen, I'd take the insurance money and replace it ASAP, and hope the thief will love this guitar as much as I would have... I compared to Martins and Larivee -- I really wanted one good high-end guitar. I settled on the Taylor because it was simple, sounded beautiful, and gave me a really good vibe when I picked it up to play the first time. Everyone who plays deserves to own at least one beautiful, handmade gem in their lives -- I have found mine. Thank you, Mr. Taylor!

I own a 2001 Taylor 314 ce. Its got a solid spruce top with saple back and sides, all solid woods of course.Mahogany neck with rosewood head. It has a high gloss top with satin back and sides, competly beautiful in its simplicity. It comes with a fishman prefix plus pickup.

I play a lot of varity of music from jazz to rock and this guitar works great with all of them. I wanted rose wood but couldnt afford that but after a while i really like the mahogany and the warmth it gets. The 314 gets a full sound with tight lows and highs that ring and not scream. It is very well ballenced but pluged in its the same slightly tinny thined sound, but the controls on the fishman work very nicley to get rid of that. Over all this guitar sounds great and is very warm put cuts through.

The action rocks, its very easey to play, and can take anything from hard strumming to finger picking without a buzz. The factory set up was great and i havent had to do anything to it yet (mind you that it is constantly humidified when not in use and treated well. The top is beautiful and the grain is great. Everything fits well and theres no extra glue but plenty to do the job.

I play live with this about 2-3 times a week and have never had a problem other than breaking a string wich by the way does cause it to go the slightest out of tune, like any guitar. I wouldnt use it without a back up just cause thats stupid to do, but im very confident in it and dont see any problems comming up. Over all you can kick the crap out of this guitar on stage and she'll hold up fine and still play like a dream, just treat it nice everywhere else and it'll last you for years.

Ive never had to deal with Taylor

Ive been playing professionaly for about 4 years now and before this i was about to buy a new prs. But i played this in oxnard and fell in love with it. I had 100 bucks in my pocked for a tattoo later that day but i put it down and picked it up the next day. I did play another 314 and it sucked but this one sounds and plays great, its just the right woods you have to get. The only other guitars i would get other than this is possibly the 814 or a top martin. If it were stolen id find the guy and beat him with a paul and then get my baby back or if i had to buy a new one. Overall i love this guitar and it is deffinatly one i will be playing for quite some time.

I own a 2000 Taylor 314ce. It has a solid spruce top with mahogany sides and back. It came with a Fishman Prefix Pickup, but I upgraded it to the Fishman on board stereo blender system. The top has a transparent high gloss finish, the sides back and neck are satin finish. It is a very beautiful guitar. I choose this guitar over a Martin I was checking out because of the groover tuners. It came with a very nice hard shell case.

When I first bought this guitar I had to get used to the mahogany sound. I love the sound of rosewood, but I could not at the time afford it. I have had it a little over a year and I have come to appreciate the tone and actually love it now. It is very mellow in caparison to my Wechter, which is maple sides and backs. It has a Rich full sound. Not as loud as I was looking for but as it has settled over the year has seasoned a bit and has improved.
I do get some fret buzz set at factory specs, but I have learned to play a little lighter to eliminate some of it.

As far as the set up I mentioned I have some fret buzz, especially the b string. But I tend to be critical and the things I don't like tend to stand out more then the positives in my mind. I also have a heavy strum. The pick up is very low in my opinion and I don't know if that has anything to do with the installation. Again I am comparing it to the system which is almost identical in my Wechter. It seems to have a lot more volume then the Taylor. In my opinion I couldn't imagine this guitar being book matched any better. This guitar is beautiful.

I play live with this guitar twice a week for over a year and have never had a problem.

I think Taylor Guitars has excellent customer service. I had originally baught this guitar in 1999. I did have some problems with fret buzz and sent it to Taylor to fix because none of the repair people I took it to fixed it to my satisfaction. The guitar was lost by ups. So Taylor sent me a 2000 314ce with the new neck design which I think was a plus. Zach the csr personally picked out the guitar for me. They also sent me a replacement pu because I had a little noise in the original one. They sent me the stereo blender. They have alway helped me and called me back. Zach kept me informed during the trial of the lost guitar. As soon as they had one made they sent over night mail!

I have been playing guitar for 24 years. I also play percussion. I own a Wechter, that I just purchased. If it were lost or stolen I would want another Taylor, but my eye is on the 810e or the 514e. i do not want them to be cutaways because I do not play up the neck at all. I love the tone. I wish it were a little louder acoustically. The looks and the tone are my favorite features. For the price of this guitar, you could not get a nicer one. I also love my Wechter. I am torn between which to play right now.

2001 model cutaway grand auditorium-size solid-top acoustic electric. The Fishman electronics, spruce top and sapele mahogany sides/back, mahogany neck. The top has a nice gloss finish, the rest is satin. Rosewood board and headstock overlay, ebony bridge. Overall, a rather plain guitar that's quite beautiful in its simplicity. I give it an 8 because it has everything I wanted, but nothing special. For more details, see taylorguitars.com

I'm a dabbler. I dabble in everything from blues and country to ballads, hard rock, and punk. I was really looking for a Seagull (best bang for the buck around IMHO) but couldn't find anything but dreadnoughts. I have yet to play a dreadnought that sounded balanced to me; they always have too much bass or not enought treble. I've wanted an acoustic for years and have played literally dozens of guitars, and to my ears the 314 is the most balanced thing out there.

Since I play a lot of lead, I got the cutaway. The electronics were pretty much a throw-in, you can't find any 314c's. Of course, it helps that Taylors are quite electric-like in their action, but I was really looking for the best-sounding guitar, one that can be both strummed and finger-picked, and sounds equally good on both rhythm and lead. This is really it. Chords sound full and lush, every note is there and sustains properly. Arpeggios don't get lost in the bass, and I can get decent volume on my lead runs.

There really isn't anything this axe can't do. Or if there is, I don't play that way. Needless to say, I love it, and I finally took a big gulp and bit the bullet. It does cost a lot more than I wanted to spend, but to some extend you get what you pay for. And you can depreciate it over your life...so it really only costs a few pennies a day, right?

I give a 10 here because these guitars just sound so great, I couldn't resist buying one. BTW the plugged-in sound is OK, nothing remarkable, your typical slightly-tinny piezo sound. But the EQ and volume controls work quite well.

Every Taylor I've played has had a good action and initial setup. I expect nothing less for this price range. The spruce top is just beautiful, it's perfectly bookmatched, and the grain is unbelieveable. Everything on this guitar is just as it should be. Frets, bracing, nut, bridge, binding, etc. The only gripe I have is that the board is not uniform in color; it's light under the high strings near the nut and dark elsewhere. But I'd rather see the natural flaws in the wood than have a dyed board I guess. Again, an 8 for matching my high expectations.

As with any decent acoustic, it will last as well as you maintain it. All Taylors are shipped in Taylor SKB cases. Anyone who tells you different (i.e. Evil Chain Store Salesdrones) is full of shit. These cases are quite tight (i.e. the padding resists when you put the guitar away) and should always be used to store the axe. And of course you should get a case humidifier; D'addario makes a sweet one of phenolic drip-proof foam that only needs to be refilled once a month, well worth the extra $25.

I would feel comfy gigging without a backup. I usually don't bother with backups. Just make sure you have an extra battery if plugging in, and of course extra picks/strings.

Taylor seems like it is a pretty good company. I got a free video on their guitars from their website. I did place a call to them about a custom string gauge (whether they could adjust the nut and bracing at the factory for it) and got a call back, but the person who responded simply told me that they do not sell direct to customers....

The guitar has a limited lifetime warranty, but I don't expect to ever use it.

I've been playing for nine years now, previously all electric. I've played just about every major electric model under the sun. Most are rather uninspiring - they can get the job done, but don't make me feel like playing. This axe does. I also feel more justified in spending on an acoustic, since a lot more goes into it than an electric.

If someone stole it, my next few hundred would be invested in a nice handgun. Hopefully I would be able to retrieve it. In all seriousness, yes, if it were stolen, I'd buy another one. It's a lot of money, but I know I wouldn't like playing anything else that doesn't cost at least this much anyway.

BTW, you should try playing at least a couple of these things ifyou're going to buy one. I've played a half dozen. None were dogs, but the one I got was just a bit nicer to my ears than the rest. That's why I bought from the Evil Chain (Guitar Center) and despite the cosmetic flaw. I would much rather have given my money to a local store, but you've gotta go with your ears.

Also, shop around. No one wanted to get below about $1200, but when stores realized I was serious, and got them into a bidding war, I got them down to $1100. I hear you can get them even lower ($1050) but I got tired and settled.

Made in 2000 with Fishman Prefix and Grover tuners. Sapele mahogany back and sides. Sitka spruce top. Ebony fretboard. Satin finish with a gloss top. Incredibly beautiful! Midsize guitar with venetian cutaway. SKB molded hardshell case...

I play some finger picking, but mostly hard strummed full open chords. The lows that come out of this guitar are amazing. I played an Ibanez A/E for years and was quite happy until I saw and heard Neil Young play a Taylor in Atlanta. I had this one the next week!

Action is tight and precise off the floor. Fishman pickup is fantastic. I had to constantly deal with feedback with my old axe. I cannot get this guitar to hum, and I have tried.

I would use this guitar on a gig with only an extra pack on srtings (the Elixer strings that come on Taylors are great btw..). This is the kind of guitar that will last a lifetime.

I requested a video from the Taylor web page and got it within a wek. This is my only dealing with the company.

I have been playing for 19 years. I own an '83 American made Strat, and Ibanez A/E, and a strumstick! If lost or stolen, I would cry, then replace ASAP. I compared this model with other Taylor models and actually preferred the tone of the 314, even though it is one of the least expensive models. I also compared to several Martins. After playing a Taylor, I have realized that Martins are difficult to play and have rather slow action. I also feel that Taylor has them beat in the sound quality department as well. They tend to be a little more pricy, but it is money well spent. I will probably never buy another A/E guitar!

This cut-away acoustic electric by Taylor was built in El Cajon, Ca. in December of '99. It's an all solid wood guitar with Sitka Spruce top and Sapele Mahogany back and sides as well as a mahogany neck.It is equipped with a Fishman Prefix pickup.The top is a gloss finish while neck, back and sides are satin.

I bought this guitar after studying various models with similar features.I play primarily fingerstyle with an occassional strum.The sound from this instrument is wonderful, the bass is there but not boomy like a dreadnought,the midrange is punchy and the trebles are clear and bell-like.Each note is distinctly heard.I have no negative response to the sounds this instrument is capable of.

The action of Taylor guitars are what led me to select one.I've found them to be one of the most easily playable of acoustic guitars.The workmanship of this guitar is great.No excess glue; everything fits.

This guitar seems to be solidly built of solid materials and I am sure it will withstand the rigors of being moved about.I would use this guitar without a backup with little worry.

My only dealings with the people at Taylor thus far were E-mail requests for their catalogue & video as well as a question concerning the construction of the neck.( Specifically, was my guitar equipped with the new design "NT"neck.) All responses were quick and polite. I have read testimonials about the good reputation this company has and have no reason to believe I would be treated otherwise in the future.

I have been playing on and off for thirty years; more seriously during the last 15 years. I have had Washburns and Epiphones in the past. There is little comparison to the quality in those guitars to this one. I would (after much wailing and gnashing of teeth)definitely replace this with another Taylor if it were lost or stolen.
I love the workmanship that apparently went into this guitar, I love its good looks,I love the ease of playing, and I love its clear musical tone.