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Taylor Guitars 314-CE

Summary
Price New Taylor Guitars 314-CE @ Musician's Friend
Manufacturer URL http://www.taylorguitars.com/
Features 8.9 (38 responses)
Sound 9.2 (39 responses)
Action, Fit, & Finish 9.4 (36 responses)
Reliability/Durability 9.2 (35 responses)
Customer Support 8.8 (24 responses)
Overall Rating 9.1 (37 responses)
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Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1100
Submitted 08/02/2002 at 10:08am by Anonymous

Features : 7
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

Sound : 9
Clean bright snappy base and bell ilke sound

Action, Fit, & Finish : 8
OK. fit

Reliability/Durability : 8
OK

Customer Support : 8
Not well for international service , I ever ask to their web but no answer I got.

Overall Rating : 8
Compare more than 2 if you want to buy


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1100
Submitted 06/15/2002 at 03:58pm by Anthony Rivers
Email: nene_rivers<at>yahoo dot com

Features : 9
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.

Sound : 9
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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).

Customer Support : No Opinion
Never dealt with Taylor yet; I hear they're great in the customer support department. It's never needed repairs.

Overall Rating : 10
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1188.99
Submitted 02/21/2002 at 07:39pm by Dave
Email: none

Features : 9
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.

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9
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

Reliability/Durability : 9
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

Customer Support : 10
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

Overall Rating : 9
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $999.00
Submitted 02/09/2002 at 06:53am by Ron
Email: none

Features : 10
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.

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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

Customer Support : 10
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.

Overall Rating : No Opinion
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1200
Submitted 11/24/2001 at 10:30am by Steven

Features : 10
2001 USA made solid wood construction w/ ebony fretboard & bridge and Fishman electronics. Gloss spruce top, satin mahogany back, sides, neck. Cutaway, Grover tuners.

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
I don't gig, but I believe this guitar would have no problems. Very well built.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Have not dealt w/ cust support

Overall Rating : 10
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1,150
Submitted 09/06/2001 at 02:55pm by Adam

Features : 9
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.

Sound : 9
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
The action is typical Taylor. PERFECT. This guitar was great right from the start. No problems what so ever.

Reliability/Durability : 9
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!

Customer Support : 9
Very nice and answers question promptly.

Overall Rating : 9
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 08/28/2001 at 12:56am by N. Degler

Features : 10
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.

Sound : 10
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.......

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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.

Customer Support : No Opinion
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......

Overall Rating : 10
There is nothing like a Taylor. Baby, 900 series......wonderful.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1050
Submitted 07/28/2001 at 09:06pm by Anonymous
Email: staggerlee101<at>aol dot com

Features : 9
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?

Sound : 10
i play alot of kotke type stuff and unplugged its perfect. plugged in it could use a tiny tweek. couldn't afford th leo

Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
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.

Reliability/Durability : No Opinion
seems pretty good to me. only had it a month but no worries its a taylor

Customer Support : 10
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.

Overall Rating : 10
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1130.00
Submitted 06/24/2001 at 08:32pm by Mike Melton
Email: melton_m at msn<dot>com

Features : 10
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.

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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...

Customer Support : No Opinion
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...

Overall Rating : 10
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!


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1,100
Submitted 06/21/2001 at 12:07am by Ryan
Email: Ryandavis88 at hotmail<dot>com

Features : 8
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.

Sound : 9
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Ive never had to deal with Taylor

Overall Rating : 9
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1010.00
Submitted 06/09/2001 at 09:28pm by Sue Wood
Email: sueb4jesus<at>juno dot com

Features : 8
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.

Sound : 9
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
I play live with this guitar twice a week for over a year and have never had a problem.

Customer Support : 10
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!

Overall Rating : 10
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1100
Submitted 04/03/2001 at 11:01am by Garrett in Chicago

Features : 8
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

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 8
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.

Reliability/Durability : 8
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.

Customer Support : 8
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.

Overall Rating : 9
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.


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1200
Submitted 03/06/2001 at 03:30pm by Joe
Email: SewperCoat<at>yahoo dot com

Features : 10
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...

Sound : 10
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, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 10
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.

Customer Support : No Opinion
I requested a video from the Taylor web page and got it within a wek. This is my only dealing with the company.

Overall Rating : 10
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!


Product: Taylor Guitars 314-CE
Price Paid: US $1188.00
Submitted 03/06/2001 at 02:51pm by Steve Wildermuth
Email: remnant at mhonline<dot>net

Features : 9
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.

Sound : 10
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.

Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
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.

Reliability/Durability : 9
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.

Customer Support : 9
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.

Overall Rating : 9
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.

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