Taylor Guitars 414-CE

I like the features of the guitar. I wish it didn't draw the batteries down just by being plugged in. Maybe a switch could be incorporated.

The sound is great. It still sounds better unplugged in my opinion.

Playes well. Good action for an accoustic

My experience has not been a pleasant one in this department. About 9 months after purchase the pickups came unglued causing a harsh sound. Like dragging a live mic on the floor. It took 8 weeks to get the guitar back. Now my electronics are dead. No signal. (Yes I've changed the batteries and checked the cord). Hving to use it mic'd because I have obligations to fulfill. so far my experience has been that this is an unreliable instrument. You had better have a backup.

I took it back the first time to the dealer where I purchased it and they sent it back to Taylor for repairs. Like I said it took 8 weeks. they must have a lot of them coming back. I have not sent it back as of yet for the second repair because I have obligations through the end of the month and will use it mic'd. I really need it every week. If I could trade it I would.

I have been playing semi pro for over 30 years. I have a Yari acoustic cutaway. G&L ASAT electric. I like the sound of the Taylor but if this one were stolen I go and buy something else. I play every week and I bought this guitar because it sounded good plugged in. I need a dependable instrument and this isn't it.

The 414 I have comes with solid Spruce top and solid Avankol sides and back. It has a gloss finish on the top and a less polished satin finish on the sides, back and neck. Would I like to have the gloss all around? Sure, but it doesn't make it sound any better so I saved a little $$ with this model. It has the Expression System preamp installed which does away with the ugly plastic control box that used to get slapped into the side of the guitar. This is a great system and very innovative. Kudos to Taylor for starting a revolution in the acoustic pickup world. The sound when plugged into the PA system is unbeatable. I don't use acoustic amps and I started back when you had to mic the flat top and listen to it squeal most of the set. I can't say enough good about this pickup. Didn't even know what it was when I bought the guitar. I loved the sound of the guitar so much when I first played it, that I didn't even plug it in to see what the three little knobs on the side did! I owned a Martin D18 for 35 yrs. and this Taylor's sound made me flashback to the first time I ever played the D18. I suppose that I could wish for a more professional feel from the tuners, but I'm sure Taylor uses what is available in the market and doesn't make their own brand. It came with a custom fit hard shell case that is the best I've seen.

Drop dead gorgeous sound that inspired me from the first note I played. Is it perfect for every type of song? No, but there are certain physical limitations to every object on this big rock and water planet. Is it manufactured in some geeks garage where he toils and sweats on the wood to insure the exact tone that Stratovarius created in his violins? No, I believe that Taylor uses lots of computer controlled machines to get precise tollerance on the parts. Well, whatever dude. It's made in the best country in the world, the USA and I'll put my own sweat on it. I can't argue with success. The tone from the Avankol wood, which I'm told is from Africa, is unique and delicious on highs, lows and in-betweens. To me, it sounds better strummed than finger picked and it comes alive when you turn it loose with strong strokes ala Stephen Stills and David Crosby.

This Taylor 414 came perfectly set up right as it hung from the wall of my local geetar store. Would I change the action? Maybe one or two frog hairs lower, but I'm not gonna obsess over it. Feels good, looks good and the hard shell case keeps it from harm. If you like to spank it all set like Richie Havens at Woodstock, then the pickguard will be too small for you. The satin finish on the sides and back are ok. Actually the sides look cool with the satin. The back I would prefer to have gloss but you are saving money with the less polished satin finish.

I have only owned this guitar for a couple months so I don't know the long term outcome. Taylor gives you good info on how to care for it so that should help keep it purring along.

I have not had to ask for warranty service but I am told that Taylor does a good job and they try to make their customers happy. With the quality of materials and workmanship as high as it is on this guitar, it should be easy for Taylor service people to tell if you have mistreated the axe.

I have been playing guitar for about 40 yrs. I have owned all the name brands and played a D18 for over 30 yrs. As I said earlier, there are physical limitations to everything you can have and hold. That being the law of nature, I would say this Taylor guitar is as close to perfection as any guitar I have every seen or played. I don't know how you could do any better at any price except for maybe side stuff like who made the tuners and having the extra time to put a gloss finish on the whole thing. I recommend this companie's instruments highly now that I own one myself. Take your time though, and play a bunch of different ones until you find the one that feels just right. Happy trails

2006 414 CE Grand Auditroium with 1 3/4" Mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, ebony bridge, solid Sitka top, solid Ovangkol sides and back. Made in the USA. Solid Tuners. Specially designed Expression System. An active low impedence system with volume, bass and treble controls placed through the body with only the knobs showing, no big ugly plastic box and cutout in the body. A neck humbucking pickup is mounted under the fingerboard with 2 microphones attatched to the top. Case included. If you like the brittle sound of peizo saddle pickups then don't get this guitar. When EQ'd properly it gets a pristine studio sound, not harsh. This is a 3 volt system that uses 2 AA batteries conviently replaced externally at the but of the guitar, easy access. Bottom line, this guitar sounds and plays great! The wide neck is perfect for finger style and jazz not for strumming and chording only.

This guitar has the expression system which is low impedence. The supplied cord is TRS to XLR, no DI required to plug into a board. The sound is excellent if you follow the instructions supplied on the DVD that comes with the guitar. It has slight overtone ring on higher strings when played hard, avoid beating on any instrument when amplified. Acoustically it has a perfect sound for my taste. Deep snappy bass and clear articulate highs, never hash, absoulutly no fret buzz.

This guitar is a product of high tech manufacturing. CNC routers do most of the work. The neck is a bolt on which to me was a big turn off at first. Because of CNC absoulte accuracy pieces fit together seamlessly. The neck has a laid up heel and the head is finger jointed much like inexpensive trim you would put around a door facing. It is not old world craftsmanship but it is solid. All of the body woods are solid but look to be AA grade. This is a plain jane looking guitar. I wasn't going for looks but sound. Action was good but I always re-adjust when necessary. I didn't like the minimal finish on the back and sides at first but I am learning to appreciate it. The satin finish on the 1 3/4" neck is fast. The Ebony Fretboard is excellent.

Solid wood guitars need special care to keep humidity levels around 46%. You will need a hygrometer and guitar humidifier to keep it in top shape. Natrural finish should wear longer than high gloss because it will no dent as easy. Tuners look beefy, strap buttons are adequate. No backup required.

Still under free extended warranty.

I have been playing 40+ years. I own many other guitars, Gibson Les Paul Double Cut, Gibson SST, Epiphone Emperor, Yamaha Classical etc..
When I sit and play steel string acoustic it is usually finger style. This guitar was built for finger style players, if you are a strummer beater do not buy this guitar! I went to Guitar Center for about 6 months and played everything they had over and over. No other guitar could come close to the acoustic or electric sound of this guitar. Not Gibson, and I love Gibsons, not Breedlove or Martin. This thing really costs too much for the type of construction but it is made in the USA and I don't mind paying for that.

Made in 2001 with the fishman prefix plus, which is a good pickup, though nowhere near the expression system now supplied with this model. I own three Taylors so I know them pretty well. Solid Ovangkol back and sides and spruce top. I don't really think ovangkol is a good guitar wood. It lacks warmth and is a bit "hard" sounding. The guitar is very comfortable to play, with the cutaway, yada yada. It's a nice small guitar and I think I paid about $1350 for it new. At the time I bought it it would score a 9 for features, but the fishman is outdated now, so I'll give it a 7.

I bought if for my finger picking, and it handles that very well, especially when plugged into a P.A. Not a lot of quack or rubber band sound. However, unplugged the ovangkol is just not a finger picker's cup of tea. Not a lot of resonance. Unplugged it's a 6, plugged into a P.A. it's a 7.

Well, it is a Taylor, and they are very carefully made guitars. The action is very good, perfect for finger picking, the finish is very good and the Ovangkol is a very pretty wood to look at, especially if you get a piece with unusual markings, which I got. The Taylor nut: always a problem as they are sharp at the edges and you need to file them down. I don't know why they haven't noticed this. But it's easy to do with a good nail file. Takes about 30 seconds to take the sharp edge off. The fretboard, after three years, began to very slightly crack along the 17th fret, but it doesn't seem to have any effect. I rarely get up there anyway, but it shouldn't happen to a good guitar. The pickguard is... it lightly lifts at one spot. But it is a very well made guitar despite these minor flaws.

I abuse this thing, but not to excess, and it is holding up very well. Everything is still solid, though it is time for a really good set up and some of the frets are wearing. The Fishman pickup still works very well. Taylors are reliable and durable products. Period.

Never dealt with them, and because of all the warnings about humidity which come with the guitar, I've been afraid to call them about the slight crack in the fretboard, lest they blame me.

Been playing on and off for over twenty years. Also own an 855ce (12 string) and the jumbo 815ce both with the expression system and they are just fantastic guitars. Also own a Yamaha LL500 which is an absolutely amazing guitar. Other lesser guitars which need no comment. I would not buy this guitar again, don't like the ovangkol, but with the expression system it might be worth it. Better going into the 500 series. But, hey, don't get me wrong, this is still a very good guitar. It is, however, limited to fingerpicking only. Not enough power for any significant strumming. There are more versatile guitars out there.

Build quality is th ebest in the business.

Bourght it from Guitar Mania and they have always been very helpful. I have to give a mention to the 2 guys there Chris Farley and Jon Rabbets. Guitar Mania is about the only shop I've ever come across who know how to listen to customers and take a real interest in my needs. Superb customer support.

The guitar is fantastic and after trying out a Gibson and a Martin it was no comparison to the Taylor. The build quality is simply the best. Now I'm saving up for a PRS to match which I will also get from Guitar Mania

This is a 2003 special edition Grand Auditorium with cutaway and Expression System. According to Taylor customer service, only 441 were made (I called and asked). It has sitka spruce top with solid rosewood sides and back (which is a beautiful three piece). Gloss top with satin back and sides and the ES. For all intents and purposes it is an 814ce without the fancy trim (same tonewoods but no trim upgrades). Plain white fiber body and fretboard binding and soundhole rosette. Pearl dots for fret markers. Mahogany neck with ebony fretboard, rosewood headstock overlay , and chrome Taylor tuners. The spruce and rosewood may not be the AAA grade of the 814ce but the tonal quality is the same.

I love the woods but the satin finish is something I need to have grow on me (figuratively speaking of course).

For the model, this one offers much more in features than the stock 414ce of that year. They didn't make the ES standard in their 300 and higher models until 2004. The upgraded wood is wonderful (Standard 414ce is Ovangkol back and sides). This is definately an upgraded model. Alot of features for the money even for the standard model.

Wonderful tonal sound. All the Grand Auditorium models went through a complete re-voicing in recent years. The signature Taylor tone is remendeous and consistent throughout all their Grand Auditoriums. It's a matter of a difference in tonewoods. Like I mentioned, this is just a stripped dopwn version of the 814ce. Tone and playability are identical.

This is a tremendous fingerstyle and medium strumming workhorse. If you want to strum like your killing rats then get a dread. But in Open G and DADGAD I fall in love all over again with it each time. Through my Ultrasound AG50DS2, it just sounds great.

I also have a 514ce (Cedar and Mahogany) and there is such a difference between the two, each has it's own tonal beauty and fingerprint. It's like the difference between children. You love both equally because they each are special in their own way and for their own reasons.

The rosewood adds a deeper and fuller sound. The sitka adds enough crispness and punch to bring out the highs. Very well balanced. Like I mentioned, a nice difference from my 514ce but no more or less beautiful.

I give it an 8 opnly because I find that the ES can be a little too "hot". What I mean is that it can act as a microphone and pick up every little brush against it. I attribute this perhaps to the satin finish which is obviously not as smooth as the gloss on my 514ce and seems to accentuate any incidental contact with the guitar. I've played ES guitars with gloss finishes and have not experienced the incidental noises near as much. Like I said, It may just be the nature of the satin finish and also a matter of personal preference.

Set up is typical Taylor. Low action and pert-near perfect. The NT neck design is fantastic. The ES is great, but as I mentioned, it can be a little "hot". I've found that a good preamp or DI box can soften it nicely.

Woods were beautiful. Not the AAA of the higher 814ce or 914ce but very beautiful. Slight bearclaw on the top is actually a nice plus. Back and sides are beautiful.

No flaws that I can see. Excellent attention to detail. Quality control is top notch. I'm still undecided on the satin finish. It's nice in it's own way with absolutely no flaws. This is the first satin finished guitar I've ever owned. The 9 is simply based on my undecided opinion of the finish.

This is a workhorse guitar. Well built, and should be typical Taylor durability. I gig with my 514ce constantly at church and local coffee houses and have had absolutlely no issues. I expect no less from my 414ce.

I have two Taylors and gig with both of them. I use a back up only because things happen such as batteries dying and strings breaking (I broke a string during the middle of a set and didn't have time to restring so I switched guitars).

It's extremely rock solid and dependable but common sense would rarely let me gig without a backup.

Taylor customer support is superb and they answer every question. Taylor obviously believes that satisfied customers buy more guitars rather than replace them. Lots of people like me own more than one.

I've been playing for over 30 years and played everything from Martins to Ovations to Takamines. Taylors fit my playing style the best. If lost or stolen, I'd definately replace it with another Taylor. I'm just not sure I'd stay with the satin finish. This finish is beautiful but just not the same. It's something I'll need to let grow on me and is only a matter of personal preference.

This is a 2002 Taylor 414ce with ovangkul back and sides and sitka spruce top. Not too many fancy features on this guitar, but then again it a lower end Taylor. Included is the Fishman matrix pickup.

Classic Taylor "treble" sound and intonation. Not as deep as a Collings or Martin, but perfect for my taste.

Playability is quite awesome. Action is low enough as to allow comfort when playing but not low enough for buzzing to occur.

Has this guitar for approximately 3 years now and the guitar is in mint condition. This is an "in house" for my pleasure and is never used for gigs. However, I'm sure this guitar would handle well in a gig environment.

Customer service is top notch. No complaints here.

I've been playing for about 5 years now and this guitar was my first high end guitar. I've recently orderd a custom black Taylor 614c with Florentine cutaway, but my 414ce will surely not lose any playing time.

This guitar is a Taylor 414ce-L7. Built in 2004, it is part of the limited run with solid rosewood back and sides. None of the "fu-fu" appointments. It is a working man's guitar; however, it is also a beautiful instrument. Expression System. Grand Auditorium body.

Classic Taylor sound. Not as much emphasis on the lower registers as a Martin. I think that Taylor has a very distinct intonation.

Plays like butter. Set-up well from the factory. A lot of bearclaw in the spruce top.

Seem's very solid.

N/A

I've been playing for over 30 years. I tried a large variety of guitars and found the Taylor to be the best guitar for the money and my needs. The expression system sounds very acceptable recorded direct since my home studio is not the quietest. The intonation and harmonic structure of this instrument suits my tastes well. This is a guitar that sits in a rock mix very well.

This is a 2003 414 ltd L-5 with an added on fully body gloss...so it's practically an L-2 lol. It's solid indian rosewood with a solid spruce top. It uses the Expression system witch is unique to Taylor guitars only.Chrome tuners, mother of pearl dot inlays. It's a players guitar, no extra abalones shells or other jewlery crap. Which is good

It's great, the x14 is good for finger picking and medium strumming. All taylors have a bright sound. It focuses on the highs and mids. If you want lows get a martin or maton. but the best thing is...this guitar sounds just as good as a 800 series which is almost 1500 dollars more. The difference? 800 series use AAA or AA indian wood. that's purely cosmeticaly. There are no tonal qualities differences...you can actually ask any Taylor clinician that and they will agree...I had mine verified by chris proctor. I don't give it a 10 because on songs that require thick heavy bass...taylors just can't compete.

taylor action is very good. Plays like an electric some might say. My spruce top is alright fairly even grains but too many bearclaws. The rosewood is book matched on each of it's 2 piece sides...very nice looking. The only flaw the guitar has is that...nope doesn't have any!!

Lol I actually chipped off a weeny part of the binding because I had a zipper on my resting leg where I put the guitar on but no big deal. It's built tough, the bracing is very good and will out last me. Overall very reliable. I don't give it a 10 beacause relibility and durability depend on the user mostly...

CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS BEST IN THE INDUSRTY.

My gear includes:
Takamine S-35
Epiphone SG-300 Gothic finish
Taylor 307GB
Taylor 414RCE
If this guitar was stolen...I wouldn't buy another taylor...I'm actually thinking about a morgan guitar they are pretty good. TAylor has been cheapening their lines a lot recently. Taking off possdle cases, Groover Tuners, and now the neck binding on the 400 series...bad taylor...For more information about taylors you can e-mail me. I've sold several taylor to many folks and they seemed satisfied at the time.

2004 Brand New Taylor 414ce, 20 frets, with the Ovangkol wood. Expression electronics are unbelievable. Beautiful back and sides on this guitar, chrome taylor tuners. Comes with the standard taylor hardshell case, a $300 case and the taylor 1/4 inch to xlr chord which is a $40 value in itself.
I do wish they had more decoration on the guitar itself, sounds great, and looks beautiful, but i would have been happy to spend a little more for some abalone inlays and more intricate fret inlays

Taylor continues to blow the competition away, the bright, crisp sound is amazing on this guitar. Plays like no other, expression pickups keeps that pure acoustic tone no matter how loud you turn it up. For any guitar player playing pop, rocks, funk, this is the guitar for you.

action is unbelievable. only taylor come make an acoustic play this sweet, only problems encountered is the button holding the battery in was damaged and taylor is sending me a replacement part free of charge.

the best, if you buy any Taylor 400 series and up, don't plan on needing a new guitar for a very long time. I plan to be playing this guitar for decades.

If you have ever dealt with Taylor you know they not only make a great product but stand by that product. Great technical support, warranty is for two years

I have been playing for three years now, and buying the Taylor 414ce was a dream come true, a guitar strong and sturdy enough to go anywhere, reliable enough for any gig. I have played a lot of guitars, Martins, Taylors, and the 414ce sounds like the best of the best.