Taylor Guitars 414-RCE 25th Anniversary

This guitar was made in the year 1999. Bought it on December 24, 1999 for the special purpose of celebrating millenium 2000. It was made by 100% solid wood. Not to mention back and side was rosewood while the fingerboard was ebony so as bridge. Nec was from mahogany.

Built in Fishman prefix. But I never really use the amp. Most of the time I will play it without using the amp. Because you simply need an expensive speaker to produce the "Taylor sound". Using an inexpensive speaker will not achieve that result. Won't be buying the a good quality speaker for this moment since that this guitar has already cost me a lot of money. Bought it in Ringgit Malaysia almost 9K and the required speaker will cost me Ringgit Malaysia 5K. And that's going to blow a hole in my wallet and piggy bank.

As I much prefer to play finger picking solo, I have to comment that the low action and the width of the fingerboard really suit for this purpose perfectly. The tone was also very balance. Good bass sustain. Rich and warm sound but not too loud compare to Jumbo or Dreadnought

Low action, ain't need any more set up for this. The distributor owner says that Fishman prefix pick up was excellent product but I never used it since I bought this baby. The back and side was properly satin finish, that's why the sound is a bit bright and warm. Since that it is not highly gloss ir lacqured or sprayed, I think I have to take extra cares of the back and side. I guess the satin finish can't really withstand the weather change and easily get scratched.

It's been 4 years now. And the headtuner is developing some sort of rust (hardly visible by naked eye but can feel with your finger). The guitar was lightweight. As they said the more expensive the guitar is, the more you have to take good care of it. No doubt it is. My guitar case is turning stain and rusty (the metal lock). Even the headstock (where written 25th Anniversary) was developing some kind of mark. The mark's colour is identical to mahogany color.

I really have doubt that this guitar can last for the next 10 years seeing that all these symptoms arises.

So far I've never tried to get it repaired cause I don't need one. I am staying in Malaysia, so one of the problem is that I cannot get a direct contact with the Taylor Company. I have to deal with the local distributor and I am kind of doubtful wheather the local distributor has that kind of expertise or skills to "cure" my guitar IF I really ever need one.

I have been playing guitar for less than 10 years. Overall I love this guitar very much and always pamper it. If this guitar was lost I will buy a Larivee provided if they sell it in Malaysia. But getting a Larivee here in Malaysia is really a pain. Guitar distributor in my country only have Taylor, Yamaha and Takamine. And yet, the selections of model is EXTREMELY LIMITED!!.

In my humble opinion I guess Larivee has much to offer. For example you can get a Larivee with mother of pearl inlay around USD2K BUT you get it from Taylor at that price. So I guess Larivee has much to offer compared to Taylor.

Will get a Jean Larivee someday.....!!

Built in January 2000, has the old neck (pre-NT)....top and neck are gloss finish, back and sides are satin....has 25th anniversary headstock (rosewood overlay), sitka spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides...Fishman Prefix electronics, grand auditorium with a cutaway, 1 3/4" neck, chrome grovers, SKG molded case....electronics do a good job of "matching" the acoustic sound...

I'm very impressed....the 800 series Taylor is the company standard (most like the original signature Talor for sound and construction woods) and this 414RCE is a poor man's 814CE...the sound is warmer and darker than my mahogany 510, with somewhat less individual note definition, but the chords sound more harmonically complementary...this particular guitar is almost 2 years old (I bought it used off of this site (Harmony Central)) and the top has developed very nicely.....no wolf tones, no buzzing,

The satin finish rosewood is very striking....two piece "book-matched" back and top....the sitka top has some interesting "blemishes", but overall has a very tight grain and good balance....there are no discernable irregularities in the finish (it has the standard 400 finish for 2000 Taylor's, which is pretty much a plain guitar)

The grovers are very solid, and the Fishman gives good access for battery replacement....I intend to play out with this axe, and it seems fit for the mission.

The street word is that Taylor is the best in this area. All my dealings (getting NT neck video, 97 Catalog)on the free side have been excellent, and I've had no service need to date.

30+ years playing, with a new re-invigoration this past year....Taylors are the best (sound, playability, construction, looks, overall quality) IMHO....consistency is amazing....Martin's never did it for me, and the rest are either low-end or hand-made and too much $$$$$.....have Hagstrom (73 double-f hole), Ovation AE Balladeer, Taylor 510, Ibanez AE18NT, Ibanez PF50 (1976), Washburn 12 string, Epiphone LP Standard, Marshall and Peavey amps