Taylor Guitars 414

New 2003 Taylor 414, no electronics, solid Spruce top, Ovangkol back and sides, Tropical American Mahogany neck with Ebony fretboard, pearl dot inlays, Grover tuners (extremely nice tuners!), gloss top and satin back and sides. I rated it a 10 not because it has a ton of features that I don't need, but because it has all of the features I do need!

Now for the most important part. I play EVERYTHING - a lot of Dave Matthews, but also blues fingerpicking, jazz finger strumming, and occassionally some Spanish guitar type stuff. This guitar is extremely versatile, it has a very balanced tone, meaning that not one string overpowers any of the others (I should mention that I am using the Elixir strings that are recommended for this guitar - I love Elixir strings because they have a rich tone, not harsh, and have a very smooth feel). This guitar suits my styles of music perfectly because of its versatility.

The actual tone of the guitar is very rich and full-bodied. Not really boomy like a dreadnought, but very full and rich, and balanced. This guitar REALLY comes alive when you fingerpick it, it responds to subtle touches extremely well - but at the same time it is a good strumming guitar too (maybe not as much as a dreadnought, but still a very good sound).

I tried this guitar against several other Taylors as well as several other guitars in general. Compared to the Taylor 314, this guitar is much richer - the 314 has a much more bright and trebly sound, which can be attributed to the Mahogany back and sides. Compared to the Taylor 714, the 414 seemed more "alive" in my hands, like the sound just jumped right out at me. The only other Taylor I tried out that sounded as good or maybe a bit better was a Taylor that had Walnut back and sides (think it was from the 700 series), but it was out of my budget. In addition to Taylors I also tried out Larrivee guitars -the L-03Koa, the California model, and the D-60 - all of which are extremely well-built and good-sounding guitars, but they just didn't have the same awesome sound that came from the 414. Also tried a newer (Fender-made) Guild, which seemed fairly dead sounding, and a Yairi Koa guitar, which had a really nice sound, but it just wasn't the same as the 414.

The action on this guitar is butter! I had heard so much about the smooth playability of Taylors, but it wasn't until I really tried them out that I found out how true it was! The playability of a Taylor guitar is unparalleled. Very smooth neck and good action.

The top and back woods are perfectly bookmatched, and the Ovangkol has a very slight flame to it, it is a very beautiful wood.

There were two small flaws in the finish - one was a VERY small (about the size of the tip of a needle) ding on the side, and one was a small (half the size of a split pea) area where the neck joins the body where the finish had a bubble in it, other than that I can't complain at all, it is flawless. Despite the two small flaws, I still rated it a 10, the guitar has a beautiful finish that I am SURE will last a life time if I keep it in good condition. Remember to keep the guitar at the proper humidity level, it's well worth it to buy a $20 digital hygrometer and a damp-it humidifier.

This guitar is very well built and seems quite sturdy and solid. It is fairly lightweight, but what do you expect - it's hollow! With proper care, this guitar should exceed my lifetime. I do not plan on driving over it with a car or using it as a punching bag - it is a beautiful instrument that I treat with respect.

I do not gig, but I have played live on a number of occassions with other instruments, and I don't see any reason not to take this one gigging. I would depend upon it without a backup, just spare strings.

Oh and the strap buttons are extremely solid! :)

My guitar is fairly new, only about a week old, so I haven't had any problems yet. But I have heard so much about the Taylor customer support, I am not concerned about it at all. I just hope I never have to find out how helpful they are! :)

I have been playing guitar for about 7 years, mainly electric guitar, but more recently really into acoustic. I do not think I could have gone with a better choice. There is no better feeling in the world then having accomplished all your work for the day, and in the quiet evening just sitting alone with your guitar, strumming happily - I get all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it :)

If any of you want to ask questions about it, my email is listed below and I couldn't be more happy to talk about my beauty. Another site that has helped me out a lot is the acoustic guitar forum, if you have any questions, these guys know about it. http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

God Bless and keep playing!

If this guitar were lost or stolen I would definitely get another one, if it sounded as good as the one I've got now. Of course I'd try to find the bastard who stole it in the first place and do mean and cruel things to him >:)

On a serious note, I tried out several guitars and none compared to this one in its price range, and several more expensive guitars couldn't compare either. If you are in the market for a Grand Auditorium style guitar for around $1,000, definitely check out the 414.

Many people seem to think this is an entry level guitar, or Ovangkol is a "value" wood. WRONG! This guitar is one of the most quality guitars I've played, and its sound is better than a couple of the $2,000 guitars I tried. And Ovangkol has it's own unique sound which I love dearly, and is also an extremely beautiful wood. I LOVE MY TAYLOR 414! :)

New 2003 Grand Auditorium. 6 strings. Solid Spruce top, ovangkol back/sides. Gloss on top, satin back/sides. Grover tuners, yada yada...

The guitar that I played at Guitar Center was fantastic tonally. Very rich, warm, clear, balanced tone. Ringing bell-like sustain. Definitely in my all-time top 5 best sounding guitars i've ever played... and I've played quite a few.

action, fit, finish?? Superb. Absolutely flawless.

This guitar doesn't possess that tank-like heft and feel of guilds, gibsons, or martins, but I imagine that with care it would last a long time. everything seems solid. The finish may or may not be in question... I have a friend who owns a Taylor dread (can't think of the model) and the finish has flaked badly around the soundhole. I've heard of other problems like this caused by hard picking, sweating, and Bob Taylor's commitment to tree-hugger friendly finishes ...who knows?

I've been playing 15 years and I own a bunch of basses, acoustic guitars, and amps from everyone's favorite manufacturers. Although I did not buy this guitar, it is most likely the next one that I will buy when I produce the 1200 bucks needed to take it home.

2002 414, very beautiful highly figured back and sides, no electronics

very beautiful when played softly, with emphasis on the higher register, but no bass punch to speak of. i would describe the sound as "glassy". as i flatpick, i couldn't deal with the lack of punch, so i sold it and bought a gibson.

very well set up, absolutely flawless. the sides were the most perfectly bookmatched i've ever seen, the back iridescent to the point that my son said it reminded him of a holographic pokeman card; coming from him, that's the ultimate compliment.

the satin finish was thin, but i guess that's why it's satin. i have no doubt that this guitar would have lasted a lifetime.

no experience...

a beautiful guitar, but seemed to lack something, so i sold it and bought a gibson songbird. if guitars were people, the taylor would be kenny g, but the gibson would johnny cash.

2002 414 with Sitka spruce top and Ovangkol back and sides. Ebony fretboard, bridge and bridge pins, mahogany neck, Grove tuners, Tusq nut and saddle. Not loaded with features, but what there is, is just right. GA body is very comfratble for couch playing. The Ovangkol on this one is quite dramatic.

Sound is warm and punchy when fingerpicked or finger strummed. It's a lot brighter when flatpicked. It's almost as though this guitar has two personalities, dark when using fingers, shimmery when picked. So, I like it because sometimes I'm in the mood to hear dark and deep, and others I want bright and ringing tones. This is a very good middle of the road guitar for playing a variety of music, but not a bluegrasser's dream.

The action, fit and finish on this guitar are astonishingly good. The construction is flawless, the action just right and the neck very comfortable. The frets are well finished and dressed. Lives up to Taylor's reputation for beauty.

Everything about this guitar appears solid. Like any solid wood guitar, it is prone to changes in humidity, but with care that can be controlled. Hardware, ebony fretboard will surely stand the test of time. Strap buttons will never come off!

Customer support is fast and responsive. They really make you feel as if they care.

I've been playing for many years, but more seriously for the last 5 to 6. I love the feel, shape, playability and great looks of this guitar. I compared it to Martin OM -21, OOO-16GT Taylor 314, 410 and Larrivee L-03, L-05. These are all great guitars. the 414 just hit the right chord with me for playability, versatility and comfort of playing.

2002 414 GA fantastic smooth mahogany neck and solid wood construction throughout. Grover tuners, Ebony board and bridge simple yet elegant guitar. Great finish work and craftsmanship in this beauty.

I play all types of music from Jim Croce to Extreme to Oasis and this guitar can do everything I ask it to do. Perfect for fingerpicking and a beautiful tone and brilliant highs especially when strumming open notes. I probably would have opted for the CE model with Fishman but at the steal of a deal I received it just didn't make sense.

The guitar has no finish or set up flaws but the action was a little high for my taste. I took 1/32" off the saddle and the guitar is now perfect to the touch. When I mean the finish and fit had no flaws, I mean NONE. The guitar was put together really well. Nothing else really compared in the list price range I was searching and even in the 3K range they still didn't compare.

The one reason I was leaning towards Taylor is due to there workmanship and quality. I take good care of my instruments and I do not perform live so this baby should last a lifetime.

Have not had to deal with anyone because I have not any issues. The Taylor website is fantastic for research and tips to take care of your instrument. For that reason alone I will give it a 10.

I have literally tried a hundred guitars looking for the cream of the crop from $500 to $3500. What sold me on this guitar was briliant highs and sustain it possesed. I narrowed it down to the Larrivee
OM-10, Larrivee D05, Taylor 414CE, and Taylor 414. Although the Larrivee sounded good and is a great guitar it just didn't feel as tight and sturdy as the Taylor. For the money I paid 499.00 including a hardshell case I couldn't pass up the 414. There was a special sale running at the store and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
I also wanted to have an American made guitar first, Canandian second, and dare I say it Korean last. If you are budget strained and do not have the extra clean ones for a $1000.00 guitar, I would reccomend the Ibanez AE Dread. It played really well, had a fishman and looked like it was well made for around $450.00

My Taylor 414 is a 2001 model, with no electronics. The features have been covered in other posts.

My sound varies. I make my living as a film/tv composer which requires and enormous amount of variety. I also write songs with several artists and have recently been involved with producing a female singer songwriter. This guitar sounds beautiful! I went to the Guitar center in LA with $4,000.00 to spend on a guitar. I literally tried every guitar in the store over a three day period with a trusted friend/session musician. Trying not to look at price/model we selected 5 guitars based on sound. 2 Taylors, 1 Larevee, a Martin and a vintage Martin were selected. The vintage martin was out of my range at $15,000. We had them restring the other guitars and hands down we thought the 414 was the best sounding guitar. Because of its mid price point I went ahead and took three guitars home to record and decide and again the 414 won even over the 814ce. I don't know if just got a gem or what but I LOVE THIS GUITAR!!!!

Perfect.

I don't play live however I would think this would withstand live playing. This is a solid guitar! I had a little problem with the one of the tuning pegs which Taylor took care of through a repair shop. Great service!

I wish all companies were as easy to deal with.

I have been play for 20+ years and own an extensive home protools studio. I would cry for days if this guitar were stolen. I would replace it but I don't know that it can be replaced.

This Taylor 414 was produced in March 2002. It has all the appointments of a 414. However, this one is unique in that it has a sort of flamed Ovangkol, highly figured, sides unlike any I have seen in 4 years of trying out the Taylors at the dealer. Also, the spruce top has a lot of straight uniformed bear claw running side to side (not at all angles). No electronics. No side dot markers on the 15th and 17th fret. The ovangkol wood has a strange smell.

This guitar suits my style of fingerpicking with open tunings. This 414 has stereo chorus and natural reverb in it's sound. It covers all the dynamics evenly when doing solo digital recording (reduces the amound of EQ and effects processing). It is loud and projects well (the body is a deep as a dreadnought). Also, the scalloped bracing allows for phrasing and varing the volume of the attack. Each string sustains well, and does not cut through eachother. The sound is like the mixed down tracks of slack key guitars recorded on the Dancing Cat Label.

The set up is great. Initialy the action was very low. After a few months, the wood settled in and the action is a little higher, just how I like it. Great for strong attacks, and phrasing. Intonation is perfect. The Spruce top is not book matched. However, it has a lot of long straight uniformed bear claw, unlike any I have seen. The quality of wood and luthiership is of the highest caliber. I would like to see how flamed ovangkol looks with a gloss finish. Nevertheless, it is a beauty.

With the new neck technology, I hope to have this guitar a lifetime. I wonder how well the structural integrity of Ovangkol will endure the various changes of humidity over the next 20 years? Will the ovangkol get darker with age? I take this guitar to the beach and anywhere I play unplugged. Fret changing will be more difficult with the plastic binding.

Did not use the customer support. Limited Lifetime Warranty

I have played guitar for over 25 years. This is my 2nd Taylor Guitar. I have owned a Rainsong, several rosewood Martins, and various electric solid body Gibsons during my early years. I have tried all levels of Taylors (except presentation series), and this 414 has everything I wanted in a guitar. To my ears, it sounds better that any high end acoustic guitar I have tried in the last 4 years. Some say the 414 is Taylor's middle of the line. But I feel, once you combine high quality woods and innovative bracing/construction with a skillfull luthier, you get a superior sounding instrument. I waited 4 years to run into this one.

If you've never held a Taylor in your hands, you don't know what you're missing. Solid construction, sweet tone that really brings out the bass in my grooves, low action. Unreal. And the 414 is only middle of the road for Taylor!

Tone is amazing. My wife (who was skeptical that I needed to drop more than a grand on one guitar) heard me playing from the next room and came in just to tell me that in 10 seconds she decided it was worth it.

Low action, UV sealed finish on sides, neck. Very smooth play and solid feel on the neck.

This is the only acoustic guitar I will ever need. Unless I decide I can afford another Taylor.

I would replace it in a heartbeat. I bought it from a friend of a friend--and I wasn't seriously thinking about it until I heard him play it.

Mine is a 2001 model 414. My first Taylor. The features of this guitar have been covered in the posts below and are also available on the Taylor website at www.taylorguitars.com. I give this guitar a very solid 10 in this category for one simple reason - it is extremely high quality. Keep in mind that this is one of the lower end Taylor guitars - and as you move up the spectrum the features increase as does the price. However, this is an outstanding guitar, especially given the price. This is a solid wood guitar, made of quality tonewoods and constructed in the same fashion and design as the higher end Taylors. I would challenge anyone to find a better quality guitar or a guitar with better features at this price. It came with a hardshell case.

The sound and playability are what sold me on this guitar. I use is almost exclusively for fingerpicking.

Again sound and playability sold me. If you have not tried one, you owe it to yourself.

I give this a 10, not from personal experience, but from the fact that through the Taylor Forum www.taylorguitarforum.com I have been in contact with many Taylor owners and these seem to be very solid guitars. Also, Taylor has a very innovative neck design. They have a free video available through their website. After detailing the new neck design, one of the Taylor technicians demonstrates a neck reset which takes less than 5 minutes.

Lifetime warranty. I am told outstanding customer service.

I have been playing for about 25 years. I also own a Martin D-28. While I love my Martin for its big boom and tonal qualities, I will tell you that the Taylor plays like butter compared to the Martin. The Taylor has a different voice - much brighter sound and great for finger style. Would I buy it again if it were lost or stolen? In a heartbeat.

I bought my Taylor in December of 99 as a graduation gift to myself. I bought it from the Guitar Center here in Boston. If you're not familiar with this model already, the guitar is a grand auditorium, somewhat smaller than a dreadnought but large enough to pack a punch. The top is solid spruce and glossed, the back and sides are satin ovangkol, and the neck is satin as well, though I'm not sure what wood they use there. The guitar features a tasteful but not ostentatious pickguard and plastic (I believe) binding around the top. The guitar has everything I need, but I can't in good conscience give it a 10 given the fact that it certainly lacks some luxurious appointments.

I absolutely love this guitar. I'm a strummer at heart, with the occasional urge to go fingerpicking happy. For two years, I played dreadnought after dreadnought, including Martins (D35 and D28), Taylors (810), Gibsons, Larivees, Seagulls, and Tacomas. In that time, I actually purchased a Larivee for $900, but I promptly returned it. After a long time, I set my heart on the Taylor 810, and I coughed up the courage to set down $1800 for it. The day I went to buy it, I picked up the 410 for kicks, and I fell in love with it. First of all, I had assumed that since I was a strummer, I would like dreadnoughts, but the grand auditorium solved all the boominess problems while still maintaining volume, expressiveness, and some sparkle for good measure. Secondly, the ovangkol is sort of the average between rosewood and mahogany, though it tends to be the best of both worlds. Personally, I found rosewood to be a bit covered in sound, but mahogany is far too brittle. Ovangkol is rosewood with shimmer, mahogany with depth. Great for everything, bad in nothing.

Lastly, relative to Martins or Gibsons, the Taylor has a very forward sound. It seems just a little more lively, a little brighter.

The guitar was set up very well (otherwise, I wouldn't have fallen in love with it). I'm not too picky in this area, so as long as the setup is decent and the action reasonably low, I'm game. The neck is fast, due to the satin finish. If you haven't played a taylor neck, you owe it to yourself to do so. I may have preferred the cutaway, but who cares? Fretwork was beautiful, finish was beautiful.

I give this an 8 only because it's not the strongest guitar ever. Being a quality acoustic, it is sensitive to humidity, so maintenance is important. Craftsmanship is great. No complaints.

Very, very helpful. Never had any work done, but they answer all my questions in detail.

I absolutely love this guitar. At this price, you can't buy a better all-around guitar. At any price, I challenge you to find a better value. I don't think I'll ever use anything but a Taylor 414 or 414Ce, and I'm positive that I'll never stray from Taylor in general.