Taylor Guitars 414

I've had this guitar for 6 years now, after briefly owning several other acoustic guitars (Takamine, Gibson, Larrivie, Martin), and it has become an amazing sound machine. I've played it literally every day since I got it, and it just keeps opening up and sounding better. Honestly, I've never experienced anything like it. Deep, rich bass tones, round mids, and sparkly highs. This guitar is very sensitive, and sounds good at any volume. When fingerpicking, each note stands out. When strumming, I can go from very soft to thunderingly loud, and still retain great tone. I feel terrible for the guy whose guitar started throwing ugly overtones as it opened up, but that's definitely not my experience. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I wouldn't replace it, I'd kill myself.

If I remember correctly, the factory set up was slightly off. The neck was too straight, causing buzzing. A quick turn of the truss rod fixed it. The elixir strings sounded great to me. I'm currently using D'Addario Bronzes, which sparkle a bit more. Otherwise, beautiful, no flaws. Well, no flaws originally - I've banged it up a bit since then.

This guitar is a workhorse. I've banged it up, dropped it, smacked it against tables, lost it when drunk, and it just seems to keep on keeping on. It is not as pretty as it once was, but it handles abuse well, and is just about impossible to pull out of tune.

n/a

I've been playing music since childhood, and playing in various types of bands for over 20 years. When I was shopping for an acoustic, I tried every acoustic guitar in the Bay Area, it seems, before I found the 414. I picked it up, strummed it for a few minutes, and new absolutely that this was the guitar for me. I currently own an Ibanez Artcore AS73, a Prudencio Saez Model 8 Spanish guitar, several basses, several amps, including a Mesa Boogie Purple Stripe. If I had to choose between having all of the other gear, or just this one guitar, I'd choose the 414. It is literally the best guitar I've ever seen.

Taylor 414 SN# 20050104047

Specs:
Type/Shape: Grand Auditorim
Back and Sides: Ovangkol
Top: Sitka Spruce
Sound Hole Rosette: Wood Fiber
Neck: Tropical Amercian Mahogany
Fret Board: Ebony
Fret Board Inlay: Large Pearl Dots
Headstock Overlay: Idian Rosewood
Binding: White Fiber
Bridge: Ebony
Nut and Saddle: TUSQ
Tuning Machines: Chrome Taylor Tuners
Strings: Elixer Light Nanoweb
Scale Length: 251/2 inches
Truss Rod: Adjustable
Nut width at nut: 1 3/4
Bracing: Scalloped, X Brace
Finsh: Satin with Gloss
Cutaway: N/A
Electronics: B-Band (added later not sock)
Body Width: 4 5/8 inches
Body Depth: 20 inches
Over All Length: 41 inches

I'm a blues, Rock, Jazz, with country and Bluegrass background. The 414 sounds very good. I had done a few changes to it, do to I wanted a more round and high in the tone. I had the TUSQ nut and Saddle removed and had a Bone nut and Saddle installed. This mad a world of difference for me. I also changed the ebony pins to bone pins. I got really pissed when changing string. The ebony pins would always pop up and I would have to keep holding them down untill fully tuned. After these simple changes the 414 is a 10. I use a Braggs DI and http://www.pendulumaudio.com/SPS-1.html. I go into the PA. I have found these system very good. For studio nothing beats a mic. I didn't care for the elxir strings. I use Thomastik-Infeld Spectrum Bronze. These are excellent strings and also mad the guitar come alive.

The guitar from the factory was okay for a Bluegrass player. I'm not that type of player. I have a light touch and use pick and fingers. I had to get it setup for my touch. This is the norm for any guitar. Finsh is excellent! No Flaws I have found, and I'm picky on this. Like I stated above made changes. Bone nut, saddle and pins. I don't like guitars with pickup systems do to I have my own voice. I tryed a lot of Acoustic pickup systems and went with the B-Band A2.2 system.

The 414 is very well constructed. I really like the dove tail joint at the headstock to neck. This joint is the most stable joint there is. The finish is tough as nails under normal use. Strap bottons are soild. I did replace the neck botton with strap lock botton. Sence I have the B-Band system there is no strap lock on the body. I have used without any back up. Very will built!

I have dealt with the CO a few times and are very cool people.

I have been playing 25yr. I own other guitars and a Bradshaw rack with switching system. The guitar comes stock, so it is what it is. I would try and find another 414 if it were stollen. It would be a hard find do to I tried every Tayler, Gibson, Larrive', Tacoma,Martin among others in the store and this 414 had the magic. With Acoustic Guitars they are very unstable to tone. No one acoustic sounds the same. I give this score do to for me I wish they had the option for bone. They are still an excellent guitar!
www.Nashvillerocker.com

2003 model. Grand auditorium shape, Ovangkol body with white binding, bound mahogany neck. Fairly shallow neck profile, 1 3/4" nut width. Satin finish on body, gloss on spruce top. No electronics. Grover machine heads. Bookmatched spruce top, though the grade of wood is rather poor, in my opinion. Ebony bridge and fretboard. Headstock had a rosewood veneer face -- stupid. Should have been ebony, or ovangkol. Looks out of place. Matter of fact, the whole thing looks like it was kluged together out of spare parts. Not the most attractive guitar I've ever seen. Absolutely HATE the finger-jointed headstock. Looks cheap. For what Taylor charges for these, it should be one piece. Beautiful case that weighs 3 times more than the guitar.

I'm a diehard fingerpicker, mostly traditional and bluegrass. Bought it from GC during a time when I was guitar-less, just having sold my worn-out Guild GF-25. Sounded clean and airy when I first bought it, but that soon changed. After about a year, it started to develop some off-color overtones. Not bad at first, but got progressively worse, to the point that I couldn't stand it anymore. Still sounded OK to most people who heard it, but I'm very critical and sensitive to tonal changes like that.

Initial set-up was so-so. I suppose it met Taylor's spec, just not mine. I always do my own set-ups. Overall construction quality and finish is very good, though I think it's a little too lightly built for durability. As someone who's played Guilds most of my life, I found the neck width to be awkward at 1 3/4". I like a 1 11/16" nut width and a slightly deeper, rounded neck profile. Never got used to the Taylor neck.

Don't know if it would withstand any serious gigging, since it never left my climate-controlled studio. Six neck relief adjustments in a year's time is ridiculous. Never had a guitar that was so unstable. Really annoying. I live in Central Texas where the humidity is unbelievable. Would probably self-destruct at an outdoor gig.

Never bothered with customer support. Flashy website, though.

Been playing over 30 years, acoustic guitar and bass. I had played a 614-ce 4 years ago that just blew me away, but I couldn't justify dropping close to $3K on a guitar. This came close in tone, but I wouldn't have bought it if I knew what was to come in terms of tonal degradation. I've since sold it and found a mint condition '76 Guild G-37 (maple body dreadnought) that is heads and shoulders above ANY Taylor I've played in terms of tone and stability. And I only paid $530 for it.

I now view Taylors as I view Gibsons -- overpriced and over-hyped. Their obsession with humidity control is over the top, in my opinion. I realize it's a solid wood guitar, but give me a break. I've owned plenty of quality solid wood guitars that will tolerate moderate swings in temperature and humidity without going out of tune or swelling up like a pumpkin. C'mon, Bob. Get with the program. Real musicians play in variety of situations with variable climactic conditions, not in a humidity-controlled bubble. There's nothing about the materials or construction of Taylors that justifies the outrageous prices. I guess they have to pay for all the marketing hype. First and last Taylor I'll ever buy.

Grand Auditorium, solid woods (spruce top,ovangkol back/sides), gloss top, satin back/sides, chrome tuners, white body binding, 14 frets to the body, 25.5" scale, I think. 1.75 width at the nut(which I love). Nice Taylor hardshell black case included in price.

Has a bright, cutting, full sound when strummed, and a very articulate fat tone when fingerstyling. This particular instrument buzzed when strummed near the nut... even with a fairly light touch... eeech!! But it does sound great though.

It was not set up at the factory at all. I adjusted the action and relief to my preference (which is low action- and Taylor's specs for action and relief, btw) and there was that fret buzz on some notes! I've got five other guitars set up the exact same way with absolutely no problems... I just don't know what the deal is with this one! I can adjust the action higher and eliminate fret buzz, but I don't like high action! Other than that, the woods were superb, but the spot where the heel joins the body was sloppy and mismatched- they just filled it with some kind of putty.. come on guys!!

Seems sturdy enough

I have been playing 18 years- bass and acoustic guitars. I own/have owned Martins, Guilds, Fender guitars and basses, Larrivee, Washburns, Alvarez, Rickenbacker bass, Ampeg amplification, etc. I liked this one for the fantastic tone, but since I ordered it online I was taking a chance... and I lost. I am sure that all Taylors don't have problems with uneven frets, but this one did. So, back to online mcmusic superstore it went!!

1999. Pretty standard guitar set up, can't ask for much more. Grovers. Would have preffered a metal strap button, but hey, that's small stuff.

This thing sings. Pluckin' zeppelin or fingerpickin' the blues. Belt it out hard and you get awsome volume, lightly and you get delicate and tasteful tone. Control over tone is the key phrase. I like to play classical music on this one (I do have classical guitars) because the bass sound keeps up nicely with the bright uppers and rich mids for a nicely balanced orchestra under your command.

Set up was great. Very playable. The finish was absolutely tastefull. The gloss top draws your attention to the beutiful spruce and the plain finish allows you to appreciate the beauty of the African back and sides. The white binding around the guitar allows this transformation to be absoulutely pleasent on the eyes.

I started out playing this thing about 5-6 hours a day. (when I had the time) it still sees about a good solid 10 every week for about 5 1/2 years now. Nothing on this guitar has let me down. Frets are standing up, "G" tuner has gotten a little fussy, but still does the job. This guitar has been out of its case on the beach countless times, In the humidity of hot Japanese summers and cold winters in Washington state plus lots of places inbetween. The outside of the case is a reck (about 10 flights). First flight caused one of the floor buttons on the case to get punched through (thanks air canada) and It takes a bit of jimmying to get the lips to align, but Guitar plays the same as it did day one. It has aquired numerous battle scars, but who would want a guitar that they can't relax and enjoy. Still looks flawless to the untrained eye

Never had to call anybody, probably never will.

I've been playing for about 10 years. The day I bought it I had about $2,000 set aside for a guitar. I really wanted a martin but tested out some taylors as well. Glad I did, never regretted it since. and had left over money to play with.

Just the 414: ovangkol sides, sitka-spruce top, model: grand auditorium. No electronics, no cutaway. Good case!

The reason why i bought this guitar, was not because of reviews or advice, but simply because of the haunting character of the tone. I mainly use my fingers rather than a plectrum, and the guitar is very sensitive to the way you pick the strings. Hence my experience of its tone changes from day to day. Incredibly beautiful sustain! Sounds incredible with slow, finger-picked playing. Can be a very funky guitar too! Slapping and high strings triads sound great. I prefer a dreadnought for strumming. I also find the tone is demanding me to be a better player because it is so sensitive to what you do. Sound is very `articulate', yet warm and clear at the same time.

Very low action, no flaws, perfect and beautiful finish. I replaced the strings and am still experimenting with strings. The factory set-up action was too low: i had strings buzzing when strumming. I increased the action by a small twist of the truss-rod and all was fine.
The playability is absolutely excellent.

Looks reliable, but it is an open, acoustic instrument...i try to be careful with it!

Don't know.

I play for about 25 year now, and have an Ibanez classical guitar and a standard US '89 strat fitted with DG20 EMG pick-ups.
If it were lost, broken or stolen, i'd consider it again for sure, but would not hesitate to check around for other guitars too, notably Taylor (dreadnoughts?) with electronics. I wish i bought the ce version with cutaway and electronics, but decided to go for the best sounding guitar within my budget. The 414 was a clear winner, and the only competitor that i considered seriously was the taylor 310 dreadnought, which is an amazing guitar for its price, really is. But it lacks the mystery in the tone on my 414.

A 2002 model. I bought it used. It came with plastic bridge pins, unlike the ebony ones on newer models. Not sure if this is because it's a 2002, or if the previous owner put them in. They looked fine, though. The 2002's have white binding on the fretboard. All other features are original standard. I appreciate the straplock at the neck joint (but on the downside, it doesn't match the straplock at the base, and additionally I find the one at the base to be a bit too fat for my strap - but oh well - maybe it's designed for easy removal and replacement with a preamp if so desired).

I thought I would leave this review because I have a view different things to say about this than most other people. First: ovangkol is, in my opinion, a fantastic tonewood. When comparing this with other Taylor models, I find it to closely approximate rosewood. The only difference I can detect between the two is that rosewood seems to have slightly fuller high notes. On the other hand, I find that ovangkol brings its own advantages. Specifically, it is tremendously resonant at some low notes - the whole guitar shakes, which is unusual for a Taylor (though to be expected from many other manufacturers). It seems to be lacking no bass in the lower register relative to other Taylors. Also, if you're the kind that prefers clear, airy notes, then you might actually prefer the ovangkol to the rosewood.
Overall, this guitar has a great tone. Nonetheless, I sold it because the Taylor sound was getting on my nerves. The Taylor design seems to take any warmth, wood, and heart from an *picked* acoustic guitar sound, leaving you with a relatively anemic and middy residue, with stringy sounding highs. It's not terrible - still sounds good - but for the money (and even for less than this money) it's inferior. This is a symptom of every Taylor - including the rosewoods. (To be fair, their Engelman spruce models seem to be a little better in this regard, but that restricts you to just the 710, unless of course you want to dish out for an overly ornate 900-series.) I could literally sit and strum an open G and hammer-on the B third on the A string, and you couldn't even here it - it just gets lost in what sounds like a cymbal crashing. And I wasn't even strumming that hard.
Also to be fair, I only ever had Elixir nanoweb strings on this, and Elixir nanowebs will make even the finest guitar sound like hell, in my opinion. However: (a) Taylor ships them out with nanowebs, so it's still their fault, and (b) my complaints were too great to be accounted for only by the strings.
HOWEVER: this guitar sounds *amazing* finger-picked. The airy response of the Taylor combined with the warm natural quality of fingerpicking make for an incredibly clear and well-balanced sound. This is where this guitar would shine. Sadly, I'm not a fingerpicker, so it had to go.

Gorgeous, gorgeous action. I especially love the string-spacing on Taylors, which is slightly wider than usual and allows for very precise fingering without strain. Even more so, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous guitar. The body shape, headstock, finish, everything is beautiful. If I had money to spare, I'd have kept it just for its looks. Specifically, while I think the higher-end Taylors start to become overly ornate and even gaudy, I think the 400-series is the highest one to retain a simple elegance and beauty. Also, ovangkol is a stunning wood which can vary in colour from a coffee-brown to literally a golden colopur (and that isn't even that rare, either). The grain is wide, thick, and beautiful. Prettier than rosewood, in my opinion. The gloss top is great, and I appreciate the satin back and sides to let the beauty of the wood out.
My only complaint: there was some extra glue spilled over onto the finish around the lower strap peg (which is factory original). Uncommon to find such a mistake from a Taylor. Given everything else, though, I'd still give it a 10.

No clue.

Customer support has got to be the best in the business. You can phone Taylor and a competent, courteous expert will talk with you for hours if you want about your guitar - even if you don't own it yet. Just say the word and they send you free DVD's and catalogs. Awesome.

An excellent guitar, with a great tonewood, but the Taylor sound in general is a bit of a let-down. That said, if it weren't for their enormous reputation and high cost, I might not be complaining at all. This still sounds better than almost any intermediate guitar on the market. Still, for a high-end instrument, they should do better. (Again, unless you're a fingerpicker, in which case it's probably among the best!)
Then again, Taylor have built their entire company around a unique sound that appeals to some and is hated by others. I guess I'm just not one of the former.

This is a simple acoustic guitar that doesn't really have any features to speak of - it's just a fantastic "real" instrument made using quality materials and hardware. Oh, and it comes with the toughest hard case I ever saw!

For my money this is quite a loud guitar (for its relatively modest body size) and to my ears it sounds perfect - full, rich and clear with plenty of sustain. There is no doubt that it suits finger picking better than heavy strumming but there is nothing that you couldn't get away with on this versatile guitar.

I bought this guitar because it felt perfect in the store as soon as I picked it up - it was like I had been playing it for years. The action was great, the neck felt smooth and comfortable and the small body seemed to work with the way I hold guitars. There were no visual flaws in the finish at the time of purchase and (a year or so down the road) despite the odd knock it still looks great today.

The only thing I would say is that I tried a few 414's before settling on this one - the set up and neck was not great on them all!

I do not doubt that with proper care this guitar will last a lifetime.
There is really nothing on it to go wrong, the materials are all quality and the finish seems pretty tough to me. I don't play acoustic guitar at gigs but if you needed to this would do just fine!

Have had no need to contat them but their website is full of helpful care information etc.

I have owned this guitar for a year and love it to pieces. It is everything I wanted for my money, a fantastic instrument made from real materials. I own a few other guitars and this made my other acoustic sound like a cricket bat!

Everything fits together like a lock and key.

The sound is fantastic, of course: Taylors in general are the clearest, most "genuine" sounding guitars I've ever played. Ovangkol is a tremendous step up from mahogany - it sounds *very* close to rosewood, though played side-by-side ovangkol isn't quite as rich and full in the high notes. Still, definitely a ful, rich sounding wood, as opposed to the graininess of mahogany.
Nonetheless, I got rid of my 414 because it didn't suit my style. Taylors in general are built to be bright, jangly, and brilliant - at which they excel. For my personal taste, they're too much so. Aso, the one thing that I really can fault them for is their dynamic range: when I strum even moderately hard, ny open string sounds like a cymbal - literally. Of course, this probably comes part-and-parcel with the bright clarity, so it isn't really a "design flaw" per se. Just that it doesn't realy suit me.
For the record, I tried softer strings (Elixir polywebs), and they were just as bad only in reverse: sounded utterly dead and lifeless. In a guitar built to be bright, woody mellow strings don't fair so well, I guess.
I ill say this, though: finger-picked this guitar is unbelievable.

Wonderful - this is almost the prettiest acoustic I've ever seen. I'm actually not a bit fan of some of the later Taylors because I think they become too ornate, and have too many "lines" drawn on them. The 414 is elegant but not too simple, beautiful. The gloss finish is superb, and I love the satin back and sides, leaving the gorgeous golden brown grain of ovangkol to stand out by itself. The 30th Anniversary's look even better with the wood rosette and inlays.
There's some glue spilled out over the finish from the strap button on the base. This is probably just my specific guitar - from what I gather it's rather un-Taylor-like.
Playability-wise, it's probably the best I've ever played. I've played guitars with similar low action, but this guitar does it while still sounding great and not having a single buzzing fret. To boot, I like the slightly wider string spacing on the Taylors that allows for easier fingerwork without impeding speed. The ebony fretboard is pretty.

No idea.

Awesome. Called an had a very well-spoken and knowledgeable rep answer all my questions prior to buying this (used) - took a lot of time with me, nver rushed me. And it's an 800-number.

An outstanding guitar, and well worth the money. The case is the best I've ever seen, as well. Best for fingerpicking, good if you like a bright, jangling sound when strumming. But if you're looking for woody, or strong, or in particula good strumming dynamic range, this won't be for you. But for what it's designed for: it's one of the best.

This is Taylor's solid wood Ovangkol back, Spruce top guitar, with the bolt on neck. The finish was the satin that is common to all the lower Taylor number models, and quite nice with the Ovangkol wood. The top has a gloss finish. The tuners are the new Taylor designed ones, and they seem to work very well - smooth. The guitar came with a beautiful solid hard shell plywood case that is a joy to hold (well-balanced) and look at. The guitar fits in it tight as a hand in a glove, and you feel the instrument is well protected. The case is made by Taylor, and most owners are glad they are making them again.

The sound of this guitar blew me away. I own two other Taylors and two other guitars, and was in the music store to just mess around with some instruments and have some fun comparing things. I played some $2500+, $3,000+ Taylors and wasn't impressed enough to throw out my existing guitars. Then I picked up this 414. Holy Cow! What a sound! I couldn't believe my ears. It had this bass that went on forever, and a treble that also sang. I had a couple salesmen play it so I could hear it from a different angle. The guy played some hard blues, and the guitar ate it up. It loved being played hard! It put out an enormous amount of sound for a relatively small bodied guitar. What sold me was that it responded well to gentle fingerpicking also. I walked out of the store with the guitar in my hands. I was not about to let it out of my sight. I've never done that before.

The action seems to be a little high to me, and I am considering having it adjusted by the top guy in my town. All the wood is just great, as is the satin finish on the ovangkol and the gloss finish on the spruce. The notes are consistent up and down the fretboard, indicating a good job of fret placement. No complaints whatsoever, but I didn't expect any from Taylor.

This is a solid guitar. I don't gig, but I would feel comfortable doing that with this guitar. It is solid, and dependable. I lent it to an English friend who gigs and he played it very hard on a couple tunes and pronounced it first rate for sound and playability.

Taylor customer support is the best in the business. They have always come through for me.

I've been playing 40 years, and own two Taylors, a 712 and a 512M. I also have a Guild classical that was my first guitar and a Hohner O-Series 12 string guitar. I also play dulcimer, harmonica and kalimba, and a little ocarina. This guitar fits perfectly in-between my 712, which is a fingerstyle guitar, and the 512M, which can be strummed and picked but doesn't have the volume. It can do either. When I need a loud guitar in crowd, it's there for me. It's insured, so if it were lost or stolen, yes I would get another one

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.

2000 Model 414, made in California, which you likely already know if it says Taylor on the headstock. I'm not going to waste time describing the materials etc because they have been well covered in other reviews here. Mine did come with a nice, tight-fitting SKB case included for the price. As a pure acoustic non-cutaway guitar there are not a lot of doodads or features per se, but this is what I expected. Solid woods throughout and quality hardware flavor this rating for me- Im more concerned with a guitar that sounds good and plays good that, say, a built in 5 band EQ where quality tonewood should be!

I play fingerstyle primarily, folky and country flavored originals and covers. It is wonderful for this, with a very clear, balanced (but not boring0 sound unplugged. I had a fishman active pickup added and that works well; this is an option you can get from Taylor if you don't want the cutaway with the big electronics box plopped into the upper bout. It has a rich, but not boomy sound. Very responsive to light picking. Mine was set up for fingerpicking with a light attack; I don't know how it would respond to heavy piking- I would say you would probably be better served with the 410 dreadnought if that's your cup of tea. The best part is an all solid wood guitar will get even better sounding over time! There is just a hint of "brittleness" to the top end sometimes, could be just a little warmer on high E string and B, which is the only reason I would not give it a 10 here. 9.5 would be more appropriate but thats not an option.

Guitar works ltd. set this up perfectly for my playing style. If your dealer isn't asking you how you play, you need a new dealer! Action is superb; finish is likewise excellent. I see no flaws whatsoever in the cosmetics. Taylor does not stain its necks as a rule, so depending on your tastes it might bother you that the back of the neck is a little redder than the back of the guitar. Satin finish throughout (and it feels wonderful on the neck!) with gloss top. At first I wasn't thrilled with the satin finish but I've actually grown to like this better than the full gloss finish on some of my guitars- low upkeep and it almost makes the wood glow under sme lighting!

While a relatively lightweight guitar, it is very well made. I have done about 6 months worth of open mic nights with no backup and rock solid performance. I see no reason I won't have this guitar forever. Only damage has been a nick in the top from my own stupidity of letting the case lid fall on it; hardly the guitar's fault! Were I a performing musician for my livelyhood, I would get a second as a backup just as a matter of being prepared, not because I think it would let me down.

Taylor is extremely helpful when you talk to them...real people, with good advice and great customer support. I have never had to make a warranty claim, but I do know that when I ordered this guitar, the dealer noticed a small chip in the finish on the lower bout...and there were no 414s to be found within their deaer network,. Taylor, even though part of their staff was in Germany at the trade show, fed exed a just-finished new one to the dealer that day at their expense, after offering me several options including a better price on the damaged one, fed exing the new one directly to me, or the use of the dmaged one until a new one could be found. Now that's service, especially considering it's one of their entry level guitars, more or less.

Been playing a bit for years, but have played in earnest for just shy of a year. (I'm 40 years old, incidentally.) Have had a bunch of name brands over the years, but the Taylor is the first real quality guitar I have ever owned, and it has made me a better player! The playability is my favorite feature, and the sound is just a fraction behind- and it just kicked the @#$#! out of the comparably-priced Martins I tried when purchasing this. (And yes, there are great sounding Martins and they are good guitars as a rule- but I think they're putting their name on too many low-end pieces right now.) Taylor consistency is also amazing- there was a big variation between like models of Martins and low-end Gibsons I looked at. I also like the 1-3/4 neck, which is just a hair wider and better for fingerpicking. If this were stolen, I would replace it in a heartbeat, assuming I had the funds to do so. Taylors are a bit pricey, depending on what kind of deal your dealer makes. I plan to supplement this guitar with 414 or possibly 412 when finances permit to allow me to have one guitar dedicated to dadgad and open d tuning. The guitar is not a fantastic VALUE- but it is a fantastic guitar!

www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/models.asp?id=414 for details. It is a ce with fishman prefix plus controls. Satin finish on back and sides. It is a cutaway.

I tried several guitars before buying this one and I must say it is a beautiful sounding guitar. Martin does not compare...sorry. This guitar has the sound of a grand auditorium in a smaller cutaway body.

The fit and finish are great. I think it should be in a museum style glass case with a spotlight.

This guitar will probably never see the sun therefore the durability is a non-issue.

I purchased it at the Guitar Center and as usual they lost the case and the warranty papers with it. What a disappointment. Take my advice and do not shop here. Hopefully I will never have to take my guitar in for warranty work.

There's nothing better than my Taylor......

My 414 is a 2001 model.Ovangkol sides and back, sitka top,Grover tuners, grand auditorium size, all solid wood, non-cutaway and no electronics. Form-fitting hard case included. This particular auditorium size is easy to play and pleasant to look at.

I bought it because it sounded incredible. I purchased it in a brand new music store where I work. During a casual walk through during opening week, I played many of the acoustics and could not let this one go (I wasn't really in the market for an acoustic at the time). It sounded better than any of the other models in the store, including other more expensive Taylors, Martins, Guilds, etc. I couldn't believe how full it sounded and how much fun it was to play. I even brought a friend from work to try it too, before I bought it, and he also acknowledged that it was a lively guitar. After bringing it home, I restrung it with some D'Daddarios and it sounded even better. I can only describe it as a 12 string sound from a 6 string box. The tone just rings forever. It's full, brite and very pleasing. It sounds best played(to me)in the following order-a)fingerpicked b)strumed and c)playing leads with a pick. When playing leads,however, there is occasional buzziness on one or two of the high strings, which may be caused by the fact that the action/string height may be a bit low. I have decided not to alter the original settings for now.

So far I have only 2 complaints pertaining to the guitar.The fifth string was not postioned properly on the bridge when the guitar was set up at the factory. Not a big deal, as when I restrung it I positioned the string correctly, but there is an indentation on the bridge where the old string was and I wish it wasn't there. Otherwise, the guitar is a thing of beauty. I love to leave it out and just look at it when I am not playing it. The other complaint is that the personnel at the guitar store could not find the accompanying case for my guitar(each Taylor comes with a specific case that has warranty information specific to a guitar). They had to give me an equivalent case with "modified" paperwork and that made me nervous when registering the guitar for warranty. The woods are matched nicely on the guitar. The cream-colored binding is pretty. The neck is a bit on the small-thin side for me (I prefer fatter necks) but nevertheless it is easy to play and not a problem. It seems straight as an arrow, unlike some of the other guitars I sighted in the store, most being more expensive. Chords sound even and balanced throughout all positions on the neck.

I have had my 414 for several months and, while it is certainly a delicate instrument, it seems very well built and with proper care will hopefully last forever without problems. I do not take mine out of the house and I am not in a band, so it won't be exposed to the elements or the road. I doubt that I would take this special instrument out on gigs-it's too fine an instrument for that and too expensive to risk, in my opinion.

I emailed Taylor regarding my concerns over the warranty and they responded quickly and in a friendly manner, promising me to send me a new warranty card, but they botched it up by sending me a warranty for a 1998 instrument instead of my 2001 414. I just ended up using the original "modified" warranty card and hoped for the best when I sent it in with my receipt. I believe the guitar has a lifetime warranty.

I have been playing about 25 years. I would describe myself as a good amateur, a casual player. I also play electric and own several other guitars/amps. The Taylor is my only acoustic and I intend on keeping it forever. It brings me a lot of pleasure and it sounds wonderful, and it is fun to play. It looks great and I am very very satisfied with the purchase. Relatively speaking, I think it is an outstanding value, considering the ever-rising cost of solid wood guitars. I highly recommend contacting Taylor for their free video re:their neck design and construction. It influenced me quite a bit.

1998 Taylor 414; purchased online in 6/2000 but essentially new; the guitar was all but mint condition and included warranty. "Auditorium" size; has same body width and depth of the dreadnaught but with narrower waist. All solid wood, USA-made acoustic. Spruce top with gloss finish; ovangkol body and mahogany neck with smooth satin finish; pearl fretboard dots; the fretboard, bridge, headstock veneer, and bridge pins are all of ebony; white fretboard binding, fully bound body, chrome Grover tuners. Neck is very slim, characteristic of all current Taylors; adjustable neck truss rod is accessed on headpiece. Nut and compensated saddle are high-quality composite ("tusq" I believe). Metal end-pin. Guitar included standard Taylor fitted SKB hardshell case, warranty card, neck adjustment tool, key for case, and several spec sheets/technical documents. All the official specs for the current models are available on Taylor's excellent website. The Taylor 400 series is their 2nd to "lowest" series, above the 300's, but the overall appointments are wonderful for guitars with comparable list price (~$1400) category, though not ornate like the higher Taylor series.

I rate the sound 9.5/10 (choosing 9 because 9.5 is not an option, and being conservative in considering 10 to be perfect). Across the spectrum, the tone is bright, clear, pure, and balanced. And loud. I love sparkly mids and highs, and this guitar has both, with nice rich, balanced bass to complement, and great sustain. I play both with fingers and pick and this guitar, to my ears, has no weaknesses. The only thing this nearly full-size Taylor doesn't provide is the boomy base and raw volume of a powerful (ie, Martin or similar) dreadnaught or heavy rhythm guitar--but that is all. And if you are considering this guitar, you already know that and aren't looking for those properties anyway. There is no reason to hammer on this guitar. The 414 is often described as being excellent for fingerstyle. I play with my fingers, and this is certainly true, but it just as nice strummed, picked, or played blues-style, whether lightly and subtly, or more aggressively. It excels when played solo, and also sounds wonderful with other guitars or other instruments. Since I have had it, I have performed solo with it several times and used it at a number of group picking/jam sessions. Every time I get compliments.

This Taylor, like nearly all I have picked up and played, has an impeccable set-up and action, and overall attention to detail and quality. Slop or carelessness is almost impossible to find anywhere inside or out. The neck is nice and straight and fretboard is almost perfectly flat. Frets are wonderful, and action is beautifully low and and joy to play. The only less-than-nearly-perfect finishing detail I can find is that the tiny screw-holes for the truss-rod cover plate were not carefully placed/drilled and one has nearly stripped out. I only have a couple minor comments and I am being pretty nit-picky. First, if you play, even fingerpick, fairly aggressively, you may find the action actually a bit too low, and you can introduce fret buzz especially if you are capoed up a few frets. You could stand to raise the saddle slightly and still play very comfortably. Second, Taylor guitars all have very small pickguards--nice looking and distinctive--that only extend to about the middle of the soundhole. If you use a pick, you are more likely to hit the unprotected part of the top above the pickguard.

Anyone buying a Taylor guitar will know enough to treat and transport it carefully, or they shouldn't have. Hardware is good quality, finish is very good quality though it is thin on these guitars. My guitar is not equipped with a strap button on the heel though all the current models are. These guitars are lightweight, clearly to make them more tonally responsive, but not fragile, and are equipped with good hardcases. I have no reservations about taking/using this guitar out and have performed with it solo several times. It is an instrument, not an heirloom.

The tech sheets and documents included with the guitar are informative, and website contents are first-rate with great pictures and complete specs of all Taylor instruments. I have not contacted Taylor directly, but the mere fact that the documents include telephone numbers and owners are urged to call if questions/problems arise is pretty indicative to me of excellent customer service.

I have been playing mainly acoustic guitar for 20+ years. My Taylor is my first real quality guitar, my best guitar (among 2 guilds, a martin, and a larrivee), the only one that I really find no weaknesses with, and the only one I am certain I wouldn't part with or trade in. Initially I got it as something a little different from the dreadnaughts I always had in the past. I was lucky to find a nearly perfect used instrument, but I was prepared to pay the $1100 for a new one. No question I would replace my 414 if I lost it. I still go to a music store nearly every week to play Taylor, Martin, and Guild dreadnaughts to see if my feelings are the same and whether I can justify another purchase. More and more, I hear and feel the Taylors stand above the others. They do perhaps cost a little more but for a little extra chances are you will be more than satisfied for a long, long time. Though I like my other guitars too, I am certain that at some point in the not-too-distant future I will have another Taylor.

Taylor 414, grand auditorium model. Made in El Cajon, California in April 2000. This guitar has a total of 20 frets, about 15 - 16 are reachable without being a contortionist (this is not a cut-away). The top is solid Sitka spruce and presently has a very creamy white appearance with a fine grain. The Sitka spruce on the top of this particular instrument is similar in appearance to Engelmann spruce, though the grain of the Sitka is just slightly more noticeable. No electronics on this model. There is a multi-ring black and white plastic rosette around the soundhole and the top features a Taylor trademark shape pickguard in a nice tortoise shell color. The body is made of ovankangol and the neck is mahogany. Both the body and the neck are a closely matched cafe' au lait color, with the body featuring a very attractive darker grain long straight streaks. The sides of the body are bookmatched. Examine the body of any Taylor guitar closely (very closely) and you will find a certain amount of bumpiness to the wood in the areas where the body has the most radical curves. These uneven areas are due to the wood resisting bending even under the application of heat and pressure. I understand that the Taylors are not sanded heavily after bending in order to preserve as much of the original wood thickness as possible, so this uneveness is retained. Is this noticeable? Yes, but only on very close inspection. Does it detract from the instrument at all? Not in my opinion. The fretboard is ebony and has a consistant rich black color over the length of the neck. Pearl dot markers on the fretbaord, about 9mm in diameter. The bridge is ebony and has that distinctive "Taylor" shape. I have not changed strings yet, so I can only assume that the bridge pins are a plastic or composite material. I'd consider picking up a set of bone or fossil ivory birdge pins, but for now the stock pins seem OK. The body is bound on the front with white binding featuring three very fine black lines, while the binding on the back and neck is white. The finish on the top is gloss, while the sides, back and neck are finished in satin. I think that the satin neck improves the playability of the instrument. Tuners are closed-back Grovers with a chrome finish. The neck is just a touch wider than similar dreadnought-style guitars. I compared sizes in the specifications and I think the 414's neck is an 1/8th of an inch wider that the neck on a 410. The guitar came with a truss rod tool and some booklets on care and maintenance. The case was extra. The guitar does not have any superfluous do-dads, so you can't really say it is feature laden. However, it does not lack a thing for it to function very well. What the instrument has is choice and it makes for a very fine guitar.

This guitar has as many "voices" as there are players. It can sound angel sweet when fingerpicking James Taylor, or it can snarl, snap and growl when you dip into your bag of blues. Although it seems inconsistent, the 414 sounds both bright and rich/full. It has tremendous sustain and the harmonics are very strong, which contribute to the richness of the tone. As an experiment while you are shopping for a guitar sound an open string and then isolate the 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 wave harmonics at the 7th, 12th, and 19th frets, respectively. Compare whatever you are looking at to the Taylors and see which sounds better. The guitar also is capable of great volume. Maybe not as much as a really good dreadnought or a jumbo. For me it is plenty loud and more importantly, it retains a clean and tight sound through the dynamic range.
I mostly fingerpick but will use a flatpick once in a while. To my ear, I like the sound best when I can catch the string with just a bit of fingernail. This guitar sounds so alive and good played either way. I have not tried any slide or bottleneck on it yet, nor have I tried any dropped D tunings. More than any other guitar I have owned or played, how it sounds depends on how you play it.

Action, fit and finish of the guitar are great. No flaws or set up problems have been noted. I am fan of white binding, and especially of white neck binding, so the look of this guitar really appeals to me. The binding is there to make the guitar more durable and whether it is white, brown, tortoise or black doesn't make much any difference in that department. However, appearance is a matter of personal taste. When looking at the guitar it is difficult to believe it is on the "low end" of Taylor's line.

No solid opinions yet. I have had the guitar for less than a month, so reliability has not been an issue yet. I'd consider using this guitar to play in public as long as I didn't let go of it, ever. It is a light weight guitar, as the better ones tend to be, but that does not really tell you much about durability. I belive the satin finish on the back and sides will hide everyday fingerprints and possible reduce the visibility of belt buckle scratches

No opinion yet. However, I e-mailed Taylor with a question when I was in the shopping phase and then responded within about 4 hours. I was impressed with that.

I have been playing for nearly 20 years. I have owned several good acoustics, including a Martin HD-35. If I had to replace this instrument I'd seriously consider another Taylor. I like so many things about the Taylor guitars I have tried.
The sound is the outstanding feature of the 414, second comes playability and third the overall appearance and body style. I really like seeing the good quality wood used throughout the instrument. The case is nice and sturdy appearing, however, it almost seems too tight fitting. I still have a hard time getting the poor thing back into the case.
Soundwise it compares very closely with the Larrivee models OM-02 through OM-05. If you are looking for a great sounding guitar for about $500, then check out the Larrivee OM-02. There isn't a Yamaha, Takamine, Guild, Sigma, or anything in that price range which comes close.
I did not give the Taylor 414 that high of a value rating because I don't think that the overall difference in sound alone between the Larrivee OM-02 and the 414 was worth paying twice the price. However, the aesthetics of the 414 and the customer service/warranty from Taylor figured into my overall decision leading up to the extra lettuce on the counter.
Once you get to the sound quality of that Larrivee OM-02 there is not a lot of headroom for improvement. With more money you pay for ostensibly better woods, abalone inlayed soundholes, purfling, mother of toilet seat inlays in the fretboard and on the headstock. If sound were my one and only criteria I would have purchased the Larrivee, however, I was willing to pay a bit more for slightly better sound, much better visual aesthetics of the instrument, and the promise of a good warranty and product support.
I compared the 414 with the Taylor 310, a number of Martins, Guild D-4, and Larrivees in the OM and D body stules. I just flat out did not like the sound of the Martins or the fact that they are using synthetic materials and plywood in guitars over $500.

1998 Model, purchased 2/20/00 new. Made in USA. Grand auditorium size with solid wood throughout. Sitka spruce top/ ovangkol sides and back. Finish is gloss top and satin back/sides. Neck is mohogany with ebony fretboard, and I would say that the Taylor neck is thin. Grover tuners. Fitted hardshell SKB case made for Taylors 300 and 400 series. Taylor's webpage says this is good, but the case they make for the higher models is better. This case does not have room for a digital humistat which Taylor recommends. Since Taylor makes such an issue of humidity monitoring (and I compliment them on such) I think the case should have a place for a humistat other than at the head, because there is no room for air movement from the body to the head in this very well fitted case.

I play mostly fingerstyle and it is great. One review I read said that grand auditoriums were the family sedan of guitars, with concerts the sport cars, and dreadnaughts the SUV's. I would say my 414 is a sport sedan. I was tempted to get an acoustic electric, but everytime I pick this up and play I decide that I really don't want anything to get in the way of this sound. Can a guitar be rich, full, and bright all at the same time. For some reason it makes me think of an organ--so much sound, so many options! I love this guitar!

I tried every Taylor I could find in 2 states. Most were great, a few were not. I suspect those had been abused at the dealor. The action of this guitar was great. The strings were dead and part of my deal included a new set of strings. Taylor's webpage has an article about this and why they changed to Elixor. I have D'Adario on it now and they sound great. I will try Elixor next, but Taylor is using Elixor for longevity, so I doubt that the sound will improve. The fit and finish is great and I must compliment the dealer that after 2 years in the store there was only one tiny ding I could find, and I am picky. The ebony on the fretboard is not perfectly black. I personally find the white binding to be too bright for my tastes, but most people say it is a good looking guitar.

If I wanted durable I would have gotten a Martin "x" series with the forica stuff instead of wood. I expect to take care of this as a fine instument. I may play at churches some and I think the guitar is as durable as any others of this quality, but I hope to do all I can to protect it to the fullest, and never put it through the kind of testing a professional would on a "gig". The hardware seems great and the case is very nice. It does seem to stay in tune much better than my other guitars. I hope to never really test the finish to see how durable. You should set up this database so we could give you 100,000 mile comments on wear and tear. I have tried to follow Taylor's recommendations on humidity, and have not had any problems, even though I think that it has been under 40% some.

Taylor's website is fantastic. I studied the web for 3 months, about many brands before I made this major purchase. Taylor's website answers most questions and the ones I had were answered quickly through their email. Their website beats the others hands down. I did order some picks and CD's through their website and they were delivered quickly. I am impressed

I have played 30+ years. I have owned an Aria classical, Alvarez Classical, A Seagull SM12, A Martin 000XM, Yamaha FG311, A Jasmine dreadnaught and some others. The Taylor is the best. If stolen I would buy Taylor again, and probably this model. I love the way it plays and the sound. I hate the white binding--too bright. I compared to everything on earth and bought this one cause the deal got too good to walk away--I had expected to buy a 314 or maybe a Tacoma. I was impressed with several Tacomas I played and especially a Larrivee. I might have bought a Taylor 714 but did not want a cutaway and the only 714 full body I had looked at had sold before I got back in my final purchase mode. At times I wish it had electronics, but not enough to have this guitar tampered with at present. I think I will just place an external mike if needed.

The 414 is one of the "Lower" end Taylors. It has solid wood construction, with a Sitka spruce top and Saple mahagony back and sides, and a mahagony neck. It's a '97 model but has the features of a '98 (i.e. pin bridge opposed to pinless). I had ordered it in late '97 and got it at that years prices with the next years features (except for woods, the '98 has Ovangkol back and sides). The 414 is a Grand Audatorium, which is slimer in the waist than a dreadnought. It's a great fingerpicking guitar; well balanced tone with a suprising amount of bass. It also lends itself well to lead work, but I wouldn't recomend it for rythm because it will tend to buss if you strum it to hard (the bracing is thin). Taylors come standard with Grovers, which are great, I haven't had any problems from them. They stay in tune great! The neck is ultra fast, and thin. It has ebony fretbord along with ebony bridge and pins. It came with a form-fitted HSC.

The Sitka top gives a bright, full sound. I play fingerstyle, bluse, and acoustic rock, the 414 fits them all just fine. The harmonics on the 12th and 7th shine, but when you start going on down to the 5th they start becoming muffled. The great thing about solid wood is that non of them sound the same. As they age (not getting older, you could leave it in a closet for 50 years (which I would not recommend becuase of humidity) and it would still sound the same. "Aging" is produced by the vibrating of the top (when you play).

The action was fine. The top has two scars on it, but I think that adds character, I really do like the scars; it would be boring with out them.
The top is high gloss, the back and sides are low gloss.

The guitar will stand up to a gig, the hardware will last, but you have to watch HUMIDITY! If you let it get to dry or to wet IT WON'T LAST!
Strap buttons are solid. You can depend on this guitar. I would gig with out a back up.

Taylor is fast and friendly, I ordered some info and it was here very fast. It has a limited lifetime waranty which only applies to the original owner.

I've been playing for two years and I own the 414 and a Martin DM. If I lost this guitar or it was stolen I would cry, it has a personality. I love it. The Martin DM and the 414 both have about the same price the Taylor prevails over the Martin it quality, sound, construction, everything but strumming.