Taylor Guitars 714

USA Made: concert style body. (smaller and more shallow)
-Solid Cedar Top (more mellow than the spruce top, which suits me fine but may not be your thing).
-Rosewood Sides and Back (also, a warm wood, rather than bright as hell maple)
-Ebony fingerboard, and rosewood neck.
-Koa Wood Rossette and simple elegant binding on body.
-Gold grover tuners (not as tacky as most gold tuners are, like everything else about this guitar, they mellow). Stays in tune better than any guitar I have ever had.
-No electronics (the only reason for the 8, but I sought out a guitar without electronics, because nothing can beat micing the guitar at the 12th fret anyways)

Besides this one 5 grand breedlove I played once, it is the best sounding guitar I have found. It is mellow and warm, but the sound isn't muddy, it is crisp. I play mostly folk and jazz, while singing and it blends with my voice, rather than overpowering it, or cutting through it, which is something you need to think about if you are singer buying a guitar. You make look silly singing in the guitar store, but you should do it anyway. You need to know if it is complimentary, and this guitar is for me.

Practically perfect in every way, BUT there was a small chip on the sound hole, that apparently only I can see, and the tuners are starting to be a mellow gold color rather than the bright shiny things you see in the stores, but honestly that is my preference.

Never gig without a backup! I think this is a silly question. No one wants to wait for you to change a string, and strings breaking has more to do with the guitarist and the strings than the guitar.

I have never had anything go wrong with this guitar, I shipped it cross country and it was fine. Feels solid and tough, but it is my baby and I don't abuse it.

warranty SOUNDS great, but I have never had to use it, so I will leave this section unrated.

This guitar wasn't cheep, but it makes me happy every time I pick it up and I plan on having it for at least another 50 years, so that breaks down like 15 cents a day...which seems like a screaming deal to me.

I have been playing for over 15 years. Sometimes much more seriously than others, but always it has been my therapy of choice. I would be literally distraught if something happened to it, and I would search far and wide for something with the same sounds and feel, but at this level of guitar, no two guitars, regardless of model number are exactly the same. I played larrivees (solid guitars, a close second), martins (mostly bad regarldless of price), gibsons (too bright usually), and breedloves (a little flashy and a lot too expensive for me), but this was the right guitar at the right time for me.

1996 Spruce top, rosewood sides, mahogany neck, ebony. Taylor case (very tight fit - no room for strap). Upgrades include electronics, fossilized walrus ivory pegs and a bone nut.

Rich, balanced sound, good volume, fingerstyle and flatpicked. Amped through a Kustom 80watt PA it sounds fabulous!

Action is as low as is humanly possible (previously owned by a studio muscian) &, unfortunately, it buzzes if tuned down a step which I do like to do. However, even with medium gage strings this guitar chords like butter.

It is well-made, attractive in it's simplicity & built to last. Sealed Grovers for tuners. The finish seems fine with only a few minor dings. However, I would never gig without a backup but because strings break not because I believe the guitar would fail.

I had some basic questions about the construction & was treated like a prospective customer instead of some guy who bought a used guitar.

I would replace this guitar with another high end Taylor if it were lost or stolen. The 714 sound is mellow even though it's not the Cedar top I originally thought it was & maybe it's even a better sound than the cedar tops. This is a great guitar!

1996 Spruce top, rosewood GA. All solid wood. Taylor wood case. No electronics available at that time.

This is the one I want to play into the sunset. Rich, balanced sound, good volume, fingerstyle and flatpicked, open chords or jazz styles. Been playing pro since 1969, owned a garage full.

Taylor does it right. Top is a beautiful silked piece of spruce, which I prefer to the cedar.

I only need it to last untill I die. I think we're cool.

Had great support from Taylor, including replacement bridge, advice. Doesn't anyone realize how odd this is? They may not be perfect, but they actually continue to support their axes.

Also own an 814CE taylor,strat, 5-string bass, Godin nylon AE, blah blah. Played a few dozen before this one said "take me home". Plan to play Taylors for the rest of my life.

built April 2003 in El Cajon, CA. 14 frets to the body; 25.5 scale. Thinner fret wire than I've ever played before and it doesn't seem to be a problem. Solid Western Red Cedar top comes standard on the EI Rosewood body. Gold grovers, strapbutton and end pin. Koa inlaid rosette adds a nice laid-back look on the cedar top. In general, I find the Taylor headstock a little heavy, resulting in an unbalanced feeling when the instrument is on my knee, but on this larger body, that doesn't seem to be a problem. Electronics do not come standard on the non-cutaway Taylors. But I hate cutaways and I don't need no stinkin' pickups.

I rarely use a flatpick, and tend towards a modified Flamenco style where strumming is needed, also play a lot of fingerstyle. This guitar has a deep warm responsive tone that also steps up and puts out the volume when you ask for it. Unlike some high-priced cedar-topped Grands that maintain their composure when you hammer on them, this Taylor wails back when you wail on it,. It's got more volume than the fancy ones I played (Goodall, Santa Cruz) and it gets an urgent sound that is intense and really fantastic -what I was looking for. Under fingerpicking conditions, it's very warm and mellow. The Rosewood adds a depth of character that is very recognizable

Action from the factory setup was medium; rather high for my tastes, but this was quickly adjusted at home with some sandpaper to the underside of the saddle; a fret file and a 1/8 turn of the truss rod. Body finish was immaculate inside and out. Neck is buffed mahogany and set perfectly; Peghead veneer is EI Rosewood; I wish it was finished to match the body.

this guitar is new, new, new. However my impression is that it is an assertive instrument, well-made, appropriately appointed, and built to take its place in a professional lineup. You can't beat sealed Grovers for tuners, so no worries there. The finish is fine, but not thin. I would never gig anywhere ever without a backup, but this guitar is extremely versatile and a backup would not be needed unless for a special reason, such as needing a brighter sound or a 12-string on a particular song.

Have not dealt with the company yet, but was pleased to find out that Taylor offers replacement nuts and saddles at 4 bucks a pop on their web site. This is nice to know if you have ever filed too far in pursuit of easy action and then had to recut from a bone blank. This guitar has a lifetime warranty as long as it remains with the original owner.

I've been playing since age 7. This guitar helps put my 2nd guitar, a 1976 Takamine F-360s into semi-retirement, and it's about time. I also own a Rickenbacker 360-12v64 which I adore, and there are several other electrics in the house. The shop mistakenly sold me medium strings for this guitar, and it comes strung with lights. Bummer. As I've said, I think the headstock is a little clunky and would like to see it gloss finished. Also, I'm not keen on pickguards. My favorite feature is the cedar top. I would probably replace this guitar if it were lost or stolen. I played a lot of guitars trying to figure out what I liked and what I really wanted. I started out thinking I would go much smaller than the 714, but found smaller guitars didn't feel right. The runner up to this guitar was a Goodall Aloha Grand Concert in mahogany and cedar. However, it was 600 dollars more and the sound was not nearly as deep and rich. Next in line would have to be the Santa Cruz F, which was way out of budget range. All in all, this is a great guitar at any price, and for under 2 grand you can't beat it.

When TWA smashed my Taylor's neck at one point in the early 90s, they were wonderful to deal with. I sent them back a guitar in ruins (which I had bought used, by the way) and they sent me back a totally finished instrument, brand spanking new. Their attitude was great (madder at TWA than anything else) and I got my guitar back for minimal cost, and I got the feeling they still cared about the ones they made years before, and wanted to take care of those instruments.

This guitar is a 714-CED purchased new in 1996. There is not a category on this site that covers this guitar. It was the only one the Podium ever saw with a cedar top that year and might be a one of a kind for that year. It has rosewood back and sides (If I recall it was Brazilian) with a mahogany neck and an ebony fingerboard w/ abalone dots. I have installed a Highlander pickup. It has an ebony bridge and gold Grover tuners.

I play this guitar alone or through a Fender Acoustasonic Jr. It is the best sounding acoustic guitar I've ever heard and plays better than any other acoustic I've ever played. I have owned four other Taylors, a Martin D-28, and a '66 Gibson L-1. I have played Martin D-18s, D-41s, Gibson J-45s, Hummingbirds, Doves, Everly Bros., etc. and a few Guilds and Gretchs, Laravees, Collins, Santa Cruz, you name it. Nothing comes close to this. I played every guitar in the shop the day I bought this, including guitars that sold for over four grand. This was the best one by a good quantum leap or two.

Other than adding the pickup, I haven't touched a thing. This guitar is flawless.

I have played a live gig with this but I usually play it at home and for recording. You could gig with it, it is reliable, but this is such a rarity, I'd gig with something I could replace easily.

Naver need to contact Taylor for any of their guitars. I have toured the factory and they were very cool and impressed me that they would go to the end of the earth for you.

I have been playing for 28 years. I have another Taylor 412-CE, a couple of teles, a couple of strats, a Fender Sub-sonic, a MusicMan Silhouette, A PRS Signature, a Rick 330 and a 370/12. If lost or stolen I'd contract w/ Taylor to make as close to an identical one as they could. I'd also hire Boston Blackie, Sam Spade, Mike Hammer, The Thin Man, and 007 to hunt down and slowly kill the SOB who stole it. This is the best guitar I've ever played, period.

What ?Features? would you expect from an acoustic guitar? It?s made of wood and it has six strings so I?d say Bob Taylor outfitted this guitar nicely.

Excellent! The thing offers a nice fusion between a smaller body finger-style guitar & a dreadnought. It?s very articulate yet opens up nicely when you strum it hard [something Bob?s _12 body styles won?t do].

Action... nice

Fit... very, very nice

Finish... Bob, you granola-eating enviro-weenie, you blew it here.

Taylors ?uv cured, low VOC, save the whales? finish is touted as superior to traditional finishes... b_llshit!

You see, my attack causes the pick to occasionally get intimate with the rosetta. The ?I?m Bob Taylor and I have to do everything different? finish is cracking and chipping badly from this. OK... my fault you say. But this was never a problem with the Martin D-28 that I unloaded in order to buy the Taylor 714.

If you?re curious about Taylor?s response on this, read the below ?Customer Support? section.

What can go wrong with a steel string acoustic guitar [other than the finish blistering off]. If you drop the thing and break the headstock off that?s your problem.

Back to the sh_tty finish. I called Taylor?s Customer Support, and explained the problem and my dissatisfaction with the finish. I kid you not the conversation went like this:

Taylor Rep.: ?Oh yeah, we have that problem. Have your local luthier sand off the finish on that part of the top and replace it with crazy glue.?

Me: ?You gonna pay for that??

Taylor Rep. ?Ha ha ha!?

Bob, you make nice guitars but you f_cked up the finish. Next time you want to feel good about the environment, hug a tree! [Then cut it down, build a guitar out of it, and send it to Martin for finishing].

Damn it!

1997 Taylor 714...spruce/rosewood...taylor luggage case...nice abalone dot inlays...very colorful...and nice abalone rosette...beautiful. i've added a mother of pearl truss rod cover and gold grovers with ebony tuning keys...i LOVE this guitar

it has a great sound...nice lows (thanks to the rosewood) and great highs...i was a bit nervous getting a smaller-bodied guitar...all of my other acoustics have been dreadnaughts...but nothing compares to my Taylor

Great action...the set-up is wonderful...i wish it could be a little lower on the higher frets...but i don't play up there that much...so i can deal. the wood is absolutely stunning...i've never been a fan of gloss-tops...but this one is gorgeous!

even though i baby this guitar...i wouldn't be worried about playing it without a backup...although i'd have one...i've learned to NEVER play without a backup...no matter how great the guitar is...you never know what can happen.

the only things i've gotten from Taylor were their free catalog and video off of their website...which arrived within a couple of weeks.

i've been playing for 5 years...so i definately do not deserve this guitar...i've owned an ovation adamas, gibson chet...and other acoustics...but this is THE guitar for me (at least for now)...i picked up my first Taylor in a MARS Music store 2 years before i bought this...i've played martins and larivees...but nothing has compared to my 714...but you can't rely on what i have to say...everyone has their own opinion on tone. if this guitar ever sponaneously combusted, i'd sell my soul to get another.

This is a 98 Taylor 714. A non-cut away guitar with no electronics. The top is Ceder with Rosewood back and sides. The neck is Mahogany with an Ebony board. The bridge is Ebony as well. It?s a Grand Auditorium size guitar, featuring basically the same dimensions as a Dreadnought, but with a narrower waist. I believe this narrower waist allows for greater comfort while seated and most of the bass response of a Dreadnought with much better note definition. The Grand Auditorium also sports a very fingerstyle friendly 3/4 nut width. Inlays and other appointments are at a minimum which is fine by me, I like a simple looking guitar. I think the Ceder top looks beautiful with a plain black binding. Last, but not least, my guitar came with a very nice plush, yet heavy duty case.

I?ve written a lot of reviews in Harmony-Central and I?ve always tried to wait out the ?new gear bliss? stage and wait at least six months and maybe a few dozen gigs down the road before evaluating. It?s been almost two years and I?m going to still have to give this guitar almost all 10?s, I love this guitar. To me, this is the perfect sounding acoustic guitar. I?m using it almost solely for fingerstyle playing, however, I do a bit of flat picking or fun now and then. I?ve done a few recording jobs with this guitar and it sounds just amazing on tape. While some may want more bass, I feel bass response is just right. It holds up well with some of my wackier tunings and never sounds boomy or flabby. The middle is complex yet very smooth. The highs are where, to me, all Taylors excel and the 714 is no exception. No matter what I?m doing the melody is sitting pretty on top with great clarity and brilliance. The sustain is fantastic and it is very responsive to dynamics. For me the best words to describe this guitars are: complex, balanced, and clear. For gigs I use the Fishmen Rare Earth Blender pickup. It?s a great sounding sound hole pickup with a internal condenser that you can blend in. I feel this gives me some great tone. I hate Piezio pickups and the whole idea of cutting a hole in the side to install the pre-amp controls really turns me off so I?ve found the rare Earth to be an amazing alternative to the usual factory electronics. I?m also using elixir strings with this guitar. I know some guys don?t like them but I play a lot and go through strings like crazy. to me Elixir is the coolest thing to come along since string winders.

I?m going to dock one point because even though this a far and away the best playing acoustic guitar I?ve used, it didn?t arrive that way. It came with serious buzz, but a quick neck rod tweak and it?s was a dream to play.

I have been playing for 28 years, the last 8 of which I?ve been lucky enough to do full time. Playing for a living, when you?re not a rock star, means waring a lot of hats. I play a little of everything, but playing fingerstyle acoustic is the one thing I do just for me and it?s what I love to do most. I?ve been threatening to make a solo guitar record for a long time now but I?ve been waiting to find the right guitar. This is definitely the right guitar for me. It sounds closer than anything to what I hear in my head. I live in a city where I was able to try just about every steel string there is made today without going too far, and this was my favorite at any price. I would buy this guitar again for sure.

I have been playing for 28 years, the last 8 of which I?ve been lucky enough to do full time. Playing for a living, when you?re not a rock star, means waring a lot of hats. I play a little of everything, but playing fingerstyle acoustic is the one thing I do just for me and it?s what I love to do most. I?ve been threatening to make a solo guitar record for a long time now but I?ve been waiting to find the right guitar. This is definitely the right guitar for me. It sounds closer than anything to what I hear in my head. I live in a city where I was able to try just about every steel string there is made today without going too far, and this was my favorite at any price. I would buy this guitar again for sure.

I'd just like to make a technical correction to my previous review and provide an update. First, the correction: The price in the previous review says I paid $1200 for the guitar, "roughly used." That was supposed to read that I paid "roughly $1200" (probably closer to $1250) and that the guitar was used. The guitar is actually in pristine condition, and it does not appear to have ever been "roughly used."

The update: I had the action lowered a bit to make the guitar more playable for me. The adjustment accomplished this goal, and didn't seem to alter the sound much (except perhaps reducing the bass a small amount). Nevertheless, having lived with this guitar for about 8 months now, I have a feeling that it just isn't for me. I want a guitar that has lots of brightness and "chime." The 7-series Taylors just don't seem to have that (and I've played several others, just to make sure). This guitar's tone could be described as "rich, "woody" and "bassy," but not "bright." As such, I expect that I will sell this one and look into some of the other models with more brightness (such as the 5 and 6 series guitars). I heard Pat Kirtley play a 514-C at a recent clinic, and it had the sound I am looking for, so it will probably be a top contender. Meanwhile, my current 714 should make a good companion for someone looking for a richer, less bright acoustic tone.

Fairly limited "features," even from an acoustic guitar perspective. 1997 model. Grand Auditorium body style, Solid Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood back and sides, mahagony neck, ebony fingerboard. Did not come with any factory installed electronics, but the previous owner installed a Seymour Duncan "sadducer" pickup under the bridge. No cutaway, either.
A note about the features: this guitar has more or less exactly the features that I wanted. Given the limited amount of money I had to spend, I wanted a solid wood guitar with good quality woods, good sound, and good build quality. I did NOT want the wood routed for an onboard preamp. Taylor's standard electronics setup on this model does have a cutout for a preamp, and to be honest, I don't really know why. It seems to me that if you are paying for Taylor-quality wood, you would want it unadultered. I was ambivalent about a cutaway. It reduces bass response a little and most of the acoustic material I play doesn't venture up into the upper registers. However, I have discovered a few things that are difficult to play without the cutaway.
The wood on this guitar is very attractive. I wanted a guitar with a spruce top. The current Taylor 714 series has cedar tops, which are nice but not exactly what I was looking for (a little too mellow).

This is my first true steel string acoustic, so I am no expert in acoustic tone. That being said, I think the tone on this guitar is very nice. Hard to describe acoustic tone, but I would say well-balanced and full. Could be a shade brighter for fingerpicking, but different strings might accomplish that. It also might help if I learned to play with my fingernails better. Sounds very nice strummed.
I bought the guitar via an internet escrow service, which provided for a short "inspection" period. During that period, I went to a few local guitar retailers to make sure there were no other guitars in this price range that sounded as good or better than the 714. there weren't. The only guitar which made me hesitate for a moment about this purchase was a Taylor 614c, and that one was nearly $1000 more than I paid for this guitar.
I have not really had chance to audition the guitar through a good acoustic amp because I don't own one, and thus I can't really comment on that aspect of its tone. It sounds decent through a solid state electric guitar amp set on clean, but the feedback can be nasty if I move around too much.

Guitar's finish appears to be flawless. Very beautiful, thin finish, not a thick gloss like on some cheaper guitars. As noted, the wood is very nice.
The action seems a bit off (fret buzzing in a few spots), but Taylor can't be blamed for that as the guitar is a few years old. I will have it professionally set up when I get a chance, and hopefully that will rectify any problems.
The guitar is not quite as "playable" as I expected. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. A few Taylors I have tried played so easily that they practically seemed to play themselves. This one is not one of them. I wouldn't necessarily consider it hard to play, especially for an acoustic, but it does make you work some to get a good sound out of it. On the plus side, I have found this quality to give the guitar a more dynamic sound than some of the easy to play ones (maybe just because I am working harder, though).

Very difficult to evaluate in a well-built acoustic guitar. Absent major abuse or mishandling, I would expect the guitar to last a lifetime.

I have heard lots of great things about Taylor's customer service. Unfortunately, I have not experienced any of them. When I bought the guitar, I e-mailed Taylor with a few questions. I never heard back from them. I also registered the guitar on their website. I have never received any acknowledgement that the registration was ever processed. They did send me a catalog fairly quickly when I requested one. Overall, I would have hoped for better. They are a local company (San Diego) and I actually know someone who knows their marketing director. Perhaps I'll let him know I have been less than impressed with their service.
The warranty is lifetime for the original owner. Since I bought it used, the warranty is voided.

I have been playing guitar for about 12 years, but have been seriously pursuing acoustic guitar for less than two. This is my only steel string acoustic. I also own a cheap nylon string and a few electirc guitars and amps.
I like nearly everything about this guitar. In a perfect world, it might have a cutaway and be slightly easier to play, assuming that this didn't adversely affect the sound quality, but I really can't complain. I gather the previous owner didn't play it all that much as it still sometimes seems somewhat "stiff" (not broken in) and even still has that "new guitar" smell! I expect it to continue to improve with age. If it were stolen, I would certainly consider another similar one, assuming I could find one (Taylor doesn't make this particular version anymore).