Taylor 814ce Review

Incredible Guitar from an Incredible Reseller

Wow is the best way to start this review. I have ordered guitars from Sweetwater in the past and normally I'm a bit leary of not hearing them first hand myself and testing the playability is a concern, however the Sweetwater team knows what they are doing and will strive to do right be the customer. PRS, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul and Line 6 Shuriken are a few of the… read more guitars I have bought from them in the past. I had an issue with the Shuriken and it was immediately replaced. I had a shipping problem where the Les Paul got lost, they sent me another new one in short order. I had them Plek the PRS and it turned out great. NOW to the Taylor 814ce. I had high expectations as I used to own an older 814bce and the notes all sounded like they were dipped in fairy dust and fresh honey. Just wonderful to play. When I got this one the action was a little high for me. There are typically three actions on an acoustic depending on how you play and strum. I play with lilght strumming and picking notes, so I needed the action set lower to be happy. I talked to my Sweetwater Sales Engineer Adan Vaughn who got me in touch with the guitar techs who set the guitars up before they go out the door. I was given several options be opted to return the guitar at their cost, have the action lowered and shipped back to me. It took about two weeks with the work load they had, but the wait was well worth it. I pulled it out of the case sat down and reveled in the sweetness of those beautifully sustained notes from this instrument. Very happy just doesn't cover it. What a guitar and more, what a great team at Sweetwater. They will continue to be my go to for great musical equipment. I highly recommend this guitar and even more so highly recommend you buy it from Sweetwater. Thanks! Steven Glenn of Jasper Alabama.

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I love my new Taylor 814ce

I recently bought a Taylor 814ce from Sweetwater. The Sweetwater high resolution photos of their guitars make it possible to look closely at the grain on the top. The grain of the guitar I purchased had very straight grain and had silk (medullary rays)/cross grain throughout the upper and lower bout. The top in my guitar provides a sparkling response, with clear highs, warm lows… read more and a slightly scooped midrange. The V-Class bracing inside the guitar projects loud volume (when you dig into it) and longer sustain then the old cross bracing designs. I've actually counted out 16 beats of volume from the strings while the sound decays to an inaudible level and this is on a brand-new guitar.I play fingerstyle blues, ragtime music and I'm working on flat picking blue grass tunes. The neck is comfortable and quick to move around on. I love the comfort of the Arm Rest that allows for long fun practice sessions. I also like the maple binding on the edge of the back and sides, it is so pretty. The guitar comes with Taylor's ES-2 preamp and pickup which is handy when you need to plug into an amp. The hard-shell case fits the guitar snugly, so your new pride and joy doesn't move around inside the case. I wanted a guitar with a Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. This wood type matches my Martin M38 that I purchased in 1993. After 29 years of playing the M38 it has all of attributes of seasoned Martin guitar. Bright highs, a punchy base tone and good sustain. My brand new 814ce has the same attributes but with a longer sustain. The Grand Auditorium size is perfect for me and is comparable to my M38. I had Sweetwater ship my new 814ce guitar to the local Walgreens to avoid potential theft by porch pirates. When I picked up the guitar it was double boxed, with 814ce in the hard-shell case. The hard shell case was in the original Taylor shipping box and lastly the Taylor box was in the Sweetwater box. Needless to say, the guitar arrived in perfect condition. There was not a fingerprint, ding or scratch anywhere to be found.I recommend Sweetwater to anyone interested in purchasing a new guitar. Your Sales Engineer can answer all your questions. Kris Eckman, my sales engineer has always been great to work for all my purchases and questions. I also recommend you consider purchasing a new Taylor Guitar. There are a variety of models, prices, and wood types to choose from. Taylor provides a lifetime guarantee with each of their guitars. My new Taylor 814ce is a wonderful instrument. It has beautiful fit and finish, great tone, perfect playability and set up. After the first month of ownership my 814ce has a great start of becoming a lifetime guitar for me, I love it. Brad, from Colorado

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Classic tone

This guitar does it all and more. Purchased a Martin previously and returned it. Was more of a strumming guitar. Having owned a 714 previously, I had high expectations. Awesome for finger picking , lead or strumming. Matched with my 2 mesa s and super pedal board , nothing comes close. Buy this guitar. 10. Yup.

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I absolutely LOVE this guitar!

I was looking for a new acoustic guitar to replace a Martin I mistakenly sold a few years back. The new Martin's I tried just didn't cut it and so I focused on Taylor Guitars. I tried the 314ce and 414ce and although there were very nice they were not what I was looking for. I did some research and focused on the 814ce but was not able to find a place locally who stocked it so… read more I bought it from Sweetwater. When I received it the quality was immediately apparent - it is a thing of beauty! Since I got it I have barely been able to put it down! The bottom end it very full and deep, the highs are silky smooth, and the dynamic range is awesome. And, my playing has gotten markedly better after playing it for less than a week! This is my third Taylor (T5 C2 Custom Koa & 354ce 12-string) and the 814ce has totally exceeded my expectations. It is the last acoustic guitar I will ever need to buy and I will have it for the rest of my life! Matt and Sweetwater have been great through the entire process - thanks, I couldn't be happier.

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I couldn't be happier

This is the best guitar I have ever owned. Most people wouldn't trust the idea of spending thousands of dollars on a guitar they have never held and played. I would agree with them if my experience with Ryan and the Sweetwater process wasn't a world class experience. I couldn't be more trusting of Sweetwater's ethical business model and customer service.

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