Taylor 714ce GA Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Case)

This edition of the rosewood/spruce 714ce showcases the smooth golden-brown gradient of our Western Sunburst top, which adds a harmonious visual element to the roots-rich aesthetic of the redesigned 700 Series. The guitar features Taylor's popular Grand Auditorium body style, renowned for its musical versatility, and sports a sonic upgrade to a Lutz spruce top with updated Performance bracing and other voicing enhancements. The result is bolder, more robust sound with a more prominent fundamental focus to balance rosewood's natural bell-like overtone shimmer.

Fresh appointments suggest a modern Americana vibe, with earthy yet refined touches that include Hawaiian koa binding, a herringbone-inspired rosette of Douglas fir with maple/black accents, bias-cut Douglas fir top trim, and a "weathered brown" pickguard design that suggests the patina of worn leather.

The guitar also features an elegant Venetian cutaway and Taylor's stage-ready ES2 pickup and preamp for natural-sounding amplified tone.

Expression System

The Taylor Expression System(R) 2 (ES2) is a revolutionary pickup design that delivers the latest in Taylor's ongoing innovation in acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor's patented behind-the-saddle pickup, which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before. Together with Taylor's… read more custom-designed "professional audio"-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. On stage through a PA, plugged into your favorite acoustic amplifier, or direct into recording software, the Expression System 2 faithfully conveys the voice of your Taylor guitar.

Behind the ES2 Design: Rethinking the Piezo Pickup

For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to "bounce" up and down. But Taylor's electronics team, led by developer David Hosler, discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets "locked down" due to the string tension's downward pressure. That's why a traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals often responds with a sound often characterized as thin, brittle, brash or synthetic, especially with more aggressive playing.

The saddle's natural range of movement as the guitar is being played is actually back and forth like a pendulum. That revelation led Taylor's design team to relocate the crystals from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar's energy as it is transferred through the saddle. Three pickup sensors are installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle.

Like the original Expression System, the ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers. read less