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Taylor 314CE Grand Auditorium Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Case)

The Taylor 314ce features a Grand Auditorium body, Venetian cutaway, and the Taylor Expression System, adding up to a versatile guitar that's perfect for stage and home. The combination of Sitka spruce and African mahogany provides the perfect guitar for strong, rhythmic playing styles. The Grand Auditorium size combines the width and depth of a Dreadnought with a narrower waist. This sleek design yields a strong treble zing across the tonal spectrum and sharpens the definition of individual notes. The Grand Auditorium is a strong fingerpicking guitar that also adapts well to medium strumming. Learn More...

    • New $1,649.00
  • Installment Plan:4 payments of $412.25
    • free ground shipping
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Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10

Individual User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * . . . . . . 4 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Quality:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Value:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
I Want It:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * . . . . 6 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * . . . . . . 4 out of 10
Support:
* * * . . . . . . . 3 out of 10

Feature:
It came with a balanced cable. My guitar preamp was still noisy, balanced or single ended. The tone controls are subtle enough to be usable. I wish it had an LR Baggs under saddle transducer. These are simple and work well.

Quality:
After just 18 months of owning it and probably less than 20 hrs playing time, the expression system decided to fail. After spending weeks trying to get customer support without much success, I managed to get an agent to promise to replace the transducers under warranty. The problem is the shipping fees to t return it. I was told these transducers fail often and leak oil... wish I had never bought it. Mine is for sale if I can find anyone stupid enough to buy it.

Value:
This is an expensive guitar. I was prepared to pay that thinking it had superior craftsmanship. I now drool over the Cort NTL custom that I sold to buy the Taylor. It is not good value, especially when the expression system fails.

Desirability:
It never had visual appeal from the start, I bought it because I'd heard Taylor guitars were good, the woodwork is good, the materials are way inferior to a Stew Mac kit. I was disappointed. I now use a Stewart MacDonald dreadnought built from a kit, with LR Baggs transducer.

Sound:
Unplugged, it is a pleasure to play. Good bass response, clear tops and mids. Plugged in it is horrible, even through the best acoustic amp I could afford, the SWR Strawberry Blonde! The expression system doesn't work for me at all.

Ease of Use:
The guitar action was not good. The saddle had to be lowered, but could not be reduced enough due to possible swelling of the body from humidity. I keep the guitar in the case with silica gel.

Support:
The Taylor website indicates global service centers, there is however zero contact with Taylor themselves. The appointed service center technician was friendly - I still have to get the guitar there & back before I know the quality of the service. If the guitar comes back working then I'll revise the score on this field.

Overall:
After 12 - months of owning it, I couldn't wait to get rid of it. Don't buy a brand name for brand names sake. I wanted a cutaway acoustic electric with natural acoustic sound. If I fit an LR Baggs to it, it will be OK, but I've already paid too much. I'm just very annoyed because my expression system just stopped working one day. It's not the battery holder as most people would think. I bought a replacement and wasted that money too.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
I guess this depends upon what you are looking for. I was looking for the perfect tone and playability, so I wasn't looking for abalone purling or fancy finger board inlays. My guitar came with the Fishman Prefix which is wonderful. The prefix is getting more expensive and harder to find on new guitars these days. I do wish it had a mic option like the 814ce.

Quality:
It is extremely well crafted. The intonation is perfect. The neck after 7 years is still as good as new. The quality of the woods used is impecable. The construction is well engineered. The finish is flawless.

Value:
I know its expensive, but I couldn't find a better sounding guitar for anything close in price, so I had to have it.

Desirability:
Had to have that sound. Have that sound.

Sound:
I spent several months playing acoustic electrics before deciding that the Taylor guitars sounded the best to me. The 314ce has a beautiful round clear tone. The bass is warm and very well defined. The mids and highs sing a siren's note. The Martins I tried boomed a bit too much for me and the mids and highs aren't as well defined. I bought an older 314ce that has aged wonderfully. It sounds a bit fuller than the new ones.

Ease of Use:
It has a narrow neck with a nice C shape. Since I started playing guitar with electrics, the narrow neck made the switch to acoustic much easier. Its really easy to finger pick. It articulates your pick/finger action with great detail. The tuners are wonderfull and stay in tune.

Support:
Taylor actually lets you talk to a real human immediately. They are friendly and love their guitars. They provide support with the same passion that they use to build their guitars.

Overall:
I am completely satisfied with the 314ce. I expect to keep this guitar forever. I love the tone so much I can't see getting another acoustic electric guitar while I have this one. It has been a perfect instrument for me. I feel myself slipping into the music whenever I play it. If for some terrible reason I have to replace it, I'd get another.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
The expression system Taylor has developed amplifies your sound as if you were simply playing louder. There is no bias. The guitar and the electronics are perfect for each other. The only problem is that if you have to quickly adjust the volume, bass, or trouble, they aren't marked and may get confusing until you get used to which is which.

Quality:
It's a Taylor.

Desirability:
It's a Taylor.

Sound:
This guitar sounds awesome. The lows and highs are definately there, but neither one is overpowering. The mids are great.

Ease of Use:
Easy as any other guitar to play. The expression system is not confusing. (Except as stated above).

Support:
Haven't had to deal with Taylor's customer service.

Overall:
I've owned about 30 acoustic guitars. This is by far the best I've ever owned.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
My Taylor was set up perfectly from the factory, comes with a nice TRS/XLR cord from factory (which i recommend that you use to get the most out of your expression system). The case is nice.

Quality:
Second only to a custom Mcpherson. The guitar is reliable, however any performing musician will tell you to have a spare. I have two 314 CEs. I have experienced slight trouble with the delicate but brilliant "expression system". Be sure your broken string ends stay off of the magnets inside of the body.

Value:
Worth every penny. I have played several types and the 300 series seems to sound the best and is also the cheapest in their line. I would suggest only getting the 400, 500, and up if you are looking for a "prettier" guitar.

Desirability:
Taylor makes one of the best guitars on the market. The thin body on the 314 makes it great looking and sacrifices zero sound quality plugged in. If you are playing mostly unplugged, opt for a thicker body. It feels good and looks good on stage.

Sound:
I have used it in live performance as well as in the studio and it shines. The expression system sounds great. With other guitars you would have to mic them in the studio to bring out the great acoustic nuances, with this one it sounded best plugged in. The only way to get a better acoustic sound is to step up to an LR baggs equipped Mcpherson for about $4000.00

Ease of Use:
Play it right out of the box.....no setup needed.

Support:
Taylor support is great. When you call, which i have only had to do once, you actually talk to a taylor tech who is a guitar player (usually). when my guitar needed service, he instantly (without looking up a number) gave me the name of a highly reputable taylor authorized technician that repaired one of my guitars (worn frets).

Overall:
I will never give up my 314's. As they age they only sound better. If i were to somehow be stripped of my 314's i would certainly replace them no matter what other guitars i own.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
I "like" the included case (better constructed than any one of my previous guitars was), the cord terminating in microphone DIN connector, the combo screw driver/wrench, for neck adjustments, and the included Elixir NanoWeb Light strings.

Quality:
Would be hard to tell it was "mass produced" if you didn't know.

Desirability:
If you are a singer/guitar player, and you don't have this guitar, or another Taylor, you don't sound as good as you could sound.

Sound:
Never have had an accoustic electric guitar that sounded, when plugged in, like I shoved a microphone in the sound hole, until this one. This instrument makes me a better guitar player, without even getting any better.

Support:
Bought ebony/abalone string pegs, after I bought it, from their website...was a breeze to deal with.

Overall:
I've bought my ultimate guitar...all others will pale in comparison.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
the expression system is definitely amazing technology and makes this guitar sounds absolutely gorgeous amplified and unplugged

Quality:
its perfect i dont believe there is any room for improvement on this baby

Value:
it is pricey but completely worth every cent

Desirability:
its simple practical and sounds great

Sound:
the sound is incredible this beauty produces a very bright and brilliant sound which i love and th best thing is that anything you can play on guitar sounds much better and clearer once you play on this guitar

Support:
no experience with taylor personally

Overall:
this guitar could satisfy me for a lifetime and any other sane musician for that matter

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