Guitar World Verdict
An agile acoustic with a sparkling voice at an attainable price, the Taylor 314ce Studio proves a worthy investment for home, studio and especially, the stage.
Pros
- +
Detailed and shimmering tone.
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Fantastic amplified voice.
- +
Beautifully finished.
Cons
- -
Could use slightly fuller bass.
- -
Modern voicing might not suit traditionalists.
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What is it?
Taylor's acoustic guitars are clean-cut, original and (most of the time) their sound owes little to the past. The benefits of that approach are all to be found in this neat and sleek Grand Auditorium cutaway 314ce Studio — but also one or two of the drawbacks.
So who is Taylor aiming at with this guitar? One clue is that, while relatively simple cosmetically, the 314ce Studio is built with solid woods throughout, rather than cheaper laminates. In fact, Taylor states that this model is now “the lowest-priced gateway to the solid wood experience,” though at $1,999 it’s hardly a beginner’s model. Think of it as a beckoning invitation to buy your first “serious” Taylor, if you will.
Specs
- Launch price: $1,999/£1,979
- Type: Six-string Grand Auditorium electro-acoustic guitar
- Made: USA (neck made in Mexico)
- Top: Torrefied spruce
- Back and sides: Sapele
- Neck: Neo-tropical mahogany, satin finish
- Scale length: 648mm (25.5”)
- Tuners: Taylor nickel
- Nut/Width: White NuBone/42.86mm
- Fingerboard/Radius: West African Crelicam ebony/15"
- Frets: 20
- Bridge/Pins: West African Crelicam ebony/Black ABS plastic
- Electronics: Expression System 2
- Left-handers: No
- Finish: Natural (as reviewed), Shaded Edge Burst ($2,099)
- Contact: Taylor Guitars
Build quality
The sapele used on this guitar certainly doesn’t look like a cheap option
To keep the price tag tempting, not all of this guitar is made in the US — the neck is manufactured over the border at Taylor’s Tecate factory in Mexico before the 314ce is assembled at the Californian El Cajon facility. Taylor’s sapele is used for the back, sides and the neck, instead of the increasingly expensive mahogany that it resembles. However, with a rich, auburn color and attractive grain stripes running through it, the sapele used on this guitar certainly doesn’t look like a cheap option.
Turning our attention to the top, we find a solid spruce soundboard that’s been heat-treated using a process called torrification. This roasting technique was developed to give brand-new spruce tops similar tone and stability to those of vintage guitars that have settled and mellowed for decades.
Other standout details on the 314ce include a slightly narrowed neck, which we measured at 43mm (1 11/16th inches) at the nut, which might be Taylor’s attempt to make the guitar more user-friendly to players crossing over from electric. Supporting the spruce top, we also get Taylor’s V-Class bracing system and finally, there’s Taylor’s simple but dependable 3-control ES2 pickup system aboard.
The gloss finish of the top is gleaming and mirror-flat, while the satin-feel neck is tactile and silky to play. That’s a good start and plays to Taylor’s strengths in making impeccably turned out, detail-driven guitars. Fretwork is similarly tidy, while the rolled-in (subtly bevelled) edges of the fretboard give the neck a comfortable, played-in feel.
Playability and sounds
Strumming the 314ce Studio reveals a bright, breathy and clear voice with piano-like composure — and that finely intonated character really helps reveal harmonic detail when playing chords with ringing open strings. No particular era of music or acoustic heritage is evoked, just a harmonious modern voice that’s quite neutral in character.
One thing we’ve noticed in the past about V-Class braced guitars, however, is that you seem to trade just a little bass for the other virtues it offers (sustain, improved intonation higher up the neck) and even our shallower-bodied Martin 000-14 had a touch more low-end than the 314ce Studio.
Detuning to DADGAD fills things out nicely, however, and despite that slightly narrow neck, the fantastic intonation and silvery voice could make this a fingerstyle player’s dream. The ES2 pickup system is the jewel in the crown here, though. It does a beautiful job of turning all that clarity into a focused but attractively natural amplified voice.
Verdict
Combined with Taylor’s slinky playability, the ES2 makes the 314ce a serious live performance tool. Overall, it adds up to a rather charming package that, while not cheap, is fairly priced (with premium gig bag included), crisply built and shines like a gem on the live stage.
Guitar World verdict: An agile acoustic with a sparkling voice at an attainable price, the Taylor 314ce Studio proves a worthy investment for home, studio and especially, the stage.
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