Best All Around Taylor Guitar (Jan 2023 Update)

I had bought one of these back in 2017 when I made the switch to Acoustic. I don't know why but, I got rid of it so I could make the move tpo the Martin X-Series only because I had always wanted a Martin. To make a long story short, the Martin didn't cut it for me, so last week I made the move back to Taylor and the Big Baby. These newer ones are so beautiful but it's a shame, that Taylor has discontinued them. The Brown headstock along with the Solid Spruce top and Walnut back and sides, have really IMO, improved this model. Once set up properly, it stays in tune and just sounds awesome ! I would say that it is the best Acoustic going today which is under the 500 dollar range. Plus seeing that I'm on a low budget, this was a no-brainer. It's a keeper and I am getting a lot of joy playing it.Jeffrey

I had bought one of these from here way back in 2017 , which I used when I was gigging . I'm now retired ( 63 ) and only play at home now. I had to take a couple of years away from playing, due to pain in my left hand , which built up from 50 years of playing. I came back to playing in August of 2021 and I had bpught a Martin X-Series which at the time, I thought was great . Well it turned out that I ended up having issues with it and got rid of it, so I went back to getting a new, Big Baby Taylor, which always served me well. It's too bad that Taylor discontinued these because, these newer models are IMO, a vast improvement over the older ones. Since I got it on this past Sunday, I can not put this down. It just sounds so amazing and it stays in tune forever. While the included gigbag is a plus, I went and bought a Hardshell case for it. For those who want a Taylor but are on a low budget, this is worth the asking price and then some.Jeff

Since I went back to playing last summer after a 3 year hiatus, due to wrist pain in my left hand, I was using a Martin X-Series OMCX1E which I had nothing but problems with such as not staying in tune, fret buzz, etc. So over a week ago, I made the decision to switch to a Big Baby Taylor. I am limited as far as funds go, so $500.00 was the most that I could afford and I did not want to get a Baby but the Big Baby which is pretty close to a standard dreadnought size , at least as th neck scale is concerned. The body is a tad smaller and lighter which for me at my age ( 63 ) , makes playing a lot easier. Thiis came already set up and strung with Elixirs , which I liked . I can not believe how light in weight this is and it stays in tune , which is a huge plus for me. As far as tone goes, this easily blows away any of the Martin X-Series .I love this guitar and I will be making some wonderful memories with it.jeffreyo46

This guitar is an absolute masterpiece! It plays smooth and has great low and high ranges. My guitar did have an unknown damage upon arrival. I called customer service and spoke with Henry. He worked me through the process of replacement and gave me the option of discounting the guitar. In the end it was a very easy solution and very easy communication from Henry. 10 out of 10 customer service!Eric

I walked into GC yesterday not knowing I'd walk out with this gorgeous 314ce. I had a 114ce that has served me well and I've had no complaints about. I've been playing for about 20 years and wanted an upgrade. I love the grand auditorium body style as I enjoy playing finger style, but don't want to give up the ability to strum chords and have them sound flat or stale. This style compliments both play styles well. I tried several brands before from Martin to Gibson to Fender and I've found that Taylor tends to build all of their models with the same level of craftsmanship. What I mean is it is easier to feel/hear a difference between cheaper and more expensive models from other brands; Taylor makes excellent quality instruments at every experience/price level. The feel on the neck is smooth and encourages flawless transitions. The spruce top produces bright tones from the narrow body without sacrificing deep, rich low tones. In my opinion, the 314ce stands on par with any other brand's guitar at a similar price point. I would even pick this one over a Martin that's $1000 more. That's how confident I am in Taylor and their craftsmanship.GuitarGuy911

This review will attempt to provide a balanced view of the guitar itself as I have owned this for over a year. Pro: Taylor brightness. Playing open chords gives an exhilarating zing you can feel and hear. The cutaway gives great access to high leads. The Expression pickup system is fabulous and certainly better than any piezo pickup with the "quack". Great on the G B e strings for leads and chords, sparkling, and bright classic Taylor. It is a beautiful piece with the inlays. Con: There are dead zones on the guitar, eg, the E A at high frets. Not normally a problem but now that I am learning the whole fretboard playing other chords up there is dead, and not just a little. I thought it was strings so tried many – it is the guitar. Playing with a capo, chords also a bit more muted not in contact with the nut which helps the sound resonance. Obviously the low end on this one is poor. I also learned it is poor for fingerpicking which I also started recently. My old Yamaha FG-335 has much better tone and overtones. I have had mixed feelings over time which is why I waited to review. The answer to this is I bought a Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe using perks / gifts to bring down the cost to me. Different price range, but everything I wanted. Am I disappointed? Yes to some extent but then again any bright leads can be done on the 314ce. It has been a learning experience. Play the guitar you are going to buy. Play it at every string and fret. Maybe it is the wood (sapele). The whole guitar feels "tight" and constrained. Maybe with time it will relax. Many people love Taylor and I can see why, those who love bright, this is for them. I now need clear, balanced, and playable across the fretboard.Chris G

I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and I've owned many over the decades. However, when my son was born, I hung up my gig bag, sold off most of my equipment, and focused on raising a fine young man. He's now 12, has taken an interest in singing, and for being self taught, he's pretty good. I felt this was the perfect father/son bonding activity, so I purchased this beautiful new Taylor 214ce Plus Grand Auditorium so he and I could collaborate on songs together. I've owned this guitar for just over a week now, and I couldn't be happier. It's been more than a decade since I've owned an acoustic guitar, but having played for so many years, I've developed a taste for quality instruments, so a cheaply made guitar simply wasn't going to do. I must say, this Taylor 214ce Plus plays like butter. Right out of the included Taylor quality made case, this instrument plays and sounds like a fine instrument should. A slight bit of stretching and break-in on the new strings, and it plays and sounds amazing both unplugged and plugged into my amp. I love the location and quality feel of the controls. You can really dial in the perfect balanced tone. The action on this guitar is absolutely perfect and so easy on the fingers, which I really appreciate since I'm building back those finger calluses from scratch. The action is just as easy on the 12th fret as it is on the 2nd fret. The tone of this guitar is so bright, rich and full bodied that it truly delivers that "WOW" factor when you hear it for the first time. What's more, it looks every bit as amazing as it feels and sounds. The high gloss finish is absolutely beautiful. I looked this instrument over in every detail, and I can't find a single flaw anywhere. It's as if someone really took great pride in their work and took their time to make certain they were turning out perfection. I've never before seen such quality from a mass produced instrument. I'm about to have both of my knees replaced in a couple of weeks, so it looks like I'll be laid up for the better part of the summer. I figured what better way to spend my time than getting my guitar chops back up to par; and what a pleasure it's going to be doing so on this beautiful sounding work of art. In writing this review I almost wish I could supply you with some CONS, to at least make the review seem less sappy, but I honestly can't find a single downside to this instrument. NOT ONE! Lastly I am also very grateful to American Musical Supply for providing payment options for those of us on a budget. They've allowed me to own such a quality instrument, when given the current economic climate, I otherwise wouldn't have been able to. So, kudos to Taylor for making such amazing instruments, and to AMS for making them available for every budget.Ryan L (Queen Creek, Arizona)

I’m not the biggest acoustic player in the world, but I have tried quite a few out over the years and I find this to be very nice for the price. Nice even sound, could use a little more bass but plugged in it sounds even better. Action is a touch high for me, but I guess that can be remedied. I love the gig bag it comes in, very sturdy! I prefer it to a hard case. For how I play, I lean more towards Taylors, so maybe I’m a bit biased but I really like this guitar.Joey

My first Taylor guitar. Still learning to play. I had a Martin OMC-X1E and checked out some guitars. I tried out the Taylor 214CE Plus and there was no turning back. Much easier to play bar chords than the Martin. Sounds bright and crisp. Very nice resonance. Beautiful guitar all around. My experience at Sam Ash was top notch. They helped with my requests 100%. Will return for future purchases.Lucky

Had other parlour guitars but always thought they didn't sound to good but I like the look and quality of the Taylor. So easy to play and the built-in tuner and electrics magic. Trouble is the grandson has taken a fancy to it and he's only just started playing so I might not have it for to long. Overall love it.Dave L.

I bought it because I had an injury to my right arm which left me with limited range of motion and unable to use my standard size Ovation. The Baby Taylor is easy to play and sounds good amplified, but acoustically it is easy to play it too hard. In addition mine gives me a harsh resonance when I play an open D. It turns out that the resonance is also present on notes simply near the D. (Its not fret buzz.) It is much less noticeable when amplified, don't know why. Other people don't notice it and tell me that the guitar has a wonderful sound. I played a Big Baby Taylor and loved it, but it's bigger and therefore less portable and easy for me to play. Perhaps the unwanted resonance is unique to my guitar. I haven't tried to get it looked at by a luthier yet. Perhaps another small guitar, like the Martin, would be better. Don't know. I'm pretty much satisfied with it because it is small and very light and portable which fits my need. It's pretty, nice workmanship, good tuner and electronics.Ed

The 2nd gen may very well be among the best sounding and playing guitars ever made. Far better feel and playability than my Gibson Songwriter. The action on the 618e is set nicely for my style which is folk rock and acoustic blues, mostly with a pick and some finger style. I've been playing for almost 50 years & have tried or owned countless acoustic guitars but only very few have I been sentimental over. This guitar will stay in the family when I bite it. With most Taylors The Es2 is far better than many electronic systems BUT THEY ARE NOT one size fits all. Taylor really needs to re-think the electronics for this Jumbo. Playing live I've been plugging straight into the board or line out from my Marshall acoustic amp. After all these years of playing acoustic on stage or in small areas I thought I had learned all the tricks to control low end feedback. Now I feel like I should go back to square 1. I cannot get the full sound of this guitar at the sound levels I need. The little phase switch inside the sound hole helps a bit, a sound hole cover does nothing. If you want to compete with sound levels of a band (if its even possible) you might need a sound engineer out front. The only way I'm able to bring the level up is to turn down the bass almost all the way which sounds terrible. I'm sure I could mic it but I hate to be nailed to one place all the time. I bought a Spendy little Fishman Aura preamp hoping It would help bring out the sound of this guitar but even that didn't help. In short, the best plugged in sound I can get would be equal to a small parlor guitar. Very tinny with bass down or full of low-end feedback with bass at mid-level. Again, Unplugged This is the best sounding and playing guitar hands down and I'm going to keep trying to eliminate the feed back. However, I'm currently at a loss as to how I can do this and retain even a bit of that full sound. I recommend this great guitar without electronics. (None of my smaller Taylors have this issue)MRJ

This is an update to my previous review. Taylor customer service read the review and reached out to me regarding the low end feedback. They offered to install a lower output ES2 they said should do the trick. Instead of shipping I flew the guitar down with me to the Taylor factory in San Diego. Glen Wolf with customer service had everything arranged prior to my arrival. Everybody was very friendly and the factory is like a candy store for musicians. Within an hour the electronics on my 618 were refitted and I was on my way. Now I have had the chance to try it out in several settings and different equipment I am happy to report feedback is gone and the guitar now sounds angelic both plugged and unplugged. My favorite configuration is through a Marshall acoustic amp with just a touch of chorus and lined out to the PA. Bass and treble on the guitar set at the midway notch is perfect. I can even play right in front of the amp and no sound hole cover. High marks on this guitar and Taylor customer service who I can't thank enough.Mrj

Nice sound, good sustain. Thought the neck profile was a bit chunky, presumed it wouldn't be as they call it a hybrid. Have small hands.graham l.

I use this guitar at home or in church . I have yet to play out again with others . It's a great guitar to cross over from an acoustic guitar with steel strings .Alex

I love Taylor guitars; they're sound is distinctly bright and cheery, and they're quality is always apparent. This Taylor, however, has it's own distinct sound, more mellow but very full and satisfying. The construction quality is fantastic; I love the rounded edges of the body and the overall comfortable feeling of this guitar when I play it. I currently have two other Taylor's but this one is hard to put down. I got the honey colored one and love the way it looks, but I played the natural finish one too and found them identical. I do a lot of fingerpicking and this guitar is perfect for it. The neck shape is great and easy to get up the fretboard, even without a cutout. Great guitar!!! As always, the staff at my Johnson City, NY GC were great to deal with. Special thanks to Andy, Dan and to Nick for helping me with this purchase as they have helped me so many times. Great crew and a great store!Gene

I set out to buy one really nice acoustic and after a thorough amount of research and trying many guitars, I finally settled on the Taylor 717e. It looks fantastic! It feels like "wooden-silk" and it's a joy to play. And the tone from this guitar just satisfies my every need. But, with that last sentence, therein is the problem and the ONE major flaw with this guitar. I am fortunate enough to have a few really nice electric guitars that I've bonded with over the years. My issue with the 717e is; I can't seem to put it down long enough to play those really nice guitars! And if I plug this one in? It's over for the evening I just can't tear myself away from it! Yeah,it's THAT good!Sterling

I love this guitar. When I decided to buy my dream acoustic, I had Taylor and Martin in mind. Most of the Taylors I played (GA's from 100 series up to 800 series) sounded just a bit tinny to me, while most of the Martins sounded too muddy to my ear. Those impressions were exacerbated when I played them back to back. Switching from, say, a Martin D-28 to a Taylor 814ce, I'd think, "Yuck, so tinny!" But when I switched back to the Martin, I'd say, "Ah, where's that treble zing?" This Taylor 717 hits the sweet spot for me. It sounds rich and full and thick at the same time as shimmery and clear. It's a very versatile guitar. I use it for fingerpicking both hard and soft (works nicely with a thumbick). I strum it. I pick it. I play soft, I play loud. It does it all wonderfully. I also really like the aesthetics and the feel. I love the all wood construction, even down to the rosette and the edge binding. I prefer that over plastic or faux tortoise. And the silent satin finish is really nice. It feels great and looks classy. The softened edges on the body and the fingerboard are a nice touch, too. It's really comfortable to hold and play. I'm not sure yet how I feel about the compound carve on the neck profile. It's got a slight V shape toward the headstock, which is great for your open chords where you wrap your hand around the neck, but I'm finding my low barre chords (e.g. Bm, Cm) feel just a little awkward. Once I get to the fourth fret, it feels more natural to me. I've had the guitar for 2.5 months and I'm still not completely used to it. I imagine I'll get there with a little more practice – I have had about fifteen years of getting used to slim electric guitar necks. The intonation and playability are fantastic, and it sounds wonderfully balanced across the strings and up the fretboard. Every time I play this guitar it inspires me, and every time I put it away, I think, "Man, I love this guitar!"Grand Pacific Fan

The sound is amazing. Its one of the easiest guitar i’ve ever played, kind on the fingers when I do bar chords/power chords. Better still, Better Music even matched a cheaper price after I had bought it. The customer service is outstanding. Can’t wait for Taylor GC I bought for $300 with the Taylor Days offer.pete b.

For starters the guitar is absolutely beautiful and built to perfection. The aesthetics and fit and finish reflects the price paid for this guitar. The grand concert size is very very comfortable. The 1 3/4" nut is ideal for me and the slightly shorter scale improves playability but it's not too short. On to the tone, I think the mahogany/blackwood combo makes up some of the best guitars in Taylor's entire line up regardless of price. On the grand concert specifically, the 322ce has a good low end response that to me is reminiscent of a Martin 000 or OM, the strong mid range typically expected from mahogany, and still has some of that Taylor brightness as well. It's almost like a mix of a more modern tone and old school warm and woody tone if that makes any sense. The guitar produces great volume (for its size), and great clarity and articulation anywhere on the fretboard which I'm sure the v class bracing plays a part in all of these traits. Although I find that spruce top models are a bit better in these categories, I also find the tonal range to be a bit brighter so it depends what you like and what your style is. The only negative thing I can say is I'm not a huge fan of the ES2 but it seems like most people aren't fans of it so nothing new there. The guitar sounds amazing mic'ed up. But all in all, except for heavy handed strumming, you can do a lot with this guitar. Fingerstyle, light/medium strumming, live gigs, record an album, singer-songwriter stuff, ect and you'll look great doing it all with this gorgeous guitar. Taylor knocked it out of the park with this one.Joseph

A while back I was using a Taylor GS Mini and I got rid of it because the sound was too bright for my taste. I got a Martin and loved it but I slowly fell out of love with it. After a lot of research I decided to pull the trigger on this guitar and let me tell you I am SO GLAD I did. This guitar looks amazing, sounds amazing, and feels amazing. I love jamming with it, and I recently got to record with it and man the sound is incredible. The sound is not as bright as most Taylors I've played like the 214 Koas and such. The tone is a lot warmer than most Taylors but not as deep as a Martin, but man it is truly an amazing guitar. I absolutely love this guitar and it was worth every penny.Ceez

I’ve been playing a Taylor 310 for 25 years and was looking for something smaller and lighter to transport. Having read a lot of reviews and listened to the videos I thought I would try the GS Mini Koa and see what all the fuzz was about. This guitar sounds amazing! The Koa gives it a depth AND sparkle that you don’t expect from a small guitar. I keep asking myself does it lack depth compared to my dreadnought, technically it does but actually I don’t miss it because the sound is so full. The volume too is quite exceptional, I tend to strum a lot with a pick and don’t mind digging in hard….. this guitar just sings under those circumstances. It get’s louder and louder without noticeably going out of tune. At the other end there is such clarity and sustain that quiet finger picking also sounds great. You can easily hear a single note melody within a chord. Are there any downsides? Well if you have big hands then the reduced neck length may feel too cramped…. For me this is actually more comfortable than a full size neck but you wouldn’t want it any smaller. In summary I’m blown away, just amazing.David

Wow… what a stunner! Opening the case for the first time was quite an experience. This is a seriously beautiful guitar with beautiful craftsmanship. As a beginner with small hands (even for a lady) I have found acoustic guitars in the past to be very uncomfortable to play, the size of the body, the width of the neck, the high action, and after struggling with a Lorenzo Flame Series for the past year I decided enough was enough, electrics aren't almost impossible to play so why should I have to struggle with acoustic? I did some research and everything was pointing me towards the Taylor GS Mini-E series. Holding this guitar in my hands for the first time felt like a revelation. It felt like Taylor had made a guitar specifically for me – wearing a strap the body fits easily under my arm and my fingers just know exactly where they're meant to go. The sound of the guitar is rich and vibrant with a bright top tone – quite a feat in a parlour size guitar. After watching reviews it seems that this is due to the Koa body. The guitar also comes with soft, well-padded case that feels like it'll protect well from bumps and bruises whilst travelling. It has some nice shoulder straps so it feels like you're wearing a large (but light!) backpack. The best thing about this guitar though is that it's such a joy to hold and play that I can't put it down; my playing ability has increased so much in the past few weeks since buying it. As a beginner I absolutely recommend this guitar as an introduction to acoustic guitars. If you're a beginner and you've been playing an electric for while but want to get into playing acoustic, try out a Taylor GS Mini-e – it might be the one for you.Laura K.

I came in to sign up for guitar lessons as an old man. I could barely spell guitar. First thing — I would need a guitar. Soon, I was in a room full of guitars, and I had no idea what I needed. Sam Ash's man knew. Not too cheap; not too expensive; not too gaudy; try this one, try that one. After a while we decided on the Baby Taylor. What a joy he was to work with, explaining, suggesting, leading, helping. A great experience. And, I love my guitar.Ralph

Purchased in 2002 for practice and travel when I didn't want to take a full-sized guitar. I was impressed with the rich sound and ease of play. It stays in tune, even when not played for long periods of time. It's always been stored in the Baby Taylor gig bag that came with it, in a closet, when not in use. I recently took it out to practice and discovered a crack in the top near the bottom, and that the top has separated from the body all across the bottom. It's been stored in a closet, protected from humidity fluctuations, along with 3 other acoustic guitars, one of which is vintage, and none of the other guitars have any issues. I also had a vintage, hand-made, late 1800's era mandolin stored with my other instruments, and it had no issues. I have loved this Baby Taylor for many years, and I'm heartbroken to discover the quality is so poor. The sound of acoustic guitars improves with age, so a new one won't sound the same. Sadly, I can no longer recommend this guitar.CJ

Oh my gosh I love my Baby Taylor! The koa wood makes it look as good as it sounds. My main goal was to have a guitar to travel with. I have so many guitars, but I wanted something small to take on the airplane. I've always heard great things about Taylor guitars…this is my first. It did not disappoint. I didn't expect it to have the sound quality that it does for its size. So that was just a bonus to me. It doesn't have the deep, full sound like my full bodied acoustics, but it is still good enough to play under any circumstance without being embarrassed. I don't play live anymore, but I wouldn't hesitate to play my Baby Taylor on stage. The case is great too. Compact backpack style with enough padding for protection.BK

I bought this for my daughter’s 10th birthday as she had shown interest. Thanks to AMS payment plans I was able to make it happen. She absolutely loves it. I had planned on dialing things and getting it all set up for her but it was everything but tuned out of the box. Fit and finish are great, you will not be disappointed. This isn’t a toy, but a well made instrument that should last for years. Thanks AMS!!Andrew

Lovely sound and tone – a real pleasure to play. Nice looking guitar. Can't fault it at all: Looks great sounds great. So easy to pick up and have a strum anywhere: out and about, on the stairs, on the sofa wouldn't surprise me if I play it on the toilet one day, actually, maybe not! Good gigbag too – light and easy to carry – I can even ride my bike with it on my back no problems at all. Riding off to the forest with my guitar now is easy and just makes it what it's all about enjoying playing music in your favourite places.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

My dream guitar. Had one priced up as a custom build a few years back and it came to more than double what these are selling for. So, not cheap but a comparative bargainReviewed by Kenny's Music custom

Incontrovertibly, the most exquisitely beautiful instrument I own. Easy to play and sounds magnificent right from the factory. As this all solid Koa body and top ages, it will only sound deeper and richer.Fred

THIS GUITAR IS AN ABSOLUTE WORK OF ART. THE KOA TOP IS THREE-DIMENSIONAL LOOKING AND PERFECTLY RENDERED. THE FINGERBOARD INLAY IS METICULOUS AND BEAUTIFUL. THE BINDING IS FLAWLESS. THE SOUND OF THIS INSTRUMENT IS SO RESONANT THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS REVERBERATING. THERE IS NO BETTER GUITAR THAN THIS!JCOFFEY

The sound is amazing. Its one of the easiest guitar i’ve ever played, kind on the fingers when I do bar chords/power chords. Better still, Better Music even matched a cheaper price after I had bought it. The customer service is outstanding. Can’t wait for Taylor GC I bought for $300 with the Taylor Days offer.pete b.

For starters the guitar is absolutely beautiful and built to perfection. The aesthetics and fit and finish reflects the price paid for this guitar. The grand concert size is very very comfortable. The 1 3/4" nut is ideal for me and the slightly shorter scale improves playability but it's not too short. On to the tone, I think the mahogany/blackwood combo makes up some of the best guitars in Taylor's entire line up regardless of price. On the grand concert specifically, the 322ce has a good low end response that to me is reminiscent of a Martin 000 or OM, the strong mid range typically expected from mahogany, and still has some of that Taylor brightness as well. It's almost like a mix of a more modern tone and old school warm and woody tone if that makes any sense. The guitar produces great volume (for its size), and great clarity and articulation anywhere on the fretboard which I'm sure the v class bracing plays a part in all of these traits. Although I find that spruce top models are a bit better in these categories, I also find the tonal range to be a bit brighter so it depends what you like and what your style is. The only negative thing I can say is I'm not a huge fan of the ES2 but it seems like most people aren't fans of it so nothing new there. The guitar sounds amazing mic'ed up. But all in all, except for heavy handed strumming, you can do a lot with this guitar. Fingerstyle, light/medium strumming, live gigs, record an album, singer-songwriter stuff, ect and you'll look great doing it all with this gorgeous guitar. Taylor knocked it out of the park with this one.Joseph

A while back I was using a Taylor GS Mini and I got rid of it because the sound was too bright for my taste. I got a Martin and loved it but I slowly fell out of love with it. After a lot of research I decided to pull the trigger on this guitar and let me tell you I am SO GLAD I did. This guitar looks amazing, sounds amazing, and feels amazing. I love jamming with it, and I recently got to record with it and man the sound is incredible. The sound is not as bright as most Taylors I've played like the 214 Koas and such. The tone is a lot warmer than most Taylors but not as deep as a Martin, but man it is truly an amazing guitar. I absolutely love this guitar and it was worth every penny.Ceez

I use this primarily as a finger picking instrument with occasional pick playing/strumming. It is such a beautiful instrument and so lovely to play. Action is perfect and the fretboard feels great (better than the other 414 special edition IMO). Plenty of volume but not over the top. Taylor guitar really shine in their ability to sustain each and every string and for them to sound distinct even when played together. This one does not disappoint in that regard. No negatives, if you can afford it this is a perfect guitar for beginners-professionalsKarmapolice

Having played nothing but a Martin spruce/mahogany dred for a number of years, I was surprised how much I like the body shape and dimensions; the guitar is perfectly balanced without the clunky feeling that you get with certain A/E guitars. The straight acoustic sound is bright, with a beautiful timbre – the plugged in sound had more of a jazzy warmth than a twangy, artificial "get a telecaster" sound. As a lefty, I had to choice between this and the same old stuff from Montana. This is definitely a unique instrument and a testament to the versatility of the Taylor line.gtrlfty

I have always loved the martin guitar and thought there was nothing better. I acquired a little money and wanted a new guitar so I went my local shop and decided to compare. After about an hour I went home so confused about the proper selection and did not purchase a guitar. I was struggling with the fact that I didn't think I would own anything but a martin. I played the taylor 414ce and fell in love with it. I went back the next day with a good friend of mine, that was a good guitar player and thought I would get his advice as he also felt like I did about the martin. He was shocked as I was and said you are correct, It is a better playing and sounding guitar. The cutout does compromise the low tones a little but all in all, I bought the Taylor. No regretsbuddy532

So far, I really love the sound, construction and appointments. I asked my guitar tech to check it out before I picked it up at the store and he played it for 20 minutes. Andy Powers really did a nice job redesigning the 614ce into the V-Class. So far, I've found no flaws, and the factory setup is perfect. The action matches that of any of my electrics and is extremely playable above the 12th fret without any tuning issues. The appointments are as nice or better than that of my 2006 Taylor NC62ce, which is also maple and spruce.Chris

This is a beautiful instrument. The flamed maple back and sides with the brown sugar stain look incredible, the ebony backstrap is a nice touch as well. I'd prefer abalone to ivoroid for the fretboard markers, but other than that I have no visual complaints. The rock maple neck might be the best I have ever played. The re-voicing work Taylor has done has really brought some additional warmth to the Maple tone, however it still sounds bright next to a rosewood guitar, and I find it can sound a little 'thin' in certain applications. The clarity and note-to-note separation are the best I have ever heard though. Excellent sound when plugged in. Overall a great, and highly unique, instrument.Ryan

I have been playing guitar for 60 years. I have an extensive collection of vintage guitars including several Martin, Gibson, etc acoustic and electric guitars. The Taylor Koa K28e is the best guitar that I have ever played. The beauty, action, and sweet tone of this guitar is above my expectations. This is a pricey guitar, but once you strum the strings and hear the melodic sound, you will hear why this guitar is expensive. It is made using the best and finest materials and workmanship. I believe the Taylor K28e has a richer sound than my Martin D-28. It is certainly prettier than the Martin; or any other guitar that I own, Gibson, Rickenbacker, etc.Donal

This guitar was bought to replace a 1994 Taylor 812C which is also a great instrument. There were several reasons for the switch. 1) The 1994 is a 14 fret model with a 25.5" scale length while this guitar has a 12 fret neck with a 24.75" scale length. As a person with very small hands, the increased comfort and playability are substantial. 2) The 1994 has no electronics 3) The new 800 series bracing pattern (since 2015) and different 12 fret bridge position give this guitar a very warm and balanced sound. I bought (and returned) a new Taylor 712 which, by comparison, sounded thin with a weak bass. Check out a video from Gryphon Stringed Instruments which compares this guitar to a Taylor 512C and a comparable Martin and Santa Cruz. The difference in sound is striking This guitar blows them all away.. I own a number of acoustic guitars and this one is ,without doubt, the most versatile.Ray

I've been looking at Taylor 12 Frets for a long time now but the money and time never seemed to line up for me. My wife and I went to Sam Ash to purchase resonator strings. While there we stepped into the acoustic room and I picked up a dobro to play around with. My wife spotted a Taylor 812ce slothead and knew that was the one I'd been harping about for the last five years or so. She pulled it off the wall and asked me to play it. I swear it was like pulling on a pair of comfortable shoes. It fit my frame just right, it sounded AWESOME, an INCREDIBLE VOICE from such a small bodied guitar. It was kind of dirty and the strings were dead, but this was THE one. We discussed it for a few minutes and before I realized what was going on, my wife was headed to the counter to pay for it. We got home, I pulled the strings off to give it a good cleaning and new strings. When I was putting the A string back on, the pearloid button on the Waverly style tuner crumbled in my fingers. I packed it up and went straight back to Sam Ash, approximately 45 minutes after our purchase. The sales clerk who sold us the guitar was still there. I explained what had happened. The manager, who was also listening to my issue, asked the sales associate to go to the acoustic room and see if there were anymore guitars back there with the same style tuners. He explained that sometimes during the production process these Waverly style buttons have microscopic imperfections that come apart like this. The sales associate came back to the counter with another slothead. The manager robbed the A tuner from that guitar, replaced my broken one, and sent me home with another fresh set of strings. Other than that issue, this guitar completely exceeds my expectations in all categories. I look forward to many happy years playing this instrument.david

The sound and neck are very good. Can't justify the cost yet! The electronics in the guitar provide very pleasing amplification of the accoustic sound. The revisions made to the 2015 812CE are definitely an improvement.Making Due

This guitar was bought to replace a 1994 Taylor 812C which is also a great instrument. There were several reasons for the switch. 1) The 1994 is a 14 fret model with a 25.5" scale length while this guitar has a 12 fret neck with a 24.75" scale length. As a person with very small hands, the increased comfort and playability are substantial. 2) The 1994 has no electronics 3) The new 800 series bracing pattern (since 2015) and different 12 fret bridge position give this guitar a very warm and balanced sound. I bought (and returned) a new Taylor 712 which, by comparison, sounded thin with a weak bass. Check out a video from Gryphon Stringed Instruments which compares this guitar to a Taylor 512C and a comparable Martin and Santa Cruz. The difference in sound is striking This guitar blows them all away.. I own a number of acoustic guitars and this one is ,without doubt, the most versatile.Ray

I've been looking at Taylor 12 Frets for a long time now but the money and time never seemed to line up for me. My wife and I went to Sam Ash to purchase resonator strings. While there we stepped into the acoustic room and I picked up a dobro to play around with. My wife spotted a Taylor 812ce slothead and knew that was the one I'd been harping about for the last five years or so. She pulled it off the wall and asked me to play it. I swear it was like pulling on a pair of comfortable shoes. It fit my frame just right, it sounded AWESOME, an INCREDIBLE VOICE from such a small bodied guitar. It was kind of dirty and the strings were dead, but this was THE one. We discussed it for a few minutes and before I realized what was going on, my wife was headed to the counter to pay for it. We got home, I pulled the strings off to give it a good cleaning and new strings. When I was putting the A string back on, the pearloid button on the Waverly style tuner crumbled in my fingers. I packed it up and went straight back to Sam Ash, approximately 45 minutes after our purchase. The sales clerk who sold us the guitar was still there. I explained what had happened. The manager, who was also listening to my issue, asked the sales associate to go to the acoustic room and see if there were anymore guitars back there with the same style tuners. He explained that sometimes during the production process these Waverly style buttons have microscopic imperfections that come apart like this. The sales associate came back to the counter with another slothead. The manager robbed the A tuner from that guitar, replaced my broken one, and sent me home with another fresh set of strings. Other than that issue, this guitar completely exceeds my expectations in all categories. I look forward to many happy years playing this instrument.david

The sound and neck are very good. Can't justify the cost yet! The electronics in the guitar provide very pleasing amplification of the accoustic sound. The revisions made to the 2015 812CE are definitely an improvement.Making Due

I use this primarily as a finger picking instrument with occasional pick playing/strumming. It is such a beautiful instrument and so lovely to play. Action is perfect and the fretboard feels great (better than the other 414 special edition IMO). Plenty of volume but not over the top. Taylor guitar really shine in their ability to sustain each and every string and for them to sound distinct even when played together. This one does not disappoint in that regard. No negatives, if you can afford it this is a perfect guitar for beginners-professionalsKarmapolice

Having played nothing but a Martin spruce/mahogany dred for a number of years, I was surprised how much I like the body shape and dimensions; the guitar is perfectly balanced without the clunky feeling that you get with certain A/E guitars. The straight acoustic sound is bright, with a beautiful timbre – the plugged in sound had more of a jazzy warmth than a twangy, artificial "get a telecaster" sound. As a lefty, I had to choice between this and the same old stuff from Montana. This is definitely a unique instrument and a testament to the versatility of the Taylor line.gtrlfty

I have always loved the martin guitar and thought there was nothing better. I acquired a little money and wanted a new guitar so I went my local shop and decided to compare. After about an hour I went home so confused about the proper selection and did not purchase a guitar. I was struggling with the fact that I didn't think I would own anything but a martin. I played the taylor 414ce and fell in love with it. I went back the next day with a good friend of mine, that was a good guitar player and thought I would get his advice as he also felt like I did about the martin. He was shocked as I was and said you are correct, It is a better playing and sounding guitar. The cutout does compromise the low tones a little but all in all, I bought the Taylor. No regretsbuddy532

I use the guitar mainly for practice. Currently I do not have a band or know any people personally to have jam sessions with but I truly cannot wait to play in a group or a band. The guitar overall sounds amazing with pretty bright tones. This guitar is great for fingerpicking style rather than strumming but it still sounds great for strumming. The pickups are fantastic on this guitar and have a great sounds connected to an amp as well. I simply love this guitar and would highly recommend for any chords that may require "thumb-overs" the neck feels nice and is really easy to wrap your hand around. I do not have anything bad to say about this guitar!Aaron, Chaser of Christ the Lord

There’s a lot of products, items, tangible man made things in this world, and most things I would give a 4 star rating TOPS! But this guitar? This damn Taylor 214ce guitar? Bro, it’s a no brainer. 5 stars all day through and through with no hesitation. Let me just say, if you are even remotely considering buying this guitar, I will tell you as a proud owner, just buy it and rip the band-aid. I promise you it will be 100% worth it and you will thank me later. I’ve actually owned a Taylor 214ce 5 years ago and I had to sell it due to unforeseen circumstances in my life at the time and I will tell you I’ve been kicking myself in the ass up until 3 days ago when I finally got the money to get my hands on one again. So basically, I’ve bought this guitar 2 times because I love this guitar and cherish it like none other. Matter of fact, I’ll take an ass beating by saying I like this guitar much more than all the other Taylor models period. I owned a Taylor 814ce which is a $3,500 guitar and it was a colossal disappointment compared to this Taylor 214ce. Yes, for me, the cheaper $1,000 guitar is better than their higher end models. In conclusion, but the damn guitar.Vic

This is my first Taylor guitar and what a guitar it is. The set up was to the tee right out of the box. A quick tune up and it was ready to play. The action is totally amazing and so easy to play whether regular or bar chords. As far as lead runs it is amazing and the tone and projection are out of this world especially for a guitar in this price range. I have a Martin, Guild, Fender,Luna,Briarwood acoustic electric guitars and this is my new favorite. Acoustic guitars all have their own special voice, some low and some high but the Taylor's is just about in the middle which is perfect for most of the music that I play. My brothers I jam with all want to take turns playing this guitar and have decided to invest in their own. Whether this is your first guitar or an addition to your collection, you can't go wrong . I would reccomend this guitar to anyone who loves to play a beautiful sounding instrument.Steven Card

So I first fell in love with the 314 ce koa special edition, I think they call it. All wood Koa back and sides with spruce top. Thing is, I didn't like the sunburst, which is how it comes. Played this 214ce K Dlx and loved the sound and the looks. This baby sings and she looks great. The sound is so close to the solid wood Koa back and sides that I really could not tell a difference. The guitar is built solid and it really shows. The set up was perfect which is unusual as I almost always have to head straight to the guitar shop for a set up. I never thought I would buy any guitar that was not solid wood, call me a snob if you will, but in the past the wood guitars just sounded so much better. Things have changed and Taylor's layered wood process is a real step up for guitars. To end this review, I would just say, play one and keep an open mind. I think you will really appreciate what a great guitar this is.Keith

Overall: I have had 2 Taylor's in the past 5 years. They always sound great. Back then I've bought the Taylor 224ce Koa deluxe twice in the past years. Even know I wanted to buy another one I wanted to save a little money this time and bought this Taylor 214ce deluxe with case. I wasn't real sure on how it would play and sound next to the higher end Taylor's I've had. I got it today and was amazed on how it fretted and played. The sound was awesome at the least. I started playing and the guitar took over. I got inspired and it took me back to where I want to play again. Very very happy with this guitar. You won't be disappointed if you are thinking about getting this guitar. All top notch.Robert

I have had my eye on this Taylor for well over a decade. For my 40th birthday (about 8 months ago), I wanted to treat myself to something nice, pulled the trigger, and boy did it blow my expectations all over the back wall. When I opened the box after delivery, it already had a perfect setup. Such a comfortable neck radius, and rich tones make fingerstyle sound angelic; chords ring out like a bell with unbelievable sustain for an acoustic. I think this guitar was possibly touched by the pope. Hands down, this is one of the nicest guitars I have played. Even compared to Taylor's at twice the price, in a blind test this won every time.Bryan Laz