Taylor 414ce-R Review: An All-Rounder of the Highest Standard

There are lots of great guitars, but there are few that guitarists really aspire to own. As acoustic guitars go, Taylor is one of them. In this review, we are looking at the Taylor 414ce-R (2019) to find out why it's one of the most wanted electro-acoustics available.

Body & Neck

The 414ce-R has the classic Taylor Grand Auditorium body shape with a gorgeous Venetian cutaway that is standard on all CE models. This body shape is perhaps the most versatile that Taylor offers.

The tonewood combination is a rosewood back and sides topped with spruce, which is known to deliver a broad yet articulate, dynamic range, increasing the versatility of this guitar. Rounding off the wood combination is a mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard boasting a 25.5″ scale length with 20 frets.

Now the really good news: The 414ce (all variations) now comes with Taylor's V-class bracing! It's very rigid where it needs to be, creating a greater sustain, but also has flexibility at the sides, allowing more air movement for better sound projection. The V-class bracing doesn't just generate more sustain and louder notes, it actually improves intonation dramatically compared to a standard X bracing.

Hardware

The 414ce-R is powered by Taylor's impressive ES2 (Expression System 2) which utilizes a three-section pickup located behind the saddle. Taylor's pickup design/placement is said to capture the optimal sound quality for an electro-acoustic guitar.

Sound can be tweaked via two tone control knobs for highs and lows which are positioned next to a master volume knob. There is also a nice touch in the addition of a phase switch to help with feedback suppression.

The tuners are Taylor nickel heads which are as robust as you'd expect from a guitar of this price. For the bridge, Taylor has gone for the same material as the fingerboard, ebony with a black graphite saddle.

Sound

The 414ce-R is a very expressive guitar so you can push every little bit of your personality into it and nothing will be lost. The low-end can really growl if you dig in, but it's very controllable, so the transition from low to high is faultless.

The mid-range is beautifully clear, perfect for solo playing or small combos and the highs ring out with a gorgeous natural sustain thanks in part to the tonewood combination and the V-class bracing.

If you decide to plug in, then it truly seems like nothing is lost in translation from acoustic to electric. Taylor claims to have the perfect pickup setup for this kind of guitar, and it's hard to argue that claim. It's just very accurate in terms of capturing the expression you put into your playing without losing the natural feel of an acoustic guitar.

Conclusion

Usually, when you call a guitar a workhorse, you think of a moderately priced guitar that doesn't let you down and can take a few bumps along the way. You certainly don't want to bump a guitar of this price too many times, but it is a workhorse in the sense that it will do everything you need and be a truly dependable instrument. It's versatile, robust, sounds beautiful, and Taylor guitars aren't exactly ugly either, so it's the complete package.

The only issue is the price, it's a very expensive guitar, but chances are, if you are considering a guitar like this, then you're probably ready (ability-wise) to spend that kind of money on your instrument. Our advice is if you can play enough to justify forking out your hard-earned cash on a 414ce-R then do it — do it now!

For more info about the Taylor 414ce-R, click here.

For more electro-acoustic guitars, click here.