Taylor 414ce-R - Rosewood Back and Sides Reviews

I think I have a simple common since idea. I have become addicted as you have to reading these reviews on what is going on in the guitar industry. The wood in the guitar and the sounds and what it takes to get it Taylor has a high by natural and Martin is considered a low or woodsy by natural.What you have I think you can get out of the guitar by doing a few things.1. Play before you buy, A used guitar will play like it has been set up and how it has been played. Some songs I like a high tone for and some I like the wood tone in and some songs I like to have both. 2. It needs to vibrate either by being played or set in front of a bass amp so the amp can vibrate the guitar so the woods can settle together,a small vibration.3. This is very important keep the guitar in tune all the time so the woods can settle in tune. Ok you have the guitar settled in. You chose a guitar that will give you the highs and low sounds. 4.Make sure the guitar you buy has a plug in for a amp,get a small amp and if you want different tones you always have what YOU want.

Just traded up to Taylor 414ce-R and I am truly in love with every facet of this guitar. Crystal clear ringing bell-like tone, true intonation throughout the neck, incredibly responsive. Makes we want to stop writing this review and go pick it up and continue playing. Mega thanks to Chris at Sweetwater for great service and speedy shipping.

Researched the 414 ce , picked on A Martin and a Gibson in the price range at the GC
In time I felt I was playing a very special guitar this Taylor"s 414 ce Rosewood . It played and sounds like a piano ! Really a special day to pick out a nice guitar . I got it on the 4Th of July sale and saved . When I played for folks I saw they too knew it was a blight and beautiful instrument . I recommended this 414ceR . It"s was a lot of money for me to spend and I was never the same after getting it . I always wondered how players made such sweet sounds . It"s true the neck and the wood the craftsmanship is Huge on this modle .


Plays
Just as beautiful through a amp and the hard Case is amazing as well . I"ve had the guitar about two years . Play it every day .

I have owned a Collings dreadnought for about 12 years and wanted to get something that was a bit smaller with better electronics. The 414CE may be the only acoustic guitar I play from now on. The size of the neck makes it extremely easy to play and the tone is pristine, it is very hard to put this down. This guitar just makes you want to keep playing. I really like the size of the body for playing live and the electronics are the best you can buy. I would recommend reading the book "Guitar Lessons" by Bob Taylor as you will understand the great efforts made to create the company and to build the best guitar possible. I have been using this for fingerpicking and compared to my Collings (which has a bit more narrow neck) it is so easy to play. The best instruments inspire you to play, and I can say having this guitar has given inspired me to play many many hours, and I have only had it about a month. My son has a 100 series Taylor and that is good, but this is in a different ballpark. If you want to use for live purposes the electronics are hard to beat. I did not want to pay extra for cosmetics, so this series was perfect for me. And Sweetwater is the only place I buy musical gear - great service.

Beautiful sound throughout the entire neck, lower and upper register. Absolutely the best sounding acoustic I have ever played or owned and it is a beautiful guitar too. The sound will knock your socks off, electric or acoustic, just plain awesome. Made with solid tone woods, Sitka Spruce Top, Indian Rosewood Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck & an Ebony Fingerboard. It just doesn't get any better!!

Sound is beautiful and full with exquisite highs and lows along the entire neck!! Very well built but has Tusq/Micarta nut & saddle material, which I did not like but it does not affect the sound, at all.

Best sounding acoustic I have ever owned, which includes a Gibson Dove, Guild Jumbo, Carvin Cobalt 700 series, Martin D-28, Ibanez and an Alvarez. Sound wise, this guitar has them all beat...

I had no hesitation in purchasing the rosewood version of the Taylor 414ce. In fact I was waiting for this model to come along. While it is a "no frills" model it is stunningly beautiful in it's appointments. I've always been a no frills kind of player placing more emphasis on the sound and joy of playing. This guitar fits me to a "T" and the added benefit of the ES2 pickup quality is icing on the cake. I am mainly a finger style player and love how the neck cradles in my hand. I had my action lowered to an appropriate level for fingerstyle play. The neck width has the feel (almost) of a classical guitar which I love. Very happy with this guitar....

I just got this guitar less than four hours ago, I can't put it down. Music is just flowing out of me, I'm playing stuff that just sounds, I don't even know what to say, this is a fantastic instrument. I'm in love. I bought this guitar to write songs, and to perform solo live performances. What can I say, it's amazing. I'm delighted. Step one was to put some Elixir POLYWeb strings on it. This will make it 10 to 30% improvement of the tone of any instrument instantaneously. Having said all this, the guitar I really wanted is the same instrument with the Cedar-top. But I'm not complaining! Great guitar, I love it.

414CE-R...thank you Bob Taylor. I have to remember to play my other guitars.

it sounds perfect ,looks and plays great the action is like a quality electric guitar...... unbelievable

better than martins at twice the price

I own a 2005 Taylor 410ce with Ovangkol and it is a great guitar. However, I have always wanted a rosewood one and simply couldn't afford an 814ce. Enter the 414ce -R It was like a dream come true. What a fantastic guitar. I understand that Ovangkol and Rosewood are very similar tonally but after playing each back to back I felt that the rosewood out of the box offered something that I had been missing with the 410. I can't wait to hear this thing 5-10 years.

I can't say for sure but it would appear that after the revamp of the 800 series Taylor just moved the old 800 series down to the 400 line, took away a few bells and whistles and voila the 400-R was born. It is a wonderful sounding instrument. I play out just about every weekend so I wanted something that I could use in bars, clubs, etc. without freaking out that something may happen to it. Of course everyone's ear and playing style is different so I would encourage you to play both. You may think I'm full of it or you may agree with me 100% but either way Taylor has once again raised the bar on an already incredible instrument.

I've played for over 40 years and this guitar is a pure pleasure to experience. I also highly recommend the Taylorsense to go along with it and I hope Taylor will allow sweetwater to carry it in their store in the near future. The instrument is just perfect along with the very knowledgeable and caring sales professionals at sweetwater. Over a 2 hour drive but worth every mile.

Over the (many) years I have tried to get a good plugged in acoustic tone. It is something I could never do with even the most expensive Martins. Recently, I played a friends Taylor at a jam session and couldn't believe it. The crowd loved it! I ordered the 414ce-r for myself about a week later. Usually, I have to completely set up a new guitar. Out of the box, the nut and saddle were great, but the truss rod needed serious adjusting. Several small adjustments over several days. After that, it plays like a dream even with the stock strings which have a .013 for a High E. Just barely a touch of relief in the neck with absolutely no buzz on any note. Plugged in, it is perfect. I am a believer now. If you want to be able to take an acoustic anywhere and just plug it in and sound great, the 414ce-r will do that for you. It is the sweet-spot in Taylors; the best price on a great guitar before they start adding all the bling.

Love this instrument, and believe me, I shopped around. I've recently owned a 914ce and 412-R. This is my fave Taylor, all things considered. I love the ratio of size:sound in the Grand Auditorium (14). I value the comfort of playing a smaller guitar, and the GA seems to be the sweet spot for me.

It has a rich sound and a fullness that does not exist in the Ovangkol models. It's also punchy and bright (classic Taylor) with real clarity. And the neck is heavenly. I also played the new 614ce and 814ce. While I do detect a touch more fullness in those models, it's not enough for me to pay the difference.

The reason I prefer the 400 model over the 900 model is because I must factor in price. For me the improvement in sound & feel from 400 to 900 does not equate to the cost increase. Extra inlays and cosmetic flare may add some attractive value, but that's negligible once you're playing the instrument.
I did not buy this instrument to hang on a wall. It was just enlisted into a world of professional service.

If you're shopping for a higher end acoustic and you want a comparison between different brands, get yourself to a store and just play them. One thing I will mention is that I was disappointed in the Martin models in this prices range when compared with the 414ce-R, and I love the Martin sound. I own a high end Martin and could not imagine parting with it.

I urge you to try the 414ce-R. This price for such a full sound, gloss finish, rosewood body, ebony board, and ES2 is an unusual bargain.

excellent sound and playability.. Sweetwater was excellent in their service and their sales people are very knowledgeable and respectful.

Nice guitar!

I've owned and regularly played my 414ce for 7 years now, having bought a 2005-made version in 2009. Mine came with Ovangkol back and sides, ebony neck binding, not ivory, as shown in almost all recent models, and has been kept stock in all appointments except nut (switched to bone).

This is an extremely reliable instrument. It never goes out of tune, has wonderful intonation, and the ebony neck feels like butter- hasn't dried out...yet, anyway.

At home, I don't find myself longing to use this guitar for singing over or strum chords. Its punchy, bell-like tone has the guitar asking to either be heard by itself, or at least with more particular attention to each string. Early John Mayer songs, such as "Why Georgia" for example, are perfect for this guitar, as they require a more intricate fingerstyle that accentuates each string. I would rather strum big chords on a dreadnought, which has a more dynamic range, resonance, and less attention to each string. So, the 414ce is somewhat lacking in that department, for me at least.

Live, however, it is hard to rival- truly plug and play. I have some noisy (likely dirty) EQ and volume pots, but other than that, it really sounds wonderful plugged in and is the perfect accomplice to an open mic. Recording with a mic (never direct-in!) is good for particular, bright and/or chimey acoustic tones.

I've thought about selling it when I realize I don't crave singing over it, but just sitting down and playing some finger style makes me want to keep it forever.