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Taylor 514ce Urban Red Ironbark Acoustic-electric Guitar

Acoustic-electric Guitar with Torrefied Spruce Top, Red Ironbark Back and Sides, Mahogany Neck, and Ebony Fingerboard - Natural
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Taylor 514ce Urban Red Ironbark Acoustic-electric Guitar
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A New Chapter in Taylor’s Urban Species Series

Fresh from Taylor's stunning Urban Species series, the Urban Red Ironbark Acoustic-electric Guitar 514ce stuns with back and sides made from red ironbark, a color-rich tonewood with similarities ebony and rosewood. This guitar marks the next step in Taylor’s Urban Species line made from sustainably sourced urban forestry that was otherwise destined for removal. This wood delivers rich, clear tone augmented by a powerful torrefied Sitka spruce top and sculpted to perfection by Taylor’s acclaimed Grand Auditorium body shape. Complete with a Venetian cutaway, a bound ebony fingerboard, a comfortable mahogany neck, and gig-ready ES2 electronics, the Urban Red Ironbark 514ce from Sweetwater offers innovative modern looks with classic Taylor features and performance.

Captivating red ironbark construction

Red ironbark back and sides offer rich looks and even richer tone. Natural reddish hues show off lots of wood grain and looks great under stage lights, while the wood itself shares the dense but resonant characteristics of fine cuts of rosewood and ebony. Expect crisp definition with broad response and dramatic sustain. The richness of ironbark is sweetened and enhanced with a torrefied Sitka spruce top, roasted to match the body. Sitka spruce adds excellent volume and projection for seasoned tone and the sparkling resonance that Taylor enthusiasts have come to expect.

Grand Auditorium power and presence

The Grand Auditorium body style is what first helped cement Taylor’s standing among the ranks of guitar-making royalty. This body shape employs the width and depth of a dreadnought but with a narrower waist, which gives Grand Auditorium guitars a sleeker look and added treble punch. Grand Auditorium body contours make your guitar incredibly comfortable to play, whether sitting down or standing up. Plus, the 514ce’s Grand Auditorium body style focuses and sharpens the definition of each note for incredible sound quality anytime, anywhere.

V-class bracing: a sonic innovation

Bracing supports each acoustic guitar’s interior, and, though it's almost invisible, bracing shapes guitar acoustics in a big way! X-shape bracing was standard on acoustics for over a century, but Taylor’s revolutionary V-bracing is able to tease more volume and sustain out of a guitar’s sound chamber. V-bracing allows wooden acoustic tops to vibrate with more richness, projection, and sustain, with more space inside the sound chamber for note maturation. And if that wasn’t enough, this groundbreaking innovation also improves intonation and adds more overtones — those subtle harmonic eccentricities that add sparkle to top-of-the-line acoustic guitars like the 514ce.

Taylor Expression System 2 electronics

Need to plug in? Then you’re going to love the Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) electronics built into the 514ce! The ES2 system features a revolutionary segmented pickup located behind the bridge saddle; this pickup position delivers remarkably accurate and clear sound production that’s authentic to your playing. Each ES2 system features a handy master volume knob for fast level adjustments as well as a 2-band EQ for independent treble/bass adjustments to dial in the sound you need. Plus, the ES2 system also has a built-in phase switch that offers essential feedback suppression whenever the system is active.

Taylor 514ce Urban Red Ironbark Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:

  • Reimagined take on the 500 series built with red ironbark
  • Urban red ironbark back and sides offer a hearty, modern look with density and tone similar to rosewood or ebony
  • Torrefied Sitka spruce top delivers powerful projection and articulate attack, roasted to match to red ironbark’s look
  • Grand Auditorium body shape pairs warm articulation with a comfortable playing experience
  • Venetian cutaway ensures plenty of upper-fret access
  • Strong mahogany neck with a satin finish and comfortable Taylor neck carve
  • Smooth ebony fingerboard with new 500-series “Aerial” inlays and ebony binding
  • Sculpted bridge and pins made from micarta and African ebony enhance string resonance and intonation
  • Taylor tuning machines for rock-solid tuning stability

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

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Tech Specs

  • String Type: Steel
  • Number of Strings: 6
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Grand Auditorium
  • Back & Sides Wood: Red Ironbark
  • Top Wood: Torrefied Sitka Spruce
  • Finish: Gloss
  • Color: Natural
  • Body Bracing: V-Class
  • Binding: Black and Maple
  • Neck Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: Standard Carve
  • Radius: 15"
  • Fingerboard Material: West African Crelicam Ebony
  • Fingerboard Inlay: 500-series Aerials
  • Number of Frets: 20
  • Scale Length: 25.5"
  • Nut Width: 1.75"
  • Nut/Saddle Material: Black Tusq/Micarta
  • Bridge Material: Crelicam Ebony
  • Tuning Machines: Taylor Nickel
  • Electronics: ES2
  • Strings: D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze, .012-.053
  • Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: A503002111007000309

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

514ce ironbark…wow.

I was looking for a grand auditorium to join my quiver of guitars.
I was initially thinking about trying to find a 514ce with the Mahogany back and sides and the Lutz spruce top. They are a little hard to find so when this guitar came out I did a little research on it and it seemed to check all the boxes.
It is always a little scary to order a guitar without playing it but after talking to my sales engineer Chris Leonard, I decided to pull the trigger.

I must say it is a stunning looking guitar but the sound, amazing.
Great sustain, each note seems to jump out at you. My friend is a hardcore Martin fan and when he tried it he said " now this is a Taylor that I could get behind !"
I have bought and sold a lot of guitars but this one is a keeper!
Music background: Long time musical hack.
Rated 5/5

best guitar I own.

Sounds amazing with a deep voice and highs that mix in well. I kept hearing it has a "piano sound" and didn't really understand until I played it. It's the perfect description for this guitar. I have several Taylors and this is my new go-to guitar. Compared to my 23 is -year-old 714ce it's noticeably heavier, but have already adjusted to that. The tone is much more controlled low and top ends with a bit more volume when pushed. Awesome guitar and I know why there was a backorder on these. WOW!!
Rated 5/5

best guitar I own.

Sounds amazing with a deep voice and highs that mix in well. I kept hearing it has a "piano sound" and didn't really understand until I played it. It's the perfect description for this guitar. I have several Taylors and this is my new go-to guitar. Compared to my 23 is -year-old 714ce it's noticeably heavier, but have already adjusted to that. The tone is much more controlled low and top ends with a bit more volume when pushed. Awesome guitar and I know why there was a backorder on these. WOW!!
Rated 5/5

A new tone for the Taylor lineup

My goodness. This guitar has such an impressive sound, I'm laying awake waiting to play it again in the morning. I've been a lifelong fan of acoustic rock music and bluegrass styles. My go-to beloved guitar is my Martin D18. My style is crosspicking and arpeggios like Clarence White. I wanted to try something entirely different. The torrified spruce top intrigued me. This treatment is known to give wood an old nutty sound, as if the instrument was decades older.

I'm mainly an Americana player that flatpicks over cowboy chords with a quick string-by-string cross-picking style. But, I am an improviser and songwriter, not necessarily a traditionalist. I wanted something different than my beloved D18. I needed a change.

The high two strings, when plucked and allowed to ring, will start to vibrato as they fade. This competing, almost tremelo sound, is the source of a bright shimmer when strummed.

The low string will thump with bass at first and then fade into a higher overtone. The middle strings maintain a metallic "new string" attack and as the tone quickly fades, the higher overtones take over. This is best described as a buttery gorgeous tone.

From my ears, the guitar sounds a little more woody than most Taylors I have played, but it maintains a metallic crisp attack that old guitars don't necessarily have. The EQ is comparable to a rosewood back and sides with an old top. Dare I say a 000-28 might be the closest in tone (without shimmer)? You can choose to dig in hard with a pick and hear glorious overtones, or you can lightly fingerpick and the notes are still deep and alive.

I should add that it hits 92 decibels. For perspective a d18 hits 94db and 314ce hits 88 playing those same notes. It's a loud guitar.

The neck is a little wider than other Taylors I've played. If you're a Martin person, you'll feel right at home. It does taper at the 12th fret, and a capo works beautifully across the whole situation.

And the guitar is a stunner to look at. You'll just absolutely love it.
Music background: Americana

As one of the nation's top Taylor Guitars dealers, Sweetwater receives regular on-site training from Bob, Andy, and the rest of the Taylor crew. We're also, many of us, Taylor players ourselves, and we're happy to steer you in the right direction once you're ready to make the leap. New to Taylor? Our Find Your Fit guide simplifies Taylor body shapes, woods, and series. Longtime player? Our Taylor Custom Shop, annual limited editions, and in-house mods offer a level of exclusivity you won't find in stores. Whatever your pleasure, Sweetwater's climate-controlled warehouse and 55-point Inspection ensure your Taylor guitar arrives ready to play just as the manufacturer intended.

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