Old-growth Adirondack, Meet Taylor’s Flagship 814ce
What does the future look like for builders who work with old-growth tonewoods? Taylor Chief Guitar Designer Andy Powers wrestled with these questions in earnest. The global supply of centuries-old old-growth wood dwindles with each passing year, and builders like Andy are increasingly pressed to find cuts large enough for a 1-piece guitar top. The Taylor team rose to this meet the challenge with the 814ce Builder’s Edition. This new instrument pairs an 814ce’s unbeatable playability and looks with a top crafted from four pieces of old-growth Adirondack spruce. Adirondack spruce is rich in terms of sound and history, having been the go-to acoustic top wood long before Taylor was even founded. Old-growth Adirondack is also incredibly strong, lightweight, and focused. Between the top’s age and the Adirondack’s massive natural vibrational capacity and headroom, what results is a lively resonance that will border on mystical for discerning tonewood enthusiasts.
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The future of old-growth?
It's no easy feat making a multi-piece top that looks virtually indistinguishable from a single piece of wood, but Taylor’s builders have done it with the 814ce Builder’s Edition! The top features four rectangular pieces of guitar-grade old-growth Adirondack spruce chosen by Andy Powers and his team, who intentionally avoided angled cuts of spruce. Their discerning selections honor Adirondack’s strong natural “I-beam” grain, which not only makes for top-notch tone, but also ensures the 814ce Builder’s Edition looks like ... well, a normal guitar! The idea of a 4-top certainly turned some heads here at Sweetwater. How would it look? How would it play? These questions were put to rest upon the first strum of the 814ce Builder’s Edition, seeing the top’s incredibly uniform look. It looks downright luxurious and teems with sophisticated tone that’s only possible with old-growth. We salute Taylor for this foundational move that paves the way for the future uses of heirloom tonewoods within the industry.
Rosewood clarity and luxury touches
Exceptional tonewoods back the 814ce Builder Edition’s top at every point. Indian rosewood back and sides infuse spruce’s power and volume with a deep, rich clarity that’s remarkably transparent. A Grand Auditorium body shape ensures familiar Taylor playability and a versatile feel that’s fit for powerful strums, delicate picking, and everything in between. A neotropical mahogany neck with Taylor’s signature neck carve fuels speedy modern fretting matched with a glassy ebony fingerboard that melts beneath the fingers. And at every point, these tonewoods are enhanced by premium hardware, luxury appointments, and an acclaimed ES2 electronics system that delivers top-notch amplified tone. Our favorite subtle touch? A stunning rosewood pickguard serves as a reminder that the 814ce Builder’s Edition is all about tonewoods with each opening of the case.
A laundry list of firsts
The 814ce Builder’s Edition marks several noteworthy firsts. Despite being Taylor’s flagship acoustic guitar for over 30 years, the 814ce has never received the full Builder’s Edition treatment — until now. Moreover, this 814ce is the first-ever Builder’s Edition Grand Auditorium shape to feature a spruce top with rosewood back and sides. It’s a lot of detail to take in, no doubt, which brings us to one final first: a premium gloss finish, never before seen on a Builder’s Edition instrument. This top-notch finish frames all the 814ce’s features just right, highlighting beveled body contours, luxurious hardwood binding and purfling, and immaculate inlays for a commanding presence wherever it goes.
814ce: innovation’s ground floor
The 814ce has introduced innovations ranging from V-class Bracing to novel forestry uses such as smoked fingerboard woods. Simply put, it’s the quintessential Taylor guitar, and adding cutting-edge features only sweetens the deal. The 814ce offers unsurpassed looks, matchless comfort, and premium tonewoods for discerning players. What’s more, this Builder’s Edition packs a luxuriously curved beveled armrest and cutaway for a refined, modern look that’s easy on the body and hands. It’s a recipe for a matchless experience like no other.
The cornerstones of the Builder’s Edition collection
Taylor’s premium Builder’s Edition family of acoustic guitars is the brainchild of master guitar designer Andy Powers. Builder’s Edition guitars demonstrate forward-thinking Taylor innovations ranging from exemplary tonewoods to cutting-edge bracing. With a level of craftsmanship typically not offered on standard models, Builder’s Edition guitars provide players with an exemplary instrument that promises to inspire. According to Andy, “The Builder’s Edition concept is meant to be an expression of Taylor’s instrument-building imagination.” And what an incredible imagination it has!
Taylor 814ce Builder’s Edition Features:
- Showpiece acoustic-electric guitar with 4-piece old-growth Adirondack spruce top
- Grand Auditorium body shape delivers outstanding comfort and versatile, focused tone
- 4-piece Adirondack spruce top rings with the age-tinged resonance of old-growth wood
- Indian rosewood back and sides fuel rich clarity with ample overtones — a natural match for Adirondack spruce
- Comfortable mahogany neck with signature Taylor neck carve, finished with satin
- Crelicam ebony fingerboard with 20 frets, adorned with inlays
- Gotoh tuners, black TUSQ nut, and ebony bridge pins yield enhanced tone with luxury looks
- Deluxe binding and appointments include hardwood purfling and a rosewood pickguard
- Premium gloss finish highlights rigorous details, a first for Builder’s Edition acoustics
- ES2 electronics offers a natural amplification sound for plugging in
