i guess im writing this because ive played the guitar and own a taylor guitar. i own the el cheapo from mexico made taylor 114ce still great sounding guitar better than anyone in its class. NOW what i really want to get at is people saying this guitar is the best guitar for its money....... hello!! please if someone has time research me a guitar that is better then this guitar for any amount of money. im not kidding i know ill get some comments back about some goofy martins or some gibsons or something else but this guitar for any taylor lover or non taylor lover is the best guitar ever made. great amound of bass great amount of mids and great highs if you want a PERFECT guitar that is THE best not best for the money... please do your self a favor get the 814ce. no joke.

From the moment I picked up this guitar in the store, I cannot stop playing it. The unamplified sound and the playability is perfect for my playing. It's a beautiful guitar with great looking accouterments. It is so easy to play, and stays in tune so well. It needed absolutely no setup.

Now the bad news. I cannot for the life of me pull a good sound out of this "Expression System". My friend's older 714ce with different electronics sounds wonderful amplified. This ES system just sounds hollow, middy, and without character. I'm going to invalidate my warranty and have something else installed in its' place.

This guitar is amazing. The perfect complimenting mix of bass, mids and treble w/ a beautiful resonance. I am partial to rosewood sides and back so this guitar just does it for me. Unplugged it has good volume. I haven't tried it plugged in, but electronics are always secondary to me. It just has a beautiful tone and very comfortable to play. I wish I could afford it. Maybe someday if I hit the lottery.

Life is too short to play mediocre guitars. I did enough of that while working my way through college. Now I can finally afford the best, and for my money, the best is Taylor's 814ce. I just bought my second one so I can always keep one in a special tuning. Taylor is the only brand I will buy over the internet without playing the specific guitar first. Their quality control and consistency is that good. The real challenge is picking the right model Taylor. To really compare, you need to try each different body shape and wood type all strung with the same age, gauge and brand of strings. That rarely happens in music stores, where you can barely hear yourself over the humidifier and other players. I find the 10-series Dreadnaught Taylor body to give a little fuller sound and stand up better to hard strumming. The 12-series lacks the volume and harmonic resonance of Taylor's 14-series Grand Auditorium. The ovangkol wood on the 414ce may be the best blend of warmth and brightness of tone. But the differences are subtle so make your own choice. For me, the 814ce is the best total package of tone and esthetics. Buy one. Dollar for dollar, your Taylor will give you more peace and enjoyment that almost anything else you can spend your money on. And if you treat it with the care it deserves, it will last your for the rest of your life.

I have been playing for 15+ years and in my opinion this guitar is one of the best guitars I have ever played. The balance is incredible! The highs ring and the lows boom. I have owned many Taylors and other brands and this is by far the best. It's spendy but worth it.