Taylor Adds High-End 814ce to Esteemed Builder’s Edition Collection
New for 2023, this flagship Grand Auditorium sports sleek body contours, an Adirondack spruce top and upgraded aesthetics
Taylor Guitars has expanded its award-winning Builder’s Edition collection with the flagship 814ce model. Available now, the new Builder's Edition 814ce is Taylor’s first four-piece top flagship acoustic guitar and is constructed using Adirondack spruce.
Paired with an Indian rosewood back and rim, the Builder's Edition 814ce is said to be “rich and versatile” in tone and “perfect for players of any style.”
Crafted for the ultimate in looks, sound and feel, Taylor says the Builder’s Edition instruments demonstrate the apex of their design philosophy in the form of “comfortable, inviting guitars with rich, robust tone and stunning aesthetics.”
By upgrading the standard 814ce from solid Sitka spruce to solid Adirondack spruce, Taylor has needed to adapt to using smaller pieces of tonewood. The result, they say, is increased tonal complexity and expanded dynamics/higher volume ceiling. Meanwhile the enhanced grain symmetry adds a unique aesthetic overall.
“The Builder's Edition collection offers players an aesthetically beautiful and extremely ergonomic playing experience,” enthuses Andy Powers, Taylor's Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO.
"We’re happy to finally welcome Taylor’s beloved flagship model, the 814ce, to new heights of craftsmanship and performance.”
Starting at $4,499, the Builder's Edition 814ce represents a pinnacle of the Californian firm’s guitar-building expertise.
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Top-notch appointments include precise 21:1 gear ratio, antique gold Gotoh 510 tuners, a rosewood pickguard and a contoured Curve Wing bridge exclusive to Builder's Edition models. It sports the same Element inlays and abalone/rosewood/maple rosette as featured on the standard 814ce.
The only model in Taylor’s Builder’s Edition collection sporting a gloss-finish body, this decadent acoustic guitar has a beveled cutaway and armrest for ultimate comfort and ease of play. It also comes equipped with ES2 electronics and a deluxe brown hardshell case.
Visit Taylor Guitars for more information.
Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.