Taylor 114ce: Acoustic-Electric Balance & Ease

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Taylor 114ce is one of Taylor’s most popular acoustic-electric guitars, and for good reason. Part of Taylor’s 100 Series, the 114ce combines the Taylor craftsmanship and attention to detail the company is known for with an accessible price point.

The 114ce features a Grand Auditorium body shape with a Venetian cutaway that provides a balanced, articulate tone and easy upper fret access. It has a solid Sitka spruce top paired with layered walnut or sapele back and sides, which give it a clear, focused sound with nice bass response. The 25.5” scale mahogany neck has a slim taper profile for comfortable playability.

Electronics include Taylor’s ES2 pickup system, which utilizes an undersaddle piezo pickup and preamp with built-in tuner. This allows players to easily amplify their acoustic tone with natural sound reproduction. The guitar comes equipped with quality Elixir strings installed.

For guitarists looking for Taylor’s renowned quality and tone in an acoustic-electric model priced under $1500, the 114ce is an excellent choice worth checking out. It delivers pro-level craftsmanship, versatile sound, and stage-ready features.

Body & Neck Specs

The Taylor 114ce features Taylor’s popular Grand Auditorium body shape, a medium sized design that provides a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum along with good projection and volume.

The top is made of solid Sitka spruce, which gives the 114ce a bright and responsive tone with excellent clarity in the high end. For the back and sides, Taylor offers a choice of solid walnut or sapele which both impart a warm, nuanced midrange to complement the crisp spruce top.

The 114ce has a slim, comfortable neck profile with a 25.5" scale length and 1 3/4" nut width. This makes the neck very playable and accessible for most hand sizes. The shorter scale length also contributes to the 114ce’s excellent intonation up and down the fretboard. Overall the neck dimensions and taper provide an extremely comfortable feel that facilitates intricate chording and soloing.

Sound Quality

The Taylor 114ce is renowned for its rich, balanced acoustic tone that maintains articulation and clarity across the tonal spectrum. The solid Sitka spruce top and layered walnut or sapele back and sides generate a lush, full-bodied sound with a clear and present midrange. There’s never a sense that the guitar is boomy in the low end or too bright and harsh in the highs.

The 114ce has a very impressive dynamic range, able to go from hushed, intimate tones to loud and projecting based on your attack. Notes sustain for a satisfying length, with a hint of bloom to the sound rather than an overly dry character. Volume projection is also excellent thanks to the Grand Auditorium body shape and expert bracing from Taylor’s master luthiers.

This versatile guitar handles both fingerstyle and strumming with ease. The balanced voicing allows complex fingerstyle arrangements to shine, with each note ringing out clearly. Strummers will appreciate how full chords sound and how well the 114ce handles dynamic changes. Whether you have a light touch or dig in more aggressively, the 114ce responds beautifully.

Electronics & Amplified Sound

The Taylor 114ce comes equipped with Taylor’s ES2 pickup system, which utilizes an undersaddle piezo pickup and preamp with built-in tone controls. This system is designed to accurately capture the 114ce’s natural acoustic tone and translate it into a rich, balanced amplified sound.

One of the highlights of the ES2 system is how cleanly it amplifies the guitar’s tone without introducing excessive quack or piezo electric artifacts. The amplified sound has a natural resonance and woody character that stays true to the unplugged acoustic voice. There is plenty of dynamic range to handle both soft fingerpicking and aggressive strumming.

The ES2’s preamp includes simple but effective tone shaping controls for bass, midrange and treble. This allows you to dial in a tone suited for your individual playing style, whether you need a bright fingerpicking sound or a scooped, chorusy rock tone. There’s enough tonal versatility for stage and studio use.

When playing live, the ES2 system also provides excellent resistance to feedback and handling noise. Its undersaddle pickup location gives it better isolation compared to soundhole pickups. Overall the 114ce can be played at reasonable stage volumes without feedback or extraneous noise becoming an issue. This makes it a reliable workhorse acoustic-electric for gigging and performing.

Playability

The Taylor 114ce’s playability is one of its strongest assets, thanks to the comfortable neck profile and impressive fretwork quality. The neck has a slim C-shape that feels great in the hand. It’s not too thin like some shredder necks, but not overly chunky either. The satin finish on the back of the neck also enhances the smooth, fast feel.

The action on the 114ce is set very comfortably low out of the box. You don’t need to press hard to fret notes cleanly across the neck. The guitar has excellent intonation stability too. Chords ring out with excellent tuning accuracy all along the fretboard. There are no flat spots or dead notes.

The fretwork itself is outstanding, which is not surprising given Taylor’s reputation for precision craftsmanship. The medium jumbo frets are finished smoothly with no sharp edges. Bends and slides are very fluid and comfortable, without any scratchiness from the frets. Overall the 114ce’s fantastic playability makes it a joy to pick up and play for extended periods.

Appearance

The Taylor 114ce has a classic yet modern aesthetic that gives it a premium, high-end look and feel. With its Grand Auditorium body shape featuring crisp lines and a slim profile, it exudes elegance and sophistication.

Visually, the 114ce comes in a few different finish options. The most popular is likely the natural finish, which showcases the beautiful solid Sitka spruce top and layered sapele or walnut back and sides. The spruce has an appealing blonde color, while the back and sides have an attractive brown hue with interesting grain patterns. The natural finish allows the guitar’s tonewoods to be shown off in all their glory.

For those wanting a more traditional look, the 114ce also comes in a shaded edgeburst finish. This gives the spruce top and back/sides borders a sunburst effect, with the edges slightly darker than the center. It’s an understated but classy alternative to the natural finish. The sunburst combines nicely with the back and sides, giving the guitar a vintage vibe.

Other available finishes include black, cherry, and honey sunburst. These darker finishes give the guitar a deeper, richer look. The top wood grain still shows through slightly to add visual interest.

The binding and appointments also help give the 114ce a refined appearance. The guitar has maple binding on the top, back, fretboard and headstock. Other details include an abalone rosette, black pickguard, and small diamond fretboard inlays. The headstock has a gloss finish and features the Taylor logo.

Overall the 114ce has an inviting, inspiring look that matches its impressive sound and playability. It’s sure to appeal to guitarists wanting a stylish, professional instrument for performance or recording. The variety of finish options allow you to pick a look that reflects your personal style.

Value & Cost

The Taylor 114ce has an MSRP of $1,299, though street prices are typically around $1,199. This positions it as an upper-mid-range acoustic-electric guitar, above entry level models but below premium offerings that can cost $2,000+.

For the price, the 114ce delivers outstanding value, with all solid wood construction using quality tonewoods, excellent playability and electronics, and Taylor’s signature build quality and attention to detail. It’s a significant step up from cheaper laminate guitars in the sub-$500 range.

Compared to competitor models in this price tier like the Martin Road Series or Yamaha A-Series, the 114ce holds up very well and delivers comparable performance and craftsmanship for the money. While not exactly budget-friendly, it’s very fairly priced for what you get.

The 114ce comes with a deluxe hardshell case, providing safe storage and transport. Taylor also backs the guitar with their limited lifetime warranty, covering defects in materials and workmanship. Overall, the 114ce offers excellent value given its combination of quality materials, thoughtful design, reliable electronics, and renowned Taylor build. It’s a mid-priced acoustic that feels like a more expensive premium instrument.

Competitor Comparison

The Taylor 114ce competes most closely with other high quality acoustic-electrics in the $1,000 to $1,500 price range like the Martin 000-16GT and Yamaha A3M. Here’s how the 114ce stacks up against the competition:

Martin 000-16GT

The Martin 000-16GT has an all-mahogany body which produces a warmer, more bass-forward tone compared to the 114ce’s balanced sound.
The 114ce’s Sitka spruce top adds more sparkle and clarity in the high end.
Both have excellent electronics and amplified sound. The 114ce may have a bit more accuracy.
Playability is fantastic on both, with comfortable necks and low action.
The Martin has more vintage styling while the Taylor has a sleeker, more modern look.

Yamaha A3M

The Yamaha A3M features an A.R.E. pickup system with some unique capabilities like anti-feedback.
It has a slightly wider neck than the Taylor which some may prefer.
The 114ce arguably edges out the Yamaha in acoustic sound quality and volume.
The Taylor has a bit more premium fit and finish.
The Yamaha provides great value at a lower price point.

Overall the 114ce holds its own against these strong competitors by offering an excellent balance of sound, electronics, playability, and construction. It lands right between the Martin’s vintage tone and the Yamaha’s high-tech features. For players wanting the best of both modern and traditional acoustic qualities, the 114ce splits the difference nicely while adding Taylor’s renowned craftsmanship.

Best Uses

The Taylor 114ce acoustic-electric is extremely versatile in terms of both players and musical scenarios it’s well-suited for. Its balanced tone and smooth playability make it a great choice for players across genres looking for a quality all-purpose instrument.

Ideal Players

Gigging musicians who play live shows and need a consistent amplified tone
Singer-songwriters who accompany themselves on guitar
Fingerstyle guitarists who want an articulate tone for intricate playing
Rhythm guitarists who strum chords and need even response across the neck
Lead players who want smooth playability for solos and melodic lines

Musical Genres

The Taylor 114ce works well for a wide range of musical genres thanks to its versatile sound profile:

Folk – Pairs nicely with fingerpicking and lighter strumming
Pop – Clear midrange cuts through a mix well
Rock – Handles gain without getting too muddy
Country – Articulate and twangy voicing suits the style
Blues – Dynamic range allows excellent touch sensitivity

Skill Levels

Beginners may find the Grand Auditorium body size accessible. However, the 114ce may exceed the needs of most beginners.
Intermediate players will appreciate the upgrade in sound and playability.
Advanced players will be satisfied with the Taylor craftsmanship and performance.

Studio vs Live Use

In the studio, the 114ce’s balanced acoustic tone provides an excellent foundation for recording. The onboard ES2 pickup also allows flexible direct recording options.

Live, the 114ce’s premium construction gives it reliable on-stage performance night after night. The cutaway body style allows easy upper fret access. The pickup and preamp system deliver amplified tones that project while resisting feedback.

Overall, the Taylor 114ce is a versatile high-quality instrument well-suited to a variety of players, musical genres, and performance scenarios. Its blend of tone, playability and features make it a reliable do-anything acoustic-electric.

Accessories

The Taylor 114ce typically comes with a deluxe hardshell case or high-quality padded gig bag to protect the guitar during transportation and storage. This ensures your instrument stays safe from bumps, dings, and changes in humidity.

Some other recommended accessories to pair with the 114ce include:

Guitar stand – For keeping the 114ce securely upright and easily accessible when not playing. This prevents the guitar from falling over and taking damage.
Humidifier – For maintaining optimal humidity levels inside the guitar’s case. This prevents the wood from drying out and negatively impacting tone.
Guitar strap – For comfortable standing play, especially during live performances. High-quality wide straps evenly distribute the guitar’s weight.
Capo – For easily transposing chords and keys up the neck. A capo allows quick key changes without awkward fingerings.
Tuner – For keeping the 114ce perfectly tuned before playing. Clip-on headstock tuners are convenient for fast tuning on the go.
Extra strings – It’s smart to keep spare sets of strings on hand for quick replacements when old strings lose their tone.
Pick sampler – Trying different pick materials and thicknesses can impact tone and playing dynamics.
Polish cloth – For cleaning smudges and fingerprints off the 114ce’s gloss finish after playing to keep it looking pristine.

Taylor also offers some cool customization options directly from their factory. You can inquire about getting a personalized neck inlay, custom finish colors, upgraded electronics, and more. Though keep in mind this adds to the total cost of the instrument.