Introduction to the Taylor 816ce
The Taylor 816ce is a premium acoustic-electric guitar that sits at the pinnacle of Taylor’s lineup. As part of the revered 800 Series and exclusive Builder’s Edition, the 816ce represents the height of Taylor’s design, tonewood selection, and craftsmanship.
This Grand Symphony body style guitar produces a bold, projecting tone thanks to its combination of Indian rosewood back and sides with a Lutz spruce top. It features Taylor’s innovative V-Class bracing architecture along with a soundport cutaway for enhanced resonance and natural amplification of the guitar’s voice. The 816ce is also equipped with Taylor’s Expression System 2 electronics for amplifying the guitar’s organic acoustic tones.
With its premium appointments, ergonomic comfort-enhancing features, and top-tier acoustic performance, the Taylor 816ce acoustic-electric guitar delivers an exceptional playing experience for today’s discerning guitarist. This review provides an in-depth look at the 816ce’s complete specs, sound, playability, and value as Taylor’s flagship Grand Symphony model.
Taylor 816ce Specs & Features
Grand Symphony Body Shape
The Taylor 816ce features a Grand Symphony body shape, one of the largest builds in Taylor’s acoustic guitar lineup. With dimensions of 20 inches across the lower bout, 16 inches across the waist, and 4 5/8 inches deep, the Grand Symphony 816ce delivers a powerful voice with impressive projection and rich low-end response.
The large, voluptuous body produces booming bass tones and excellent note articulation across the tonal spectrum. Compared to Taylor’s popular Grand Auditorium shape, the Grand Symphony has a deeper body depth and wider lower bout for enhanced low-end punch. The Grand Symphony is also larger overall than Taylor’s Grand Concert and Dreadnought body designs.
This expansive Grand Symphony form factor gives the 816ce a robust voice that excels for rhythmic strumming and fingerstyle playing. The impressive low-end power never overshadows the balanced tone, however – notes remain clear and defined even when strumming full chords. Players who crave projection and bass will appreciate the Grand Symphony’s commanding presence.
Taylor 816ce Specs & Features
Indian Rosewood Back & Sides
The Taylor 816ce features high-grade Indian rosewood back and sides, which imbue the guitar with a rich, complex tone profile. Indian rosewood is prized for its warm, musical midrange, sparkling trebles, and pronounced overtones. The rosewood back and sides bring out the 816ce’s woody, organic resonance and add vintage-style character to the amplified tones.
Indian rosewood used by Taylor comes from sustainable sources and is CITES certified, ensuring responsible harvesting practices. While Indian rosewood has historically been a popular tonewood choice, Taylor does offer alternative back and side wood options on the 816ce like koa, maple, and ovangkol. However, Indian rosewood remains a favorite for its balanced frequency response and singing overtones that complement the Lutz spruce top.
Bracing & Construction
Taylor’s innovative V-Class bracing architecture sets the 816ce apart from most other acoustic guitars. Instead of the traditional X-bracing pattern, V-Class utilizes an asymmetrical design with a taller, more angular brace in the treble side and a lower, more rounded one on the bass side.
This unique bracing layout allows the top of the 816ce to move more freely and uniformly, enhancing the guitar’s volume, sustain, and intonation across all six strings. The treble braces provide stiffness and stability in the higher register while the bass braces enable a looser, more vibey low end.
Compared to a standard X-braced guitar, the 816ce’s V-Class system produces notes that decay slower and resonate with more complexity. There’s a clear increase in warmth and tonal balance versus a traditional bracing layout. Chords ring with more openness and individual notes pop with added definition.
The V-Class bracing also reduces the need for heavy bracing reinforcements around the edges of the soundhole. This allows the top more freedom of movement and results in a more even response across the tonal spectrum. Overall, the Taylor 816ce’s unique bracing provides noticeable improvements in volume, sustain, note separation, and tonal balance compared to traditional X-bracing designs.
Electronics & Controls
The Taylor 816ce comes equipped with Taylor’s Expression System 2 (ES2) electronics, providing natural acoustic amplification and versatility.
The ES2 system utilizes three uniquely positioned and calibrated pickup sensors to accurately capture the guitar’s dynamic tonal range. The pickup locations are optimized for each body style, with careful consideration of the soundboard’s vibrational behavior. This allows the 816ce’s complete tonal signature to be translated when plugged in.
At the heart of the ES2 system is a discrete class-A preamp, featuring analog architecture for pure and transparent tone shaping. It has simple but powerful tone controls, including bass, mid, and treble knobs that allow ±15dB of boost or cut. This level of EQ control enables the player to shape the amplified sound for any situation, whether dialing in a sweet spot for the mix or adapting to different rooms.
The preamp’s mid-sweep knob targets the critical midrange frequencies from 500Hz to 5kHz. Narrowing the mids helps eliminate feedback when playing live, while boosting mids can add definition for leads and solos. The user-friendly ES2 preamp makes it easy to craft a dynamic amplified acoustic sound.
Additional features that aid in feedback resistance include a -6dB pad and built-in phase switch. The pad attenuates the output level while maintaining the tonal balance critical for acoustic instruments. The phase switch helps align the preamp signal with the amplified sound from the guitar body and reduce phase cancellation that causes feedback.
Overall, the ES2 system provides the Taylor 816ce with studio-quality electronics optimized for acoustic guitars. Players who amplify their instrument will appreciate the tonal control and feedback-fighting capabilities.
Sound Profile
The Taylor 816ce delivers a rich, balanced sound across the tonal spectrum. When played unplugged, the guitar produces warm yet articulate bass tones thanks to its Grand Symphony body and Indian rosewood back and sides. The notes have a musical bloom in the midrange, with the rosewood adding a touch of sweetness. Treble notes have shimmer and clarity, aided by the crispness of the Lutz spruce top. There’s an impressive dynamic range, allowing the 816ce to go from hushed fingerpicking to aggressive strumming.
When amplified with the ES2 electronics, the 816ce retains its natural acoustic tone. There’s enough headroom to handle higher volumes without distortion. The EQ controls allow shaping the lows, mids and highs as needed for the venue or application. The sound also projects with focus, allowing the guitar to cut through a mix. Whether recording in a home studio or performing live with a band, the 816ce delivers excellent amplified acoustic tones.
Overall, the Taylor 816ce impresses with its balanced, responsive sound. Notes are articulate yet musical, with the rosewood and spruce combination providing a pleasing blend across the tonal spectrum. It’s a dynamic, nuanced acoustic guitar that also excels in amplified scenarios thanks to the ES2 electronics.
Playability
The Taylor 816ce showcases premium playability through its comfortable neck profile, balanced string tension, and ergonomic design features. The neck has a smooth satin finish and slim taper that makes it easy and enjoyable to play for extended periods.
The nut width measures 1 11/16 inches, providing a good balance of fingerboard space without feeling too wide. The neck has a standard 25.5 inch scale length. Along with the light gauge strings from the factory, this results in a nice tension that isn’t too tight or too loose.
The beveled armrest contributes to the 816ce’s overall comfort and playability. Your arm can rest naturally without digging into a sharp body edge. This is especially useful during longer practice or gigging sessions. The curved fingerboard also enhances the playing experience, with smoothly rolled edges that fit the natural contours of your hand.
Small details like the polished frets, rounded neck heel, and glossy headstock overlay further augment the 816ce’s premium feel and playability. Whether strumming rhythm parts or playing intricate fingerstyle passages, this guitar offers a smooth and comfortable playing feel suitable for various techniques. The ergonomic neck profile and appointments make the 816ce a pleasure to play.
Builder’s Edition Upgrades
The Taylor 816ce showcases the very best of Taylor’s craftsmanship and innovation as part of the Builder’s Edition line. Everything about this guitar, from the selection of tonewoods to the ergonomic design features, has been carefully considered to provide an unparalleled playing experience.
Premium Tonewoods & Appointments
Taylor pulls out all the stops when it comes to tonewood selection for the 816ce. The back and sides are constructed from flawless Indian rosewood, prized for its rich, complex overtones and musical resonance. The top is Sitka spruce from Alaska’s remote Lutz forest, exceptionally lightweight and stiff for optimal resonance and volume. Even the fingerboard is African ebony, known for its crisp note articulation. Visually, the Silent Satin finish and abalone top trim give the 816ce an understated elegance befitting its status.
Advanced Design Features
In terms of playability, the 816ce incorporates Taylor’s most ergonomic body shape along with innovations like a contoured armrest, curved fingerboard, and dual-chamfered body edges. The neck is carved for comfort, while the cutaway allows easy upper-fret access. Inside, proprietary V-Class bracing optimizes the guitar’s natural acoustic voice. Together, these features create a remarkably responsive, resonant and balanced playing experience. Even during long practice or gigging sessions, the 816ce remains comfortable while delivering dynamic, nuanced tone.
Taylor 816ce vs Standard 816ce
The Taylor 816ce Builder’s Edition differs from the standard 816ce in several notable ways that justify its premium pricing. Here’s a look at how the two models compare:
Spec Differences
- Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood on 816ce BE vs Rosewood on 816ce
- Top: Lutz Spruce on 816ce BE vs Sitka Spruce on 816ce
- Bracing: V-Class on 816ce BE vs Standard X-Bracing on 816ce
- Fretboard: Ebony on 816ce BE vs Rosewood on 816ce
- Bridge: Ebony on 816ce BE vs Rosewood on 816ce
- Binding: Figured Maple on 816ce BE vs Standard on 816ce
- Electronics: ES2 on 816ce BE vs Expression System on 816ce
- Tuners: Taylor Gold on 816ce BE vs Chrome on 816ce
Tonal Differences
The 816ce BE produces a more complex, articulate tone thanks to the combination of Lutz spruce top and V-class bracing. The standard 816ce has a balanced, mellow tone with the Sitka spruce and X-bracing design. The 816ce BE has more volume, sustain, and harmonic content.
Playability Differences
With its curved fingerboard and contoured body edges, the 816ce BE offers a more comfortable and ergonomic playing experience. The neck profile is also slightly more rounded. Overall, it has a more "broken-in" feel straight from the factory.
Aesthetic Differences
Visually, the BE model has more ornate appointments like the figured maple binding, ebony bridge/fretboard, and gold tuners. The overall fit and finish is more refined. The BE also comes in a shaded edgeburst finish, while the standard 816ce has a simple burst.
In summary, the 816ce BE justifies its premium price with upgraded tonewoods, electronics, and playability. It’s built to a higher standard of craftsmanship and has a more decorative visual appeal. Players seeking the ultimate high-end Taylor will appreciate the enhancements of the Builder’s Edition.
Pricing & Value
The Taylor 816ce has an MSRP of $4,799, though street prices typically range from $4,500 – $4,700 at most major acoustic retailers. This positions the 816ce firmly in the high-end, premium acoustic-electric market.
As a limited production, special edition instrument, the 816ce demands a higher price tag than Taylor’s standard line. However, the use of premium tonewoods, innovative bracing and electronics, and top-notch craftsmanship help justify the cost for serious players.
When examining pricing on the used market, expect to find examples ranging from $3,500 – $4,200 depending on their condition and included accessories. Well-maintained models with original hardshell cases tend to hold their value better over time.
Given its robust build quality and lifetime player enjoyment, the 816ce represents an outstanding long-term investment for those seeking one of the finest acoustic-electrics money can buy. While not inexpensive, you get what you pay for – an extraordinarily responsive and resonant instrument suitable for studio and stage.
For players with smaller budgets, Taylor’s standard 800 Series models like the 814ce and 816ce offer similar specs and tonewoods at a more affordable price point, minus some of the Builder’s Edition appointments. However, the 816ce remains an exceptional value proposition for discerning players who recognize and appreciate the meaningful upgrades it provides.