Taylor 814ce Grand Auditorium


Taylor 814ce Grand Auditorium
by Josquin Des Pres
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Since 1974 Robert Taylor and his ever growing crew of fine craftsmen have been building acoustic guitars with an unsurpassed standard of excellence. Combining old world craftsmanship with state-of-the-art computer technology, Taylor Guitars has been literally changing the way guitars are built. The 800 Series is no exception to this tradition of elegance, natural beauty, and innovation. Descended from Taylor's original design, the Taylor 814ce Grand Auditorium (the C for cutaway and the E for electronics) combines East Indian rosewood back and sides with a Sitka spruce top. The soundhole rosette is abalone and the guitar body is surrounded with white plastic binding. The neck uses gold Grover tuners and the fretboard has pearl inlays in progressive diamond patterns. The contemporary Grand Auditorium has an acoustic/electric cutaway body style that comes already equipped with a Fishman Onboard Blender system.

Taylor has an extensive three-page list of options you order on any 800 Series guitar. Some customized options are: neck width substitutions; cutaways (to add, or to substitute another style); Engelmann spruce top, red cedar top or a sunburst top on the Sitka/Engelmann only; Fishman Matrix pickup system or Fishman Prefix/Slider electronics. Taylor will install (at no extra charge) a Fishman saddle transducer without cutting any holes in the instrument or you can buy the guitar without any electronics at all.

I tried the 814ce in the studio during a session with singer/songwriter Steve Poltz. For my stereo recording, I used a pair of AKG C-414EB condenser microphones through two, dbx-586 tube mic-preamps followed by two, Aphex 661 compressors. The Fishman direct output went through an ART PRO-MPA microphone pre-amp, followed by the ART PRO-VLA compressor. Poltz, himself a Taylor user, loved the playability and sound of the instrument for both picking and strumming. In the control room the sound of the Fishman direct output, unlike the abrasive high and mid overtones usually found in most acoustic/electric guitars, sounded smooth and surprisingly useable...especially in combination with the microphones. In the control room it delivered all that I expected: a deep accurate bottom, warm midrange and well-rounded treble.

At $3,336 MSRP with carrying case, the Taylor 814ce Grand Auditorium is a great addition to the Taylor family. For more information, contact Taylor Guitars at 1940 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, California 92020. Call 619-258-1207 or visit the Taylor website at : www.taylorguitars.com

Josquin des Pres is a San Diego-based producer, songwriter & bass player. Visit his websites at: www.josquindespres.com or www.trackstarstudios.com.

Edited by: Barry Rudolph

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