Taylor guitars have embarked its brand as one of the best guitar makers in the world for years. And the Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic Guitar is a grand testament to that claim. But, is the price worth it? Come on, it's Taylor. Why have second thoughts on buying this?
Why go for insanely expensive guitars when you can have the best for a price that hardly hurts the pocket? With the exquisiteness of its craftsmanship and the precision of its sound, you do not only get the value for your money but way more than what you pay for.
The Taylor 114ce certainly exudes the excellent quality that Taylor guitars have always been known for. For an acoustic guitar that costs under a thousand dollars, it is quite surprising how it even surpasses the more costly ones in several aspects.
There are a number of good things about this guitar that would naturally convince any musician (or aspiring ones) why the Taylor 114ce is the best deal.
Let’s talk about them, shall we?
Contents
The Stunning Clarity of its Sound
This work of art splendidly produces precise tones and superb high gain sustain that will surely give you the best musical gig experience. The intonation is as flawless as its bass levels blending perfectly producing that optimal sound quality that is given of high, if not the highest, importance when it comes picking the perfect acoustic guitar.
Finally, the tuners are also so carefully made and polished that it delivers impressive clarity when cranked up to their maximum which, by the way, is rarely done by a purely acoustic guitar making it suitable for any setting whether it be full band or even when playing alone or whether played acoustically or plugged in.
The Intricate Hardware and Electronics
The 114ce provides a wide range of tonal possibilities that makes superior and creative musical arrangements fairly possible without spending much fortune. The quality of this guitar’s hardware satisfies both aesthetic and musical utility.
It is gorgeously crafted with its perfect size and low position that is readily fit for a comfortable play made more comfortable by the strings which feel very gentle in the fingers making strumming and plucking easier even for beginners.
The six enclosed die cast tuners finely placed on top of a classy Taylor headstock and a Tusq bone saddle just beneath the ebony bridge system creates a magnificent intonation and stability as well as aesthetically pleasing structure.
These tuners are definitely not just for show as they create an incremental change in the tone which highly affects the performance of the guitarist.
What is more than its hardware are the beautifully designed electronics embedded inside the body of this guitar making it beautiful inside and out, literally. More particularly, the Taylor 114ce 100 series bears an ES-T internal pickup system which fully controls each string and their corresponding elements giving the guitarist full control of the instrument.
The onboard preamble is strategically placed in front and not sideways, unlike other typical acoustic-electric guitars available in the market, and the custom-made equalizer adds greatly to the richness of the sound it produces through the bass, volume, and treble switches.
The Well-Defined Body and Neck
A great acoustic guitar must not only sound great but should also look great even without its adornments. This guitar’s well-structured build is already a winner when it comes to acoustic guitars.
This guitar is equipped with 20 frets, wide Tusq bone nut and pearloid dot inlays making it look fancy and elegant without going over board to make it look trashy.
Holding a scale of 25.5, its aesthetics are well emphasized by the splendid double varnish natural finish offering trustworthy protection to make it endure the longtime of use, fine looks and great feel to the touch.
Its ebony fingerboard is supported by a bolt-on neck sapele that makes this guitar easy and pleasant to the hand giving the guitarist a comfortable play.
The body of the Taylor 114ce boasts of a sturdy spruce top and tortoise pickguard designed to withstand long hours of usage and prevent damage from excessive strumming. The durability of this guitar is brought about by the laminated sapele which composes its sides and back ensuring unquestionable resistance to inevitable environmental factors such as moisture and heat.
Also, the bracing pattern that is intelligently shifted forward preserves a stable and intact guitar body giving its well-built solid feels.
Pros and Cons
As perfect as this guitar may seem, one cannot simply have it all. Being in the middle ranged, when it comes to price, guitars, it is expected that there are flaws, albeit minor, to be found. Here are the list of the pros and cons that I found.
Pros
- Great quality for value
- Easy to play
- Smooth neck for low friction
- Requires little to no adjustment straight from the box
- Sturdy and solid build
- The finish is an effective built protection
Cons
- No on board tuner
- Heavy and bulky
- The material is sensitive to the temperature change making it out of tune at times
- Peg material are made of cheap injected plastic
- Fret metal easily flats out when played with a lot of vibrato
Final Thoughts
After all that’s been said, whether a beginner wading into the waters of music, a novice practicing to master and hone his skills, a professional who is still trying to perfect his craft, or even those who are just looking for a generous gift to their family or friends who are aspiring to be or are already musicians, the Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic Guitar is a perfect choice for those who wants the best guitar at a price less than $1000.
I picked this guitar for my first big guitar purchase. After playing for a few years on a samick acoustic I paid a friend $30 for. Then a “martin lawsuit” 70’s Takamine acoustic that i think I paid $100 for. Maybe less. It was time for upgrade.
So to prep I saved up maybe $200 of GC giftcards from Bdays and whatnot. Then I had a St. Paddys day coupon for spend 1k and get 200 off at GC. At the time for me…this was big money. The most expensive car I had bought up until then was 2,500. I had the day to spend at GC. I was in the acoustic room for hours. First guitar I picked up was the Taylor 114ce. It had so much playability compared to the Takamine I was used to. Much thinner neck with better action. Even though I have long fingers, I found I liked the feel of the thin neck and the shape was so comfortable. The highs were so clear and it projected very well. Fast forward 4 hours and I had played everything in that room that ranged from $500 to $1500. And of course a couple that were much more expensive. After all this I still kept going back to the Taylor I had first picked up. I also liked a Martin that was I believe a D15. It was a mahogony Martin with a nice warm sound. I ended up going with the Taylor even though I had in my mind that I was more interested in a Martin on my way to GC. Throw in a braided cord, set of strings, some odds and ends and the price was exactly 1k so I could make use of the coupon. Walked away with everything for around $600 out of pocket. I had come to the realization that the 114ce to me sounded better than everything in the whole acoustic room in its price range. Even better than a few that were quite a bit above its price. Although the GC acoustic room isnt always the best way to try a perfect example of a guitar..its certainty possible some of the higher cost guitars would have sounded better had they been properly set up and cared for. But for what they had in there, It was hard to justify the price increase when the Taylor sounded so good.
Fast forward around 10 years and life is very different. Where I’ve been able to afford an acoustic “upgrade” for quite some time now. But I’ve felt no need. It still sounds and plays great. Definitely a keeper. Have never gotten a bad review on the guitar itself or its sound. My playing is another story. But many “beautiful guitar”, “wow, that sounds great”, and “that taylor has such a sweet sound” comments. Over the years I’ve replaced the pegs, the strings and battery of course, and wiped it down. Still looks and sounds great. I would certainly recommend anyone looking at the $500 to $1500 range for an acoustic or acoustic electric seriously consider one of these. Welp, that was much longer of a comment than I intended, But I do feel its a contender for the best guitar of its type you could buy for the money. I definitely tested that theory.
Thanks for reading and best of luck.