The Taylor 14ce is a full-sized Grand Auditorium electro-acoustic guitar that brings genuine Taylor playability, a responsive solid top and dependable amplified performance to an accessible price point.

Its solid torrefied spruce top produces clear projection with additional warmth and played-in sweetness, while the layered African sapele back and sides provide a balanced response with a focused midrange. Taylor’s C-Class bracing helps increase sustain, volume and low-frequency presence, giving the guitar a confident acoustic voice for practice, songwriting, recording and performance.

A slim hard rock maple neck, 1 11/16-inch nut width and Venetian cutaway make the 14ce comfortable for both developing and experienced players. Fishman Presys VT electronics provide simple soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls for connecting directly to an amplifier, PA system or recording interface.

At A Glance

Specification	Details
Brand	Taylor
Model	14ce
Finish	Natural
Guitar Type	Steel-string electro-acoustic guitar
Body Shape	Grand Auditorium
Top Wood	Solid torrefied spruce
Back and Sides	Layered African sapele
Bracing	Taylor C-Class bracing
Neck Wood	Hard rock maple
Fingerboard	West African Crelicam ebony
Electronics	Fishman Presys VT
Cutaway	Venetian
Scale Length	25½ inches
Nut Width	1 11/16 inches
Condition	Brand new
Main Appeal	Accessible full-sized Taylor with a solid top and stage-ready electronics
Best For	Learning, songwriting, rehearsal, recording and live performance
Skill Level	Beginner, intermediate and experienced players

What’s Included?

• Taylor 14ce Natural electro-acoustic guitar
• Taylor gig bag

Why Choose the Taylor 14ce?

An Accessible Full-Sized Taylor

The 14ce is designed for players who want the feel and versatility of a full-sized Taylor Grand Auditorium without immediately moving into the higher-priced Taylor series.

It retains several of the features that make Taylor guitars so popular, including:

• A comfortable Grand Auditorium body
• A solid torrefied spruce soundboard
• A slim Standard Carve neck profile
• A full 25½-inch scale length
• A genuine ebony fingerboard and bridge
• A Venetian cutaway
• Built-in Fishman electronics

The streamlined appointments help keep the guitar accessible while preserving the tonal and practical features that matter most to the player.

Solid Torrefied Spruce Top

The 14ce features a solid torrefied spruce soundboard.

Torrefaction uses carefully controlled heat to reduce moisture within the timber and alter its cellular structure. This gives the spruce additional warmth and responsiveness, helping the top produce some of the open, mature character normally associated with a guitar that has already been regularly played.

The solid top provides:

• Clear acoustic projection
• Strong note definition
• A broad dynamic range
• Warmth when played gently
• Sufficient headroom for strumming
• A sound that can continue to develop with use

It responds well to both a light fingerstyle touch and more confident chord-based playing.

Layered African Sapele Back and Sides

The back and sides are constructed from layered African sapele.

Sapele is known for its balanced tonal character, punchy midrange and clear upper-frequency response. It shares some qualities with mahogany but offers slightly more presence and brightness at the top end.

The layered construction provides useful environmental stability, making the 14ce a practical choice for players who regularly move between home, lessons, rehearsal rooms and performance venues.

Combined with the solid spruce top, the sapele body produces a clear and adaptable voice suited to a wide range of musical styles.

Taylor C-Class Bracing

Taylor’s C-Class bracing is designed to enhance the performance of the Grand Auditorium body while maintaining structural stability.

The internal architecture allows the soundboard to move efficiently, helping the guitar produce greater sustain, projection and low-frequency presence than its streamlined design might suggest.

The result is:

• Stronger acoustic volume
• Improved note sustain
• A fuller low-end response
• Clearer note separation
• Balanced chord definition
• Consistent performance across the fingerboard

The C-Class design helps the 14ce sound confident when played acoustically while remaining controlled and articulate.

Versatile Grand Auditorium Body

The Grand Auditorium is Taylor’s most versatile full-sized acoustic body shape.

Its medium-sized proportions provide more balance and playing comfort than many traditional dreadnoughts while still generating enough projection and low-end response for rhythm playing.

The 14ce is well suited to:

• Fingerstyle arrangements
• Open-chord accompaniment
• Flatpicking
• Contemporary acoustic pop
• Folk and country
• Worship music
• Singer-songwriter performances
• Home recording
• Lessons and practice
• Live performance

It can move naturally between delicate passages and more energetic strumming without feeling restricted to one particular style.

Slim Hard Rock Maple Neck

The 14ce uses a hard rock maple neck with Taylor’s Standard Carve profile.

Its slim, heel-less design provides a smooth and approachable playing feel. The 1 11/16-inch nut width is slightly narrower than the 1¾-inch width found on many premium acoustic guitars, reducing the distance across the fingerboard.

This can make the guitar particularly comfortable for:

• Beginners developing fretting-hand strength
• Electric guitarists adding an acoustic
• Players with smaller hands
• Musicians who prefer a modern neck profile
• Rhythm players performing longer sets

The matte neck finish helps the fretting hand move smoothly between chord positions and melodic passages.

West African Crelicam Ebony Fingerboard

The fingerboard is made from West African Crelicam ebony.

Ebony provides a smooth and durable playing surface with a clean, premium feel. Its stability and hardness make it well suited to regular practice and performance, while the simple faux pearl dot inlays provide clear position markers without making the design feel overly decorative.

The matching ebony bridge also supports efficient string-energy transfer into the soundboard.

Venetian Cutaway

The soft, rounded Venetian cutaway provides easier access to the upper frets.

This makes the 14ce suitable for lead playing, melodic arrangements and chord voicings further up the neck. It also gives the guitar the contemporary appearance associated with Taylor’s cutaway acoustic models.

Fishman Presys VT Electronics

The Taylor 14ce is equipped with the Fishman Presys VT pickup and preamp system.

An undersaddle pickup captures the guitar’s string and soundboard response, while discreet soundhole-mounted controls provide quick adjustment over:

• Volume
• Tone

The straightforward design makes it easy to connect the guitar to:

• Acoustic guitar amplifiers
• PA systems
• Mixing desks
• Direct boxes
• Audio interfaces
• Recording equipment

The tone control allows the upper-frequency response to be softened for warmer accompaniment or opened up for greater clarity and presence.

Clean and Purposeful Styling

The 14ce has a minimalist appearance that keeps the focus on its natural timber and practical performance.

Its appointments include:

• Natural matte body finish
• Black single-ring rosette
• Black pickguard
• Faux pearl dot fingerboard inlays
• Copafera peghead veneer
• Chrome tuning machines
• West African Crelicam ebony fingerboard and bridge

The understated design looks recognisably Taylor without adding decorative features that would unnecessarily increase the price.

Why Choose a Grand Auditorium Electro-Acoustic Guitar?

A Grand Auditorium electro-acoustic guitar is an excellent choice for players who need one instrument to cover several different techniques and musical settings.

Smaller acoustic bodies can be comfortable and articulate but may offer less projection. Larger dreadnought-style guitars can produce powerful bass but may feel bulky or overly rhythm-focused.

The Grand Auditorium sits between these extremes, providing:

• Comfortable full-sized proportions
• Balanced bass, middle and treble frequencies
• Clear response for fingerstyle playing
• Enough projection for strumming
• Strong vocal accompaniment
• Convenient upper-fret access
• Built-in amplification
• Broad cross-genre versatility

This makes the Taylor 14ce particularly suitable as a first serious electro-acoustic guitar or as a dependable everyday instrument for more experienced players.

Who Is the Taylor 14ce For?

Beginners

The slim Taylor neck, narrower nut width and balanced body shape make the 14ce comfortable for a committed beginner.

Its solid top and full-sized construction also mean it offers enough tonal quality and performance capability to remain useful as the player progresses.

Intermediate Players

Players upgrading from a basic starter guitar will appreciate the improved projection, torrefied solid top, ebony fingerboard and built-in Fishman electronics.

It offers a noticeable step forward in playability and amplified versatility without immediately moving into a premium price category.

Singer-Songwriters

The balanced Grand Auditorium body provides a supportive acoustic foundation without overpowering a vocal.

Sapele’s focused midrange helps chords remain clear, while the torrefied spruce top adds warmth and dynamic response.

Performing Musicians

The Presys VT electronics make the 14ce ready for acoustic amplifiers and PA systems.

Its focused acoustic character helps it remain clear in a live mix, while the simple volume and tone controls allow quick adjustments during rehearsal or performance.

Electric Guitarists Adding an Acoustic

The slim neck, narrower nut and Venetian cutaway provide a familiar transition for musicians who primarily play electric guitar.

The full 25½-inch scale maintains clear string tension and note definition while retaining an approachable modern feel.

Experienced Players Seeking an Everyday Guitar

The 14ce is not limited to beginners. Its stable layered body, solid soundboard and straightforward electronics make it a practical songwriting, rehearsal, teaching or backup performance instrument.

Taylor 14ce vs Taylor 114ce

The Taylor 14ce and Taylor 114ce share several important features:

• Grand Auditorium body shape
• Solid torrefied spruce top
• Layered sapele back and sides
• C-Class bracing
• Venetian cutaway
• 25½-inch scale
• 1 11/16-inch nut width

The principal differences are found in the appointments and electronics.

Taylor 14ce

• Fishman Presys VT electronics
• Hard rock maple neck
• West African Crelicam ebony fingerboard
• Unbound body
• Black single-ring rosette
• Streamlined visual specification

Taylor 114ce

• Taylor Expression System 2 electronics
• Bound body
• Three-ring rosette
• Traditional 100 Series appointment package
• Neck and fingerboard materials selected according to Taylor’s production specifications

Choose the 14ce for excellent value, simple electronics and a clean, understated design.

Choose the 114ce for Taylor ES2 electronics and a more traditional 100 Series presentation.

Taylor 14ce vs a Traditional Dreadnought

A traditional dreadnought generally offers a larger body with greater emphasis on bass and rhythm projection.

The Taylor 14ce Grand Auditorium produces a more evenly balanced response and feels more manageable against the player’s body. It is particularly effective for musicians who regularly move between fingerstyle, strumming and melodic playing.

Choose a dreadnought for maximum traditional rhythm power and bass response.

Choose the 14ce for greater comfort, balance and all-round versatility.

Understanding the Torrefied Spruce and Sapele Sound

The combination of torrefied spruce and layered sapele gives the Taylor 14ce a clear, warm and practical acoustic voice.

The solid spruce top provides projection, dynamic range and definition. Taylor’s torrefaction process adds warmth and a more open response, helping the guitar feel less stiff than a conventional new spruce-topped instrument.

Sapele contributes:

• Punchy midrange presence
• Warm, controlled low frequencies
• Clear upper-frequency detail
• Good note separation
• A balanced response across the strings
• Controlled harmonic overtones

This makes the guitar particularly effective for vocal accompaniment, home recording, lessons, live performance and general songwriting.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

Before dispatch or collection, this guitar will be carefully checked by the Fair Deal Music team.

Our assessment includes:

• General cosmetic inspection
• Neck and fingerboard inspection
• String-height and playing-action check
• Fret and intonation assessment
• Bridge, saddle and nut inspection
• Tuning-machine and hardware check
• Fishman electronics test
• Volume and tone control test
• Output-socket test
• Final playability assessment

This helps ensure that your new Taylor arrives ready to play and enjoy.

Technical Specifications

General

Specification	Details
Model	Taylor 14ce
Number of Strings	6
Orientation	Right-handed
Colour	Natural
Guitar Type	Steel-string electro-acoustic
Body Shape	Grand Auditorium
Cutaway	Venetian
Electronics	Fishman Presys VT

Body

Specification	Details
Top Wood	Solid torrefied spruce
Back and Side Wood	Layered African sapele
Back Configuration	Two-piece layered construction
Bracing	Taylor C-Class bracing
Top Finish	Matte
Back and Side Finish	Matte
Body Binding	None
Armrest	None
Rosette	Black plastic single ring
Pickguard	Black

Neck and Fingerboard

Specification	Details
Neck Wood	Hard rock maple
Neck Profile	Taylor Standard Carve
Neck Design	Slim heel-less construction
Neck Finish	Matte
Fingerboard Wood	West African Crelicam ebony
Fingerboard Inlay	Faux pearl 4mm dots
Fingerboard Binding	None
Scale Length	25½ inches
Nut Width	1 11/16 inches

Peghead

Specification	Details
Peghead Type	Taylor paddle
Peghead Veneer	Copafera
Peghead Inlay	None
Peghead Binding	None
Peghead Finish	Matte
Tuning Machines	Die-cast chrome with chrome buttons

Hardware and Factory Setup

Specification	Details
Bridge	West African Crelicam ebony
Nut	White NuBone
Saddle	White Micarta
Bridge Pins	Black ABS plastic
Strap Pin	Chrome
End Pin	Chrome
Factory Strings	D’Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light
Factory String Gauge	.012–.053

Power Requirements

The Fishman Presys VT electronics are powered by one standard 9-volt battery.

Battery power is only required when using the guitar’s amplified output. The instrument can be played normally as an acoustic guitar without a battery.

Remove the instrument cable after use to avoid unnecessarily draining the battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Taylor 14ce the same guitar as the Taylor 114ce?

No. The 14ce is a separate Taylor model with its own streamlined specification and Fishman Presys VT electronics.

The two guitars share a Grand Auditorium shape, solid torrefied spruce top, layered sapele body and C-Class bracing, but they have different electronics and appointment packages.

Is the Taylor 14ce suitable for beginners?

Yes. Its slim neck, 1 11/16-inch nut width and comfortable Grand Auditorium body make it an excellent choice for a committed beginner.

It also offers enough quality and versatility to remain useful as the player develops.

Is the top solid wood?

Yes. The guitar has a solid torrefied spruce top with layered sapele back and sides.

What does torrefied spruce offer?

Torrefied spruce provides the clarity, balance and projection associated with spruce while adding greater warmth, responsiveness and played-in depth.

What does sapele sound like?

Sapele produces a balanced sound with a punchy midrange, warm low frequencies and clear upper-frequency presence.

Its focused character helps chords and individual notes remain defined.

Is the Taylor 14ce suitable for fingerstyle playing?

Yes. The Grand Auditorium body provides the balance and clarity required for fingerstyle arrangements.

The full-scale neck also maintains good string definition across alternate tunings and more intricate passages.

Can the 14ce handle strumming?

Yes. The solid torrefied spruce top provides strong projection and enough dynamic headroom for confident chord-based playing.

Can it be used for live performance?

Yes. The Fishman Presys VT system allows the guitar to connect directly to an acoustic amplifier, PA system, mixing desk or audio interface.

What controls does the Fishman Presys VT provide?

The system provides soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls.

Does the Fishman Presys VT include a tuner?

No. A separate clip-on, pedal or external tuner can be used.

Is the 14ce suitable for recording?

Yes. It can be recorded with microphones, connected directly through the Fishman electronics or captured using a combination of both signals.

What is the benefit of the narrower nut width?

The 1 11/16-inch nut reduces the distance across the fingerboard compared with a wider 1¾-inch acoustic neck.

This can make chord shapes and stretches feel more manageable for beginners, electric guitarists and players with smaller hands.

Can the Taylor 14ce be used with alternate tunings?

Yes. Its full 25½-inch scale provides clear string tension for many commonly used alternate tunings.

A professional setup may be beneficial when permanently using substantially lower tunings or a heavier string gauge.

Is the Taylor 14ce only intended for beginners?

No. Although it is accessible and comfortable for learners, its solid top, ebony fingerboard, Grand Auditorium body and built-in electronics also make it a useful songwriting, rehearsal and performance instrument for experienced musicians.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Taylor 14ce is an outstanding entry point into the world of full-sized Taylor electro-acoustic guitars.

Its solid torrefied spruce top provides warmth, clarity and responsive projection, while the layered sapele body delivers a balanced, focused voice that works well for both solo playing and vocal accompaniment. The Grand Auditorium shape comfortably handles fingerstyle, strumming and general songwriting, making this a genuinely versatile instrument.

The slim hard rock maple neck, narrower nut and Venetian cutaway give the guitar an approachable modern feel, while the Fishman Presys VT system provides simple and dependable amplified performance.

For beginners seeking a high-quality first electro-acoustic, intermediate players upgrading from a starter instrument or experienced musicians needing a reliable everyday Taylor, the 14ce offers excellent value and broad musical versatility.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

Choosing Fair Deal Music means buying from a passionate team of musicians who genuinely understand the products we sell. Whether you’re purchasing your first instrument, upgrading your current setup or searching for something special, we’re here to help you make the right choice with friendly advice and expert support.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new, used, pre-owned and ex-display equipment
• Competitive prices on leading music brands
• Secure UK-wide delivery
• Flexible finance options available, subject to status
• Friendly support before and after your purchase
• A trusted independent UK music retailer with decades of experience

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We’re always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you’re moving on an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, amplifier, keyboard, drum kit or studio equipment, our team can offer a fair, no-obligation valuation and help you put the value towards your next purchase.

Contact our team or visit our Birmingham showroom to discuss your trade-in options.