1999 Taylor 414ce - Ovangkol or Mahoagony?
 

I have a taylor 414ce right now (i bought used a while ago), and someone brought up the point that the wood is maohagony back and sides and that taylor didn't switch to ovangkol wood til 2000 or 2001. Im pretty sure the wood is ovangkol on my 99 414ce. Is it? Is the person wrong about when taylor switched to ovangkol... i thought it was during the mid 90's. thanks

They changed the 400 series to Ovangkol when the 300 series was introduced with Sapele... I believe that was 1998. I also think that's when they dropped the pinless bridge on the 400 series and went to bridge pins. If you really need to know on your guitar beyond that, call Taylor with the serial number, and they'll give you the goods.

Peace,

Wade

1998 is the correct year. In 1998 Taylor introduced the 300 series. What they did was take the specs for the then 400 series - sapele and sitka - and gave it the new series number 300. They changed the 400 wood that year to ovankgol, and added the white binding around the body and neck.

My first Taylor was a 1997 412ce, which was the same guitar as the 1998 312ce.

Now, I have a 414 - I REALLY like ovangkol!

What does that make my '91 410? I'm assuming mahogany....

Robert

That's correct. Also, my 95 412 was mahogany, and I did call Taylor and confirm that at that time, they weren't using sapele in the 400 series (at one point I was selling it and wanted to know for sure) but were using a lower grade of mahogany than what they were using in their 500 series. Unless, of course, they were wrong... but anyway, you can always call with the serial number and ask.

Peace,

Wade

Thanks...I called after I posted and no one was available. You have answered my burning question. I had always assumed I had ovankol.

Robert

Thurmabus, you are right - I stand corrected. Before 1998, the 400s were using a "mahogany", not sapele.

Forum members who know their wood types better than I have said that "mahogany" is more of a family of wood that has several specific types within it. I think Taylor itself, right after switching to sapele in the 300s in 1998, nicknamed sapele as "African mahogany".

Bottom line, a 1999 414ce has ovakgol on the back and sides.

I have a 1995 410-CE with the pinless bridge system. I called Taylor to find out what type of wood it's made of and they told me it was American mahogany. They had me describe the appearance of the wood after I gave them the serial number. Also, I was told the black speckles in the wood along with the overall colour are the clues. They said that they made the 410 that year with different types of mahogany.

Taylor introduced Ovangkol in their 400 series in 1998. I was fortunate to
purchase one of the first 414's and it has been my main guitar since. ;)



1998 414
1969 Martin D-41