Should I be this Impressed with A Taylor 214ce??

[edward993]

Originally Posted by Marty C

I have helped my kids a lot who struggle as young parents in this economy. I don’t regret any of it. They have struggled.

I am now heading into a late retirement. So I went guitar shopping to treat myself to a Taylor 214. My wife went with me and said, hell no. She grabbed an 814ce DLX off the wall and said “he gets this one. He’s already paid his dues”!

Winner! Give that bride of yours whatever she wants!

Edward

[fazool]

Originally Posted by airborne1

I believe one can be impressed with any guitar he chooses!

Amazing to me that so many turn their noses up at “lesser” models, including those that are priced above the perceived normal of said guitars.

To each his/her own!

well said.....I will only reply to add that another person feels this way

[steelvibe]

Should you be impressed? Only you can really answer that question.

Of the Taylors I've played, and the only mid-tier ones that really got me were the newer AD12, the 214ce K DLX, and a more upper-range mahogany topped 322 12 fret (pre V-class).

While plain to look at, Taylor has budget market locked in. The 100/200 series and even the Academy series are great guitars. Not for the money, just great guitars. I like the way they do their laminates, love that they still use ebony for bridges and fretboards, and the Academy up come with the NT neck joint. If you can work with their pickup systems, most have that covered too.

We hear it ad nauseum, but Taylors are also set up better than most right out of the box, including their budget guitars. They also have great necks in my opinion.

[mjw61]

beautiful guitar, to me , i think that maybe the x-brace and bow back along with the solid top just makes the sound of taylor past models. just my 2 cents. but i love my 214ce over my newer v-brace. just has well balanced clean sound.

[phavriluk]

Taylor owners seem to be a happy lot: Try the guitar, like the guitar, buy the guitar, play the guitar.

[beninma]

Not going to judge the 214 in particular as I'm not sure I've ever played one but I think it is completely legitimate to prefer a lower end Taylor over a higher end one.

IME as you go up and down the line they all have varying characters and for a given player there are some you like and some you don't and if you judge with your fingers + ears more than your eyes there is no guarantee you would pick the higher end one over the lower end one.

Even if you judge with your eyes I think it is legit to decide the fancier ones are not for you... personally I'm not into the more ornate inlays that start showing up in the really high end guitars.

[rabbuhl]

I've got a 214CE and an OMC-15ME. I like the OMC-15ME for gigs and the 214CE for jam sessions. At home, I play the OMC-15ME more. I agree the 200-series Taylor's are a good bang for your buck.

[martingitdave]

What I like about these 200 series guitars (I have owned a few and currently own the 254ce 12-string) is that they have a great wide tonal spectrum but less overtones than the full solid wood models. I think that makes them less bright than some models and perhaps more durable. They lend themselves towards performing. Given the move to US factory move to V brace, the MIM 200 series Taylors, until recently, are all X braced, which I prefer.

[Br1ck]

Should be? It is not the question to ask. Not the question at all. You should be making a statement affirming your judgement, however crazy it might seem to me. I don't matter. Ignore your own perception at your peril.

[thestubbyone]

I have the 214 deluxe full and the sound is great, I get lots of positive feed back on its sound from other players. But........ the frets on it wear down exceptionally fast. In less than a year of moderate playing they are worn down to the point they need a filing. Yes, yes you're pressing the strings too hard, yada. yada... Didnt happen with any of the other guitars I have. And just recently I jammed with an owner of a 214 had the same experience! When I noticed it happening I contacted Taylor immediately and their answer was "normal wear and tear". Well if you can play a guitar casually, that costs $1400, maybe 2 or 3 times a week and less than a year it needs repair, I am going somewhere else. No more Taylors for me, regardless of how good they sound.