NGD: Taylor 214ce-QM DLX Special Edition

[N+1]

I really, really did not expect to buy a guitar yesterday. I've been enjoying my Taylor 210e DLX so much recently, with a smashing new set up at Reidys in Blackburn (Lancashire), that I decided to spend a day in their fantastic guitar shop trying as many variants of the Grand Auditorium shape in the 200 series as I could, to see what happened if I made a serious effort to break out of my Dreadnoughtophilia.

Available were the following:
214ce layered koa back and sides (satin)
214ce layered rosewood back and sides (satin)
214ce-K DLX (layered koa back and sides, gloss)
214ce-QM DLX (layered quilted maple back and sides, gloss)

I was very surprised to discover how audible the differences are between the DLX and basic 214s. There are two big constructional differences: the gloss finish, and the internal layering. The DLX koa has a layer of koa inside as well as outside, and same for the DLX maple. The combination of these two features audibly sets them apart from the standard models. But also the two DLX guitars are nothing like each other, tonally. These are layered wood back and sides, but the character of the wood comes through regardless.

The koa sounded huge: rich, resonant bass, and wild, clangy treble. Instantly impressive. The maple was much quieter, much more restrained, softer, and sweeter. I played them for a long time. Eventually I put the koa back on the wall. It was a superb monster-sounding guitar, but I already have monster-sounding guitars (HD28V, Taylor 810e, Taylor 210e DLX). But the maple was like nothing I had, and indeed like nothing I'd heard or played before. It played exquisitely. It was easily capable of responding to some heavy playing, but it seemed to invite a sweeter, subtler approach. I thought it might encourage me to play differently. And then there was its appearance. Should guitars look like this? I don't know. If you're a mahogany Martin lover, and you like the rugged back-porch dustbowl feeling, you'll hate the 214ce-QM DLX Special. But the more I held it and played it and looked at it, the more beguiled I became. They choose us, don't they, rather than the other way round?

So I bought it. Here it is (the photos don't begin to do justice to the extraordinary back and sides):

[mattcran]

Gorgeous. Congrats!

[GibbyPrague]

Im going to shock a lot of people here but I will fully support you in saying this is a SUPERB guitar. We have this mapled laminate version in our guitar shop.

I was shocked when i realised it was the laminate version, and yes it sounds night and day compared to the standard 214ce.

It sounds rich, clear but warm, lots of 'real' maple coming through and had some serious attitude. And great feel that you get with Taylor.

I preferred this guitar to the 5 times pricies 814 series.

And no, Im not on drugs.

[NorthernRedneck]

Great review. I went into our local shop and was looking at the same guitar. The taylor 214 in quilted maple. I almost pulled the trigger on it as I sampled a 314 and an 814 for comparison. For roughly $1600 difference in price the 814 didn't sound all that much better.

I ended up getting cold feet and didn't buy it. A week later I found a 214 koa dlx with a case for less than half the price of the quilted maple. So it came home with me.

[MikeBmusic]

I played one at the Taylor new model show a few weeks ago, indeed a fine guitar with a different sound.

[N+1]

Originally Posted by NorthernRedneck

A week later I found a 214 koa dlx with a case for less than half the price of the quilted maple. So it came home with me.

That was quite a bargain, and you have a great guitar there, capable of blowing a hole in the roof while weaving a magic spell at the treble end.

I sampled a 314 and an 814 for comparison. For roughly $1600 difference in price the 814 didn't sound all that much better.

Interesting comparison. For a while now, I've been having daydreams about owning an 814, and in the long term was hoping to be able to buy one, eventually. One of the things I did while trying to decide about the maple 214 was to play two of the other guitars I own - a 210 DLX and an 810 (they happened to be to hand in the wonderful Reidys Taylor room). And also, to play an 814 as well. Several (maybe obvious, but important) things gradually became clear:

1. The maple 214 is nothing at all like the 210 and the 810. In other words, there was no fear of it duplicating the role of guitars I already own.

2. The 810 and the 814, though they have clearly distinctive characters, are very, very much more like each other than either the maple 214 or the 210. I realised that a lot of what I love about the 814, I already have in the 810: the rich, full sound, balanced across the audio spectrum. The 814 would give me more of what I already know and love (as well as being beyond my present financial means); but the maple 214 would add a whole new dimension of guitar experience.

[ifret]

A real beauty! Congrats!

[marty bradbury]

Congrats on a beautiful guitar. I played the Dlx IR and was blown away by the volume and tone. Just about walked out with it. Definitely a difference between the Deluxe and the standard.

[BrunoBlack]

Very nice guitar. Congratulations.