Talk me into/Talk me out of a Taylor 314ce

[bobbyg67]

too many voices. get the 314ce

[Brushwood]

Hi Mountain_mama, right now there are 22 used Taylor 314ce’s on Guitar Center’s website in various stores around the USA. Most range from around $1,100 to $1,400 in price. If you live in the US then one option is to buy one of those and you’ll have 45 days to live with it before you’d have to ship it back or return it to a local store near you. If you did decide to return it locally within the 45 days you’d only be out the shipping cost to you which hovers around $20-$25 dollars. As far as one being shipped to you you could either have it shipped to your address or a local guitar center or once you get a tracking # you could have the your local UPS main hub hold it for you instead of it being delivered to your residence. I’d prefer the latter two options to keep it off cold trucks and the outside elements as much as possible. If you do go this route I’d suggest to have a good local guitar technician/luthier (not at Guitar Center because that’s hit and miss there with experienced repair folk) check it out for any overall issues. Welcome aboard to AGF!
Ps...don’t forget to let shipped guitars acclimate for around 24 hours to your inside home climate before unboxing.

[Italuke]

In addition to all the good stuff above, MM may want to know about the difference in neck widths between say the 314 at 1.75 inch and the 214 at 1.6875.

Could make a difference.

[Brushwood]

Originally Posted by Italuke

In addition to all the good stuff above, MM may want to know about the difference in neck widths between say the 314 at 1.75 inch and the 214 at 1.6875.

Could make a difference.

Yep, nut width...big difference in feel and ease of play. Also, scale length, string spacing at the bridge, neck profile, fretboard radius...but, nut width is first on this list imho.

[nickcorey28]

I've been following this thread for a day or so.

I own a 314ce that I bought from Sweetwater. I never played it before it was delivered to me, obviously. Prior to that, I fell in love with a different 314ce in a Guitar Center store, and like you, and I did not buy it at that time.

The 314ce I do have is a fine guitar. It sadly just does not "speak" to me as the one in the store did, so I barely ever take it out of its case.

I also own a $200 Yamaha, no electronics, no cutaway, nothing. It was my first guitar. I pick it up every single day and play the crap out of it. I never knew it spoke to me until I was a more seasoned player, but it does. It does just as much as the 314ce in-store did.

What I'm trying to say is. If you don't/didn't but that EXACT guitar in the store, I wouldn't buy the one off Reverb or anywhere else that you do not physically hold and play the thing as you did in the store.

My honest two cents is go for a Yamaha OR just a guitar you find that speaks to you in person and gives you that feeling in your chest. I cannot say with a straight face that I really think my $2000 Taylor gives me any more joy and satisfaction than the sub-$200 Yamaha does and I hadn't even known it until after I was playing for more than a year and really understood playing and guitars themselves.

[jp2558]

You can get a new Martin GPC-11E for half the price of a new 314. Spruce top and sapele back and sides.

[Aahzz]

Originally Posted by jp2558

You can get a new Martin GPC-11E for half the price of a new 314. Spruce top and sapele back and sides.

True, but if you're after the Taylor tone you're not going to find it in a Martin.

[savannahmay]

If your finances allow it, get a 314

But I'd recommend get a Taylor Academy

Why?

Zero, the main diff of taylor vs (martin, yamaha etc) is feel of the neck. It what sets them apart from other acoustics in the beginning of their rise. They feel closer to electric guitars.

You're new. Unless you are a musician (singer, instrumentalist) your ears won't really tell the diff of Academy vs Master Built.

And as you keep playing and hearing other guitarists and playing other guitars you may find you actually like say . . .a Gallagher or a Gibson for the scale. Or you might run into a luthier from here and they make it . . . it really floats your goat (G.O.A.T). Your preferences and likes changes as you grow as a guitarist.

Trust me on this. And you'll find you will have nuances, that "normal" would be weird. Like mine is electric guitars I like Gibson scale, even though I love Fender Basses.

Second, you don't need a cutaway (it's nice to have starting out) because you haven't mastered scales and don't go above the 12th frets.

For the first year on guitar I didn't really go past the 12th fret (but also I was pulled for bass stuff).

Third, you admitted finances as a factor, the Taylor Academy series will set you back 700 USD or so. And it's a solid guitar for starters, anyone in general. Youtube driftwood guitars and look @ their taylor review.

A branded guitar will hold value, and high ranked branded guitar (Taylor and Martin, Gibson) will hold it more. If that academy is taken care of, you can sell it. But probably won't cuz it's your first.


Finally when you've saved up for the 314C, get if that still is on your list if not you have $$ to get another guitar you want.

[crnazz]

Hi MM:

I have a Taylor GA3 with upgrades and a recent set-up that I could let go for a reasonable price if you're interested. I did sent you a PM a few days ago but perhaps you're not familiar with accessing those?

[CoryB]

Something I haven’t seen mentioned is where you live and the humidity (or lack thereof.) Solid wood guitars like the 314 prefer to live in a 40-60% humidity range and the soundboard can and will crack if it gets too dry. A case humidifier can alleviate that, and with a small child around, you will want to keep the guitar in its case when not being played.

I have an older 312ce that has a wonderful tone. Personally I prefer the smaller body due to age related shoulder issues. But the 3-series Taylor’s are all wonderful guitars.

Good luck in getting the one that spoke to you and may you keep it forever.

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Mountain_mama

Hahaha Yeah you got me there. My post may be a little more “talk me into” than “talk me out of”... not nice to call me out like that though ��

On my little guitar tour of town I heard Yamaha’s very highly spoken of. They must be super popular too because many models were out of stock so I didn’t really get to test many of them. Any Yamaha model in particular you would suggest for me to try out before I go ahead and buy my Taylor? ��

The Yamaha AC3M or its Deluxe counterpart is an amazing guitar. Under half the price of the 314 too. The neck is very comfortable. The 1 11/16" nut can feel cramped, but the neck is so playable. The electronics are great too. The SRT mic modeling sounds fantastic plugged in.

[Tycobb73]

90% of people who start playing guitar aren't playing a year later. That will probably be you. Maybe not. If it is can you take the $500 hit on resale?

I tell beginners if you can't play an hour a day everyday don't start.

[SalFromChatham]

Deleted…. Just realized this thread is many pages long already…

Thassenuffapeenyun

[mrjop1975]

Check your private messages, I sent a short list of some stuff to look into.

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by Italuke

In addition to all the good stuff above, MM may want to know about the difference in neck widths between say the 314 at 1.75 inch and the 214 at 1.6875.

Could make a difference.

On the other hand, I would submit that many of us knew absolutely nothing about nut widths when we first started. We happily picked up and played whatever guitar we had. It was blissful ignorance.

At the beginning stage that MM is in, she should find a guitar that she connects with, that really speaks to her, and forget all the specifications, measurements, wood types, brands, etc.

If I had been looking a specs, I wouldn't have bought that Ventura guitar at a pawn shop back in 1974. That was the guitar that really sounded great and felt good to me (even though I knew nothing about guitars then), and got me started on my guitar playing journey.