Taylor 214ce electro-acoustic guitar

Taylor 214ce — A Grand Auditorium That Covers Every Playing Situation

The Taylor 214ce is a Grand Auditorium acoustic-electric built for players who want one guitar that handles fingerstyle, strumming, songwriting, and stage work. A solid torrefied spruce top projects with bright, clear character, while the roasting process adds aged-in warmth you would normally only hear from a well-played vintage instrument. Layered walnut back and sides round out the voice with deeper low end and rich brown visual character. The Venetian cutaway opens up the upper frets, and built-in Expression System 2 electronics mean the guitar is ready to plug in the moment you step on stage.

What Sets This Model Apart

Two design choices elevate this instrument above typical workhorse acoustics. Taylor's C-Class internal bracing redistributes the top's response, adding volume, longer sustain, and a noticeable boost to low-end power compared to standard X-bracing. The torrefied spruce top is treated with a controlled roasting process that mimics years of natural aging, so the wood behaves more like a played-in vintage top from day one. Together, these features give the guitar a tonal maturity that is unusual at this price point.

Body Shape and Tonewood Combination

The Grand Auditorium body shape is Taylor's flagship design, balancing the focused response of a smaller body with the volume and bass of a larger dreadnought. This torrefied spruce top is solid, not laminated, which means it will continue to open up with playing time. Layered walnut back and sides use a three-layer construction with a solid wood middle ply for visual warmth and humidity stability.

• Body Shape: Grand Auditorium — Taylor's flagship body, equally suited to fingerstyle and strumming
• Top Wood: Torrefied Spruce (solid) — roasted for an aged, played-in tonal response
• Back & Sides: Layered Walnut
• Bracing: C-Class Bracing adds volume, sustain, and low-end presence compared to standard X-bracing

Neck Profile and Fretboard Design

Taylor's neck design, refined since 1999, delivers a playing feel that works for beginners and professionals alike. The standard carve on the Neo-Tropical Mahogany neck sits comfortably in the hand without feeling bulky, while the West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard provides a smooth, durable surface. The 648 mm scale length gives the strings enough tension for clear note definition, and the 43 mm nut width leaves room for fingerstyle without feeling cramped.

• Neck Wood: Neo-Tropical Mahogany — stable and comfortable with a warm tactile feel
• Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony
• Scale Length: 648 mm (25-1/2") — standard Taylor scale for clear note articulation
• Nut Width: 43 mm (1-11/16") leaves room for fingerstyle without feeling cramped

Expression System 2 and Stage-Ready Hardware

The Expression System 2 (ES2) is Taylor's proprietary behind-the-saddle pickup design, with three individually calibrated sensors that capture more of the guitar's dynamic range than typical undersaddle pickups. Volume, bass, and treble controls each have a subtle notch at the 12 o'clock position for a tactile reference point on a dark stage. Die-cast chrome tuners with chrome buttons hold tuning reliably through long sets, and the structured gig bag included with the guitar makes transport between home, studio, and venue straightforward.

• Electronics: Expression System® 2 — behind-the-saddle design with three calibrated sensors
• Tuners: Die-cast Chrome with Chrome Buttons
• Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony matched to the fretboard for consistent tone transfer
• Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053) — coated for longer tone life
• Case: Tan Structured Gig Bag included

Who Should Play This Guitar

This guitar is the right choice for intermediate and advanced players who need one instrument that transitions easily between songwriting at home, recording in the studio, and performing live on stage. Fingerstyle players will appreciate the Grand Auditorium's balanced response and the clarity of the torrefied spruce top, while strummers and flatpickers benefit from the extra low-end push that C-Class bracing delivers. Singer-songwriters who perform solo or in small worship settings will find the ES2 electronics reproduce the guitar's natural acoustic character through a PA without the quacky artifact common to many undersaddle systems. Left-handed players can order this model at no additional charge, and players who travel will appreciate the structured gig bag and the guitar's reputation for stable tuning across climate changes.

Taylor Guitars and the 200 Series

The Taylor Neck design, introduced in 1999, is a patented construction that has become a defining feature across the company's acoustic lineup. Within the 200 Series, this model sits as Taylor's accessible tier, bringing the company's signature Grand Auditorium body shape, Venetian cutaway, and Expression System electronics to players who want professional-grade features without stepping into the 300 or 400 Series price range. Taylor backs the guitar with a limited lifetime warranty in the U.S. and Canada when the instrument is registered, and the company emphasizes responsibly sourced materials across its entire wood supply chain.