Taylor 814ce Next Generation electro-acoustic guitar

Taylor 814ce Next Generation — Flagship Grand Auditorium With Scalloped V-Class Bracing

The Taylor 814ce Next Generation is the 2026 evolution of Taylor's flagship Grand Auditorium, the shape that has defined the brand's cross-genre voice for decades. This model pairs a solid Sitka spruce top with solid Indian rosewood back and sides for lush overtones and rich bass. Built around Taylor's new Scalloped V-Class bracing, the soundboard moves more freely for added volume, sustain and improved intonation up the fretboard. A Venetian cutaway opens the upper frets, and the guitar ships in a brown Taylor Deluxe hardshell case.

Three Player-Focused Upgrades: Scalloped V-Class, Action Control Neck, Claria Electronics

What separates this model from the previous 814ce is a trio of new features. Scalloped V-Class bracing adds more low-end presence and open-string resonance on top of the original V-Class design's volume and sustain. The Action Control Neck pairs a long-tenon joint with a patented internal screw system that lets players adjust neck angle and string height in seconds, without removing the neck or paying for a traditional reset. The Claria Acoustic Pickup System is a proprietary Taylor design replacing the Expression System 2, with soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour and Tone controls for intuitive amplified sound shaping.

Solid Sitka Spruce Top and Indian Rosewood Back and Sides

Sitka spruce is Taylor's most common soundboard, prized for its broad dynamic range across fingerstyle and strumming. Indian rosewood back and sides add depth and a textured low end that complements the spruce's transparency. The body wears a gloss 4.5 finish on top and back/sides, with rock maple binding and a radius Indian rosewood armrest.

• Top Wood: Solid Sitka spruce — broad dynamic range for fingerstyle and strumming
• Back/Side Wood: Solid Indian rosewood — textured low end and complex overtones
• Bracing: Scalloped V-Class bracing with relief rout — more top movement, volume and bass

Action Control Neck and Ebony Fretboard for Effortless Setup

The neck is carved from neo-tropical mahogany in Taylor's Standard Carve profile, topped with a West African Crelicam ebony fretboard carrying Mother-of-Pearl Element inlays. The Action Control Neck joint is the headline playability feature: a long-tenon design adds warmth, while an internal adjustment screw lets the player raise or lower the neck angle with a simple tool, dialing in action in seconds rather than scheduling a neck reset.

• Neck Wood: Neo-tropical mahogany with satin finish and Standard Carve profile
• Fretboard: West African Crelicam ebony with Mother-of-Pearl Element inlays
• Nut Width: 44.5 mm — comfortable for fingerstyle and strumming

Claria Pickup System and Premium Hardware for Stage and Studio

The Claria Acoustic Pickup System is Taylor's new proprietary under-saddle design, replacing the Expression System 2 that defined Taylor amplified tone for nearly two decades. Soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour and Tone knobs keep the top clean and put controls within easy reach of the picking hand. Hardware includes a Black Tusq nut, Micarta saddle, West African Crelicam ebony bridge with ebony bridge pins and Green Abalone dots, and Taylor smoked nickel tuners.

• Pickup: Claria Acoustic Pickup System with soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour and Tone controls
• Tuners: Taylor smoked nickel with smoked nickel buttons — smooth, accurate tuning
• Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012–.053) — coated for longer tone life

Working Performer and Recording Guitarist

Built for working musicians and serious players, the Taylor 814ce Next Generation is the right choice for those who want a single acoustic-electric covering fingerstyle, flatpicking, songwriting and amplified stage work. The Grand Auditorium body with Venetian cutaway suits players moving between rhythm and lead, while the Scalloped V-Class bracing adds the bass weight modern acoustic players look for in a recording and live instrument. The Action Control Neck is ideal for players who change tunings or want to fine-tune their action as humidity shifts. Claria electronics serve singer-songwriters and gigging guitarists needing a clean pickup system with a dedicated mid control.

Taylor's Flagship Reimagined for 2026

The 814ce has long anchored the 800 Series as Taylor's flagship rosewood-and-spruce Grand Auditorium. For 2026, Taylor has rolled the 814ce into the new Next Generation lineup, replacing the previous Expression System 2 electronics, standard V-Class bracing and NT neck joint with the Scalloped V-Class bracing, Action Control Neck and Claria pickup system trio. Built in Taylor's El Cajon, California factory, the guitar ships with a brown Taylor Deluxe hardshell case and a limited lifetime warranty with registration.