Prior vs New 814ce: Trade-offs and Other Aspects

[Groni]

When changing features of the most popular line in Taylor guitars, what are the trade-offs?

I have tried two 2014 814ce FE at different dealers, read about all the changes Taylor made to the new models, and formed my own opinion, but my head keeps spinning about the possible trade-offs that a new design can bring (to a guitar that's already a winner), such as:

- Warmer sounding strings = Less bright/brilliant/resiliant sounding?   (I personally prefer the warmer sound.)
- Heavier gauge strings = Harder on the fingers?   (I personally prefer light gauge strings for prolonged playing.)
- Lighter/thinner wood = Less rugged guitar?   (I own an R Taylor with thinner wood and I love it.)
- Better strummer = Less suited for fingerpicking?  (Personally, I find the new one better for strumming)
- More conventional sounding guitar = Duller, woodier sound?

Other Aspects:

- I wonder if anyone has tried to put the new string gauge combo on the prior model 814ce. Would the thicker gauge bronze strings sound just as warm as the new 814ce?
- If all the new 814ce changes are so breathtaking, why did the adjacent hanging 914ce blew it out of the water by leaps and bounds?

Sorry for being a bit critical, but I thought these are interesting aspects, and I wonder what the rest of the world thinks.
Looking forward to getting feedback 

[jrporter]

Like most things related to guitars, these changes are identifiable but less quantifiable. Words like "better" and improvements" are inherently subjective. As someone who owned, loved, and foolishly sold a very nice 814, I'd be just as happy to get another pre-2014 814 again...

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

I have not played the 2013 and 2014 814ce's side by side, which is really the only way to tell the difference, but I have played the 2013 and 2014 818e alongside each other and found the difference to be quite subtle. Course the GO body had most of Andy's touches already but the lighter finish and braces make for a guitar that sounds more open, as in older. IMO if someone prefers the esthetics of the previous 800 series there is no reason not to buy it, but the new 800's are a step in the right direction.

Not sure what the plans are for the new features, but I would like to see Taylor offering a different voice for each series. Differentiating the 700, 800, and 900 series by more than esthetics makes sense to me.

[Drock2k1]

Not sure what the plans are for the new features, but I would like to see Taylor offering a different voice for each series. Differentiating the 700, 800, and 900 series by more than esthetics makes sense to me.

This is my hope as well. It's a shame that the Engelman well dried up or having the 700 series with Engelmann would have created a different voice in that range. I think that right now with the 700, 800, and 900s all having the same wood combo can make it a little confusing for people. Maybe go cedar 700, sitka 800, and european 900s? Of course we would run out of euro spruce so that wouldn't work and you can always modify a model and get cedar on a 700...oh well.

[MB]

In the new Wood & Steel, Bob Taylor explained it rather well in my opinion. He said that he has succeeded in being able to produce a guitar with a straight, great playing neck (an industry problem forever) AND he was able to do this on production models on a consistent basis, AND the necks stay straight on an ongoing basis AND if something does go wrong, it can be fixed! That is a huge solution for a long running fundamental problem for acoustic guitars in general.  In my 53 years, I have never encountered a better playing acoustic neck...ever! He also said that at some point during his first 40 years, he pretty much gave up on chasing TONE.

Enter Andy Powers....whose idea is to build on what Bob has done and focus on making them sound better. This is not to say that they don't sound good now...but they can be better, right?  I have to admire a company with this philosophy. Moving forward and not resting on its older models and coasting through the next 40 years. Making innovations and improvements as part of their day to day activities. Bob created this environment throughout the entire company, enabling one of his employees, David Hosler, to discover that moving the pickup element from beneath the saddle to behind it, was a vast improvement in the sound of a saddle pick up, which has been under the saddle in almost every company on the planet since they first came out.

This culture that Bob has created at Taylor has been there all along which is why I would buy a Taylor from any previous year with complete confidence in the instrument standing on it's own. I'm sure there are plenty of examples out there of older Taylors that still are and always will be awesome guitars. From where I sit, I would say Taylor is leading the way. The shear number of new changes to the 800 line in one fell swoop is astonishing.  The differences in tone may be subtle, and are subjective to each player, but you've got to admit, they are moving forward! I applaud them. I applaud their courage to take their top selling line and say, "it can be better". This is not the norm in todays world....this is the exception. In my opinion, this is why Taylor builds such exceptional production guitars.

Sorry! 

[Drock2k1]

Just my little uneducated prediction. Just as some of the Martins are "vintage" voiced the Taylors will offer with more of an Andy Powers sound and those with more of a Bob Taylor sound. Obviously they would never phrase it this way but this is just my prediction.

Now...off to watch the Supwerbowl on my DVR. I have 3k on the Broncos winning big!!

[rooster16]

I just picked up one of the FE's a few ago days and I'm absolutely floored by it.  The first factory built instrument I've bought in over ten years and this guitar blew me away.  To my ears, I personally think Taylor did all the right things in the changes they've made.  Of course tone is a subjective thing so the older one's will appeal to a lot of players over the new models but I'm in love with this guitar!

[Ironhead1977]

I have a gen 1 NT neck 914ce that is a killer guitar ,I cannot imagine changing anything about it other than an electronic upgrade.

[michaelw]

When changing features of the most popular line in Taylor guitars, what are the trade-offs?

I have tried two 2014 814ce FE at different dealers, read about all the changes Taylor made to the new models, and formed my own opinion, but my head keeps spinning about the possible trade-offs that a new design can bring (to a guitar that's already a winner), such as:

- Warmer sounding strings = Less bright/brilliant/resiliant sounding?   (I personally prefer the warmer sound.)
- Heavier gauge strings = Harder on the fingers?   (I personally prefer light gauge strings for prolonged playing.)
- Lighter/thinner wood = Less rugged guitar?   (I own an R Taylor with thinner wood and I love it.)
- Better strummer = Less suited for fingerpicking?  (Personally, I find the new one better for strumming)
- More conventional sounding guitar = Duller, woodier sound?

Other Aspects:

- I wonder if anyone has tried to put the new string gauge combo on the prior model 814ce. Would the thicker gauge bronze strings sound just as warm as the new 814ce?
- If all the new 814ce changes are so breathtaking, why did the adjacent hanging 914ce blew it out of the water by leaps and bounds?

Sorry for being a bit critical, but I thought these are interesting aspects, and I wonder what the rest of the world thinks.
Looking forward to getting feedback 

to me, it sounds like the guitar with light gauge 80/20 strings, slightly "heavier" construction (bracing, finish, etc),
which seems to do better for fingerstyle & has a more defined "modern" vibe is "it" for you, so why not go for it

[Edward]

"sorry about being critical" you say?  "Critical" simply means you are considiering all possible outcomes, weighing gains against their costs.  "Critical" is exactly what one should be when considering any instrument, IMHO! 

To your point in your post, I personally think you've outline why one who loves the playing (any instrument) more-often-than-not owns multiple instruments: for their varying attributes.  You like this guitar for this reason, and that guitar for that.  Sure one guitar "can" serve all one's purposes, but given the possibility of multiple guitars to serve different motives, then why not!  Tone is in the ear of the beholder sounds cliche, but it still rings true.  So why shouldn't an older 814 please one desire while a newer-voiced 814 satisfy another: guitars don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Your mention of your RT struck a chord with me.  I know mine are considerably lighter in weight than their Taylor counterparts, and cannot help but think that contributes to their amazing liveliness, sensitivity, and sonic goodness (yeah, I said "goodness," so what ).  But built as well as they are (recalling a conversation I had with Tim Luranc years ago), I am convinced that "lightness" offers no deficits in structure or longevity.  Am I that confident about other "light" guitars? ...not so much.  But I still have guitars other than the RTs to satisfy those other sonic cravings.

What a "problem" to have these days, to be able to worry about varying degrees of excellence when choosing between different great guitars.  I say play em both, then decide which to keep, if not both.  No shame in selling the one you are no longer enamored with, just like there's no shame in being enamored with both

Edward

[krugjr]

I've noticed a lot of 814s for sale on ebay this last couple weeks while doing my "shopping".....part of me says there are always many 814s for sale based on total numbers sold....another part of me wonders if a lot of folks are selling theirs cuz they want the new 814 and can't afford to have both.....

[jrporter]

I've noticed a lot of 814s for sale on ebay this last couple weeks while doing my "shopping".....part of me says there are always many 814s for sale based on total numbers sold....another part of me wonders if a lot of folks are selling theirs cuz they want the new 814 and can't afford to have both.....

Either way, I hope you're right. I'd love to add an 814/GA8 (no cutaway or electronics) to the gang...

[mgap]

I've noticed a lot of 814s for sale on ebay this last couple weeks while doing my "shopping".....part of me says there are always many 814s for sale based on total numbers sold....another part of me wonders if a lot of folks are selling theirs cuz they want the new 814 and can't afford to have both.....

Either way, I hope you're right. I'd love to add an 814/GA8 (no cutaway or electronics) to the gang...

Ditto!

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

...I have to admire a company with this philosophy. Moving forward and not resting on its older models and coasting through the next 40 years. Making innovations and improvements as part of their day to day activities...

To be fair resting on older models and coasting along is not really an option unless your company has guitars in museums, and older guitars are regularly selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.  There is one company with such a resume, took them 180 years to get there, and although guitars based on their vintage models are selling as fast as they and other builders can make them, last I checked they weren't just coasting along either.

[Jersey tuning]

...I have to admire a company with this philosophy. Moving forward and not resting on its older models and coasting through the next 40 years. Making innovations and improvements as part of their day to day activities...

To be fair resting on older models and coasting along is not really an option unless your company has guitars in museums, and older guitars are regularly selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.  There is one company with such a resume, took them 180 years to get there, and although guitars based on their vintage models are selling as fast as they and other builders can make them, last I checked they weren't just coasting along either.

Is the M company looking over its shoulder, or have their skaty eight new models and retro efforts come from within?  There were times in that company's history when they were content to coast, and it cost them