814ce vs. 414ce in a full band?

[SkyHigh]

For plugged in with full band(church) situation, which do you prefer? 814ce or 414ce? Anyone have experience with both?

Thanks!

[Scriptor]

I have both (of course, my 414 has Walnut back/sides) ... I don't think you could go wrong with either myself ... particularly plugged in ... I woudn't hesitate with either from my point of view ...

[egkor]

I have been using a Taylor DN4e (ovangkol/spruce dread) plugged-in for the last year or so for full-band P&W (church) music.

I have been just "ok" with it, it has gotten the job done.

Then I started using a 315ce (sapele/spruce jumbo) and I think it cuts through better plugged in full-band, and is more inspiring to play.

The DN4e is just so balanced tone-wise for me its gets lost in the mix.

If the only choices I had were a 814ce/414ce I would try both full-band and see for myself.  I would lean more towards the 814ce, although I have not actually tried one in a full-band situation.

-Gary K

[Edward]

I'm simply of the opinion that most any guitar that sounds good plugged in will work well in a full-band stage environment.  Once you're running through a house PA, it's largely about what the sound guy does.  I've used mahog, rw, ovangkol, maple, spruce, and cedar, not to mention laminates: if it sounds decent plugged in alone, you'll sound good in the house and will cut through the mix ...again, depending on your sound guy (and of course depending on what parts you're playing ).  De-stress yourself and play the guitar that makes you feel better.

Edward

[Steve]

I'm simply of the opinion that most any guitar that sounds good plugged in will work well in a full-band stage environment.  Once you're running through a house PA, it's largely about what the sound guy does.  I've used mahog, rw, ovangkol, maple, spruce, and cedar, not to mention laminates: if it sounds decent plugged in alone, you'll sound good in the house and will cut through the mix ...again, depending on your sound guy (and of course depending on what parts you're playing ).  De-stress yourself and play the guitar that makes you feel better.

Edward

While I can agree with playing what makes you feel good, I have to disagree with a guitar will simply sound good in a mix. In a full band environment, Maple is going to cut through more than anything. Yes, it's what the soundman does, but the soundman can only work with what he has...

[Edward]

Yeah, I hear ya, Steve.  I heartily agree that maple does sound great in a full-band mix ...it is coincidentally what I now end up using.  It's a great tone wood whose more "forward" properties and punchy fundamentals clearly sit well with other voices belting through a house.  That said, I've never had felt lost or obscured in a mix with mahog, ovang, or rw, or cedar top, either.  My point is a simple one really: any guitar that sounds good in the house by itself has the raw goods to sound good in a live mix.  A soundman has plenty to "work with" when a guitar sounds good in general, and can easily tailor an already good voice to suit the band.  What the guitarist's parts are and the soundman's ear/skills have a greater role as to whether one cuts through or gets lost.  All, of course, IMHO. 

Edward

[beachbum205]

A good sound guy can really help any guitar sound better.  But from my experience brighter guitars- ie. maple, sapele, or hog just seem to cut through the mix better, good sound guy or not.  For me, darker sounding guitars always seemed to get lost in the bass/drums. As a result, Martins never worked very well for me, while most Taylors seemed to excel when I played in a band setting.  Of course, we know this is all pretty subjective, and YMMV.

And none of this answers the question of the OP.  Both of those guitars are on the darker side, I personally would much prefer a 614, a 314, or a 514 to either for a worship team.  But given the choice, I would pick the 414- slightly stronger trebles and mids.

[S MS Picker]

+1 w/Edward. So many variables involved.When I was playing bluegrass, instruments miked only,I used a Taylor 510 and a Martin D3-18 every show. Running electrified I use a dread,GA,and Strat
Steve.

[Herb Hunter]

In my experience, an 814 and 414 are close enough that one wouldn't necessarily be more suitable than the other.






Edited to correct typographical error.

[michaelw]

fall 11 414ceLTD ... best of both worlds

i played a 814ce when i served with a worship team, but it
wasn't sitka/rosewood & it had LR Baggs iMix electronics -
it was a much 'darker' sounding guitar & from the onboard EQ,
i rolled off the bass a smidge, boosted the treble just a hair &
the mids were controlled from the board (find the undesirable
frequency, if any, & remove it ... could be done with a presonus eq3b)

a friend played her 414ce with fishman prefix onboard &
the EQ on it was set to have more 'brillance', as that particular
guitar had exceptionally strong midrange projection

in general, i've needed to cut the mids some & a good number of
814ce i've heard had a bit more 'focused' midrange, so less EQ
may  be needed on the 8, but either one will 'git-r-done'

engelmann/maple & sitka/'african mahogany' & engelmann/mahogany
did fine too, but overall the maple required the least 'tweaking', imho