Taylor Next Generation Builder's Edition 814ce Adirondack Spruce Top, Ebony Fingerboard, Blacktop

I’m pleased to present this Taylor Next Generation Builder’s Edition 814ce Adirondack Spruce Top in Blacktop. The instrument pictured is the exact guitar you will receive.

Updated this year with refined features that elevate both its tonal character and playing versatility, this Builder’s Edition 814ce Blacktop represents an exceptional take on Taylor’s flagship Grand Auditorium. It delivers a voice that is noticeably bolder, richer, and more dynamic. Pairing solid Indian rosewood back and sides with an Adirondack spruce top produces a complex acoustic profile—flowering with lush overtones, singing trebles, warm lows, and remarkable projection.

Inside, the new scalloped variant of Taylor’s V-Class bracing delivers an inspiring boost in volume, sustain, and harmonic depth, keeping pitch accuracy remarkably true all the way up the register. From a player’s perspective, the ergonomics are second to none: the beveled armrest, contoured cutaway, and chamfered edges create a seamless, effortless feel during long playing sessions. Plugging in is just as intuitive thanks to the onboard Claria System pickup, featuring discreet soundhole-mounted controls that let you dial in an authentic acoustic tone on the fly.

Aesthetically, the striking gloss Blacktop is beautifully complemented by the Kona edgeburst finish on the back and sides, Mother-of-Pearl Element inlays, antique gold Gotoh 510 tuners, an abalone rosette, and a genuine Indian rosewood pickguard.

Specifications

• Serial Number: 1204286093
• Body Shape: Grand Auditorium with Beveled Cutaway
• Orientation: Right Handed (6-String)
• Top Wood: Solid Adirondack Spruce (Gloss Blacktop)
• Back & Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood (Gloss Kona Edgeburst, 2-Piece No Wedge)
• Bracing: Scalloped V-Class Bracing with Relief Rout
• Armrest: Beveled Neo-Tropical Mahogany
• Neck: Neo-Tropical Mahogany (Standard Carve, Satin Finish)
• Fretboard & Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony
• Scale Length: 25-1/2"
• Nut Width: 1-3/4" (Black Tusq Nut, White Micarta Saddle)
• Inlays: Mother-of-Pearl Element (Fretboard & Peghead)
• Rosette: Single Ring Green Abalone with Bound Soundhole
• Electronics: The Claria Acoustic Pickup System
• Tuners: Gotoh 510 Antique Gold with Antique Gold Buttons
• Pickguard: Indian Rosewood
• Strings: D’Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 – .053)
• Case: Taylor Deluxe Brown Hardshell Case included