Taylor Guitars is kicking off the first day of the 2018 Summer NAMM convention with a bang, having announced a variety of new guitars coming to market across multiple series and lines. Included in the announcement is a second model joining the K14ce in Taylor's critically acclaimed Builder's Edition line, as well as a handful of brand new 300 and 400 Series Grand Auditorium models.
The Builder's Edition 614ce features Taylor's Grand Auditorium body shape, with a torrefied Sitka spruce top, figured Big Leaf maple back and sides, and patented V-Class bracing. Designed for comfort and playability, the 614ce's ergonomic body also sees details like a beveled armrest with beveled body edge treatment and a double-carved cutaway allowing for fluid access to the higher frets without changing hand position.
Taylor also announced that, with the release of the new 300 Series and 400 Series models, its V-Class bracing system is now available across all of the series of guitars made at the company’s factory in El Cajon, California. “This [V-Class bracing] design makes the tonewood pairings extra vibrant,” says Taylor Master Guitar Designer Andy Powers. “You hear a more distinct version of each wood’s sonic flavor.”
The 300 Series models come in 314ce and 324ce variants, with the former featuring a solid Sitka spruce top with solid sapele back and sides and that latter featuring a solid mahogany top with Tasmanian blackwood back and sides.
The 400 Series also boasts two new models, with the 414ce boasting a Sitka spruce top with African ovangkol back and sides, Small Diamond fretboard inlays with an Engraved Diamond peghead inlay, and packed with ES2 electronics. The 414ce-R, meanwhile, pairs solid rosewood with Sitka spruce for a classic, rich and balanced full-spectrum voice.
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