Taylor 514ce-FLTD Electro-acoustic Guitar

• 2014 Fall Limited Series electro-acoustic guitar
• Cutaway Grand Auditorium body
• Features a Sitka spruce top
• Tasmanian Blackwood back & sides
• Tropical mahogany neck with satin finish
• Expression System 2 pickup system to capture more of the guitar's natural tone and responsiveness
• Complete with ebony fingerboard with grained ivoroid binding
• Includes a brown Taylor deluxe hard case

Part of the stunning 2014 Fall Limited Series, which seems to embody the very season that holds its name, the Taylor 514ce-FLTD Electro-acoustic Guitar is the range's cutaway Grand Auditorium. With a size that sits between a Dreadnought and a Grand Concert, this guitar delivers for both flatpickers and finger style players. With this versatility and its capacity to deliver tonal balance with a clear, defined midrange, this is the go-to guitar for those after a multi-purpose instrument that can cover a variety of styles. It also benefits from a Venetian cutaway, giving unrestricted access to the upper register.

Popularised because of its broad dynamic range and crisp articulation, Sitka spruce offers something to strummers, flatpickers and fingerpickers, making it the perfect top wood for this body shape. It is also noted for improving with age; gaining more character as it is played in. The top has been finished with a beautiful medium brown stain with burst.

Tasmanian Blackwood Back & Sides

With its cinnamon-red hue and defined grain, the Tasmanian Blackwood used for the Taylor 514ce FLTD Electro-acoustic Guitar's back and sides is wonderfully rich, and alongside the shaded edgeburst of the top, gives a vintage feel to the instrument. Tonally Tasmanian Blackwood is not dissimilar to koa or mahogany, with a focussed mid-range, that is dry and clear as well as warm, it also has the top end shimmer and richness characteristic of rosewood.

Expression System 2 Electronics

Taylor's latest version of their pickup/preamp pairing has been utilised in the Taylor 514ceFLTD, this time taking the form of the Expression System 2.

Tailored specifically for use with their instruments, the Expression System 2 takes a pickup, with three individually positioned sensors, and places it behind, rather than underneath, the saddle, to capture more of the guitar's natural tone and responsiveness. This is partnered with a professional-grade preamp to give a truer reflection of the guitar's acoustic sound.

Like its predecessor, the Expression System 2 keeps control simple and focussed with single Volume and Tone controls. This model also benefits from a reengineered gain structure, which makes it 25% hotter.