Back to navigation


Gorgeous Grand Auditorium Acoustic with V-Class Bracing





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





For over 40 years, Taylor acoustic guitars have made a name among players of all genres as a unique-sounding instrument with truly special tonal signatures. The Taylor 414e-R Grand Auditorium V-Class acoustic-electric guitar is a continuation of that stellar tradition and represents the midpoint between Taylor’s lower-end models and its highest-priced guitars. The 414e-R features a signature Sitka spruce top with V-Class bracing, which optimizes volume, sustain, and tonal balance. As with Taylor’s other Grand Auditoriums, the 414e-R has a broad dynamic range ? even when picked aggressively, notes and chords ring out clearly. A driving attack really highlights the 414e-R’s fullness and projection. This guitar comes equipped with Taylor ES2 electronics for natural tone and dynamics in a stage-friendly direct out. Acoustic players at Sweetwater love the Taylor 414e-R.





Related Videos: 414ce-R V-Class Acoustic-electric Guitar - Tobacco Sunburst





NOW PLAYING:


The Redesigned Taylor Guitars 400 Series





Beyond the Gear: Taylor Guitars & Sweetwater


V-Class bracing: a sonic revelation





Bracing is the internal framework of an acoustic guitar that helps shape its sound. Although X-bracing has been standard in acoustic guitars for over a century, it creates an innate conflict between two key elements of a guitar’s sound: volume and sustain. The guitar’s top (its soundboard) contributes to both. The flexibility of the top generates volume (projection), while its stiffness generates sustain. And with X-braced guitar tops, here’s where the trade-off comes in: when something is made stiffer, its flexibility is reduced (and vice versa). V-Class bracing changes all that.





With Taylor’s V-Class bracing, an acoustic guitar top can be both stiff and flexible ? for more volume and sustain. V-Class bracing provides stiffness parallel to the strings for more rigidity and hence sustain. Flexibility on either side generates the air movement necessary for robust projection. It’s the best of both worlds. This groundbreaking innovation also improves intonation ? not only producing notes that are louder and with longer sustain, but are also more in tune with each other. V-Class bracing boosts volume evenly across the tonal spectrum, increases sustain, and improves the natural intonation of the instrument by creating a more synergistic response from the soundboard. This fosters a more harmonious relationship between the notes you play, helping chords to ring out in cohesive splendor. Pick up a Taylor with V-Class bracing and experience it for yourself.





Taylor Master Luthier Andy Powers displays V-Class top bracing


Serial 1206034047


Serial 1206034047


Sitka spruce and Indian rosewood provide a well-rounded tone





This Taylor 414e-R acoustic-electric guitar is a prime example of the quality tonewoods Bob Taylor and his team select for their instruments. It features a Sitka spruce top, a tonewood long known for its robust projection and high-end sparkle and sustain. The Indian rosewood back and sides respond well to a variety of playing styles. Strum it softly, and you get a beautifully rich, subtle response; attack the strings with more vigor, and the thicker, more-rounded tonal range emerges. And the mahogany neck, with its ebony fingerboard and Italian acrylic Renaissance inlays, feels and responds beautifully in your hands. The tonewood combination of the 414e-R is a good choice for aggressive flatpickers and strummers who are looking for a well-rounded, all-purpose acoustic guitar.





Classic Grand Auditorium shape





Taylor’s Grand Auditorium body design is well suited for fingerstyle players who want a focused and more pronounced tone that brings out the best in their technique. Your tones will remain balanced across the frequency spectrum, while minimizing the huge lows and overtones that may be desirable in much larger-bodied instruments. And fretting is extremely comfortable due to the 25.5-inch scale length’s narrower fret spacing. You’ll fall in love with the controlled, rich tones and effortless playability of the 414e-R.





Serial 1206034047


Serial 1206034047


Taylor Expression System 2 electronics deliver superior sound onstage





Artists who play plugged in will appreciate the natural-sounding Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) electronics onboard the 414e-R. This system features a 3-section proprietary pickup located behind the guitar’s saddle for clear and accurate sound reproduction. Discreet contoured master volume and tone controls let you tweak your sound and output from the stage, and a phase switch helps you squelch feedback before it starts.





Taylor 414e-R Grand Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:


Classic B shape


Sitka spruce top is bright and bold, with impressive projection


V-Class bracing optimizes volume, sustain, and tonal balance


Indian rosewood back and sides exhibit enhanced warmth, depth, and clarity


Tropical mahogany neck plays comfortably


Ebony fingerboard provides phenomenal articulation


Tone works well in an ensemble setting


Taylor nickel tuners are built stage rugged and studio precise


4mm Italian acrylic Renaissance inlays and 3-ring soundhole rosette provide a touch of elegance


Taylor ES2 electronics provide natural tone and dynamics for the stage


Serial 1206034047