Grand Auditorium construction with 648 mm scale length
Sitka spruce top with V-Class bracing
Urban-Ironbark back and sides
Mahogany neck with 20 frets
Ebony fingerboard with aerial inlays
Micarta compensated saddle
Tortoise pickguard and single-ring soundhole rosette
44.45 mm wide nut made of Black Graphite
Taylor nickel tuners
Taylor Expression System 2
Shaded-Edgeburst finish with Gloss finish
Case included
The models of the 500 series come including Taylor case
The Taylor 514ce Urban Ironbark at a glance.
Thanks to its all-solid Grand Auditorium construction, the Taylor 514ce reveals a warm and rich sound even when the strings are gently struck. This is due to the v-shaped top bracing, the combination of woods used and a gauzy high-gloss finish. Furthermore, the flat neck in combination with the generous cutaway in the lower rib provides an optimal basis for comfortable playability. To ensure that all 20 frets intonate cleanly, the saddle and nut are precisely matched. The characteristic headstock features nickel-plated tuners, which allow easy tuning of the 6 steel strings. In addition, the electro-acoustic guitar comes with the in-house TaylorExpression System 2, which transmits the sound unaltered to the amplifier. Visually, the instrument is rounded off by eye-catching inlays, a multi-ply Binding and an intricately crafted soundhole rosette. The scope of delivery includes a sturdy Taylor Deluxe hardshell case.
The combination of the finest tonewoods provides an extensive and pleasant sound
Construction and woods
To achieve a wide-ranging and delicate sound, the manufacturer relies on a Sitka spruce top for its construction. The close-grained wood provides a balanced sound in the mid and treble frequencies, making the instrument excellent for strumming and Pickings. Urban Ironbark back and sides further complement the sound with a powerful saturation with crisp basses. Due to the V-Class bracing, the top wood gets into an even, two-dimensional vibration behaviour, so that all notes can spread out quickly and clearly. Meanwhile, the flat mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard ensures perfect playability.
Hardware and design
To ensure that the entire sound range is cleanly unfolded, the compensated saddle is made of Micarta and the 44.45 mm wide nut is made of Black Graphite. Meanwhile, the tuners allow the instrument to be tuned quickly and precisely. The ebony overlay of the headstock features a filigree century inlay, which is perfectly matched by the aerial inlays in the fretboard. The top is surrounded by a discreet Multi-Ply-Binding, which, like the soundhole rosette, contrasts pleasantly with the spruce wood and elegantly separates the individual components of the body.
Electronics
Built into the ebony bridge are three piezo elements that directly pick up the sound of each pair of strings. As a result, the built-in Taylor Expression System 2 captures the entire acoustic sound potential and passes it on to the amplifier unaltered. The control unit in the frame also allows individual adjustment of the output signal. The three potentiometers can be used to level the bass and treble frequencies in addition to the volume. The active pickup system is powered by a 9V block battery, which is stowed in a battery compartment next to the jack.
Taylor - The epitome of fine quality
As one of the largest guitar manufacturers, Taylor is truly an authority in the production of first-class instruments. Thus, professional manufacturing by skilled craftsmen results in the very finest products for life, whose value is always maintained - or even increased! This is due in equal part to exquisite tonewoods, which do not warp due to long storage and selected quality and as a result, can hardly be surpassed in terms of high quality. Only spruce, mahogany, cedar or Koa of proven quality are used for the tops. By the way, careful production in combination with the best materials does not only apply to guitars. Guitar bags and all accessories are also of first-class quality. Finally, a conscientious final inspection does not let even the smallest defects pass and ensures absolutely flawless guitars even before shipment.
And that's not all: Taylor also attaches great importance to environmentally conscious actions.
Ebony & Koa: Sustainability at Taylor Guitars
Uncontrolled clearing of forests and overexploitation lead to massively endangered wood species, which can no longer regenerate due to the high pace of mining. These include ebony and koa in particular, whose dwindling stocks and the resulting ecological problems have prompted a rethink at Taylor Guitars.
Sustainable ebony cultivation in Cameroon
Because ebony's hard, supple texture makes it particularly finger-friendly, it has long been the preferred choice for making fingerboards. Its attractive appearance is also extremely popular for bridges, headstock rests, bridge Pins and Bindings. However, high demand and a thriving black market outstripped stocks, landing Ebony on the Red List of Endangered Species in 1994. Moreover, only the jet-black heartwood, which makes up only a fraction of the tree, was used, resulting in a disproportionately large amount of waste in production. In order to protect the forests, Taylor has thus been working since 2011 with the Crelicam Wood Mill in Yaoundé in Cameroon to promote controlled consumption by processing waste products.
"We need to use the ebony that the forest gives us" - Bob Taylor
In video: Taylor Guitars - "The State of ebony"
Siglo Tonewoods Project
Koa acacia populations have also suffered severe losses over the last 20 years. Unsustainable forestry as well as overexploitation led to a decline that can only be stopped by proactive action and reforestation. Therefore, Taylor Guitars together with Pacific Rim Tonewoods founded the Siglo Tonewoods project, which aims to rebuild the Hawaiian virgin forest. This is a large cultivation area for koa acacia and other species, which allows the use of koa wood on a controlled scale.
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