Taylor 514ce VS 814ce: What are the differences?
Torrefied tonewood, Rosewood VS Ironbark, and a fair amount of money.
Both of these guitars are fantastic, but we'd like to give the Torrefied Spruce and Red Ironbark in the 514ce a try, and save some money in the process. No quality concerns with either guitar (there better not be at this price tier).
Taylor 514ce
Taylor 814ce
| Specification | Taylor 814ce | Taylor 514ce |
|---|---|---|
| String Type | Steel | Steel |
| Number of Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Left-/Right-handed | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Body Shape | Grand Auditorium | Grand Auditorium |
| Back & Sides Wood | Indian Rosewood | Red Ironbark |
| Top Wood | Sitka Spruce | Torrefied Sitka Spruce |
| Finish | Gloss | Gloss |
| Color | Natural | Natural |
| Body Bracing | V-Class | V-Class |
| Binding | Non-figured Maple | Black and Maple |
| Neck Wood | Tropical Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Neck Shape | Standard | Standard Carve |
| Radius | 15" | 15" |
| Fingerboard Material | West African Ebony | West African Crelicam Ebony |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Element | 500-series Aerials |
| Number of Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale Length | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Nut Width | 1.75" | 1.75" |
| Nut/Saddle Material | Black Graphite/Micarta | Black Tusq/Micarta |
| Bridge Material | West African Ebony | Crelicam Ebony |
| Tuning Machines | Taylor Smoked Nickel | Taylor Nickel |
| Electronics | ES-2 | ES2 |
| Strings | D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze | D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze |
| Case/Gig Bag | Hardshell Case | Hardshell Case |
Price Tracker for the Taylor 514ce and 814ce
Prices updated Fri, August 21st, 2026.
Taylor 814ce Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Natural with V-Class Bracing and Radiused Armrest
$3,999.00
Sweetwater.com
Major Differences
- Back & Sides Wood: 814ce uses Indian Rosewood, while 514ce features Red Ironbark.
- Top Wood: Sitka Spruce on the 814ce, but "torrefied" Sitka Spruce (a thermally treated process that ages and "breaks in" the instrument) is specified on the 514ce.
- Fingerboard Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Element on the 814ce, 500-series Aerials on the 514ce.
- Nut/Saddle Material: Black Graphite/Micarta for the 814ce, Black Tusq/Micarta for the 514ce.
- Tuning Machines: Taylor Smoked Nickel for the 814ce, Taylor Nickel for the 514ce (color variation).
514ce and 814ce Similarities
- Body Shape: Both feature the Grand Auditorium body shape.
- Finish: Gloss finish on both models.
- Neck wood: Mahogany
- Fretboard Wood: West African Ebony
- Color: Natural.
- Body Bracing: V-Class bracing is utilized in both guitars.
- Scale Length: 25.5" for each.
- Nut Width: 1.75" for both models.
- Electronics: Each guitar comes equipped with Taylor's proprietary electronics, the ES-2 expression system.
- Strings: D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze, .012-.053, are used on both guitars.
- Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case included with both.
Related Taylor Acoustic Guitar Content
Written by GC Editorial on Acoustics & Comparisons
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Acoustics & Comparisons
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