2003 Taylor 214 Very Good, Original Hard, $695.00
This wonderful grand auditorium-style guitar was the 212th made on July 22, 2003, according to its serial number (20030722212) and the Taylor website. The 214 is a substantial upgrade from most other acoustics I’ve played, but its superiority is in the quality of its woods and design rather than flashy inlays. This is essentially the same guitar as the Taylor 314 except the 214 has a satin finish rather than the 314’s glossy finish; it is far superior to the recent 200 series Taylors, which have laminated sides and back. The gorgeous SOLID mahogany back and sides of this early 214 and the purity of the Taylor sound will make other musicians turn around to check it out, but it will be its ability to make almost anybody who plays it play better that will make you love it.
This Taylor 214 has a beautifully figured solid Sitka spruce top and solid sapele mahogany back, sides, and neck, all in a natural satin finish. The top and back are fully bound, and it has a tortoise pick guard, an ebony bridge with black pins, and an inlaid black-and-white multi-stripe rosette. The 14/20 fret rosewood fingerboard with large pearl dot inlay ends in an East Indian rosewood headstock overlay with three-per-side enclosed chrome tuners and the inlaid Taylor logo.
More technical data: the 214 has a scale length of 25 ½”, and the neck width at the nut is 1 ¾”. Naturally it has a fully adjustable truss rod with access at the headstock. The overall length is 41”, while the body is 20” long, with a lower bout width of 16” and a comfortable depth of 4.625.” The Tusq nut is standard, but the compensated saddle may have been upgraded to bone. The action is fast and smooth—just under 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and the sound is beautifully balanced and resonant, with the crisp, bright tone for which Taylor is famous.
As the pictures indicate, there are almost no cosmetic items to report—I found a few faint dents in the top lower bout—and very little evidence of play wear. Structurally, it is near perfect, with a straight neck, solid bridge, clean neck joint, and a flat top. This is a truly attractive instrument, and hopefully, it will pass into the hands of a player able to make music and turn heads for a generation or two to come.
The included hard shell case is a Taylor original, complete with the metal name plate. The 5 latches (and key) work well, the lining is in great shape and hugs the guitar protectively, and the large pocket is solid. It is a strong complement for this wonderful guitar—and of course offers outstanding insurance for your investment.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this outstanding guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.
Thank you for your interest in this cool guitar!
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.