1996 Taylor 814C
According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, “The Taylor 800 series are referred to as ‘the descendants of Bob Taylor’s original design’” and are a substantial upgrade from even the revered 700 series dreadnoughts. The last MSRP of the 814ce dreadnought was about $3500, but its superiority to the much more common 310 ($1400), 410 ($1700), 510 ($2600), and 710 ($2800) is in the quality of its woods and design in addition to its abalone inlays.
The Taylor 814 is a Grand Auditorium guitar, with a smaller waist than a dreadnought, a single Florentine cutaway, and a rounded 16” lower bout. It has a solid Sitka spruce top, a solid East Indian Rosewood back, solid East Indian Rosewood sides, and a mahogany neck. The body and neck are fully bound, and it has a tortoiseshell pick guard, an ebony bridge with black abalone-dot pins and a bone compensated saddle, and a multi-stripe plus abalone inlaid rosette. The 14/20 fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay ends in a bone nut and a rosewood veneer headstock (also bound) with enclosed gold Grover tuners and the Taylor logo inlaid in pearl.
This is one good-looking guitar! While its serial number (960214128) indicates that it has been making music since 1996, it looks and plays like an instrument less than half that age. It has been dominating lesser instruments for almost 25 years, and the resonance of its tonewoods will only improve with each new generation of players. Its classic good looks make it stand out in a crowd, but it’s the purity of the vintage Taylor sound that will make other musicians turn around to check it out.
As on most Taylors, the action is fast and smooth, and the sound is beautifully balanced and resonant. The bass is far more powerful than on my less expensive guitars, and the treble and mid-range are incredibly clear, even with the rather old strings currently on it. The action is currently set up at a hair over 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and the neck is extremely comfortable. It has a passive pickup, with access readily available through the end pin jack. And the sound will only get better as it’s played.
As I hope the pictures indicate, there are no significant cosmetic items to report beyond the faint evidences of play wear in some very small dings and scratches. There is a ¼” chip below the bridge and a few bruises on the back of the neck, but no cracks anywhere. The frets are slightly worn but very playable, the pick guard is clean, and the finish is excellent. Structurally, it has no issues; it has a straight neck, a flat top, tight braces, efficient tuners—everything necessary for jammin’ for years to come.
The included original Taylor hard shell case is not new but is in very good condition. The latches and hinges work perfectly, the plush lining is in great shape, and structurally it is solid as a rock. With the Taylor brass plate discreetly displayed on the side, it is an excellent complement for this beautiful instrument—and of course offers outstanding protection.
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; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this excellent guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase 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 fine Taylor 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.