Taylor 414ce Next Generation electro-acoustic guitar

Taylor Next Generation 414ce — Premium Acoustic-Electric with Scalloped V-Class Bracing

The Taylor Next Generation 414ce is a Grand Auditorium acoustic-electric guitar built around the rosewood-and-spruce pairing that has defined Taylor's 400 series for nearly three decades. A solid Sitka spruce top meets solid Indian rosewood back and sides, producing warm lows, sparkling highs, and a slightly scooped midrange that sits beautifully in solo and ensemble settings. The Venetian cutaway opens up the upper frets, while the gloss body, black binding, firestripe pickguard, and new Weathervane inlays give this model its understated workhorse aesthetic. Built in El Cajon, California, this guitar delivers premium tonewoods, road-tested electronics, and a fully adjustable neck in one package.

Three Innovations That Set This Generation Apart

What sets this model apart in Taylor's 400 series is the convergence of three new design elements. Scalloped V-Class bracing pares material from key brace locations, preserving V-Class's signature note-to-note harmony while restoring a warmer, more dynamic low-end response that some players felt the original V-Class had traded away. The Action Control Neck pairs a long-tenon joint with a patented soundhole-accessible adjustment bolt, allowing on-the-fly string-height changes without removing the neck or strings — and converting what would traditionally be a neck reset into a routine procedure. The Claria under-saddle pickup pairs a single piezo transducer with a redesigned preamp and a soundhole-mounted Mid-Contour knob for plug-and-play acoustic-electric tone free from piezo distortion.

Solid Tonewoods and Bracing Architecture

Body construction is the foundation of this model's voice. Sitka spruce brings a broad dynamic range suited to delicate fingerpicking and aggressive strumming, while Indian rosewood extends the frequency response with a throaty low end and bell-like treble clarity.

• Top Wood: Solid Sitka spruce — broad dynamic range, crisp articulation across playing styles
• Back & Sides: Solid Indian rosewood — extended frequency response, slightly scooped midrange
• Scalloped V-Class bracing with relief route — pares material from key brace locations for richer low-end thump
• Finish: Gloss top, back, and sides — UV-cured polyester for a durable, polished surface

Action Control Neck and Ebony Fingerboard

Neck engineering on this model prioritizes both stability and adjustability. A long-tenon Action Control joint protrudes into the heel, increasing stiffness and adding low-end resonance, while the patented adjustment bolt lets players dial in action from shred-ready to strum-friendly without removing strings.

• Neck Wood: Neo-Tropical mahogany — stable, resonant, with a satin finish
• West African Crelicam ebony fingerboard — smooth and dense, topped with faux pearl Weathervane inlays
• Nut Width: 44.45 mm — comfortable for fingerstyle and strumming
• Scale Length: 648 mm — standard Taylor Grand Auditorium scale for full-range response

Claria Pickup System and Stage-Ready Appointments

Claria electronics are purpose-built for live performance and studio sessions. A single under-saddle piezo transducer feeds a redesigned preamp with soundhole-mounted Volume, Tone, and Mid-Contour controls, allowing quick tone sculpting without modifying the guitar's side.

• Claria under-saddle pickup with soundhole preamp — plug-and-play acoustic-electric tone, free from piezo distortion
• Tuners: Taylor nickel with nickel buttons — stable, smooth tuning action
• Bridge & Pins: West African Crelicam ebony bridge with matching pins — solid coupling for sustain
• Strings: D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.012 - .053) — coated for extended tone life

Who the Next Generation 414ce Is Built For

The Taylor Next Generation 414ce is the right choice for working musicians, singer-songwriters, and serious fingerstyle players who need a single guitar that covers studio, stage, and songwriting sessions without compromise. Its Grand Auditorium body delivers the cross-genre utility that has made Taylor's 400 series a studio and stage staple for nearly 30 years, while the Claria electronics make it a confident choice for performers who plug in regularly. Players who like to fine-tune their own setups will appreciate the Action Control Neck's on-the-fly adjustability, and anyone who has ever dreaded a neck reset will find the long-tenon joint's serviceability a major practical advantage. Left-handed players can order the same spec through Taylor's custom shop options.

Taylor Guitars and the Evolution of the 414

Taylor Guitars has been building the 414 in one form or another for nearly 30 years, refining the rosewood-and-spruce formula through multiple neck-joint designs, bracing systems, and electronics packages. This model represents the latest chapter in that evolution, bringing together Andy Powers' V-Class bracing architecture (first introduced in 2018) with the adjustable Action Control Neck that debuted on Taylor's Gold Label guitars. Indian rosewood remains a cornerstone tonewood for the brand — Bob Taylor himself places it among the greatest tonewoods ever used in guitar building. Every example of this model is built in Taylor's El Cajon, California facility and ships with a deluxe hardshell case.