Grand Auditorium construction with Cutaway and 648 mm scale length
Solid Sitka spruce top with X-bracing
Laminated walnut body
Maple neck with ebony fingerboard
20 frets with 4 mm acrylic Dot-Inlays
Compensated Micarta saddle
42,8 mm wide nut made of GraphTech TUSQ
Chrome-plated die-cast tuners
Three-ring soundhole rosette
1-ply black Binding and black pickguard
Taylor Expression System 2
Natural matte finish
Gig bag included
Exceptionally comfortable playability
The 100 Series kicks off the extensive lineup of U.S. manufacturer Taylor Guitars, known and loved worldwide for its modern and innovative construction. The Taylor 114ce Lefthand model produces a powerful and warm sound thanks to its mid-sized Grand Auditorium shape with cutaway, which is excellent for expressive strumming and fine Pickings. The flat neck, which is bolted into the body at an optimal angle, ensures exceptionally comfortable playability. The string action is usually set quite flat at the factory, so the instrument comes out of the box ready to play. With the help of the smooth tuners, the 6 steel strings can also be tuned quickly and precisely. Visually, the instrument impresses with its simple appearance, which is harmoniously rounded off by discreet inlay work. Another practical component of the guitar, which is made in Mexico, is the in-house pickup system, which transmits the sound unaltered to the amplifier. The scope of delivery includes a sturdy gig bag.
Construction and woods
Since the top is made of solid Sitka spruce, the acoustic guitar produces a clear sound with subtle midrange and defined treble frequencies that develop quickly and extensively even when the strings are struck lightly. The laminated walnut body further complements the tone with warm bass frequencies and provides a pleasant saturation. This makes the instrument versatile overall and suitable for both Pickings and strumming. The flat maple neck is equipped with an ebony fretboard, which can be operated optimally in all 20 frets thanks to a perfectly coordinated interplay of neck angle and string action. Like the fretboard, the bridge is also made of ebony.
Hardware and design
To ensure clean intonation throughout the 648 mm scale length, the compensated Micarta saddle and slim 42.8 mm nut made of GraphTech TUSQ are perfectly aligned. Chrome-plated die-cast tuners are set into the distinctive headstock with ebony overlay, allowing for accurate string tuning. Matching the contrasting company logo, the fretboard features 4mm Italian-Acrylic dot inlays for guidance. The top, meanwhile, is surrounded by a 1-ply binding that color-matches the large-scale black pickguard. The filigree three-ring soundhole rosette completes the overall picture in a very aesthetic way.
Electronics
Built into the body is the high-quality Taylor Expression System 2 , which uses three piezo elements to directly pick up the acoustic sound of each pair of strings. The treble, as well as the bass frequencies and the volume can be individually adjusted via the side preamp. The active system is powered by a 9V block battery, which is stowed in a battery compartment next to directly 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 that are no longer able to regenerate due to the high pace of deforestation. 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 deep 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.
