GEAR REVIEW
TAYLOR INTRODUCES NEW URBAN IRONBARK 514CE ACOUSTIC GUITAR | Eric Dahl
KEY FEATURES
• Red Ironbark wood back and sides
• V-Class bracing
• Aerial neck inlays
• Torrefied Sitka Spruce top
• Gloss finished body
• Satin Finished neck
• Venetian Cutaway
Taylor guitars continue to push the boundaries of what is and isn ’ t tone wood for their acoustic instruments with the new 500 Series . Two models have been released with Urban Ironbark wood , the 512ce and the 514ce that Worship Musician received for this review . Urban Ironwood is a species of eucalyptus and is sometimes referred to as Red Ironbark . The wood is sourced through Taylor ’ s urban woods division . The back and sides of the guitar are crafted from red ironbark wood and the top is a torrefied Sitka spruce . The 514ce has a Florentine cutaway , bound ebony fretboard and a tropical mahogany neck . When I removed the instrument from its hard-shell case the red hue of the red ironbark back and sides was stunning . The roasted torrefied top has a vintaged aged-in look and sound .
Tonally the guitar is fuller and a bit more open in the bass frequencies than most Taylor guitars . You can attribute some of that to the Grand Auditorium body but the torrefied Spruce top , red ironbark and V-Class bracing also come into play on the fullness and projection . While the rest of the body has a gloss finish the satin finished back of the neck is silky smooth and a pleasure to maneuver .
The Italian acrylic Aerial inlays in the fretboard are a classy touch and match the headstock veneer and rosetta extremely well . The simulated tortoise shell body binding accents the Grand Auditorium body seamlessly . Builtin electronics are delivered via Taylor ’ s standard Expression System 2 ( ES2 ) with two band EQ . Taylor enclosed machine heads provide accurate tuning , and the nut is made of black Tusq while the saddle is micarta .
The 514ce is just an incredibly beautiful guitar aesthetically , but it really shines when it is played . As mentioned earlier this instrument has more bass response without any of the muddiness and you still have the full spectrum of mid- frequencies and high-end . This is the first time Taylor has ever created a Grand Auditorium guitar with Urban Ironbark wood and from a sound standpoint and as well as visually , it is a great combination with the torrefied Spruce top . Once you start playing the Taylor 514ce you don ’ t want to put it down … a good combination of the stain neck playability