V-Class bracing: a sonic revelation
Bracing is the internal framework of an acoustic guitar that helps shape its sound. Although X-bracing has been standard in acoustic guitars for over a century, it creates an innate conflict between two key elements of a guitar’s sound: volume and sustain. The guitar’s top (its soundboard) contributes to both. The flexibility of the top generates volume (projection), while its stiffness generates sustain. And with X-braced guitar tops, here’s where the trade-off comes in: when something is made stiffer, its flexibility is reduced (and vice versa). V-Class bracing changes all that.
With Taylor’s V-Class bracing, an acoustic guitar top can be both stiff and flexible — for more volume and sustain. V-Class bracing provides stiffness parallel to the strings for more rigidity and hence sustain. Flexibility on either side generates the air movement necessary for robust projection. It’s the best of both worlds. This groundbreaking innovation also improves intonation; not only producing notes that are louder and with longer sustain — but more in tune with each other. V-Class bracing boosts volume evenly across the tonal spectrum, increases sustain, and improves the natural intonation of the instrument by creating a more synergistic response from the soundboard. This fosters a more harmonious relationship between the notes you play, helping chords to ring out in cohesive splendor. Pick up a Taylor with V-Class bracing and experience what guitarists at Sweetwater have already discovered.
A classic tonewood combination
Nothing beats the sound of rosewood topped with spruce. As a top tonewood, Sitka spruce offers a combination of strength and elasticity that delivers a broad dynamic range with crisp articulation that’s ideal for a wide range of playing styles, from delicate fingerpicking to aggressive flatpicked strumming. Used for the back and sides of the 814ce, Indian rosewood’s extended frequency range and rich, musical tonality have elevated it to premium status among tonewoods. Its potent low end can serve up a throaty growl, while sparkling treble notes ring out with bell-like clarity. Slighted scooped in the midrange (as compared with mahogany), rosewood acoustic guitars are perfect for solo performance, vocal accompaniment, and tracking in sparser arrangements.
Tech Specs
- String Type:Steel
- Number of Strings:6
- Left-/Right-handed:Right-handed
- Body Shape:Grand Auditorium
- Back & Sides Wood:Indian Rosewood
- Top Wood:Sitka Spruce
- Finish:Gloss
- Color:Natural
- Body Bracing:V-Class
- Binding:Non-figured Maple
- Neck Wood:Tropical Mahogany
- Neck Shape:Standard
- Radius:15"
- Fingerboard Material:West African Ebony
- Fingerboard Inlay:Mother-of-Pearl Element
- Number of Frets:20
- Scale Length:25.5"
- Nut Width:1.75"
- Nut/Saddle Material:Black Graphite/Micarta
- Bridge Material:West African Ebony
- Tuning Machines:Taylor Smoked Nickel
- Electronics:ES2
- Strings:D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze, .012-.053
- Case/Gig Bag:Hardshell Case