After playing several 2019 V-braced Taylor guitars I soon discovered that each guitar in this category had it's own unique sound. I also found the X-braced Taylors in some cases were equal or better in sound quality to the new V-braced models. Whether you play high driving bluegrass or sophisticated jazz I would suggest a guitar should be chosen for the type of music intended. However sound is personal to one's own ears doncha know.
I have listened with my studio headphones and the conclusion is: I like the X braced Taylor more 😅 Although the sustain for the V-braced one is crazy high, I feel like for a singer-songwriter the X-braced version is more suitable, and also when recording, the guitar sound doesn't interfere so much with your voice. Moreover, the notes can be better distinguished with the X-braced 814ce, while for the V-braced version to my ears they feel more "muddy", too mixed together. But that's my subjective opinion based on my ears, preference and musical taste.
Played the v class over and over. Just bought the last x class the store had. X sounded much richer and fuller. For studio work and upper fret work I am sure the V class is king. I want a king of the first 12 frets which is the xclass. Great demo and playing.
Thank you for a superb comparison video. I was hesitant to accept the new V bracing but your video does clearly demonstrate the greater note bite and harmony of the new bracing. Some people will not hear it but I prefer the new V brace sound. When I visit San Antonio, I will surely stop in.
Holy s--! I was listening to this driving down the road by myself and when he struck the single note on the V-class, and it rang out and fed back on itself in that beautiful, pristine way it does, I literally screamed (by myself in a car). I wish y’all were in D/FW instead of San Antonio! I’d come do business with you! Oh, I want this guitar so bad. Mind you, I have no business playing a guitar of that caliber on a daily basis, but I can dream.
this video and another from the acoustic letter I like the 17 better. The V class lacks the bass boom of the old which is why I bought mine. yes the sustain is longer but the lack of low end punch does not appeal to me. does not sound rosewood anymore sounds too one dimensional where the 17 has that more old school martin esque bass. I wont be giving mine up for these any time soon
Great comparison video with the best explanation of the technology I've seen so far. I definitely recommend using a decent pair of headphones and you will hear the difference; the new one really shines. I have the 2017 one and would never give it up. Is it worth plunking down another $3500 to change? No. But if you're in the market for a guitar at this level, the new system, to me, outshines many other brands. Again, great video.
I'm just blown away by the difference in sound. Glad I've waited. Already have a 2016 210e DLX that I like fine. It replaced a Gibson J-40 I'd purchased in 1977 & lost in a fire. (apt bldg burned, I was @ work). Eyeballing a new 714ce or 814ce. Haven't quite made up my mind yet. Grrrrrrrr
I'm late to this party, but after my experiences with the 812ce 12-Fret models -- X-Braced vs V-braced -- I thought it would be interesting to check out the 814's. With the 812ce 12-fret guitars the X-braced model blew the v-class guitar out of the water. I felt very lucky to have been able to find a now-discontinued X-braced 812 12-fret DLX. Now watching this video, I am amazed by the stark differences between the two 814's. This time, however, the differences were opposite what was true with the 812's. V-class braced 814 blows away the X-braced instrument. It's tone is fuller and more resonant, and it has sustain for days. As another viewer has stated, every guitar is an individual, so if someone is interested in purchasing the 814ce, as always and if possible, they should try to compare the two in person and not base their decision solely on the results of listening to this or any other video. As per usual, Chris has presented a great compare/contrast video here. Keep up the good work!
The 2018 just sounds more harmonious, especially in the first example. And the improvement in sustain is significant. But the bass throws the sound out of balance.
They both sound like guitars that would be a pleasure to play. While I can hear a difference in the sustain, they both sound wonderful, which is good because my budget might stretch to a used Taylor, but new is a little out of my price range.
I feel like the v class changes the taylor sound in a different direction. Taylor guitars were always known to be on the bright side. But the v class brings it down to a more natural wholesome level. Great improvement for Taylor
Wow!! Stunning!! I wish I would have known about V Bracing before Namm. Had my 600 series on order when I found out about it. Maybe Taylor could work something out for me. 😁
Very good demo. Thank you! I think I can hear the v-class sustain being longer and louder. Other than that though, it’s hard for me to hear the difference over RUclips.
They’re 90% identical to me except the 2018 have more crisp, volume, and sustain. Just a bit more. It could be because of the wood too. So I would take whichever and be happy
Here's my opinion... The X brace is great for us players that want more base and don't play too far up the neck. The V class is probably better for recording as the notes are more uniform and if you play very complicated up the neck stuff.
I noticed something when I was being a lump, reclining and playing an inexpensive acoustic followed by a nicer acoustic at different times over many days/months - I was flexing the instrument by resting my arm in a particular way and now I have an improved understanding of why very well-trained performers strike a proper posture and hold the guitar in a particular way - to minimize unintended flexing. The V-Class instrument still had some dissonance in the demo - I experienced this as well playing a V-Class 914ce - when I unwittingly flexed the instrument. I know there is so much more than this that goes into intonation and intoned variance but, I wonder - might there have been some instrument flex in this video? My body type is comparable to Chris McKee's and I am now becoming more aware of the ways I affect the acoustic I play at any given time. I can't say I've stopped affecting my acoustics completely but I try to be more aware if nothing else. When Taylor brings V-Class bracing to their jumbos, I'll be very tempted to purchase one. This is a very good video and does demonstrate exactly what Chris talked about in the introduction. Nicely done.
Is it just me? Or does the wood pickguard feel weird if your a player who rest their pinky on it? Looks great, I’ve had little experience with one, maybe you get used to it?
The first thing I do with my Taylors is to get the action height right by working at the saddle with sand papers. Regardless or X or V class, I don't really care
yo quisiera poder tener dinero para comprar una guitarra de esas pero lástima que soy pobre Ayúdenme para poder tener una por favor caballeros no sé hablar inglés Mándenme un mensaje en español si me quieren ayudar por favor
So my 2000 814ce is just junk. Of course it has the antiquated fishman preamp so this is just further proof that Taylor's become outdated after a few years...time to buy a new one with more bells and whistles that Martin or Collings passed on. Taylor never made a bad guitar...or a great one. If spectacular tone is your goal try a Thompson.
After playing several 2019 V-braced Taylor guitars I soon discovered that each guitar in this category had it's own unique sound. I also found the X-braced Taylors in some cases were equal or better in sound quality to the new V-braced models. Whether you play high driving bluegrass or sophisticated jazz I would suggest a guitar should be chosen for the type of music intended. However sound is personal to one's own ears doncha know.
I have listened with my studio headphones and the conclusion is: I like the X braced Taylor more 😅
Although the sustain for the V-braced one is crazy high, I feel like for a singer-songwriter the X-braced version is more suitable, and also when recording, the guitar sound doesn't interfere so much with your voice. Moreover, the notes can be better distinguished with the X-braced 814ce, while for the V-braced version to my ears they feel more "muddy", too mixed together. But that's my subjective opinion based on my ears, preference and musical taste.
He is absolutely right. Seldom (never) in youtube videos can you actually hear such an obvious difference. Really opens up the chords.
Played the v class over and over. Just bought the last x class the store had. X sounded much richer and fuller. For studio work and upper fret work I am sure the V class is king. I want a king of the first 12 frets which is the xclass. Great demo and playing.
Thank you for a superb comparison video. I was hesitant to accept the new V bracing but your video does clearly demonstrate the greater note bite and harmony of the new bracing. Some people will not hear it but I prefer the new V brace sound. When I visit San Antonio, I will surely stop in.
Holy s--! I was listening to this driving down the road by myself and when he struck the single note on the V-class, and it rang out and fed back on itself in that beautiful, pristine way it does, I literally screamed (by myself in a car).
I wish y’all were in D/FW instead of San Antonio! I’d come do business with you!
Oh, I want this guitar so bad. Mind you, I have no business playing a guitar of that caliber on a daily basis, but I can dream.
lvn4x any guitar that makes your heart soar like that is a guitar for you!
I also like the 17 better. The bottom end on the 17 is huge, the 18 is bit muffled. The top is pretty similar (and listening on studio monitors).
Talking stops, playing starts at 10:08
this video and another from the acoustic letter I like the 17 better. The V class lacks the bass boom of the old which is why I bought mine. yes the sustain is longer but the lack of low end punch does not appeal to me. does not sound rosewood anymore sounds too one dimensional where the 17 has that more old school martin esque bass. I wont be giving mine up for these any time soon
Don't give it up. I have both pre-v class and v class. Love them both.
Excellent explanation and demo. Excellent! For me, choosing one over the other would be difficult because they both sound beautiful in their own way.
I didn't want another Taylor until now!! Guess I'll have to make do with my older models!! That sounds amazing!!
Great comparison video with the best explanation of the technology I've seen so far. I definitely recommend using a decent pair of headphones and you will hear the difference; the new one really shines. I have the 2017 one and would never give it up. Is it worth plunking down another $3500 to change? No. But if you're in the market for a guitar at this level, the new system, to me, outshines many other brands. Again, great video.
I'm just blown away by the difference in sound. Glad I've waited. Already have a 2016 210e DLX that I like fine. It replaced a Gibson J-40 I'd purchased in 1977 & lost in a fire. (apt bldg burned, I was @ work). Eyeballing a new 714ce or 814ce. Haven't quite made up my mind yet. Grrrrrrrr
I'm late to this party, but after my experiences with the 812ce 12-Fret models -- X-Braced vs V-braced -- I thought it would be interesting to check out the 814's. With the 812ce 12-fret guitars the X-braced model blew the v-class guitar out of the water. I felt very lucky to have been able to find a now-discontinued X-braced 812 12-fret DLX.
Now watching this video, I am amazed by the stark differences between the two 814's. This time, however, the differences were opposite what was true with the 812's. V-class braced 814 blows away the X-braced instrument. It's tone is fuller and more resonant, and it has sustain for days. As another viewer has stated, every guitar is an individual, so if someone is interested in purchasing the 814ce, as always and if possible, they should try to compare the two in person and not base their decision solely on the results of listening to this or any other video. As per usual, Chris has presented a great compare/contrast video here. Keep up the good work!
The 2018 model grabs those notes like heaven :D
The 2018 just sounds more harmonious, especially in the first example. And the improvement in sustain is significant. But the bass throws the sound out of balance.
Excellent! I certainly heard the harmonics registers alignment w the V bracing!
It took awhile for me to become convinced but I played one for over and hour and I really think it is as good a guitar as any out there.
They both sound like guitars that would be a pleasure to play. While I can hear a difference in the sustain, they both sound wonderful, which is good because my budget might stretch to a used Taylor, but new is a little out of my price range.
I feel like the v class changes the taylor sound in a different direction. Taylor guitars were always known to be on the bright side. But the v class brings it down to a more natural wholesome level. Great improvement for Taylor
I honestly liked the V class more in this demo. Chris is the most articulate talker and player on YT for acoustic guitars 🌟
Wow!! Stunning!! I wish I would have known about V Bracing before Namm. Had my 600 series on order when I found out about it. Maybe Taylor could work something out for me. 😁
Jon Wells You are better off with x bracing. V bracing has more mids less low end. I a/b’d them and was Unimpressed with the V
Prefer the 2017.. I wanted to like the new one because of all the cool features!
Very good demo. Thank you! I think I can hear the v-class sustain being longer and louder. Other than that though, it’s hard for me to hear the difference over RUclips.
X brace sounds best. Not keen on the new stuff with v class bracing.
Bring back X brace.. Dean 🇬🇧
They’re 90% identical to me except the 2018 have more crisp, volume, and sustain. Just a bit more. It could be because of the wood too. So I would take whichever and be happy
Definitely one of my favourites, along with the K24ce, and the K14ce Builder's Edition :D
I love my taylor guitars, they all sound beautiful.
Forget the bracing - it's one guitar vs another. Play an x-braced Goodall next to either of these, and the bracing argument goes out the window.
Here's my opinion...
The X brace is great for us players that want more base and don't play too far up the neck. The V class is probably better for recording as the notes are more uniform and if you play very complicated up the neck stuff.
So the X-braced chords up the neck are "out of tune"? Lol 😂
Great review! What is the song that you play at 12:55?
Amazing video! Very informative!
You're twisting yourself up in knots bro trying to promote v-bracing while at the same time defending x-bracing. Very entertaining 😁👌.
Sustain on the v-class is far superior in my opinion.
15:40 vs 16:37 I guess the bass it too strong for the V class when hard strumming?
Real good informative video
I noticed something when I was being a lump, reclining and playing an inexpensive acoustic followed by a nicer acoustic at different times over many days/months - I was flexing the instrument by resting my arm in a particular way and now I have an improved understanding of why very well-trained performers strike a proper posture and hold the guitar in a particular way - to minimize unintended flexing. The V-Class instrument still had some dissonance in the demo - I experienced this as well playing a V-Class 914ce - when I unwittingly flexed the instrument. I know there is so much more than this that goes into intonation and intoned variance but, I wonder - might there have been some instrument flex in this video? My body type is comparable to Chris McKee's and I am now becoming more aware of the ways I affect the acoustic I play at any given time. I can't say I've stopped affecting my acoustics completely but I try to be more aware if nothing else. When Taylor brings V-Class bracing to their jumbos, I'll be very tempted to purchase one. This is a very good video and does demonstrate exactly what Chris talked about in the introduction. Nicely done.
Very informative .
Thanks for the reviews! Is there any chance to compare 2018's 214ce with the older versions? Or is there no difference between them?
Is it just me? Or does the wood pickguard feel weird if your a player who rest their pinky on it? Looks great, I’ve had little experience with one, maybe you get used to it?
DividedByTime lol my pinky squeaks you just have to get used to it I love this guitar
14:00 12:56
The v-class sounds unnatural to me, and not in a good way.
The first thing I do with my Taylors is to get the action height right by working at the saddle with sand papers. Regardless or X or V class, I don't really care
The way he looks at the guitar makes me consider my whole life! What have I been doing all my life!? 😳
V-Class blah blah blah
I guess I never had pixie dust sprinkled on my ears.
oops!
The problem with Taylor guitars is neither volume or sustain, it's the HORRIBLE pickup system
yo quisiera poder tener dinero para comprar una guitarra de esas pero lástima que soy pobre Ayúdenme para poder tener una por favor caballeros
no sé hablar inglés Mándenme un mensaje en español si me quieren ayudar por favor
Go find yourself a job
So my 2000 814ce is just junk. Of course it has the antiquated fishman preamp so this is just further proof that Taylor's become outdated after a few years...time to buy a new one with more bells and whistles that Martin or Collings passed on. Taylor never made a bad guitar...or a great one. If spectacular tone is your goal try a Thompson.