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Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa: When Beauty Meets Brilliance
The Taylor Gold Label Collection has made an immediate impression here at Vera Guitars. We’ve seen plenty of jaw-dropping reactions to the Gold Label 814e—especially its stunning bookmatched Honduran rosewood back—but its koa sibling has quietly become something special. The Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa (our specific configuration, often referred to as the K14e) doesn’t just turn heads—it commands attention through sound.
We like to joke that the rosewood model draws the eye, but the koa version captures the ear. After spending serious time with this guitar, it’s hard to disagree. This may be the finest koa-backed acoustic we’ve ever played.
A New Evolution: The Super Auditorium Body
One of the defining features of the Gold Label 800 Series is the introduction of an all-new body shape: the Super Auditorium.
To understand why this matters, it helps to revisit Taylor’s most iconic design. The Grand Auditorium, introduced in the early 1990s, reshaped the acoustic landscape by blending the power of a dreadnought with the balance and comfort of an OM. Its versatility and clarity quickly made it a staple for players across all styles.
With the Gold Label 800 Series, Taylor takes that proven formula and subtly expands it. The Super Auditorium is slightly larger than a standard 814ce—measuring 20-3/16" in length and 16-1/4" in width, compared to the traditional 20" x 16"—while maintaining the same body depth. There’s no cutaway, giving the guitar a more traditional silhouette and maximizing resonance.
The result is immediately noticeable. The Super Auditorium produces a warmer, louder, and more dimensional voice than the standard Grand Auditorium, while preserving the articulate top-end clarity Taylor is known for. You get added low-end presence without sacrificing definition—a welcome refinement rather than a radical departure.
Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa – Key Specifications
Body: Super Auditorium
Top: Torrefied Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides: Flamed Hawaiian Koa
Neck: Neo-Tropical Mahogany
Neck Profile: Taylor Standard Carve
Scale Length: 25.5"
Nut Width: 1.75"
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony
Bracing: Fanned V-Class
Electronics: LR Baggs Element VTC
Finish: Gloss (Natural or Sunburst)
Additional premium appointments include a long-tenon neck joint, antique chrome Gotoh 510 tuners with ebony buttons, grained ivoroid binding, mother-of-pearl Continental inlays, and a deluxe hardshell case.
Materials That Matter
The torrefied Sitka spruce top plays a major role in this guitar’s responsiveness and tonal maturity. Torrefaction enhances dynamic range, bringing clarity to the upper mids while smoothing the highs and tightening the low end. Paired with Taylor’s Fanned V-Class bracing, the result is a top that reacts instantly to touch and allows the koa back and sides to fully express their character.
The neck delivers exactly what players expect from Taylor: effortless playability. The wider nut width accommodates fingerstyle techniques beautifully, while the full 25.5" scale keeps string tension crisp for strumming. The Crelicam ebony fingerboard adds a smooth, premium feel under the fingers and completes the guitar’s refined build quality.
Electronics: A Purposeful Choice
Like the rest of the Gold Label Collection, the 814e Koa features the LR Baggs Element VTC pickup system instead of Taylor’s Expression System. This decision reflects a focus on tonal authenticity.
The Element VTC is widely regarded for its natural, transparent sound and simple, effective soundhole controls. An onboard compressor subtly manages low-end response, resulting in a clean, realistic amplified tone that faithfully represents the guitar’s acoustic voice.
How Does It Sound?
Koa is often described as sitting somewhere between mahogany and rosewood, and this guitar exemplifies why. The Gold Label 814e Koa delivers warm, supportive bass, brassy, forward mids, and a bell-like treble response more commonly associated with rosewood instruments.
Despite its tonal richness, the guitar remains impressively balanced. Whether fingerpicking or strumming, it responds dynamically and projects with ease. The slightly larger body contributes to greater volume and depth, while the torrefied top and bracing ensure clarity at every dynamic level.
Plugged in, the LR Baggs system captures that same nuance and complexity with remarkable realism.
Simply put, it’s a joy to play.
Final Thoughts
The Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa stands as one of the most compelling koa acoustics Taylor has ever produced. It excels in craftsmanship, tonal depth, and visual beauty—delivering a voice that’s warm, complex, and endlessly musical.
Yes, it’s slightly larger than a traditional Grand Auditorium and carries a bit more weight due to its dense koa construction. But those tradeoffs directly contribute to its expansive, authoritative tone.
This is a guitar that rewards time and touch, and one that will only improve as it ages—just as the best koa instruments do.
If you’d like to experience the Gold Label difference for yourself, visit Vera Guitars in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spend some time with this exceptional instrument. Once you hear what it can do—and see the depth and movement in that flamed koa—you may find it very hard to put down.
Gold Label 814e Koa
$4,799.00
Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa – Super Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar The Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa is a stunning limited-edition acoustic-electric guitar that blends vintage aesthetics with modern design. Built in Taylor’s California factory and designed by Andy Powers, this… read more
