Taylor Guitars Gold Label 514e Sunburst Cream Pickguard Grand Auditorium

Gold Label: A "Vintage" Interpretation of Taylor Within the Range

With the Gold Label series, Taylor explores an aesthetic and playing feel inspired by more traditional acoustic guitars, emphasizing a warmer and more organic signature. Designed by master luthier Andy Powers, this collection centers around several distinctive design choices: new body shapes, a fan variation of the V-Class bracing, and a long-tenon neck joint called the Action Control Neck. The result is a guitar that retains Taylor's typical clarity but with an immediately perceptible sense of depth and "maturity."
This 514e also stands out with a refined and high-end presentation: cream "Crest" inlays on the fretboard and headstock, cream binding with black/white/black purfling, and a single-ring cream rosette. The Sunburst golden brown finish paired with the cream pickguard enhances the instrument's classic and timeless appeal.

Who Is the Gold Label 514e Super Auditorium For?

Thanks to its responsive and balanced voice, the Taylor Gold Label 514e suits both the intermediate guitarist seeking an expressive and comfortable guitar and the experienced musician who wants an instrument adaptable to various contexts (studio, stage, composition). The Super Auditorium format provides body and a generous dynamic range while remaining responsive enough for nuanced playing.
In terms of styles, it naturally sits at the crossroads of several approaches: fingerstyle (precise attack, well-defined notes), light to moderate strumming (warmth and chord cohesion), and flatpicking (projection and presence). If you enjoy alternating between rhythm and melody or switching from fingerstyle to pick without changing instruments, this 514e was clearly designed for that.

Round, Woody, and Powerful Tone: Solid Mahogany and Torrefied Sitka Spruce

The combination of a torrefied Sitka spruce top and mahogany back/sides is at the heart of this 514e's character. Mahogany provides a warm foundation with rich, "earthy" mids, ideal for adding body to chords and density to melodic lines. The torrefied spruce top (thermal treatment) enhances the feeling of softened response and "aged" smoothness, with immediate clarity from the very first notes.
The craftsmanship strongly contributes to this sense of openness: the fan V-Class bracing aims for a more even response across the range, with stable projection and good note sustain. Add to that the Super Auditorium format, more generous than a Grand Auditorium, and you get a deep and open voice capable of remaining clear even when played louder. Plugged in, the LR Baggs Element VTC electronics are designed to preserve the instrument's natural tone, with a convenient control for quickly adjusting balance in various situations (rehearsal, stage, recording).

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To get the most out of this electro-acoustic daily, consider a set of phosphor bronze acoustic strings (light gauge, like the original D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Light), an acoustic guitar capo, and a case humidifier to stabilize the wood in dry conditions. A universal stand and a microfiber cloth are also reliable choices to protect the glossy finish and keep the instrument ready to play.

Technical specifications

Format	Super Auditorium	Bridge pins	Indian rosewood
Back and sides	mahogany	Nut	TUSQ
Top	torrefied Sitka spruce	Saddle	Micarta
Finish	gloss body	Bracing	fan V-Class
Neck	mahogany	Tuners	Taylor Nickel
Fretboard	West African Crelicam ebony	System	LR Baggs Element VTC
Nut width	1.75" / 44.45 mm	Strings	D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Light with coating
Scale length	25.5" / 647.7 mm	Guitar case	Taylor Deluxe hard case, "British Cocoa" vinyl exterior
Bridge	Honduras rosewood "Curve Wing"