Taylor Gold Label 814e Koa SB

A koa grand auditorium with innovative features and a classic flattop sound.

March 19, 2025

When luthier Andy Powers first joined Taylor Guitars in 2011, his first task was to go through the company’s line of guitars and to make every model better. Fine-tuning each design eventually lead to Andy’s first original Taylor model, the Grand Orchestra, introduced in 2013 to replace the previous jumbo models. He later developed the V-Class bracing architecture that further changed the fundamental Taylor design. At this year’s NAMM show, Taylor introduced two new guitars that epitomize the Andy Powers aesthetic more than any previous Taylor. We recently reviewed the Honduran rosewood version of the new Gold Label 814e, and in this video, I demo the koa version of the guitar in the Peghead Nation studio.

The Gold Label 814e Koa SB is structurally identical to the Honduran rosewood version, but with koa back and sides. The “SB” in the model designation indicates the sunburst finish option, which is available on both guitars. As with all high-end Taylor, the guitar’s feature superb materials. While the torrefied Sitka-spruce top’s tight, even grain is somewhat less visible under the sunburst finish than it was on the natural guitar, it’s clear that Taylor dug into its primo stash for this top. The striking koa makes is seductive: honey-amber colored and highly figured, with an almost three-dimensional quality. Appointments include an abalone rosette surrounded by concentric wooden circles, wooden purfling, and Taylor’s “Continental” fingerboard inlay pattern in mother-of-pearl.

While the Gold Label 814e’s wood choices and appointments wouldn’t be out place on other Taylors, those who are familiar with the brand will immediately notice a different overall vibe: The guitar’s peghead has a new shape and features a script logo, the pickguard has been reshaped, and the guitar uses L.R. Baggs electronics rather than Taylor’s own ES2 system. While all these visible elements indicate something fresh, they’re just an appetizer for the bigger changes inside the guitar. For starters, the Gold Label’s new Super Auditorium is slightly larger than Taylor’s standard Grand Auditorium body. Inside, the top is braced with a new “Fanned V-Class” bracing, which features six radial braces in the lower bout—a departure from both Taylor’s standard V-Class bracing and traditional X-bracing. Similarly radical is the guitars’ new “long-tenon” neck design, which features a new joint that allows easy neck angle adjustments by way of a bolt accessible through the soundhole.

The Gold Label 814e Koa’s construction results in a sound that represents a new type of tonality than what we’ve come to expect from Taylors. Instead of the somewhat bright, hifi-like, ultra-precise character that has become the company’s signature voice, the Gold Label guitars introduce a much more vintage-sounding tone. While still possessing Taylor’s famous balance, the guitar offers a much richer overtone spectrum, looser dynamics, and an overall warmth that make it stand apart from the rest of Taylor’s catalog. I didn’t have the Honduran rosewood version of the guitar on hand to compare when I was shooting this demo video, but playing the guitar did confirm my brief experience of playing both guitars side-by-side at Taylor’s NAMM exhibit this past January. To my ears, the koa guitar has a bit brighter definition and midrange punch, while the Honduran rosewood guitar has an edge in the bass range and overall tonal complexity. Plugging the guitar into our Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge amp demonstrated that the installed L.R. Baggs Element VTC is a highly capable system—and a simple one at that. Consisting of an undersaddle pickup, volume and tone controls inside the soundhole, an endpin-mounted preamp, and a nine-volt battery that’s installed inside the guitar, the system offered solid and hassle-free amplified performance.

Because we were so impressed with the Honduran rosewood version of the guitar, it was no surprise that the Gold Label 814e Koa SB also delivered in a major way. The pairing of Taylor’s famous playability and precise workmanship with a new look and sound should attract players who prefer a more classic American flattop sound over Taylor’s modern character. Whether to choose Koa or Honduran rosewood will be an individual decision, and I’d recommend finding a dealer who stocks both!