Taylor 200 Series Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Taylor 200 Deluxe Series offers affordable, high-quality acoustic-electric guitars with Taylor's signature playability and tone. Part of Taylor's 200 series, the 200 Deluxe line provides players with premium features and appointments typically found on more expensive models. With a solid Sitka spruce top and layered rosewood back and sides, the 200 Deluxe guitars deliver Taylor's renowned balanced, articulate sound. The Deluxe models include Taylor's ES-B pickup system for amplifying with pure, authentic acoustic tone. Playable and rich sounding, the 200 Deluxe guitars bring Taylor craftsmanship to intermediate players seeking excellent acoustic-electrics that won't break the bank.

Build & Materials

The Taylor 200 Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX features a solid Sitka spruce top, giving it a clear, articulate and balanced tone. Sitka spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops thanks to its lightweight strength and responsive sound.

The back and sides are made from layered rosewood, which provides warmth, richness and excellent bass response. Rosewood is known for its dense texture and natural beauty that develops a deeper color over time. The multiple thin layers of rosewood allow Taylor to conserve the prized tonewood while retaining its tonal characteristics.

The combination of solid spruce and layered rosewood creates an instrument with excellent projection, sustain and tonal balance. The all-solid wood construction ensures professional level sound in an mid-priced acoustic-electric. The Taylor 200 Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX is an excellent choice for guitarists looking for a high quality acoustic-electric guitar with traditional tonewoods and appointments.

The solid spruce top is expertly braced for optimal resonance and projection. Spruce is revered for its lightweight strength and crisp, articulate tone. The layered rosewood back and sides add warmth and richness to balance out the bright spruce top. Together these tonewoods create a versatile tonal palette.

While the Taylor 200 Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX may not have the bells and whistles of Taylor's flagship models, it retains the brand's unwavering commitment to quality materials and construction. Taylor's expert craftsmanship is evident throughout, from the elegant appointments to the comfortable neck profile.

The onboard ES-B pickup and preamp system provides natural acoustic amplification when plugging in. Players can easily shape their amplified tone with bass, mid and treble controls. An onboard tuner makes on-stage tuning a breeze.

For guitarists seeking an affordable workhorse acoustic-electric, the Fender 0970710121 is also an excellent option. This guitar features a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The slim neck profile is comfortable for both chording and soloing.

The Fishman pickup and preamp system provides quality plugged-in tone complete with a built-in tuner. Single coil noise is kept to a minimum thanks to the hum-cancelling pickup configuration.

While the Taylor and Fender models share some similarities, they each have a distinctive voice. The Taylor leans more towards a balanced tone with excellent note separation. The mahogany Fender produces a warmer, woodier sound with tight low end.

Ultimately the choice comes down to player preference. The Taylor 200 Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX offers incredible quality and playability at a reasonable price point. However, the Fender 0970710121 is also a strong contender for players seeking robust plugged-in tones.

Trying out each model in person is recommended to get a feel for the neck profile, body shape and unique tonal response. From there, players can choose the acoustic-electric that best fits their budget and playing style.

Neck & Fretboard

The Taylor 200 Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX features a smooth and comfortable neck crafted from beautiful layered Sapele wood. Sapele has a distinctive figuring that gives the neck an elegant look and feel. The neck meets the body at the 14th fret for enhanced upper fret access.

The fretboard is made from premium ebony which provides a rich, dark contrast to the warm Sapele neck. Ebony is an incredibly dense and durable wood that helps produce clear, bell-like tones. It also holds fret wear well. The fretboard has a radiused edge and 20 frets in total. The frets are medium sized making them comfortable to play.

Overall the neck has a nice slim taper and smooth satin finish that makes it very playable. The combination of Sapele and ebony results in clear articulation and excellent intonation. The neck and fretboard work together to provide a comfortable playing experience with great tone and sustain. This allows guitarists to play chords and melodies cleanly across the entire fretboard.

The neck shape and width along with the radiused fretboard result in an acoustic electric guitar that is very comfortable to play. The smooth satin neck finish enhances playability by letting the guitarist's hand glide easily up and down the neck. The medium frets are ideal for various playing styles. And the slim taper provides excellent access to higher notes on the fretboard.

Some guitarists may prefer the feel and sound of mahogany or maple necks. But Sapele provides a great combination of beauty, strength, and balanced tone. While the ebony fretboard offers an elegant look plus clear note definition. Together they make this an acoustic electric that any guitarist will enjoy playing for hours at a time without fatigue or discomfort.

For guitarists looking for a great playing and sounding acoustic electric guitar at an affordable price point, the Taylor 200 Deluxe is an excellent choice. It provides professional features and tone in an instrument designed for developing players. Check out the Fender 0970923137 for another quality entry-level acoustic electric worth considering.

Electronics

Taylor's Expression System 2 is a dynamic hybrid pickup system featuring three uniquely voiced humbucking pickups designed to capture the true acoustic tone of the guitar. The onboard preamp has treble, midrange, and bass EQ controls with a built-in tuner that makes it easy to tweak your amplified tone to perfection.

The discrete humbucking pickups are positioned behind the saddle for detailed string-to-string articulation while also capturing the full, vibrant tone of the guitar body. There's an invisible neck pickup mounted under the fretboard that blends with the two under-saddle pickups for a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum.

Having individual pickup elements and discrete voicings allows for a very natural and organic amplified tone. You can shape your tone with the onboard controls without compromising the inherent acoustic sound of your guitar. The Taylor Expression System 2 also has exceptional feedback rejection so you can play at higher volumes on stage.

The chromatic tuner is easily accessible without taking up any space on the guitar surface. Just push in the tone knob to mute the output and enter tuner mode. It's a convenient feature that every acoustic-electric player will appreciate.

Overall, the Expression System 2 electronics optimize this guitar for both personal playing enjoyment and live performance situations. Taylor's proprietary pickup design captures the guitar's natural tone and allows for professional-level tone shaping right from the guitar.

Sound & Playability

The Taylor Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX has a full, balanced tone that projects well without being too bright. The Koa wood body gives the guitar a rich, warm sound that complements the spruce top nicely. The tone emphasizes the midrange and bass. It's balanced across the frequency range without the highs getting too harsh.

The guitar plays very easily, thanks to Taylor's trademark neck profile and low action. The slim neck has a comfortable feel, making it great for playing complex chords and fast lead lines. The ebony fretboard and neck are smooth, making it easy to play quickly up and down the neck. The low action allows effortless fretting without buzzing. Overall, the 224ce-K-DLX offers easy and comfortable playability whether strumming open chords or soloing.

The guitar is responsive across the dynamic range, capable of both quiet fingerpicking and aggressive strumming. Notes have a clear attack and sustain nicely. The guitar comes alive when played hard, with the top projecting the sound forward. It's a versatile instrument well-suited to various playing styles and techniques.

Aesthetics

The 224ce-K-DLX has a beautiful, thin matte finish that gives it an elegant, refined look. Rather than a glossy finish that can look artificial, the matte finish has a natural, organic appearance that complements the solid koa wood construction.

The top is made of solid Hawaiian koa wood that features lovely blonde coloring with striking figuring that resembles flowing wood grain patterns. Each guitar has its own unique look due to the nature of the koa wood. Combined with the matte finish, this koa top creates a stunning aesthetic.

The sides and back are also solid koa, which allows the captivating figuring to be visible from all angles of the guitar. The koa has a warmth and richness that benefits both the appearance and the sound.

The fretboard is made from African ebony that has bold black and brown streaks throughout. Paired with the koa body, the fretboard provides an appealing contrast of colors and textures.

Other nice aesthetic details include the tortoise pickguard that complements the koa colors well, chrome tuning keys, and multiple thin koa top bindings and purfling. The overall result is a guitar with refined and elegant beauty.

Pros

• Quality Materials - The Taylor 200 Deluxe is crafted with solid Sitka spruce on the top and layered rosewood back and sides, giving it a rich, full-bodied tone. The all-gloss body binding and pickguard provide an elegant touch. Overall, the guitar features premium tonewoods and appointments you'd expect from a high-end Taylor.

• Great Electronics - The guitar comes equipped with Taylor's ES-B pickup system, featuring three uniquely positioned and customized humbucking pickups. Combined with Taylor's preamp and onboard tuner, the 200 Deluxe produces clear amplified tones across varying styles and techniques. The electronics and preamp faithfully capture the guitar's acoustic resonance and dynamics.

• Easy Playability - With its Grand Auditorium body shape, 25.5" scale length, and 1 3/4" nut width, the 200 Deluxe is comfortable to play while providing great musical range. The 20-fret ebony fingerboard and slim mahogany neck make chording and leads smooth and effortless. The guitar stays in tune well and intonates accurately up the neck.

Cons

While the Taylor Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX is a fantastic acoustic-electric guitar, it does have some downsides to consider:

• Higher cost than lower Taylor series: The Deluxe series sits near the top of Taylor's lineup, so it comes with a higher price tag than Taylor's more affordable 100 and 200 series models. The solid wood construction and built-in electronics make the Deluxe models more expensive. So you'll need to weigh the benefits of the higher-end features versus the extra cost.

Alternatives

There are some other top acoustic-electric guitar models to consider around the $1,750 price range of the Taylor Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX:

Martin

Martin makes some of the best acoustic guitars and their DRS2 dreadnought acoustic-electric model comes in around $1,800. It features solid East Indian rosewood back and sides with a Sitka spruce top and Fishman electronics. The sound is very balanced and warm. The neck is also slightly more slim compared to the Taylor. Overall, Martin guitars are known for their rich, full sound.

Gibson

The J-45 Studio acoustic-electric from Gibson costs around $1,700. It has a Sitka spruce top with walnut back and sides. The neck meets the body at the 14th fret. It comes equipped with LR Baggs VTC electronics for amplified tones. While not as bright sounding as the Taylor, the Gibson offers a vintage, mellow tone.

Other Brands

Other comparably priced acoustic-electrics around $1,500-$2,000 are the Breedlove Discovery Concert CE, Yamaha A3R ARE, Seagull Maritime SWS SG, and the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME. Each of these models have their own unique sound, electronics, and style. Trying them out in person is recommended to find the right fit.

Conclusion

The Taylor 200 Series Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX is an outstanding acoustic-electric guitar that delivers exceptional sound and playability. With its solid ovangkol back and sides paired with a Sitka spruce top, this guitar produces warm, balanced tones and good projection. The V-Class bracing helps the 224ce-K-DLX deliver volume while retaining articulate note separation.

The slim mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard make playing very smooth and comfortable. The Expression System 2 electronics accurately capture the guitar's natural acoustic tone. Combined with easy-to-use controls, you get great amplified tones straight from the guitar or into an amp or PA.

With its classic auditorium body shape sporting understated but attractive aesthetics, the 224ce-K-DLX is an excellent all-around acoustic-electric that sounds fantastic unplugged or plugged in. Guitarists looking for great electronics, playability and balanced tone in a mid-range price point will find a lot to love with the Taylor 200 Series Deluxe 224ce-K-DLX.