Cutaway vs Non-Cutaway: Taylor 114ce vs 114e Comparison

[@Ones_Complement]

Call me crazy but I hear a pretty huge difference, and I definitely prefer the non-cutaway.

[@tasinbaneir4231]

Agree, the non-cut away is fuller, slightly muddier and not as "clear" .. but has more character which is most important in my opinion.

[@captaint1180]

Sure but for me it’s not worth it because I’m someone that wants an easier access to the higher frets

[@glorioskiola]

Big difference to my ears also. I like the cutaway.

[@fridays_child]

same! it sounds fuller and the vibrations are pretty

[@musikus7092]

me too

[@genuinecomments4008]

The difference was huge. Well at least to my ear, the it away more bright the full bodied more mellow.

[@Tech875O]

I noticed a big tonal difference with the full body of the 114e vs the cutaway. I have a pair of Denon D340 headphones. The differences were exactly what you said. The 114e had much more lower end. I still liked the sound of the 114ce though. Coming from a guitar with a cedar top, which naturally has more lower end than a spruce top, I'm actually looking for a brighter sound anyways. Nice review.

[@rondeycallahan464]

More low end and fuller sound with full body. I like my cut away.

[@WestGaul12]

This is really tough.. I like the sound of the non-cutaway just a little more, but I do prefer the cutaway look.. ugh, what to do...

[@wilsonkok4754]

definitely could hear the difference in the low notes, especially at the beginning of the song you played. i have both types, but generally I'd take a cutaway especially if I'm playing through a piezoelectric pickup, which doesn't reflect any difference whatsoever

[@dennismckinney9350]

Wilson Kok u

[@LanceEdwardLeichtle]

Can you please send me your wrist band please

[@-guitarzn-5515]

The full body seems to have more bass, a little fuller of a sound, but also slightly muddy. The cut away has a little more thin of a sound but also clearer and more crisp.

[@morna45]

That's what I thought, too. The ce is crisper, full body muddier.

[@parallel4th598]

I was surprised that I liked the ce better. It is better on the high end without sacrificing the bottom too much. And you get access to the upper end of the board!

[@therealjonasmancuso]

My exact thoughts.

[@tasinbaneir4231]

spot on, Aaron. 3 years later im here to tell you that.

[@MisterNiles]

I too am coming in three years later to tell you I think you are correct. I think that the muddiness would clear up if you took the microphone away, and sat on your couch instead. The cutaway does seem like its tightness and crisp aspect would make it far easier to track and mix.

[@shankhashubhradatta3947]

Back to Back sound comparison from 7:52 Thank me later.

[@skeeterman7144]

There so many variables from one guitar to the next, even when comparing identical model guitars. Nearly impossible to do a isolated test of a cutaway. I wouldn’t take this too seriously.

[@nightcrawler6855]

this is easy,, get them both,, and a whole lot more aswell!! its what i do!

[@salabb]

+Skeeter Man there are other cut-away vs non cut-away sound tests on youtube, the findings are similar to this test. I agree with you two identical guitars might sound different, though.

[@RichSzerman]

So slightly more bass response and a touch louder fret harmonic

[@gearhed79]

The real hero here. Thank you.

[@philippakinsella3245]

I was surprised to find I could hear a difference (and quite a bit). The cutaway was crisper clearer with more of a treble sound across the whole set of strings The Non Cutaway was mellower a little more gentle on the ear with more bass on the lower strings but lacked some of the crispness and clarity of the cutaway. Not sure which I prefer - but I think it would be dependent on the song being played

[@markmicallef9238]

I agree with you, Although I prefer the cut away guitar

[@MrTimesetter]

To me, the cutaway sounds more crisp with a well rounded tone between the low and top end. They both sound great, but as the comparison goes, I would prefer the cutaway and the benefit of easier access to those frets over more bass-y tone. Great comparison video, thanks for posting.

[@bradleyhamilton7873]

I actually liked the cutaway sound better

[@matrixarsmusicworkshop561]

Bradley Hamilton Its like the non cutaway sound iss too messy

[@zacktzk]

I guess it’s just whether u appreciate a more “emphasised” lower end sound(?)

[@aunabreslingaming3279]

saME

[@mattwilliam4803]

-- the non-cutaway clearly sounds fuller, warmer, more resonant -- and expresses a MUCH deeper bass end. So, a person's preference between the two will depend on how much that particular person values those sound qualities in the music they're making -- bass end, along with fullness, resonance, and warmth of sound. Personnally, I hold a VERY high value on ALL of those things, so I'd play the non-cutaway. That's not to say the cutaway sounds bad. It doesn't sound bad -- it still sounds good. It just doesn't have as deep of a bass end, and it's not as full and warm-sounding.

[@drgonzo3871]

First off thank you for all these great videos Chris they really help one navigate through the complex world of acoustics. Now as far as cutaway- yes there is a noticeable drop in the lower frequencies. These are frequencies that take a bit of distance to be truly heard as the wave distance for lower Hertz sounds is longer then for higher frequencies. So you siting and playing may not hear the loss of those frequencies as well as someone sitting 8-10 feet away from you will. The Taylors have a bias towards mids and highs to begin with so a weak bass is made even weaker in a cutaway version. You hear the highs and mids better on a cut-away for the same reason you will hear them if you suddenly drop the 32 and 64Hz sliders on your itunes EQ..its not that you suddenly accentuated the highs you simply diminished the lows and now you can hear your treble more distinctly. So is the occasional access to upper frets worth the diminished bass response? Ask yourself how often you hit that Low E string in any chord or run vs how often you finger above the 14th fret..(disclosure..Former Radio engineer and Bass player)

[@matrixarsmusicworkshop561]

Blue Channel Productions I think this sound is actually better. Also solos are life

[@ASPEDBUSDRIVER1]

More surface area sounds better to me most of the time. I thought it wouldnt matter that much. But a 214 is supposed to be better than a 114 right? Well back to back I played a 214 with a cutaway and a gloss finish. Then I played a 114 w/o the cutaway. And it blew the balls off the 214 in my opinion. But I guess it depends what sound you like. Now in this comparison here, the non cutaway seemed to have fuller/warmer sound with more bass, while the one with cutaway had a brighter, more sparkling sound with slightly more projection. It's the kind of sound Taylor's are known for and the sound I prefer. So in this video, I prefer the one w/ cutaway. What's funny is the 114 w/o the cutaway had the same brighter sound that I prefer over the 214 with the cutaway that sounded duller. I know a 214 and 114 isn't a fair comparison. I guess the lesson to be learned is ignore the price tags. Forget your biases and put them aside. Forget the brands you think your heart is set on. Forget everything you think you want in a guitar. And just go pick up and play as many guitars as possible to see what you actually prefer for sound and feel. Because when you do that and try some guitars you wouldn't normally pick up, sometimes you might end up suprised to learn that you don't actually want the features that you thought you did.

[@AlamoMusic]

The finish on the 200 series is a bit thicker which will affect the overall resonance. - Chris McKee

[@jonandrewfeltner513]

I love my 114e

[@farithrosh]

I want a 114ce so bad damn

[@jacobharrison9685]

What’s the song called ? Great review, non cutaway sounds better to my ears

[@richardv.582]

Cutaway much more crispy. I like it.

[@darronfenton4145]

Massive difference. Didn’t even need to use earphones to hear it. I never buy acoustics with cutaways. The bottom end is sacrificed and the guitar sounds shrill. I have a Martin HD 28 which is a tone monster. Non cutaway Taylor’s are way too thin and treble focused in my opinion. Add a cutaway and there is no bass left.

[@cometojesuschrist8665]

Cutaway is better, it is detailed sounds, you can feel it. I like the shape of it too.

[@HARLANGENEPARROTT]

The non cutaway sounds much fuller and not as tinny as does the cutaway. Very easy to detect.

[@Ones_Complement]

Totally agree.

[@AlexHand]

The non-cut version actually sounds muddier to me, through my headphones. Like the bass is so strong that those frequencies overpower the higher ones, whereas the cutaway version had more balance and the higher tones came through clearly. I would take a cutaway over non any day on a steel string. For a classical guitar, it may be a different story. I wish Taylor made a GS Mini cutaway.

[@matrixarsmusicworkshop561]

Alex Hand exactly

[@Crunkboy415]

Taylors and Martins will always have deeper basses regardless of the model. Well, maybe not their baby guitars.

[@josefort6112]

That gs mini is so petite though a cutaway might do more harm to your tone/volume than it's worth. Interesting idea though would be nice plugged in

[@Alfredel2]

Well, as someone who is blind I cannot see the instruments that you are playing. With that said, I can definitely hear the difference through my headphones and even without them. The cut away, to my ears, is missing a lot of the warmth and the resonance that you get from the full body. This to me is especially noticeable in the lower and middle frequencies of the guitar that has the cut away. I prefer the sound of the full body over the cut away, but I can understand the value in having more access to the fret board. This all assumes that both guitars were recorded in an identical setting. I especially enjoy the neck of the Taylor guitars.

[@chillbro2275]

what is the name of this song? I enjoyed watching you play this so much I've watched the video several times. I want to watch more songs like this played (as you have in your other videos), but I don't even know the genre of this music.

[@octavianhd]

Acoustically big difference. The warmth is drastic in the lows and mids

I think there is a problem with recording. Guitars are too close to the microphone. that's why the bass sounds burst more than usual. (by the way, yes the bass sounds are normally more than cutaway but here the bass sound almost getting distortion in this recording. not natural..). and my personal choice in non cutaway

[@AdilAlsuhaim]

I hear a difference, but I wonder if putting a mic in front of the guitars reduces the differences because I think the non-cutaway would be louder.

[@rob1261a]

Wow, definitely different. I definitely prefer the look of the 114e. And I personally don’t need the fret access. And prefer the sound, a bit. I’ll probably get which one I can get the better deal on. There seems to be a lot more 114ce for sale.

[@everythingui5442]

Non cutaway has warmer sound. When you play treble strings you can clearly hear the differences...

[@topkat48]

I also could hear a slight difference in the full body vs. the cut-away especially in the lower tones. Both guitars sound great but I did not see or hear you play higher than the 14 fret which is the reason for the cut-away. Thanks for the demonstration.

[@GG-Anaximander]

Full body will give you fuller sound, there is no ifs and buts about it. And the difference is often obvious if you are into guitars. So it is almost never a slight difference. You want to choose the cutaway if: you want to have access to the higher frets easier, the specific model is already boomier than you like and you would like to tone it down, you like the look of the cutaway and don't care much about the sound.

[@77guitarts22]

I had both Cutaway and Non-Cutaway 114, the Full Body has more low and it feels more solid sounding all-around. The cutaway was a bit on the too bright side for me. More pleasure playing the Non-Cutaway. Basically I never needed the cutaway to go so high on the frets... What I like it's the new cutaway designs that only scoops a bit of that area and gives you a sound port also. Those are cooler designs and should sound better. I am yet to try one of those one day.

[@JamBreadSpotify]

Not only do the lows sound better but the highs do sound more beautiful on the non cut away. The cutaway sounds more like a cheap small guitar

[@HandlerRezeiofficial]

Yeah, you can easily tell that there's a difference. 114e is a little too boomy for me; I prefer 114ce. Besides the sound, of course 114ce makes easier the last frets playing. I'd definitely buy the ce.

[@gustavvader2207]

I know one thing. The 114 sounds damn good.

[@GarryWan666]

"every single guitar in my collection has a cutaway except two"...(Wanna know a secret? He has three guitars..xd)

[@jbkx6296]

Haha funny but you can see 4 guitars in the video

[@KevinMillard68]

cutaway is brighter for sure and i prefer cutaways my self i do have 1 dreadnaught which is my martin DRS1 and i just order in the taylor 114ce walnut today

[@0502Lin]

WoW; very helpful, I'm in process of selecting a new guitar and stumbled across your vids which I find to be a tremendous help...the comparison was well done and helped me understand the dynamic of sound concerning body style. I do hear a difference but I doubt it would affect my choice after seeing your demo...I'm closer to a decision...So Big Thank You!

[@MackDaddyVic]

Wow, the full bodies Taylor sounds more boomy and definitely more bass. You can tell right away. Good thing I just ordered a 214e Deluxe.

[@HDA_III]

The non cut away is def louder. But they both sound great.

[@AlamoMusic]

They really do!

[@TeddyJSmooth]

I personally prefer the Dreadnought acoustic, I don't like to reach down as I experienced using a cutaway.

[@Brembelia]

Okay, can I hear a difference? Answer, yes. The cutaway sounds brighter, lighter, and a slightly less rich sound. The standard without the cutaway sounds deeper, richer, rounder. So, then how to approach the dilemma? I'd say, it all depends upon the individual guitarist and what they are doing with it. If you are playing at home for your self and practicing songs that require upper registers, then the cutaway is for you. If you are a solo artist performing in small venues and your rep contains a lot of blues or blues based songs, then probably the absence of a cutaway is the better deal. Then again, if you are recording, you may need one of each. Why? Because each instrument has its own voicing and one component of interesting recordings is variety (this is why we don't back songs in the same key on top of each other.) And then again, it could all come down to personal taste. I have noticed there are two camps of guitarists: those who think bright sounding amps and guitars are the best, and then there are others who love rich, round sounds rumbling up from the mid and base ranges. The good news is, there is something for everyone. It doesn't have to be that there is one guitar only that is king of the mountain. It all depends upon what sounds you like, and the music you want to play. I was going to get a Taylor with a cutaway, but I'm a blues person and when I heard the Taylor M522 no cutaway, I instantly recognized the sound I love best. So, folks need to keep coming back and checking it out until the perfect guitar jumps out at you and says, "I'm here! Take me home!" :D PS Loved your playing, Chris M. I could close my eyes and drift away to a wonderful place. Thank you!

[@randystrand908]

"I'm here! Take me home!" Indeed, the "words" we seek to "hear" when shopping... ! Great comments and analysis. Interesting re recording studio needs... I perform, so I'm shopping for a second guitar that both looks and sounds different so I can change guitars during live performance.. (Glad to hear suggestions! Guitar #1 is a rich sounding, aged Taylor 810)

[@joshualima7778]

comment on flamenco and what to choose?

[@EmadElSammad]

Thank you so much for the detailed info. It is geeky indeed but it's great and useful.

[@GuitarType01]

The cutaway had slightly less bass. I would still go with a cutaway

[@lasse3412]

Best have both type of guitars for differents songs.

[@TeddyJSmooth]

The Dreadnought sounds much louder and fuller.

[@scottmackie2821]

Hi Chris, thanks for the video. There is s distinct difference in sound. If I was playing a lot of lead or solo fingerstyle the cutaway might be useful. If playing rhythm, or providing the oomph in an acoustic ensemble with the occasional acoustic fill, then the non-cutaway might be better. Now for a mild critique: your bias shows. The sound difference is not minor. The utility difference is the main point. And, as a very respected indie dealer who sells lots and lots of mid and high end guitars says, for most people the cut away is aspirational.

[@DarkWorldQ8]

There is definitely a difference in sound. The sound of the full body is slightly better IMO, but it is nowhere near worth sacrificing the accessibility of the higher frets to me even though I don't use them that much.

[@brettp3648]

I definitely heard a difference in the low-mids.

[@DougHinVA]

the 2 guitars would have to be made from the same pieces of wood for the back,sides, and top to get the real comparison. 2 tops from the same piece. 2 backs from the same piece, etc. to get a true comparison.

[@oHeihei]

There's definitely a difference. A subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. Non cutaway does sound more full, as you would expect. I've played both the 114ce and 114e and just something about that cutaway looks, feels, and even sounds right to me so that's why I bought the 114ce myself.

[@rexfoy3081]

The non-cutaway (114e) has a broader spectrum of sound, especially at the bass end. It's also $100.00 less than the cutaway version. Thanks for the good info and demonstration!

[@AlamoMusic]

Thank you for watching!

[@kenbina]

Thanks for the clip. The Cutaway Guitar sounds brighter and crisper. The full bodied guitar sounds more mellow and silkier. With my headphones on, the difference is quite pronounced in my opinion.

[@renegadesmith7]

Even over my cell phone I heard the difference, in an instant.... If you want a cutaway then go with an electric. As for me, I play a Taylor GS, which is a full body and NO WAY would I want to take away from the natural tones and the depth that it has.

[@GuvnaOnSpotify]

Non cutaway: 8:44 Cutaway: 7:52

[@Aaron-bb9rt]

The highs are much more rich and sweet with the full body but the clarity is better with a cutaway. I'm still a traditional full body guy myself.

[@ricktemmen6272]

I wonder what the difference is with an Archtop acoustic guitar. Great video. Thanks 👍

[@jed1166]

Just on looks alone, the non-cutaway wins! I recently sold a great playing, great sounding Japanese built Takamine P4dc dreadnought, for two reasons. #1. because I gradually learned to really dislike the aesthetic of a cutaway dreadnought, and #2. I knew I was losing tone for absolutely no reason, as I never touch a dreadnought above the 9th fret… the look of a cutaway GA, like this 114ce isn’t as bad, and a cutaway concert is fine, and utilitarian, because these lend themselves to finger style. But, a cutaway on a big body strummer, like a dreadnought or jumbo, nah….

[@xaviercarreira6352]

In my view, the cutaway is more adequate for fingerpicking. Thanks for the video Chris!. Really helps to look for the ideal acustic guitar

[@eddiedoucette177]

Wow I wasn’t expecting to hear that much of a difference but the 114e definitely has a fuller sound but both sound great thanks for the vid! I still went with the cutaway.

[@lestaylor3641]

Im looking at learning the guitar and im listening on a tablet and fealt exactly what the last comment was. The cutout sounded beautiful , i do know taylor makes a very good quality guitar but the non cutout sounded deeper immeadiately. Im wondering if i need a cutout im not sure i will be getting that far down , or up the neck.

[@Tiny_craftss]

Well I hear a bit more than slight difference xD I was gonna get a cutaway one but now I have some doubts! Because I hear that the sound is lighter in cutaway and has less base sound. Normal ones seemed more pleasant to my ears! Anyways, it was the best comparison I’ve seen between cutaway and normal guitars! Thanks for the detailed explanation! I loved that!

[@bryanpope2615]

Yes, I have both models right now and it really is a toss-up. Personally, I'd like to have both in the mix. Predominate mids on my cutaway, but I'm not sure if another one might sound different. That's how close in tone the full-body and the cutaway are. I'm keeping the cutaway for fret access. At least I'll be able to wait for a good offer for the full-body. I appreciate all your videos. Thanks!

[@07streetbob21]

I prefer the sound of the Taylor 114e. Even though this may be the closest comparison that is possible on-line (Kudos!), it may also be noteworthy to consider that there are so many variables/factors that effect the outcome as to what is actually herd by various folks in the comparison as already mentioned by many and to also include: 1. Human hearing abilities & and things that effects different human hearing such as age, hearing loss/impairments/limitations, frequency range, Men vs. woman, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. 2. Types/quality of microphones/effects/compression/gain used 3. Distance and/or the placement of the microphone/s (Mono/Stereo) 4. Hearing it live vs. on-line 5. Ambiance of the room 6. Speakers vs. headphone and also level of quality of the product 7. Materials used in the strings and the guitar 8. Individual persons preference of sound 9. The list goes on and on and on. www.quora.com/What-factors-decide-the-range-of-human-hearing en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range www.health24.com/Medical/Hearing-management/News/20-lesser-known-facts-about-hearing-20180927 www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/09/sounds-you-cant-hear-can-still-hurt-your-ears I think that it’s a good thing for the product dissertation prior to the demo for the folks who so much desire to hear it and for those who don’t it’s pretty simple. Just slide the ball to the beginning of the demo (Daugh!). “That Was Easy”! That way everyone gets what they want. I purchase a Custom Taylor 314ce (1-7/8” Nut Width) directly from Taylor a few years ago. I particularly love the Bass sound of the 1-3/4” Nut Width Taylor at Guitar Center vs. all others that I’ve demoed because the bass strings on a Taylor sound like Piano Strings to me. Very clear, however the some mids and especially the highs on a Taylor sound a bit too glassy for me like nails on a chalkboard which Taylor is know for and is what some like in a Taylor guitar. The Taylor Cedar Top (500 Series) is the best of all worlds for the Taylor for me because the Cedar Top & Tropical Mahogany (Not Sapele) Sides & Back tone down the mids and highs and even accents the Bass even better. I have a 80% hearing loss in my left ear, slight hearing loss in my right ear, I’m 67 years old so my hearing & taste depicts what sounds good to me, however what I like may not sound good to you, especially of you’re much different in age and you don’t have any or different hearing issues. I found a wide nut (1.8” & 1.9”) Seagull guitar for my fat sausage fingers on KZbin videos that sounded so sweet to my ears, however playing it in person it didn’t sound anything like I what I had herd on any of the videos on-line. So use the videos if you wish to narrow down your choices but by all means go try them in person prior to making a purchase. Bottom Line: The Best Guitar Is The One That Sounds Good To You Only!

[@frankyoung8787]

I just don't like the look of a cut-away on an acoustic. It just looks wrong. Oh yeah, I don't hear much difference in the sound / tone of the two guitars.

[@vl4997]

The non-cutaway sounds clearly deeper and fuller, but: the cut-away gives you about four more frets. And thanks for the comparison - I can see clearly now, the rain has gone. ;-)

[@markreams3192]

There is a slight difference in the lows and mids though mid and low response with the cut away is slightly less is is certainly adequate. This is a very good sounding guitar for this price range. It’s a lot of bang for the buck. By the way, I own one. I was listening through an iPad with air pod pros

[@Markismij]

The 114E has a slightly warmer sound to it. Keeping in mind that you recorded it and i do not hear it live.

[@dorisconverse2583]

Oh yes, definitely a difference. The cutaway is not as soft in tone as the non-cutaway.

[@Dragon34th]

Nah... Cutaway for me please I think all guitars should come with the cutaway features as default. What's the point not being able to play all the available notes on the fretboard. As a beginner, I learnt the hard way - I find myself sitting down & watch the high frets get dusty. Plus be considerate on your neighbour - cut down the noise & get a hollow body electric semi acoustic like me :)

[@rosskstar]

Ole Jim at DeCapo say a ce takes away the 'boominess' - so it affects the low end in a good way. Makes sense. I just wonder how the V-class affects this now....might need a new video.

[@SomeStrangemysterious]

Definitely a difference in sound. As to what you prefer it’s totally subjective. For example some listeners describe the non cutaway as rounder and fuller. While other listeners described the sound as muddy. Just keep in mind the room and equipment used to record these guitars as well as the listeners’ own playback devices probably have a bigger effect on the perceived tonal qualities of each instrument more so than whether it’s a cutaway or not. Personally I own and love my 114e (non cutaway) and played in person it definitely isn’t muddy to my ears at all. So there you go, another consideration. Personal bias. Great comparison!

[@KevinMillard68]

i have the 114ce and just ordered in a 110E from my local store love them both great guitars

[@dancanale1828]

Thanks for the video. Both sound great (and played well too). I think the non cutaway has slightly more bass and fuller sound, but without comparing back to back, I wouldn't have noticed a difference. The cutaway sounds slightly brighter. I suppose it would be what the user is going for. It doesn't seem you could go wrong either way. Both sound fantastic. Thanks again.

[@patrickclark3337]

I got me a 114ce and I chose it over the 114e because of the cutaway. I prefer the cutaway to the full body guitar any day.

[@anthonypeter4786]

Full hollow guitar is better 'cause of its bass quality.

[@1N2345]

I hear a difference in the lows. I'm a tad partial to the cutaway for practicality when I solo. I also feel like the sound is better balanced. but that might be the mic/monitor. In person I might like the non-cutaway sound better

[@RaiceGeriko]

The Cutaway has clear Highs and clear lows. But the Not Cutaway--you had better midtones for a more rounded sound.

[@marilynjune8084]

Dont know the technical terms ..but can absolutely hear the difference. The Non Cutaway deeper resonate, fuller has more bass ..made me smile listening to it on headphones. The cutaway was twangier tinnier higher? And although your playing was great did not make me sit and smile like a looney while listening :D .. which is a problem because my current Big Baby Taylor that i play is starting to annoy me as i cant get to the frets i want easily. I have been considering upgrading and buying a cutaway. I have small hands so dont know how i will go with a full size.. and now iv heard the cutaway difference in sound am rethinking.. Anyone have any ideas?

[@thKish12]

Hi Its me again, I feel like saying here in my own perspective, Full size guitar always sounds better than the Cutaway model. I really learnt a lot here with youtube from people like you at the distance of 10,000 km here in Maldives where I am based. I like to visit to your shops but realistically, not possible and I have to go to Singapore and buy a good Martin or Taylor which should be dreadnought type, Mahagony back and side in the range of US$ 1000 to 1500. Thats my wish. You can suggest to me which one I should pickup either Martin D18e, D25 or anything else. And also from Taylor, which model I should go for but it should be solid Mahagony, Dreadnought type. My interest is to play and sing as solo guitarist.I left playing guitar 25 years ago but I am very interested now to make a hooby of playing guitar , a part of daily life. In my life, I had used only two guitars so far , which were of low budget and this time, I want to buy it only once but for my lifetime use.

[@koshersalaami]

The recording sounds like the bass is overaccentuated on both guitars. That’s changing the balance - on the recording, the non-cutaway guitar has enough bass to interfere with the rest of the sound, so the cutaway guitar sounds better overall. Live, I don’t think the bass would sound like that and my preference could very well switch. My guess is that you’re getting proximity effect from the microphone, which is something you’d eq out live but you don’t want to use eq here because it would defeat the purpose of the video. There are two other ways to get rid of the proximity effect: mic from farther away (which will give you worse signal to noise, but you’re presumably in a quiet room) or use an omnidirectional condenser because omnis don’t have prox effect. The recording is good at showing the difference but it’s not representing either guitar accurately enough when it comes to bass. In case I’m using an unfamiliar term: proximity effect is the tendency of a directional microphone to sound overly bassy when close to it. It sometimes used to be called Lounge Singer’s Effect.

[@pammallon167]

For my ears I would say the cutaway... lil more chimney on the treble strings and tighter bass thiner mids....2nd guitar deeper bass warmer highs more even mid and I like it's harmonic better.... thing I prefer the cut away more but they both sound great.. good playing as well great vid ;)

[@priyankabhattacharjee4591]

The base off uncutway is high....better for Male voice...as sharpness is low compared to cutaway ...

[@henrymorgan6087]

I’m an old guy w high quality hearing aids…synced into my phone…if there’s a difference I can’t hear it

[@Baker3939]

Little story: I thought the cutaway had a better overall sound, but maybe that's because I've only owned 2 cutaway acoustic/electrics because for 1... my first guitar was an cutaway and the access to more frets to experiment and expand my knowledge more of variants of songs. Then I bought a 2nd cutaway 2 years after in 2009. The first 8 years of playing guitar I was very active and learned to fingerpick, sing and play, and also write a few instrumentals. In that time I actually taught my younger brother how to play and gave him my first guitar. Then in 2018 I bought him a Yamaha Pacifica electric guitar and a nice amp. I ended up giving him my 2nd acoustic because it was just sitting in a case. I would play for 10 minutes every month. He is 6 years younger than me, but way better on the electric guitar. So recently in the summer of 22, he bought himself a high end Fender Stat. I've never been that good at electric guitar and love the sound and different modes on an amp, but its just harder to play for me and I like to pick up a guitar and not have to worry about knobs and amps. I also don't like the humbuckers and coils in the way. So anyways he let me barrow his Pacifica as long as I wanted recently.... and now I'm on this researching quest to find a new acoustic guitar. Never had a full-body acoustic. I also want no electronics on the guitar besides a flip on tuner obviously but yeah.... I've had alot of struggles in life and part of me thinks that's the reason I stopped playing. Now I'm looking to to not only remember what I used to play, but also expand my music knowledge even more. I feel like you never forget how to play guitar, you just forget what you learned and what playing can do for your mental health. Thanks for the video.

[@samuelsvideo]

It is true that the full body has a deeper tone but on the other end, the cutaway has more expression on the high end. I’m currently building a cutaway (x-braced) with solid woods… and wonder how it will sound 😉

[@gatherrover8608]

To my opinion the 114e sounds more like a parlor, articulation sounds better (on a phone headset) is it the angle of the microphone that makes a difference? I don’t know but I prefer the ce.. THANK YOU for sharing! Great help ! So I am off to the shop tomorrow…..and try them for real..and get me one !😀

[@toddwaldow8308]

The non Cutaway had a more solid punch. the Cutaway Is significantly brighter.. but lacks depth.. and obviously from lack of sound board. I have always had Cutaway guitars and most recently for style, I purchased a D'Angelico Premier Lexington and was blown away how full it sounds compared to all my other acoustic guitars. I've had jumbo Cutaways that didn't project as much sound as this non Cutaway Dreadnought. Anyway, thanks for the comparison.. it really is significant

[@Michaelcamps]

I was def surprised to hear a difference, I tried to focus on the bass notes of the chords you played on the A string as thats where I found it most obvious, the non-Cut model had richer, more resonant bass.

[@DanielGennaro]

Def. more mids and highs with the CW, but a lot of this is probably akin to playing style, he was doing an alternate picking kind of thing, I wish he would've compared a rhythm strum pattern to see the difference in tone. Personally I love the look of a CW and REALLY want one, but I found a 214 natural for a price I cant refuse, so I'll put a K and K in it and probably sell my old Yamaha FG700s dreadnaught and use the full body taylor. I mostly play folk style, but I do enjoy playing a reggae kind of scat playing and I feel it would lend better to a CW, seems like a few of my fav artists like Iration, Pepper, even Jack Johnson play a CW a lot, I wonder why that is? maybe cause vocals are more pronounced and the guitar is a little less prominent?

[@morna45]

Thanks for this. I prefer the cutaway because I hear the high end better. The other guitar almost sounds muddy by comparison. Just my opinion.

[@cure969]

Beautiful song you are playing. I wanna buy a 114 because of the small neck. I thought that It's impossible that there is a difference. That's wrong. The cutaway Version is definitely better. Oooops

[@mboyer68]

I heard you say that the sound is due to the guitar face vibrating and I thought no way, he's wrong. I'm a curious engineer so I searched "the physics of acoustic guitars" and came up with a video called "physics of the acoustic guitar" and they claim the sound comes from the sound hole, not the guitar body. The string gets plucked and it vibrates between the bridge and the nut, or a fret, those vibrations transmit through the body and get amplified, then come right back out the sound hole. They made it seem like all the sound comes from the hole, no mention of sound coming from the body, which made sense. However, I then covered the hole in my guitar and it was still playing quite loud, and with the hole covered it's almost as of I could see the sound coming through the guitar body. From all around. Sound radiates from all the surfaces of the body, not just out the hole. So, you're 100% right. And that's why the wood a guitar is made of is important. It makes sense now, thank you!

[@michalkolar2275]

After I heard the cutaway first, I was kind of overwhelmed by the basses of the full body and actually prefer the cutaway as it sounds more balanced...

[@MultiWinkey]

I prefer the full body because of the louder bass and mid and softer high end.

[@brollona3948]

O man, stop talking and start playing.

[@StevenCasteelYT]

You have the ability to fast forward. Don't be rude.

[@jpl1107]

Well I appreciate the explanation. You have millions of videos of guys playing

[@keithclark8030]

I like the explanation of the guitars. Make your own video, if you don't.

[@joseceraia]

the non cutaway has more bass, butit has a negative influence on the overall tone, muddy in the lows and low mids, it sits in the way of the bass player. Do you like 12 inch speakers or 10 inch , well I like 10 inch just for that reason it sounds cleaner in the lows and low mids. AMEN

[@michaelgao8621]

Hi, I hear that 114ce sounds more crispy than full size 114e, but 114e sounds more brighter.

[@Allthrashedout.]

it's all in the resonance.. cutaway sounds like shit... unfortunately because they look really really cool.imo of course

[@henrymorgan6087]

I wear high end hearing aids that sync to the videos…the difference (if any) is very slight to me…I would purchase the cut away based on visual preference..I don’t use that end of the guitar much at all.

[@Fernwald84]

I hear a noticeable difference, mostly in the reduction of bass in the cutaway. I think this is far more than what would be caused by a variation from the tonewoods used. In the classical guitar world, cutaways are not used. Rather, a construction technique called raised or elevated fingerboards is applied. This gives allows more freedom to the guitar maker in choosing the angle of the guitar's neck to its body and does help ease playing in the portion of the fretboard above where the neck attaches to to guitar's body. Why isn't this technique used more often in the steel string instrument world?

[@j.merkus]

I closed my eyes and I could hear a clear difference. The full body had a warmer sound. More depth in the low end. The cut away had a clear high end. For me the full body please. (I don't play that high up the neck)