Koa from Top to Bottom — and It Shows
There's something about Hawaiian koa that stops you mid-strum. The wood has this luminous, almost amber warmth to it — visually and tonally — and the Taylor 224ce-K DLX puts it front and center from the moment you pull it out. This is Taylor's 200 Series with a serious upgrade: a solid koa top paired with layered koa back and sides, finished in a full-body gloss with a shaded edgeburst that lets the natural grain do the talking.
The Grand Auditorium body shape is Taylor's signature all-rounder — wide enough for strumming, focused enough for fingerpicking, and the Venetian cutaway means the upper frets aren't just reachable, they're genuinely accessible. Whether you're writing at home or working through a set at an open mic, this guitar covers a lot of ground without asking you to compromise.
This one suits players who want a guitar that's visually distinctive without being flashy, tonally balanced without being boring, and plugs in cleanly when the room calls for it.
What Koa Actually Sounds Like
Koa has a character all its own. Players often describe it as sitting somewhere between mahogany and maple — it has mahogany's warm fundamentals and focused midrange, but with a sparkle in the upper frequencies that gives notes real definition and shimmer. Taylor's own description of the 224ce-K DLX captures it well: expect a lustrous midrange, top-end sparkle, and a touch of warmth in the low end that keeps everything balanced.
The solid koa top is the primary voice of the instrument, and it will open up further with time and play. Layered koa on the back and sides keeps the visual cohesion of the all-koa aesthetic while contributing to the overall durability and consistency of the build. The result is a guitar that sounds lively and characterful now, and players often find koa instruments develop even more richness as they age.
Taylor's C-Class bracing inside supports the top's responsiveness, helping the guitar project clearly without sacrificing warmth across the frequency range.
A Neck You'll Actually Want to Play All Night
Taylor built its reputation partly on necks, and the 224ce-K DLX continues that tradition. The neo-tropical mahogany neck uses Taylor's Standard Carve profile — slim and comfortable without feeling thin, making long sessions and position shifts feel natural rather than labored. The nut width sits at 1-11/16", which strikes a comfortable balance for both chord players and single-note work.
The fretboard is genuine West African Crelicam ebony — a dense, smooth wood that responds beautifully to both light fingerpicking and firm fretting. Ebony's natural hardness means the strings feel just a bit more "alive" under your fingers, with a touch more snap to each note compared to softer fretboard materials. Scale length is a standard 25-1/2", keeping string tension familiar and predictable.
The Venetian cutaway keeps the upper register genuinely playable rather than decorative. Small diamond fretboard inlays keep the aesthetic clean and understated.
Taylor Expression System 2 — Plugged In Done Right
The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) is one of the more thoughtful acoustic pickup designs on the market. Three sensors are positioned behind the saddle rather than under it, which means the pickup captures the top's vibration more directly and naturally. The result, when you plug in, is a tone that sounds like the guitar — not an approximation of it.
Onboard controls include volume, bass, and treble, giving you enough range to dial in your sound for the room without needing to fiddle with an outboard preamp. Whether you're running into a PA or a dedicated acoustic amp, the ES2 handles the translation cleanly and with good dynamic response.
Product Features:
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Body Shape: Grand Auditorium with Venetian cutaway
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Top: Solid Hawaiian Koa with full-body gloss finish and shaded edgeburst
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Back & Sides: Layered Hawaiian Koa
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Neck: Neo-Tropical Mahogany, Standard Carve profile, satin finish
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Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony with small diamond inlays
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Scale Length: 25-1/2" | Nut Width: 1-11/16"
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Electronics: Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) with volume, bass, and treble controls
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Nut & Saddle: NuBone nut, Micarta saddle
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Binding: Black | Rosette: Single-ring faux pearl
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Bracing: C-Class with Relief Rout
Brand: Taylor Guitars
Model: 224ce-K DLX
SKU: 224CE-K DLX
Condition: New
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