Taylor
Taylor Guitars is an El Cajon, California-based luthier, specializing in hollow-body acoustic guitars, as well as semi-hollow and solidbody electric guitars. It was established in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug and is still operated under Bob Taylor today.
In 1973, at age 18, Bob Taylor began working at American Dream, a small guitar-making shop owned by Sam Radding, where Kurt Listug was already an employee. In 1974 Sam Radding decided to sell the business. Taylor and Listug became partners along with Steve Schemmer and bought American Dream which they renamed Westland Music Company hoping to conjure the image of a larger company in the minds of the public. Needing a more compact logo suitable for the guitars' headstock, the founders decided to change the name to Taylor as it sounded more American than Listug. Listug became the businessman of the partnership for which he was to prove well suited while Taylor concentrated on design and production.
Taylor and Listug expanded their small shop into a major guitar manufacturing company while maintaining creative control and ownership. As of 2009 Taylor Guitars has more than 550 employees. The factory is located in El Cajon, California with worldwide distribution. A second plant has been opened 40 miles away in Tecate, Mexico where the entry-level guitars of the Taylor line (the Baby, Big Baby, 100, and 200 series) are made along with the Taylor guitar cases. All other Taylor guitars are made in El Cajon, California. Taylor's corporate office is located in El Cajon, California.
Starting in January 1999, Taylor guitars are made with a patented bolt-on neck; the NT neck (new technology). It differs from other necks, whether bolt-on or glued, by supporting the fretboard all the way to the 19th fret with a continuous piece of wood. The standard practice is to support the fretboard up to the fourteenth fret with the unsupported portion being glued to the constantly moving soundboard. The NT neck fits into a pocket on the top of the guitar body with the desired angle being achieved by small, accurately milled neck spacers (shims). After time, some guitars require the neck angle to be realigned (referred to as a neck reset). This process is greatly simplified by allowing the replacement of different sized neck spacers to return the neck to the required angle. Prior to 1999, Taylor Guitars had a simpler bolt-on neck. These guitar necks allow for simple adjustment later if needed. Traditional (non-Taylor) guitars with a glued neck with a dovetail would need to be disassembled to be adjusted.
Musicians who play Taylor guitars include Travis Meeks of Days of the New, Taylor Swift, Miyavi, Augustana, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton, John Denver, Robin Williamson, Tom DeLonge, Marc Broussard, Ryan Cabrera, Jackson Browne, Hall & Oates, Robb Johannes, Mike Keneally, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Jewel, Paramore, Martin Sexton, Billy Simons, Sons of Maxwell, Larry Stewart, Doug Stone, Val Emmich, Paul Westerberg, Neil Young, Tyler Hilton and Papa Roach. Bassists Bryan Beller, actor/musician Jeff Bridges, Stanley Clarke, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Billy Sheehan, Claudio Sanchez, Sting, Matthew Bellamy, Meg Frampton, Taylor Hill and Victor Wooten also use Taylor's AB-series acoustic bass guitars that were built from 1996 to 2004.
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110 114 210e/ce 214 310 310ce 312ce 314 314ce 314cek 315ce 355 12-String 355ce 12-String 410 410ce 412 412ce 412k 414 414ce 414k 414 L10 414L 30th Anniversary 415 420 422K 450 12-String 454ce 455 12-String 455ce 12-String 455ce Ltd. 12-String 510 510 Limited 510ce 512 512ce 512 Custom Limited Ed. 512NG Nancy Griffith 514 514c 514ce 516ce 555 12-String 555ce 12-String |
610 610ce 612 612ce 614 614ce 615 655 12-String 655ce 12-String 710 710BR 710ce 710ce L30 Commemorative 712 712ce 714 714ce 755 12-String 810 810c 810ce 810 L30 812c 814(c) 814BE 815 815c 815c Brazilian Custom 815ce 855 12-String 910 910ce 912c Baby Baby Mahogany Baby Rosewood Big Baby CPSM Chris Proctor Signature CUJO-14 CST Walnut Dan Crary Signature Dave Matthews Signature DDAD Doyle Dykes Signature Anniversary DDSM Doyle Dykes Signature |
GA5 GA6 GA7 GA-K-12 GC6 GC7 K10 K10ce K14c K14ce K20 K20ce K22 K22ce K54ce K55 12-String K65 12-String LKSM6/12 Leo Kottke LTG Liberty Tree Limited Ed. NS32ce NS42ce NS44 NS52ce NS54ce NS62ce NS64ce NS74 NS74ce PS10 PS12c Grand Concert PS14BZ Special Edition PS14c Special Edition PS15 Jumbo PS Presentation Limited Solidbody Classic Solidbody Standard TEG W10 W12c W14ce WHCM Windham Hill XX-MC 20th Anniversary XX-RS 20th Anniversary XXV-RS 25th Anniversary XXX-BE XXX-KE XXX-MS XXX-RS XXXV-9 |