Taylor guitars are incredibly unique and strong. They have been around for many decades and are used by some of the brightest names in jazz, pop, rock, metal, and many other genres. In fact, the Taylor line is so well tuned and has such a large selection that Taylors are known to be one of the most versatile guitars around. For example, here is just a small selection from the range of artists using Taylor guitars.
- alan jackson
- billy idol
- stream
- baby face
- Brian Adams
- sammy agar
- Garth Brooks
There’s no doubt that Taylor offers something for just about everyone, including the picky eater. And finding out where it all began may even establish a new respect between you and the Taylor company.
Taylor’s Battleship
Bob Taylor’s love for instruments became very evident at a young age. He even built his first guitar when he was just 17 years old, in his junior year in high school. It was a 12-string guitar that he called the Dreadnought and he was so pleased with it that he built two more during his senior year.
After graduating from high school in 1973, Bob used his experience building the Dreadnought to get a job at American Dream Guitars, a local guitar shop in El Cajon, San Diego. There, he invented his most prestigious contribution to Taylor guitars: the bolt-on neck. This new design in the most fragile part of the guitar, allowed a much easier neck repair when necessary and in extreme situations, replacement.
Bob builds a business
In 1974, American Dreams owner Sam Radding decided to sell the business. Bob Taylor partnered with Kurt Listug and Steven Schemmer to buy the company and even renamed it Westland Music Company, hoping to brand the business and expand.
Eventually, the Westland Music Company switched to Taylor guitars, with Listug stating that Bob was the real guitar maker and that the company should be named as such. At this point, Bob transitioned comfortably into the design and production side of the business, while Listug concentrated on turning his small shop into a heavy-duty guitar maker.
While designing guitars, Bob not only found more efficient ways to mass-produce guitars to meet public demand, but he also incorporated his fancy new neck, which he called NT (new technology), into his guitars. Now without the need for a dovetail neck piece that is glued to the body of the guitar, a bolt-on neck allowed the fingerboard to be made from one continuous piece of wood. Many artists believe that this greatly improved the solidity and tone of electric and acoustic guitars.
Along with his unique ideas and creative business practices, Taylor prides himself on remaining independent and free about his creativity and business since they began.
little known facts
- Taylor uses ultraviolet lamps to dry the lacquer finish on his guitar in hours instead of weeks.
- Taylor was the first guitar company to use CNC wood routers on their acoustic guitars.
- Taylor employs more than 450 people in El Cajon, California.
- The Baby and Big Baby guitars are made in Tecate, Mexico.
The models
Although there are dozens of specific models released per series, the top selections remain in place at Taylor Guitars, as follows:
- Acoustic/Electric (with cut-away)
- acoustic
- Electric
- Presentation Series/Scenario
- 100/200 series
- Baby Taylors, including Big Baby Taylors
The truck and the dream that distinguishes them
Taylor calls her pills the expression system and consists of Taylor’s proprietary humbucker induction pickup. The pickup is mounted on a set of transducers made specifically for the guitar and neck. The drivers were designed by Rupert Neve, a well-known engineer for high-end professional audio recording equipment.
Overall, Taylor is a well-rounded American guitar maker whose team knows exactly what artists, whether professional or hobbyist, want in their machines. Keep rocking, Taylor.