Taylor Guitars

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The Taylor logo.

Taylor Guitars is an El Cajon California‐based luthier.

1 History
2 Products
3 Materials
4 Construction
5 External links

[edit] History

Taylor Guitars was established in 1974, by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug. Taylor had already been building guitars for some time, and was the superior luthier, so it felt natural to name the company after him. Taylor was the head of guitar manufacture, and Listug of the paperwork. As of 2006 Taylor Guitars has more than 450 employees. The factory is located in El Cajon, California with worldwide distribution.

R Taylor
In 2005, Bob Taylor set up a separate company entitled R Taylor which is dedicated to making a small number of high quality guitars for a limited number of select dealers within the US. The small workshop is located within the main Taylor factory at El Cajon which has enabled Bob to draw upon the extensive supply of top grade wood as well as a highly skilled workforce.

[edit] Products

Taylor produces acoustic guitars in the following body shapes:

Dreadnoughts (x10)
Grand Concert (x12)
Grand Auditorium (x14) - Also available in 12-string (x54)
Jumbo (x15) - Also available in 12-string (x55)
Grand Symphony (GS)

Taylor also produces a hollow-body electric, called the Taylor T5.

Naming Conventions
The numbers for the body style above combine with the series number to create the product number. For example, a 314 is a 300-series guitar with a Grand Auditorium body style. For the GS series, the model name begins with 'GS', followed by letters designating the wood selections.

[edit] Materials

The guitar tops are usually made of Sitka spruce or Engelmann spruce. The 514ce is one popular Taylor model in the lineup that uses Western Redcedar for the guitar top. The backs and sides of the standard guitars are made of Sapele (100– and 200–series), African/Tropical American mahogany (300– and 500–series), Ovangkol (400–series), Rosewood (700–, 800–, 900–, and Presentation series), Maple (600–series), Walnut, and Hawaiian Koa. Other hardwoods are also used for their limiteds and signature guitars.

Guitar Series	Finish	Wood (Top)	Wood (Back/Sides)	Soundhole rosette	Inlays
300-series	Gloss top only	Sitka spruce	African mahogany	Wood fiber	Large pearl dots
400-series	Gloss top only	Sitka spruce	Ovangkol	Wood fiber	Large pearl dots
500-series	Full gloss	Western red cedar	American mahogany	Hawaiian koa	Small pearl dots
600-series	Full gloss	Sitka spruce	Big leaf maple	Abalone	Pearl 'leaf' pattern
700-series	Full gloss	Western red cedar	Indian rosewood	Hawaiian koa	Small pearl dots
800-series	Full gloss	Sitka spruce	Indian rosewood	Abalone	Pearl 800 series pattern
900-series	Full gloss	Engelmann spruce	Indian rosewood	Abalone	Pearl 900 series pattern
Presentation series	Full gloss	Engelmann spruce	Brazilian rosewood	Abalone	Abalone byzantine pattern
Koa series	Full gloss	Engelmann spruce or Hawaiian Koa	Hawaiian Koa	Abalone	Abalone Koa series pattern
Walnut series	Full gloss	Engelmann spruce or Walnut	Claro/Grafted walnut	Abalone	Celtic pattern
Nylon series	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Baby series	Natural	Sitka spruce or Mahogany	Sapele laminate	Varies	Pearloid dots
100-series	Natural	Sitka spruce	Sapele laminate	Wood fiber	Pearloid dots
200-series	Natural	Sitka spruce	Sapele	Wood fiber	Pearloid dots
GS series	Full gloss	Sitka spruce or Western red cedar	Mahogany, Maple, or Rosewood	Abalone	Abalone dots

[edit] Construction

Taylor are unusual, amongst the makers of high-quality acoustic guitars, in their use of a steel bolt in the attachment of the neck to the body. Traditionally, most luthiers join the necks to the bodies of guitars using a tapered dovetail joint.