Taylor – WHY So POPULAR?
1972 – An 18 year old Bob Taylor begins working for a guitar builder under the name American Dream in El Cajon, California.
Fast Forward…
2020 – Bob Taylor sits as the head and namesake of arguably the largest and most popular acoustic guitar manufacturer on Earth – Taylor Guitars.
And while yes, 50 years is a chunk of time – it is a title Mr. Taylor has held for a while – and for MANY excellent reasons.
We won’t delve deeply into the glorious history and nuances – but let’s touch a little on why Taylor Guitars are so massively popular and a few of the innovations that have made this brand the most adopted acoustical axe for newbies, weekend fair musicians and A-List professionals alike.
Modernized Building Techniques:
Taylor and his partners were innovators. They saw that despite their respect and adoption of traditional luthier techniques – technology could offer a more consistent end product. They were early pioneers of using sophisticated equipment that is common practice in most larger facilities today: Lasers, computerized mills, and other proprietary machinery that made reproduction of an amazing instrument consistent. The world took notice – other manufacturers took notice and adapted to follow Bob Taylor’s lead.
The Neck:
A Taylor acoustic guitar neck is a signature reason that people flock to and stick with this instrument. There is comfort and merit in all neck shapes, but the Taylor neck is svelte. It is thin without being too thin. Its shape is immediately comfortable to a majority of hands. It just feels ‘right’. And the Taylor dual pocketed neck joint is a wonder of stability – the perfect combination of strength and sound. It is tone and sustain rich – and it uses no glue. What!? And with over a million and growing of this innovation in the wild – it is now a standard of perfection.
Exotic and Traditional Woods:
Taylor began using choice tone woods other than Mahogany, Rosewood and Spruce very early on. He recognized the beauty and tonal variations in woods like Hawaiian Koa, African Ebony, Ovangkol, Tasmanian Blackwood, Sapele, and so many more. You can get a Taylor ‘flavored’ just about any way you can imagine.
Check out the dizzying array and definitions on the Taylor site here!
Stewardship and Conservation:
Bob Taylor has become a very vocal proponent of conservation and being a good steward to our glorious planet. He has introduced ‘alternative’ wood choices as a way to not ‘over harvest’ traditional guitar wood choices. Taylor as a company invests heavily in forestry initiatives to produce instruments that are environmentally friendly and utilize a process of harvesting that is much more productive to the earth rather than destructive.
Closing:
There are SO MANY reasons and innovations as to why Taylor Guitars are a popularity phenom. None of it hype, none of it propaganda.
This company is a true innovator, a true industry changer – and most import to us guitarists – they make stunning, incredible instruments – from their least expensive lines to their high end, custom made models. They are popular and everywhere because they are just that damn good.
Look at some of these fine instruments below!
(Click on each image to open a new window/tab with a large view!)
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Check out our Taylor Guitar inventory now – then talk to Granville Helm here at Eddie’s to find your Taylor acoustical match…