The 2011 Guitar Guide

The 2011
Guitar
Guide
New 900,
Presentation
Series
Double
Cutaway
Electrics
Doyle Deluxe
Zac Brown
Bonding with Bob
Bob’s Book of
“Guitar Lessons”
www.taylorguitars.com
2
Letters
it look great, this guitar has a sound
unlike any of my other Taylor guitars:
sweet, well-balanced, aged tone that
soothes the soul! Plus, the playability
is outstanding with the short-scale
design. It has definitely inspired some
new songs. The idea to introduce a
12-fret Grand Auditorium is an excellent one.
John Sacca
Cookeville, TN
A Shared Adventure
Thanks for the great article on
Steven Curtis Chapman and for
building a guitar in his honor. His
music has been an aid to my own
faith journey. When Bob Taylor
recalled his memories about “The
Great Adventure,” I recalled singing
in the same way with my two sons on
vacation and around the house. We
loved that song! My boys are now
grown, married and with sons of their
own, and they are passing on their
love of music and their faith to their
boys. I have a 110e and a 214 and
like to think of the grandsons playing
them someday as a part of their own
adventure of faith.
Mark Shaw
Phoning It In
I’m not positive, but I think I may
have witnessed the birth of the
Steven Curtis Chapman Signature
Model. About five years ago, I
dropped in on a Doyle Dykes workshop at Alamo Music in San Antonio.
As part of the show, Doyle was
chatting on a cell phone with Bob
[Taylor] and taking questions from the
audience. Somebody yelled, “When
are you going to do a Steven Curtis
Chapman signature model?” There
was a long pause, after which Bob
said, “Uh, I think we could talk about
it.” What took you so long?
Thanks for continuing to come out
with new and interesting models.
Tim Shelfer
Arlington, TX
Sweet, Soothing Sound
Last week I purchased a 12-fret
814ce Fall LTD from my friends
at Custom Fretted Instruments in
Sparta, Tennessee. Wow! I can’t put
the guitar down. Not only does
Fun at the Rodeo
Last night I had the great pleasure
of attending my first Taylor Road
Show, in Minneapolis. What a fun and
educational evening! [Taylor sales rep]
Mike [Ausman] and [product specialist] Marc [Seal] were entertaining and
enlightening.
I sold off all of my electric gear
long ago and was attending the show
to solidify my thoughts on my next
acoustic purchase. Last night was my
first time hearing any of your electric
offerings in person, and I can’t tell you
how impressed I was. I warned my
wife last night that there will be a T3
joining the family in the future, too.
I just wanted to, again, sing the
praises of Mike and Marc. Along with
Jim at Guitar Rodeo, you could not
have picked better people to publicly
represent your company. Last night
was the most fun I’ve had in ages!
Cory Oslin
An Enlightened Perspective
I’ve been a 12-stringer from the
beginning and often thought I spent
more time tuning than playing. When
all I could afford were low-end instruments, I accepted it as unavoidable.
Later, when I could spend a bit more,
I found some improvement, but the
sound always seemed incomplete
and a bit “off.” I came to believe that
the 12-string sounds heard on professional recordings came only through
studio enhancement and instruments
beyond my means.
How wrong I was. A year ago I
stumbled upon enlightenment. I was
killing some time in a guitar store,
and on the way out I tried a Taylor 12.
Keep in mind that just before seeing
it, I’d been playing guitars back in the
“expensive stuff” room. Even being
slightly out of tune, I couldn’t believe
its full, rich sound and exceptional
intonation. It stood out so much from
everything else I’d played that day
that I checked its price tag thinking
it had been left in the wrong place. I
didn’t have the money to buy it then,
but the hook was set, and you know
all too well how that plays out.
About a month ago my 856ce
arrived. “Played it ’til my fingers bled”
is only a slight exaggeration. The
beauty my new guitar exhibits — in
all its aspects, be they sonic, visual,
workmanship or technological —
defies description. I know it’s said
that they sound better as they age,
but I’m having trouble imagining that.
Knowing that it’s built by such nice,
accessible folks who are passionate about guitars and who conserve
the resources from which they’re
made completes the perfection of
this wonderful instrument. My sincerest thanks to you and all the folks at
Taylor Guitars who have brought so
much beauty and enjoyment to so
many of us.
Jay Blosser
Endwell, NY
Pitching a Mini Series
I’m proud to say I bought the first
GS Mini to hit the sales floor at Martin
Music in Memphis, and I couldn’t be
happier. I thought I wanted one until
I got to play the demo model, and
then I knew I wanted one. Eric Martin
got the first one for sale the next day,
and I was there to snap it up. Due to
spine problems, it’s sometimes hard
to play my full-sized acoustics, but the
GS Mini is so easy and comfortable.
Thanks for another great product. I
encourage anyone who wants to try
one to be open-minded and not to
compare the GS Mini to a full-sized
guitar, even though it sounds better
than some other full-sized brands I’ve
played. It’s a travel guitar, and at that
it’s an unbelievable value. I give it 9.5
out of 10.
I recommend that you pursue an
entire Mini series to include GC, GA
and DN, as well as the GS. Why not
throw in a Jumbo Mini as well? I’d buy
the entire collection and know a lot of
other guitarists who would, too.
Robert Hixson
Quick Fix
Recently I was performing with my
band at an outdoor event in Sarasota,
Florida. When I got offstage, a man
I did not know, who’d noticed I was
playing a T5, asked me if I was going
to attend the upcoming Taylor Road
Show. I just about flipped out — I
couldn’t believe I hadn’t known that
the event was finally coming to a local
guitar store!
I took my husband (our soundman) with me, and he can attest that I
was like a kid in a candy store! I was
so excited to meet the Taylor reps,
Aaron [Dablow] and Jason [Salzman],
that I had them autograph my copy
of Wood&Steel! Not only was it
informative and fun, but I happened
to have one of my Taylor guitars with
me in case I had the opportunity to
ask about a problem I’ve been having
with the pickup. Sam [Eakins, a Taylor
repair technician] not only knew what
the problem was, he fixed it on the
spot. He replaced the faulty pickup,
gave me new strings, and polished
it, and now my beloved 614ce looks
and sounds brand-new. I almost cried.
I had no idea that the Taylor team
also traveled with a tech. I had never
been in this store before, and now the
owner, a songwriter himself, and I may
collaborate on a future project. Thank
you, Taylor, for the incredible instruments I feel lucky enough to play and
for providing such incredible service
with such nice people!
Sheri Nadelman
Bradenton, FL
Set and Forget
When I was looking for a 12-string
acoustic/electric guitar, I had three
things in mind. First, of course,
tone. Second, and probably most
important, playability. Third, I was
determined to find one with a built-in
tuner, given the 12-string’s propensity
to fall out of tune (constantly). When
I picked up a Taylor 355ce (which I
now own), I was taken by its tone and
playability (nice action, lovely neck).
I was so taken that I forgot about
the built-in tuner. To my astonishment, aside from all of its other great
features, my 355ce never falls out of
tune. I can literally go for weeks or
months, and when I pick it up again, it
is still in tune. Thanks for making such
a high-quality instrument with the
player in mind.
Gregory Coleman
Techs Message
I recently got my 414ce-L4 back
from a trip to the factory for an
upgrade to the ES 9v system. Before
any work was done, a tech called me
and made some suggestions. What
was really great about this was that
he explained what he saw, recom-
mended repairs, and listened to my
input to create an accurate plan
based on how I use my instrument.
He didn’t try to push me into some
cosmetic repair (which I do need
because it is a “pre-loved” guitar),
allowing me to stay within my budget.
He did a revitalization package on top
of the ES upgrade. A day and a half
later I got the call; she was ready to
be shipped.
The difference was amazing. Not
an understatement, just amazing. The
sound was so full and balanced that
my wife commented that it filled out
like a 12-string. The guitar plays like a
dream, and when I plugged it into my
amp, the reproduction of the sound
was so natural, unlike an acoustic
processed through the EQ to sound
like an acoustic.
Thank you for having such good
technicians. I would recommend for
anyone needing some adjustment or
modifications to their guitar to send it
back to you. I would also tell them to
listen to the tech and tell him/her what
you are trying to do; the tech knew
what I needed and delivered big-time.
I now have the guitar I thought only
existed in my dreams.
I felt warmly welcomed into the
Taylor family even though my guitar is
used. I can’t thank you enough.
Gibson “Gib” Boyer
Nice Inlay
I was in Calgary, Alberta over the
summer and played the best-sounding
Taylor cutaway I have ever heard. The
sunburst finish really caught my eye.
The price is a bit high at $3,400, so I
do what any person who can’t afford
it would do: I visit the store every time
I come to town and play the guitar for
about 20 minutes. I loved the guitar
so much that I did what anyone without the cash would do: I proudly got
a tattoo replica of the guitar on my
forearm. I can’t say I own one yet, but
I can sure say it’s the best acoustic
guitar I have ever played in my 38
years of playing. Hats off to all your
hard-working and skilled staff. You
certainly don’t have to own one to see
the superior craftsmanship.
Brandon Thomas
We’d like to
hear from you
Send your e-mails to:
[email protected]
3
Volume 66
Winter 2011
Find us on Facebook. Add us on MySpace. Subscribe on YouTube. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/taylorguitars
Cover Feature
18 The 2011 Guitar Guide
Among this year’s refinements are the revamped
Presentation and 900 Series, a new 416ce, the
maple laminate Doyle Deluxe, and a double
cutaway SolidBody.
20 Shaping Your Sound
An acoustic guitar should complement your
playing style. We break acoustic tone into its key
ingredients: body shapes, tonewood pairings,
and player technique.
25 Acoustic Electronics
Our Expression System pickup will translate
the natural acoustic sound of a Taylor into a
natural amplified sound.
The 2011 Taylor Line
28 Acoustic-Electric Models
40 Acoustic Models
42 Build to Order
44 Standard Model Options
46 Signature Models
48 GS Mini
50 200/100 Series
51 Baby/Big Baby
52 The Electric Line
60 Customer Support
62 Taylor Abroad
64 Eco-Management
On the Cover
14 Zac Brown
The award-winning bandleader
talks about serving up great
Southern music and food, and
his friendship with Bob Taylor.
Features
6 Bob Builds a Book
Bob Taylor reflects on the experience of writing his first book, Guitar Lessons.
Plus, in a pair of exclusive excerpts, Bob recounts the role of co-founder
Kurt Listug in establishing the Taylor brand and reflects on the merits of hard
work and perseverance.
66 Sphere of Influence
Exposing yourself to a variety of musical genres can help you discover unique
ways to express yourself on guitar.
Departments
2 Letters
4 Kurt’s Corner
5 BobSpeak
5 Editor’s Note
11 Soundings
12 Ask Bob
68 TaylorWare
www.taylorguitars.com
4
Volume 66
Winter 2011
Publisher / Taylor-Listug, Inc.
Produced by the Taylor Guitars Marketing Department
Vice President of Sales & Marketing / Brian Swerdfeger
Director of Brand Marketing / Jonathan Forstot
Editor / Jim Kirlin
Senior Art Director / Cory Sheehan
Art Director / Rita Funk-Hoffman
Graphic Designer / Angie Stamos-Guerra
Photographer / Tim Whitehouse
Contributors
Jonathan Forstot / David Hosler / David Kaye / Kurt Listug / Shawn Persinger
Shane Roeschlein / Bob Taylor / Corey Witt / Glen Wolff / Chalise Zolezzi
Kurt’s Corner
We’re Up for Europe
I’m pleased to announce that on
January 1 we opened our own sales
and distribution facility for Taylor guitars in Europe! Our warehouse and
offices are located in Amsterdam,
near the Schiphol airport, and will
service all Taylor dealers and distributors throughout Europe. Our
new European sales and distribution
business is 100 percent owned by
Taylor Guitars, and is staffed by Taylor
Guitars employees. We expect to not
only increase our sales and market
share in Europe through distributing
our own guitars, but also to deliver
tal foreign distribution and logistics to
the table. It’s now time for us to take
the reins ourselves. The financial and
human resources we’ve assembled
enable us to take this huge step into
foreign sales and distribution of our
own guitars.
A lot of what we do in the States,
like the advertising and marketing that
build the Taylor brand, or giving superior customer service, is a long-term
investment that doesn’t necessarily
result in current-year sales. These create long-term results and brand value.
It’s tough for an independent distribu-
We are excited about taking on our
own European distribution. We get
to do all the things we love that
create happy customers.
much more of the Taylor brand experience and superior customer service
that we’re known for here in the States.
We’ve utilized many fine independent distributors over the years to
help us sell Taylor guitars throughout
Europe and other areas of the world.
Up to and through 2007, most of the
European distributors with whom we
worked focused on one country or a
few countries. For the past three years
we’ve worked with Fender Musical
Instruments, and they did a fine job,
bringing their experience in continen-
tor to justify undertaking these sorts
of initiatives for a brand they don’t
own and will be the custodian of for
only a limited time. But it’s precisely
these investments and these initiatives that can take the brand to a
much higher level, and that’s why we
are so excited about taking on our
own European distribution of Taylor
guitars: We get to do all the things
we love doing that create higher
sales and happy customers.
I wrote in my column last spring
how we’re unique in the way we mar-
ket and sell our guitars. I mentioned
how we’re unique in the way we
manage and relate to our staff and
how we’ve built the structure of the
company. I said the company has a
unique culture, which is inclusive and
engaging, and that all these qualities
and strengths have been created by
and are reflections of the people at
the company. I also said our future
growth will come from leveraging
our strengths and resources, namely
the people of Taylor Guitars. This is
precisely what we’re doing as we
expand our reach into Europe and
take control of our sales, marketing
and distribution.
This new business is a huge
undertaking, but our executive team
is more than up to the challenge. I’d
like to thank them for all their hard
work and dedication to this expansion project.
Wherever you are in the world,
we hope to see you this year. If you
come to San Diego, please visit us
and take our factory tour. We’ll be
bringing our Road Shows to music
shops throughout Europe and the
States. If you see us at a music festival or guitar show, please stop by
and introduce yourself. We would
love to meet you.
Here’s wishing you a happy and
prosperous year!
— Kurt Listug, CEO
Technical Advisors
Ed Granero / David Hosler / Gerry Kowalski / Andy Lund / Rob Magargal
Mike Mosley / Brian Swerdfeger / Bob Taylor / Chris Wellons / Glen Wolff
Contributing Photographers
Rita Funk-Hoffman / David Kaye / Steve Parr
Circulation
Katrina Horstman
Printing / Distribution
Courier Graphics / CEREUS - Phoenix
©2011 Taylor Guitars. 100 SERIES, 200 SERIES, 300 SERIES, 400 SERIES, 500 SERIES, 600 SERIES,
700 SERIES, 800 SERIES, 900 SERIES, Baby Taylor, Big Baby, Bridge Design, Doyle Dykes Signature
Model, Dynamic Body Sensor, Expression System, GALLERY Series, K4, Liberty Tree, Peghead Design,
Pickguard Design, PRESENTATION Series, Quality Taylor Guitars, Guitars and Cases & Design, T5, T5
(Stylized), Taylor, Taylor (Stylized), Taylor ES, Taylor Expression System, TAYLOR GUITARS Taylor Guitars K4,
Taylor K4, TAYLOR QUALITY GUITARS and Design, TAYLORWARE, and WOOD&STEEL are registered
trademarks of the company. Balanced Breakout, Dynamic String Sensor, ES Blue, ES-Go, Grand Symphony,
GS, GS Mini, GS SERIES, T5 Thinline Fiveway, Taylor Acoustic Electronics, ES-T, Thinline (T5) Fiveway, T3,
T3/B, T-Lock and V-Cable are trademarks of the company. Patents pending.
2011 Taylor Factory Tours & Vacation Dates
A free, guided tour of the Taylor Guitars factory is given every Monday
through Friday at 1 p.m. (excluding holidays). No advance reservations are necessary. Simply check-in at our reception desk in the lobby of our main building by
1 p.m. We ask that large groups (more than 10) and school-supervised groups
call in advance (619) 258-1207 and ask for the Factory Tour Manager.
While not physically demanding, the tour does include a fair amount of walking. Due to the technical nature, the tour may not be suitable for small children.
The tour lasts approximately one hour and 15 minutes and departs from the main
building at 1980 Gillespie Way in El Cajon, California.
Please take note of the weekday exceptions below. For more information, including directions to the factory, please visit taylorguitars.com/contact/factorytour.
We look forward to seeing you!
Holiday Closures
Monday, February 21
(Presidents’ Day)
Monday, May 30
(Memorial Day)
Monday-Friday, July 4-8
(Independence Day/company vacation)
5
Editor’s Note
The Art of Breaking the Rules
BobSpeak
Book Report
How often have you been exasperated and sighed, “I should write
a book!” Boy, I’ve said that, but
now I’ve actually done it. Not out of
exasperation, but rather to share the
Taylor Guitars story with people.
Publisher Matt Holt and editor
Shannon Vargo, from John Wiley
& Sons, Inc., a colossal book publisher founded in the year 1807,
approached me early last summer.
They asked if I’d be interested in writing a book about my experience with
Taylor Guitars. I asked, “Do you think
people would want to read it?” They
answered, “Yes!” I said, “Really?”
They answered, “Yep. Really.”
I said, “OK.”
That was the easy part. It seemed
that by the next day there were
deadlines. I wondered what I’d gotten myself into. I wondered why I
couldn’t just chip away at it and one
day it would be done. Then I learned
that the book business isn’t much different than my guitar business when
it comes to putting out products. In
the same way that we announce a
guitar model, or prepare it for the
NAMM show release, and then have
to deliver it to a world of waiting customers, they, too, need to announce
an upcoming release and then deliver
it. I can respect that, so I started
writing.
Matt and Shannon were nice.
They’d encourage me to make some
progress, while behind the scenes
they were probably biting their nails
as I turned in little chunks of the
book here and there. But the writing
continued on my end, and eventually
I completed the book. Then Shannon
started editing, and the book got
better. She’s probably reading this
article now, thinking of what she’d
change.
The book, titled Guitar Lessons,
is really a business book that teaches
lessons learned along the way as
Taylor Guitars evolved from a threeman guitar shop into the leading
acoustic guitar manufacturer that we
are today. I tell stories that touch on
employee relations, branding, innovation, technology and planning. I tell
the story of our beginnings and the
uphill battle to get our little company
off the ground.
When I was a kid in high school
woodshop, trying to do as little as
humanly possible in my English class,
I wouldn’t have thought I’d be writing a book someday. Back then, I’d
always choose to do an oral book
report. I learned that by being funny
during my speech, I could get an
A having done no more than barely
skimming the book the night before. I
almost got exposed as a fraud in the
11th grade when I did an oral report
on The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. My
teacher enjoyed my report so much
that she wanted to discuss the book
some more, with me up there in front
of the class. Somehow, I walked a
tightrope as she told the class about
the rest of the book that I didn’t
mention, while I just agreed and told
her how much I loved that part, too.
To keep from getting in a pickle, I’d
change her topic by interjecting a
passage I’d skimmed, and she’d
jump in and finish the story. We were
a great team! I’m going to have to
give The Jungle a serious read someday; it sounded like a great book.
But that day, I got out of class by the
skin of my teeth and ran right back to
woodshop and continued the work
on my first guitar.
They don’t offer woodshop in
school anymore because they think
it’s a waste of a kid’s time. They think
Upton Sinclair’s literary work has
more positive impact on the life of a
16-year-old boy. But back then I was
allowed to be exposed to both types
of learning, just on the off-chance
that the way to my brain was through
using my hands. I’m thankful for that.
I’ve read a lot of books since high
school. I’ve always got two or three
books going at a time, and reading
turned out to be an important part of
my life. If you ever want to skim my
book for an oral report, you’ll be able
to find it at most booksellers.
— Bob Taylor, President
One reason I look forward to the holidays each year is to carve
out extra reading time. On my book list this season was Keith
Richards’ new memoir, Life, which delivered everything I expected. It
was, of course, abundantly stocked with colorful accounts of his rock
& roll escapades, which were at times comically outrageous (at least
in hindsight). But it was also a captivating personal chronicle of a
transitional era in pop and rock music, packed with revealing insights
into the emergence of a legendary rock band.
Anytime I read about impactful artists, I enjoy learning about the
source of their early creative energy, especially their transformation
as they digest their influences and work to develop a distinctive
musical point-of-view. In the case of the Stones, Keef and Mick’s
discovery of American rhythm and blues, particularly Chicago blues,
would provide their musical bedrock. They proved to be dedicated
students, learning not only to play and write blues-rooted songs, but
to also tap the essence of the blues and filter it through their own
lives across the Atlantic.
It was fun to soak up Richards’ accounts of gradually unlocking
the guitar secrets of his American blues forebears — of figuring out
how to make a guitar part sound like a horn line, of learning to alter
straight chords for greater musical impact, and of discovering the
five-string open G tuning that became part of his trademark guitar
sound. A major revelation for Richards as he studied the bluesmen
who inspired him was that breaking the musical rules was a valid
and useful creative approach.
“There is no ‘properly,’” he riffs in reference to the playing of the
blues greats. “There’s just how you feel about it.”
Reading Richards’ stories, especially the guitar lessons he
learned early on, reminded me of some of the stories I’d read from
Bob Taylor’s new book. Though the anecdotes aren’t nearly as outrageous, Bob’s accounts of discovering his passion for making guitars,
tools and machines, along with the creative energy he poured into it,
resonate in a similar way. Both broke the rules, and it helped them
learn how to put their own musical stamp on the world.
“There are some people looking to play guitar,” Richards reflects
on his early years as a musician. “There’s other people looking for a
sound.”
Whatever you may be looking for in your musical pursuits this
year, we hope you find it.
— Jim Kirlin
Online
Read this and other back issues of Wood&Steel at
taylorguitars.com under “Resources.”
Guitar Lessons
with Bob
In his first-ever book, Bob Taylor
shares candid stories about mastering
his craft, overcoming adversity, and
building a successful company.
By Chalise Zolezzi
7
T
his time the question came
during the Summer NAMM
show in Nashville.
“Would you like to write a book?”
The inquiring party was publishing powerhouse John Wiley & Sons,
a company more than two centuries
old, with core markets that span the
business, academic and scientific
sectors. Bob had come to the attention of Wiley through some guitarloving staffers, among them Vice
President of Publishing Matthew
Holt, a Taylor player and native San
Diegan, who had been enthralled by
Bob’s story after touring the Taylor
factory.
“Bob is a local guy who hasn’t
just made good, he’s made great,”
says Holt. “With Bob you get the
innovator, craftsman, philosopher,
businessman, family man, friend,
rebel and outsider, all rolled into one
fantastic story.”
It was far from the first time Bob
had been approached about writing
a book. But in the past he’d felt that
the time wasn’t right. For a while
there was the lingering sense that
the company hadn’t yet amassed
enough history or achievements to
justify the retrospection. Besides,
Bob was a forward-thinking guy —
even the company’s commemorative
anniversary guitars embodied a look
toward the future.
He’d begun to warm to the idea
of a Taylor book as the company’s
30th anniversary approached. In
fact, he was interviewed extensively
by writer Michael John Simmons for
the first book to officially chronicle
the Taylor story, Taylor Guitars: 30
Years of a New American Classic,
published in 2004. But a book written by Bob would be a different
kind of book. And for him, now was
a good time. The Taylor guitar line
had matured and expanded in exciting new directions in recent years.
Production levels were at an all-time
high. The company had become
widely recognized for its industryleading innovation and excellence.
The brand had gone global, with a
new European distribution and service facility in development. Taylor
guitars were constantly being spotted in the hands of some of music’s
biggest names.
When Bob met with Holt and
other Wiley editorial staff to explore
the project further, the people and
the partnership felt like a good
match, which encouraged him to
continue. He and the group decided
on a narrative format that would
incorporate his personal stories into
a business-themed context about
parlaying one’s passions into a
successful career. The title, Guitar
Lessons, came early and proved to
be a natural fit.
Bob immersed himself in the
writing process through the late
summer and fall of 2010. A natural
storyteller, his memoir-style reflections vividly capture both a sense of
the excitement he felt as a budding
luthier who was beginning to harness his talents and the way they
collided with the adversity of the
real world. From his childhood to his
humble beginnings at The American
Dream guitar shop to the company’s
early struggles to stay afloat, Guitar
Lessons highlights the series of
epiphanies that enabled Bob and
Taylor co-founder Kurt Listug to
weather the tough times and grow
their small shop into the company
and brand it is today.
While the book technically may
reside in the business section of
stores, Bob’s engaging perspective promises to connect at many
levels. Taylor enthusiasts will eagerly
drink up Bob’s colorful anecdotes
and behind-the-scenes revelations,
but readers from all walks of life
will also be able to identify with the
universal lessons that nurtured his
and the company’s growth. At its
core, Guitar Lessons revives the
fundamental concepts of hard work
and perseverance, and how they can
lead to success and personal fulfillment. All in Bob’s unique voice.
As of Wood&Steel’s press time,
Guitar Lessons was scheduled for
release in January 2011 and will be
distributed through leading retailers such as Barnes & Noble and
Borders, as well popular e-tailers
including Amazon.com. The book
has already received critical acclaim
from both industry insiders and
leading business figures, including
Bernd Waller, Chief Marketing Office
for Adidas, and well-known Taylor
players Zac Brown, Tommy Shaw
and Doyle Dykes.
As he was completing the book,
Bob took time to talk about the
emerging themes and the writing
process. A pair of book excerpts
follow.
What inspired you to write this
book?
The opportunity was presented to
me, and the time just seemed right.
Sometimes, I think, if you do these
things too early it’s a waste of time.
In our case, it seems as if everything
is right for people to want to read
the book.
with six pistons, but it takes all eight
pistons to fire for the car to really
run great.
How would you describe Guitar
Lessons to someone who has
little knowledge of Taylor?
It’s a book of business lessons
learned through experience and told
in story form. It’s the story of starting
a business as a teenager based on
a craft I fell in love with, and really,
how it turned into a major business
by bringing great people in with me
and persevering through the years.
In the book, you cite a unique
value proposition that Taylor
Guitars has learned as a company: that you must make products
and get them out there even if
the market isn’t ready to buy.
How has embracing this risk created opportunity for you?
To me, there’s no opportunity without risk. One opportunity is the ability to do a better job just by merging
with everyone else, but really, how
are you going to do a better job?
It requires risk: to give up profit
potential, spend money, take longer,
be more dedicated, and turn things
around more quickly. In the realm of
products, the designer has a place
in the ecosystem, and it’s to design.
Then you have to let consumers
take that and do what they will with
it. If you design really good things,
consumers will find ways to use
them. Maybe not right off the bat,
but eventually they come around. To
me, the risk always seems very low.
How much do you really risk? Other
than the early years, I can’t remember “risking it all,” but back then I
Is there content in the book that
will surprise existing Taylor owners?
I think people familiar with the company will see it as a more in-depth
and candid story than what they are
going to read in a blog, article or
company profile. In a book format,
there’s enough room to delve into
details. There are lots of Taylor guitar
owners. If we’ve sold a million guitars and 750,000 of those have only
recently joined our customer base in
the last six or seven years, this will
give them a better insight into our
story and where we came from.
had nothing to lose. Now Taylor risks
diluting our resources, brand, attention on a new product — but that’s
still a low risk. Any smart business
person isn’t going to roll the dice on
their entire company to put something out. I think that the more you
put new things out, the more people
are used to you putting new things
out, and the less risky it becomes.
What advice can you give to
readers who want to pursue
their passion but fear having a
lack of financial stability?
Start young — don’t put it off. You
don’t need financial stability when
you are young. Don’t waste your life
waiting to do it; it only gets harder. If
it’s too late for that approach, you’ve
got to work two jobs. You’ve got to
figure out how to make things happen while you don’t give up your
financial stability. Stay out of debt
and let your life get very meager.
The fruits of that could be wonderful
if you can triumph and turn it into a
business. As I say in the book, it’s
either “pay now and play later” or
“play now and pay later.” But sooner
or later you are going to pay.
Which part of the book was the
most challenging to write and
why?
The early years were really easy to
write — it’s like a very narrow street.
When the company was small, it
was easy to reflect from my perspective. What was challenging
was to write from my perspective
as a group story because, as Taylor
Guitars grew, I didn’t take the liberty
to tell what other people were thinking or feeling. I just had to skip to
the part I know, and that was a little
challenging.
What lessons do you want readers to leave with?
The main lessons are that it takes
perseverance and the ability to
knock down obstacles as you go.
There’s no singular thing that acts
as a turning point in a business and
gets you to finally “make it.” There
may be 25 things that you need to
solve for your business to be successful. Maybe you have to get to
where eight or nine are solved just
to stay in business, and then you go
from there. But you must continue
to own something, whether it means
learning how to do production, marketing your products, or taking care
of employees. You can run a car
Above: Bob inspecting some of his early guitars
continued next page
www.taylorguitars.com
8
Guitar Lessons Excerpt
Chapter 15: “Building Our Brand”
Bob recounts business partner Kurt Listug’s innovative
vision in establishing the Taylor brand, which changed the
course of the company.
Mine was a Black and Cream
Heritage Softail. Kurt’s was a Black
Springer. They were both 1990
Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We
took several trips together on them
over the next couple years, getting
away from the business to have a
little fun and adventure.
During one trip we took through
Northern California, a rain cloud
followed us wherever we rode. The
only time it stopped raining was
when it would turn to sleet, hail,
or snow. Winter arrived early in
the Sierra Nevada Mountains that
September. But we toughed it out
because we had Harleys and we
weren’t about to be fair-weather
riders.
One year we rode from San
Diego to the Canadian border and
back, over a two-week period.
On my motorcycle, I could smell
a guy smoking a cigar in a car a
mile ahead, and we could feel the
air drop from warm to cool simply
because a field was being irrigated beside us. Along the Olympic
Peninsula, a black bear ran across
the highway in front of me while I
looked down on the Pacific Ocean
crashing against the rocky cliffs.
They sell good rain gear at
the Harley-Davidson dealership in
Seattle; gear you don’t find in San
Diego. I spent some money there
and hoped for rain.
Being on the road together felt
good; us two partners out on our
Harleys. We’d worked hard for 15
years, and this trip was the first real
reward we gave ourselves now that
we were beginning to have some
small successes in the business.
Kurt loved the Harley ads that he
saw in magazines. One in particular was a photograph of the night
sky with a line that said something
about some people seeing only the
Big Dipper in the sky, while others
see a ’59 Panhead. The Harley ad
was selling the feeling you get when
you ride. And the people who “got
it” didn’t feel like explaining it to the
people who didn’t. But there were
plenty of people who got it.
Our Harleys were two-wheeled
friend-makers. They were crossgenerational and cross-cultural. I’d
buy gas and a 60-year-old woman
pumping gas beside me would
tell me about the trip she and her
husband took on a Harley when
they were in their twenties. I’d drive
down the road where I lived and
a low rider full of Chicanos would
lean out the window and whoop it
up at me, “Hey Vato…Cool Harley,
man.” They’d want to talk to me at
the stoplight. A pickup full of El
Cajon cowboys would roll down the
window and holler, “Ride American!”
and give me a thumbs-up. There
was a feeling associated with this
that spanned cultures and ages.
Harley had tapped into it and Kurt
had noticed.
He wanted to build a brand that
elicited a similar feeling from its
customers. He wanted people who
played our guitars to tell stories
about their guitars, to make friends
with their guitars, to feel like they
were part of something by owning a
Taylor guitar. He wanted that brand
strength to help fuel demand for our
guitars so we could grow and affect
more people in a positive way.
He started by searching out a
local ad agency and was pleased to
hear them reference the Harley ad
that he loved so much as an example of advertising they thought could
work for us. He wanted to take a
chance and go for it, to change the
way we were perceived in the market. He thought he’d start by hiring
this agency and creating advertising
that would distinguish us from all the
other companies.
Guitar advertisements at the
time were usually photos of rock
stars holding guitars, or a photo of
a guitar and a list of everything the
company does to make theirs better than everyone else’s. It was a
“noisy” time in the advertising world
in the sense that when you opened
a guitar magazine you felt like you
were being lambasted with everyone’s claims. The thing was, they
were all making the same claims. So
how could we differentiate ourselves
in that environment and not waste
our effort and dollars?
With the help of the agency we
hired, who really seemed to understand our mission, our first ad hit the
magazines. It was a beautiful pastoral scene, with grass and a clear
blue sky. In the middle of the photo
stood a lone tree. It was a two-page
spread ad and couldn’t possibly be
overlooked or confused with anything else in the magazine.
The byline read, “In its simplest
form a guitar is just a hollow box
made of wood. It’s up to you to
decide how to fill it.” There was a
Taylor guitar peghead with the logo
peeking up into the corner of the
page.
People stopped when they saw
that ad. It was one of several in the
“Trees” campaign. Each ad was a
9
different photo of trees, with a different thought written. There were no
guitars in these ads and no famous
rock stars. One ad that I loved had
a photo of a deep forest. It read, “In
one pair of hands, a piece of fine
wood can become a living room coffee table. In another pair of hands,
that piece of wood can become the
sweetest-sounding guitar. This is for
everyone who has no desire to play
the coffee table.” This same ad’s
subhead read, “Some trees become
pencils. Some trees become paper
that becomes guitar magazines.
Some trees become shoe trees.
Some trees become Taylor guitars.
Some trees have all the luck.”
Another ad read, “Out of all
the trees in the forest, only a few
get picked to play beautiful music.
Come to think of it, it kinda works
the same way with people.”
We were doing $3 million in
annual gross sales in 1992 when
we decided to hire the ad agency.
Compared to where we came from,
that was an honorable figure for us,
but compared to the expense of the
campaign that we committed to produce and run, we were investing a
huge portion of our revenue into the
ads. We were still awfully small to
be playing such a big game.
Kurt, being financially skilled,
began to work on how we’d pay
for the ads, and he decided that
the best place to come up with the
money was to earn the money.
We made a couple dozen different models of guitars at the time.
Generally, more expensive models
are more profitable, but also harder
to sell. That doesn’t mean that a
less expensive guitar doesn’t have
a good profit margin, but it’s more
than just the percentage of profit
in a guitar that makes the finances
the same amount of guitars? That
money would flow to the bottom line
as profit and he could pay for the
ads.
So he worked out a production mix that favored our high-end
guitars: those that yielded greater
profit for the company. It was skillfully planned so that we were likely
to make and sell that mix. It wasn’t
People would see us at trade shows
or guitar festivals and say, “I just
LOVE your ads!” They made the
customer the star rather than the
guitar or the artist.
work. It’s also the gross sales. If we
could raise the income by making
a higher percentage of expensive
guitars, we’d have more money to
work with. What if we could raise
our annual sales by $250,000, for
example, just by skillfully blending
the right models into the mix of
just a list of our most expensive
guitars. He cast the vision to the
agency, and asked for help getting
there. If he could make the right mix
of guitars, and they could help in our
branding so that we could sell them,
we could earn the profit to cover the
investment we had made in the ads,
which in turn would pay dividends
back to the company by helping our
sales. It was symbiotic. Each task
needed to work for the other to happen. It was a risk, but he took it. He
felt we could make the guitars that
would pay for the ads that would
help build a brand and market to sell
more guitars.
And it worked. Soon a second
ad campaign came out that was
titled “Discovery.” The campaign
was based on a few poignant letters we’d received from buyers who
had discovered our guitars over the
years. It was their stories, skillfully
compressed into a short line or two
that communicated to readers what
these people experienced when
they began playing our guitars. They
were simple stories about a person
coming across and playing a Taylor
for the first time and their decision
to buy. Later came the “Play Ball”
campaign — a concept centered
around finding time to play guitar.
One ad showed a guy playing ball
with his son. Once the son was satisfied and the game was over, dad
could go play his guitar, guilt-free.
In another, a wife bought two
tickets to a game so her husband
could take his buddy and she could
stay home and play her guitar. There
were five different ads for each
campaign. It was expensive, but Kurt
knew deep inside that establishing
a strong brand was the only way to
build our future.
They were all full-spread ads,
with clean designs and powerful
copy. They grabbed your attention
and you wanted to read them. After
a period of time, our brand began
to grow. People would see us at
trade shows or guitar festivals and
say, “I just LOVE your ads! You guys
are so much cooler than the other
companies.” People could relate to
them. They made the customer the
star rather than the guitar or the
artist. We didn’t ask them to make
their buying decision based on what
famous player was holding a Taylor
guitar. They could see themselves
in the ads. They got a chuckle, or a
laugh, or a quiet thought, and maybe
a tear.
The very first ads were nominated for Kelly Awards, which are
the equivalent of the Oscars for
print advertising. It’s an honor to
be nominated and a huge achievement to win. The ad agency wins
the award, not the client, but nevertheless, it was Taylor Guitars
advertisements that were nominated
and Kurt’s vision in those ads. The
first year, we made it into the top 25
finalists, which is in itself a big deal.
Our ads were competing with the
largest companies in the world, like
Nike, Harley-Davidson, Porsche, and
others that dwarf our company. The
campaign had succeeded in raising the bar for our whole industry.
Professionals in the normal business
world began to take notice of a little
tiny guitar company from San Diego.
Excerpted with permission of the
publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
www.wiley.com, from GUITAR
LESSONS: A Life’s Journey Turning
Passion into Business by Bob Taylor
(c) 2011 by Bob Taylor
www.taylorguitars.com
10
Guitar Lessons Excerpt
Chapter 7: “Sweat Equity”
Bob reflects on the struggles of the early years and the sense
of empowerment that comes from working for oneself.
“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor,
and rich is better.” That makes me
laugh whenever I hear it. The struggling years are not something anyone
wants to do, but for most people to
become successful or to learn to be
an expert, there is struggle involved.
That’s the part of your story when you
work for nothing, when you put out
more than you take in, and when you
wonder why you’re doing it in the first
place.
The Taylor Guitars story progresses along a path through many
seasons, as does any successful
company. Companies are conceived,
born, nurtured and grown. Some companies live for generations and some
don’t, but nearly all have a meager
beginning. Ours certainly did, and our
beginning seemed to last for years.
It’s difficult for me to espouse expert
business advice based on our early
years since they piled up with very
little progress.
Nobody knew who we were, and
we were only one step away from
going out of business every day. We
weren’t brilliant kids, but we were
smart enough, and we didn’t quit. We
got smarter as time went on and as
we gained experience. There were
years of wrestling with the same
things day in and day out. We’d make
progress on many fronts, but it wasn’t
until progress was made on all fronts
that the bottom line began to change.
All fronts include things like time.
Recently, we introduced solidbody
electric guitars into the market. Talking
to a dealer we asked, “In your opinion,
what does this guitar need in order to
be a successful player in the market?”
He pondered for a moment and simply answered, “Time.”
There wasn’t anything we could do
about the time factor back then, and
we didn’t accept that anyway as being
something that needed to happen.
We were wrong, of course, but it’s a
moot point because we had to stay in
business in order for the time to pass
that would allow people to know who
we were. So we worked — what else
could we do?
The way I look at it is kind of like
we were going to school. I knew people who were 19 when they started
college, and spent four years only
to go to graduate school for another
couple years or more. Then they got
a job at a company and had to learn
the business before they were worth
much to the employer. They might
have worked at their first job for five
years and then started over somewhere else, but all the while becoming
a little more able to contribute. Ten or
12 years might pass before they’d feel
they were finally getting somewhere.
Why should it be different for us?
Formal education and work experience are part of a normal approach
to becoming a useful addition to the
workforce; mine was just different. I
was working for myself, which I have
observed to be the greatest source of
working energy I’ve ever witnessed.
our business as something made of
genius, but more a story of a goal and
the work it took to get there. It was
fueled by passion and commitment. It
wasn’t the kind of commitment where
we said we were just trying this out
to see how it would go, but rather the
type of commitment that wasn’t discussed, because we’d already decided, and it was normal in our minds to
continue. We had decided we were
going to build a guitar company, and
that’s what we woke up and did each
day.
It’s not very sexy at this point, but
to me it’s the best part of the story
because it’s something that nearly
everyone can do. Everyone can work
hard. There’s something innately
respectable, no matter who you are,
about persevering. It doesn’t matter
what group of people you happen to
be with. If you say you’ve been mar-
We weren’t brilliant kids, but we were
smart enough, and we didn’t quit.
I’ve seen people leave their job at the
day’s end who are totally beat after
eight hours. I’ve seen those same
people start their own business and
work 15-hour days on the energy
of owning something themselves.
I’m watching my daughters, Natalie
and Minet, along with their partner
Michael, do it now. I am pretty sure
that much of my early story was fueled
by energy that came from working
for myself, along with my unfettered
passion for making guitars, tools,
and machines. It also didn’t hurt that
our customers, those whom we did
find every once in a while, loved their
guitars. Letters of praise would arrive
in the mail, and I have to tell you, that
alone can keep a guy going emotionally.
We started early in life and worked
hard. I’ve heard it said, “Pay now and
play later, or play now and pay later,
but sooner or later you’re going to
pay.” I paid early and I’m glad I did.
I don’t count what we did early in
ried 35 years, you get approval. If you
say you’ve had one job for 25 years,
you get admiration. You don’t get the
same admiration, even if you strike
gold, if there’s not the sweat equity
behind it. People roll their eyes at
other people who’ve had things given
to them, unless those people take that
gift and work hard to multiply it. If you
work, people admire the effort. I didn’t
do it for the admiration, I’m just pointing out that working through the hard
part of any pursuit is not something
anyone of us want to do, because it’s
hard, discouraging, and takes a long
time with no immediate reward, but
it’s something that everyone respects
and admires.
Excerpted with permission of the
publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
www.wiley.com, from GUITAR
LESSONS: A Life’s Journey Turning
Passion into Business by Bob Taylor
(c) 2011 by Bob Taylor
Above: Bob Taylor in the first shop
circa 1974. Below: Kurt Listug at
a sidebending machine
11
Soundings
A Swift Escape
Late last year, we teamed up with
Taylor Swift to celebrate the release
of Speak Now, her third album, which
went on to sell over a million copies in its first week and has since
gone multi-platinum. As part of the
launch, Swift and 30 sweepstakes
winners were flown to Los Angeles,
where, at a private hangar, the Taylor
Guitars “Welcome to California” red
carpet was waiting for the group.
Each winner was given a Taylor Swift
Baby Taylor guitar, which Swift autographed, and then had the chance
to walk the red carpet. Swift was followed by a production team that was
taping an hour-long special to air on
NBC on Thanksgiving, and if you
caught the show, you may have spotted a few familiar Taylor faces in the
crowd — including Bob Taylor’s.
Shortly thereafter, we launched
the “Speak Now” sweepstakes and
celebrity auction with Swift, Sony
and Country Music Television (CMT).
The promotion offered one winner
a flyaway to meet Taylor Swift on
tour. At the concert, the winner will
receive a prize pack from Sony and
Taylor Guitars, and have the chance
to photograph Swift from the press
pit using their new Sony digital camera.
The same prize package was
also offered through an auction in
conjunction with CharityBuzz.com, a
leader in online auctions for non-profits, to benefit VH1’s Save The Music
Foundation, which works to keep
music education alive in schools
across the nation. As of press time,
the closing auction bid was nearing
$30,000.
Storied Past
In October, Switchfoot frontman
and solo artist Jon Foreman and
Bob Taylor presented a one-nightonly acoustic performance and storytelling event to a rapt audience at
East 91st Street Christian Church in
Indianapolis, Indiana. Under the billing “Stories & Songs,” Foreman and
Taylor shared details of their personal
life journeys, reflected on their unique
friendship, and reminisced about how
one great-sounding acoustic guitar
brought them together. As part of the
night’s festivities, Foreman performed
an acoustic set featuring songs from
the Switchfoot catalog and his solo
material. The two also answered
questions from the audience.
’80s Revival
Rocker Lita Ford had never
tried a Taylor before, but when she
sampled one while hanging out with
Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell
(GSRS, T5, 816ce, SolidBody
Classic), she knew she had to have
one. Late last year, Ford took time
to visit the Taylor factory, meet our
Artist Relations team, and try a few
new models, and she’s now strumming a GS8. Ford was the lead
guitarist of the pioneering all-female
band, The Runaways, before launching a successful pop-metal solo
career in the 1980s, scoring topten hits with “Kiss Me Deadly” and
“Close My Eyes Forever,” a duet with
Ozzy Osbourne. The GS8 should
get some good use on the new
album she has in the works.
Myspace.com/litaford
Christmas Surprise
Contemporary Christian singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist
Josh Wilson (314Kce) is readying the debut of his third album,
See You. Inspired by the tension
between his faith and his physical
sight, Wilson probes his spiritual
curiosity with imaginative, self-examining lyrics. The new project is a
follow-up to his critically acclaimed
release Life is Not a Snapshot,
which spurred the hit single, “Before
the Morning” and was awarded the
fourth spot on Billboard’s Year-End
Top 100 Christian Albums chart. The
all-acoustic “It is Well” off the new
album was lovingly recorded with his
314Kce, a guitar he calls “my favorite Christmas gift.”
“About nine years ago I found
this one in the store, but I didn’t
have enough money to buy it, so I
would go in every day and play it,”
he says. “After about two weeks, I
walked in the store and it was gone.
Needless to say, I was pretty disap-
Clockwise from top:
Taylor Director of Brand
Marketing Jonathan
Forstot, Bob Taylor,
Taylor Swift, Public
Relations Manager
Chalise Zolezzi and
Artist Relations rep
Tim Godwin; Josh
Wilson; Billy Morrison
pointed. A couple months later, I
woke up Christmas morning and the
guitar was sitting in my living room.
My dad had found out I wanted the
guitar.”
Wilson recently wrapped the
first leg of the “Story of Your Life
Tour” supporting Grammy-nominated
singer-songwriter and fellow Taylor
player, Matthew West, and will
reunite with West in the spring continuation of that tour. www.joshwilsonmusic.com.
Taylorspotting
Guitarist Billy Morrison has
been backing up Billy Idol on tour
in Southern California, and says
he’s been enjoying his T5. “When I
was looking for a slim-line electroacoustic, Taylor was nice enough
to send me a T5, and it’s absolutely
beautiful,” he says. “Right now I have
only used it on the Billy Idol tour,
but I know it will perform just as well
once we get into the studio. It’s easy
to play, sounds great, and it’s versa-
tile enough with the controls to cope
with whatever room we are in. It’s
been a joy to play.”… Guitarist Brian
Ray, a longtime sideman with Sir
Paul McCartney, strummed his 655
during a Wings medley that included
“Band on the Run” on Saturday
Night Live in December… Big Bad
Voodoo Daddy lead guitarist and
bandleader Scotty Morris has been
slinging his T3/B on stage.
www.taylorguitars.com
12
Ask Bob
Wide-grained spruce, sleepy guitars,
sapwood and temper tuning
When I purchased my 2002 815ce,
I thought I had finally arrived — it
was the dream guitar I always
wanted. Now I’m ready for another. What are your thoughts on the
aesthetic and tonal properties
that distinguish narrow- and widegrained spruce and cedar tops?
John Yi
Maywood, IL
John, it’s a great question. The more
I build guitars, the more I like widergrained spruce. That’s because it’s
nearly as stiff, but much lighter in
weight. I like the sound. Visually, I
like lots of types of grain patterns on
tops. I’m always attracted to wider,
earthier tops, which is not the normal
reaction. Most people like narrow
grain, but those preferences change,
and people like you and I discuss
it. Bottom line, I dig the wide stuff.
It’s hard to find wide cedar, actually,
because the trees that make it to
the guitar makers always seem to be
large, straight and narrow-grained.
We’ll have to suffer through those
beautiful straight, narrow-grained
cedar tops for a while.
We all know (well, most of us) that
a new guitar needs to be played
for a while for the wood to learn
how to play. If you stop playing,
does the wood forget? My trusty
1978 Taylor was always known
for great sound. I left it in the
case for a long time while I was
fixated on my new T5. Recently
I’ve been playing the 1978 again,
and it doesn’t seem to have the
magic sound it always had. Is that
my ears? The guitar? Am I just so
used to the T5 that my ears are
jaded? How much playing would
you think the guitar needs to stay
in good-sounding shape?
Ivan Mann
Ivan, guitars remain a mystery when
it comes to this subject. You remember what you remember, maybe not
what was. I wouldn’t call your ears
jaded, but it’s true that if you walk
away from something for a while,
you might have a different reaction
when you come back. That said, it
is undeniable that guitars get better with age and with playing, and
that they both contribute. I’ve heard
guitars get better from just sitting
for 20 years. I know players who
have guitars they record with and
keep locked up otherwise. These
people get the guitar out for a month
of heavy playing before recording.
Does the guitar wake up? Probably.
Does one’s ear adjust to the guitar?
Probably. It’s a little of each of these
factors. How’s that for an answer?
I’m practicing to become a politician.
Have you given any thought to
making an all-laminate guitar? I
have a bunch of acoustic guitars
with solid-wood bodies and solid
tops, but I find they spend most
of their lives in their cases due
to concerns about damage from
humidity changes. I’d love to have
a Taylor that I can keep out on a
stand and not worry about cracking. I think it would help me be
more spontaneous musically, and
because of that, my “better” guitars would actually get more use.
A Taylor 214 with a laminated top
would be my dream guitar.
Tommy Collins
Yes, Tommy, I think about it all the
time. The challenge is in making a
laminated top that is as good as
solid wood. The problem is that
there is tension on the top. The
center lamination in a plywood top is
cross-grain and weak in the direction
of the string pull. Guitar tops should
be flexible in one direction and stiff
in the other. Plywood is the same
in both directions. I’ve hand-made
plywood tops that solve this by orienting grain, but they have too much
glue, which is a sound sucker, and
it’s very expensive to make. A guitar
like you’re talking about is a dream
of mine, but not yet realized.
I am the grateful owner of a 2008
cocobolo GA limited. It is simply
stunning to look at, with tone to
match! On the back it has what
I’ve been told is sapwood. What
exactly is sapwood, and how does
it add to the tonal qualities of the
guitar?
Bob L.
Bob, it sounds like you’re cuckoo
for cocobolo! Lots of people are.
First, sapwood doesn’t add to the
tonal qualities of the guitar. It would
sound the same without the sap.
Sapwood is the living part of the
wood in the tree, where the sap,
the lifeblood of the tree, is running
up and down the tree. Inside the
sapwood is the heartwood, which is
the colored part of the tree. All sapwood is light-colored, almost white.
Even if the tree’s heartwood is light,
like in spruce, the sapwood is lighter
than the heartwood. If you looked at
a cross-section of a cocobolo log,
you’d see the red heartwood surrounded by white sapwood. Same
with ebony, rosewood, walnut, etc.
The reason you see more of it nowadays is because trees are smaller
than years past. People used to cut
the sapwood away because they
could eat the heart and throw away
the rind, so to speak. Not any more
— the big trees are not available.
Let’s hope we don’t have to eat the
rind (sapwood) of our watermelons
someday, but for guitars it’s kinda
cool.
I’ve noticed that the string spacing
on the 214 model is narrower
than on the 314, 414, etc. I like
the spacing on my 1997 414
and wouldn’t mind having a less
expensive backup such as a 214,
but the spacing is too narrow. Why
is there a difference? Will there
always be a difference?
Steven Hom
Gaithersburg, MD
Steven, the difference is born out
of a bit of tradition and habit, even
if it’s only Taylor tradition. When we
started building guitars, the standard
neck width of most acoustic steelstring guitars was 1 11/16” at the
nut, and we conformed to that standard. As time passed, we introduced
the wider 1 3/4” width as an option.
More advanced players liked it, and
I recently purchased a gently used 2005 814ceL10. What a beautiful, great-sounding guitar. The
cocobolo/spruce combination with maple binding
is incredible. Why is cocobolo only used on limited
edition guitars? Is it a fairly rare wood, or does it
not have the frequency range of rosewood?
Steve
Mission Viejo, CA
Steve, you got it right. It’s hard to get. We typically
only get about 500 to 1000 sets in a year. These
days it’s even less available as we comply with the
Lacey Act, which guards against any illegal cutting
of any species. This narrows down the suppliers, as
we require them to verify their process. Currently
we have very little cocobolo as we help suppliers
improve their process to a point where they are fully
in compliance with laws and the spirit of responsible
forestry.
13
over time it became our standard
width. As we made newer models
such as the Baby, Big Baby, 100
and 200 Series guitars, we made the
more traditional width because most
players buying them were beginners
and liked the narrower neck. It may
change someday, but I think that with
the narrower neck on those models
we’re hitting the preference of most
of those buyers. We don’t offer two
widths because, currently, the business model of those models prevents
us from offering too many choices.
It’s a toss-up, and whichever width
we chose to build I’m sure some percentage of people would ask for the
other width.
I am an elementary school principal in Northern Indiana (think
Amish buggies and Notre Dame
football). My school has a guitar
program for third grade students
in which students play one of
our 32 Baby Taylor guitars during their regular music instruction time. My issue is with keeping proper humidity in a larger
room. Currently the humidity level
is below 40 percent, and I project
it to get worse as the air gets drier
in the middle of winter. The Baby
Taylors are kept in two wooden
closets with doors, and I have a
humidistat in one of the closets
to monitor the humidity levels. I
have tried using wet sponges in
a Tupperware container with holes
in the lids to let moisture out (in
the closed closets), and I have
a humidifier in the classroom. The
humidifier runs as much as possible. During the day the door to
the music room is open quite a bit,
as classes transition in and out,
but it is closed during rehearsal
time and all evening, with the
humidifier running all night. With
all of this in place, I still am not
able to get the humidity up to a
range of 45-60 percent. I check
the humidity level every morning. The typical humidity range is
37-38 percent. Do you have any
other suggestions for attaining the
property humidity level in a larger
room?
Jeremy Miller
Middlebury Elementary
Middlebury, IN
Jeremy, I love you for trying! I wish
everyone was so willing to take care
of their instruments. Your guitars
might be OK at the 38 percent level.
One way you can tell is if the frets
on the neck are not starting to protrude. If you feel sharp fret ends, that
means the ebony is shrinking out
from under the fret. If you don’t feel
this, then your Babys are happy.
Unfortunately, the amount of
water necessary to humidify a large
room like that is daunting. It could
take 20-30 gallons per day to do the
job, and only a system humidifier, one
that has a water supply, would work.
But let’s say you close up at the end
of the day and a couple humidifiers
run in the closed room all night and
get the levels up in the quiet/dark
part of the day. During those times,
and over the weekend, a couple of
portable humidifiers like you’d buy at
Sears, which hold a few gallons of
water, would do a lot. We have the
same problem when we’re at a trade
show. We like to be in a separate
room rather than on the show floor,
and during the night, we put out
humidifiers and give all the guitars
a drink. By doing that, they stay in
good shape during the dry daytime
when everything is open. You could
do the same, but before you go
through the work, feel the edge of
the fretboards. If the frets aren’t poking out, don’t bother; just do what
you’re currently doing.
Why is the Indian rosewood that
you use on your fine guitars so
straight-grained? Is it because
the wood is quartersawn? Would
a flatsawn piece have more figure,
and if so, why don’t you use flatsawn rosewood?
Jim Hayslip
Jacksonville, FL
Yes, Jim, it’s quartersawn, which is
the traditional way of cutting wood
for its highest stability. We think
Indian rosewood looks its very best
when quartersawn. Other woods
look good both quartered and flat.
I think the answer is that we’re just
sticking with tradition on this one
because we think the tradition is better. We do the same with mahogany
and koa. We break that rule with
some maple, and other very hard
tropical rosewoods like cocobolo.
Inconsistent, I know, but it’s a value
judgment we make from looking at a
lot of species.
When I fell in love with a GS5e, my
wife bought it for me for our 20th
wedding anniversary. I absolutely
love the GS5, but I’m also hooked
on the sound of nylon strings and
really like the look of koa. Could
I expect to see a nylon-string koa
for sale in the near future?
Martin McGonagle
Chandler, AZ
Maybe, Martin. If so, it would be an
LTD, as we have no plans to make
it a standard model. You could also
order it through BTO. You can get
pretty much anything that is legal
through our BTO program.
Is there a structural or tonal
benefit to using mahogany as the
neck material for the 700 through
900 Series? Visually it seems
a little out of place against a
beautiful rosewood back. Would
rosewood make a good neck?
Joe Livingston
Cypress, TX
of those is the “right” one, so should
a guitar builder or player understand
that the pursuit of one perfect temperament is a futile pursuit. Bending
frets, etc., will make the guitar great
for one player and not good for
another. Taylor guitars, which are
known for good intonation, have a
temperament that we’ve forged and
tweaked for years to end up on one
that most players can use without
much trouble. You should understand
also that how you tune your guitar
provides infinite versions of temperaments. When players tune their guitar on a tuner and then proceed to
detune a string or two, what they are
doing is altering their own temperament for their preference and playing
style. So, bottom line, yes, we are
intimately involved in this pursuit and
have learned when to stop and call
it a day.
I’ve been noticing a new trend
among builders attempting to
achieve perfect intonation across
the neck of the guitar, e.g., the
Buzz Feiten Tuning System, and
more recently, frets that twist or
bend according to the string gauge
and the fret position on the neck.
What is your experience with intonation design challenges, and are
you exploring any of these recent
ideas for Taylor?
Jim Moser
I currently have a Big Baby with
an aftermarket Fishman Matrix
Infinity pickup. I truly enjoyed this
guitar until it had an accident. I
was thinking of replacing it with
the same setup until I came
across the new GS Mini. My only
concern is that trying the Big
Baby with numerous aftermarket pickups was disappointing.
I wasn’t really concerned about
the sound quality but mostly the
range of volume when compared
to a guitar with an under-saddle
pickup. Even when the volume
was cranked, it still would not
match the loudness, and even
more, it came with a buzz. This is
why I chose the Fishman Matrix
Infinity pickup in the end.
I understand that the GS
Mini and the ES-Go pickup are
designed for each other, but
before I make a purchase, I’d like
to know if I might still find some
of the issues I mentioned above
(when compared to an under-saddle pickup). Would it be worth it to
keep my original Fishman pickup
and have it installed?
Joel Collard
Jim, this is a topic that lots of people
ask about. I believe I’ve addressed
it as often as any topic on guitars
because people are very curious
about it. Guitars are temper-tuned.
There are lots of temperaments. Just
like a piano tuner knows that he
could tune a piano with one of 50
different temperaments, and no one
Joel, seriously, the ES-Go pickup is
awesome. It’s loud, it sounds good,
it’s balanced between strings, it’s
simple to install, and it’s affordable.
The V-Cable gives you volume control. This whole GS Mini package
is one of our proudest moments.
I would not recommend another
pickup.
Joe, if I made a neck from rosewood,
most people wouldn’t be able to
pick it up. You’re from Texas, and
I’m sure you’d have no problem, but
we Californians are a little weak.
But seriously, mahogany is the
perfect wood for necks because of
its weight, strength, stability, tonal
properties, and yes, the look. Most of
us find its look against rosewood to
be lovely.
I have two questions about the
GS Mini. Is it structurally able
to be tuned in A, similar to a
Tacoma Papoose, using light
gauge strings? Also, could it be
adjusted to be Nashville highstrung, using the top strings of a
12-string set?
Jim Doyle
Yes, Jim, you can high-string it. But
you can’t tune it to A because the
strings are way too long for that. You
can put a capo on it. A Papoose is
tuned to A because it’s short. Putting
a capo on your Mini does the same
thing.
Why does the 2010 314ce only
have one body sensor?
Jerker Lindblad
Jerker, we just got tired of putting
in two. All that work! OK, not really.
What happened is we did our third
“ground-up” redesign of the ES.
This included a new preamp that
improved the sound significantly. For
one, we upgraded to discrete circuitry, which in itself sounds better than
op-amp design. Then we put two
notch filters into the design, which
got rid of some frequencies that we
didn’t like. Then we stumbled across
an unusual position for the hum-canceling coil on the fretboard pickup
that improved the tone dramatically.
Eventually, in our testing, we discovered that with all these changes, two
sensors sounded bad, whereas one
sensor sounded fantastic. It’s always
nice when less is more, and that’s
the case here. The redesign just sort
of made the second sensor obsolete.
Got a
question for
Bob Taylor?
Shoot him an e-mail:
[email protected].
If you have a specific
repair or service
concern, please call
our Customer Service
department at
(800) 943-6782,
and we’ll take
care of you.
Southern
Hospitality
Award-winning bandleader Zac Brown
talks about food, guitars, super-serving
fans, and his friendship with Bob Taylor
By Jim Kirlin
Photos: Bryan Allen
15
Z
ac Brown wants to feed and
entertain you. Good food and
good music have always
harmonized well in Brown’s life, and
he understands that both have a way
of connecting strongly with people.
So, in a way it’s only natural that the
burly, bearded, hat-clad namesake
of one of the hottest bands around
would find a way to blend two of his
passions together.
“I’ve always been around great
food,” says Brown, who grew up as
the 11th of 12 kids in the town of
Dahlonega, Georgia, set in the mountains of northern Georgia. “Pretty
much everyone in my family cooks,
and as the baby, I was always in the
kitchen with them.”
Brown is reminiscing, appropriately enough, two days before
Thanksgiving, so a discussion
touching on family gatherings and
food feels timely. He says everyone
congregates at his sister’s house
each year, and that everyone brings
something. His contribution this year
will be four whole prime rib-eyes that
he plans to smoke all night and then
bring to temperature in the oven on
Thanksgiving day.
“It’s pretty serious,” he says, and
you can tell he means it.
Brown used to co-own and run a
lakeside music club and restaurant,
Zac’s Place, in his native Georgia.
The establishment served up tasty
Southern fare, and Brown would perform regularly, both solo and with the
band. As he and the band ramped
things up, touring the country and
bringing their grassroots following to
a widespread simmer, Brown knew
that he wanted feeding people to be
part of the experience.
“Food is a powerful thing,” he
says. “When you feed people really
well, they remember it.”
These days, many bigtime bands
offer a VIP “meet-and-greet” experience at shows, where fans who purchase a premium ticket package get
a brief meeting and photo op with
the band before or after the show.
Brown’s version is the pre-show
“eat-and-greet,” where fans can enjoy
a gourmet Southern meal with the
band, prepared on site by Brown’s
friend, Chef Rusty, who tours with
the band and cooks out of a customized semi-trailer.
“We’ve been feeding about
150-200 people a show,” Brown
says. “The band visits with them,
and instead of just snapping a picture and running people out of the
tent, it’s our way of showing some
hospitality and getting to visit with
everybody. For us, being on a real
level with our fans and sitting down
and sharing a meal with them is a
big deal.”
Big enough, in fact, that Brown
plans to expand the scope of their
food concession for his tour this year.
He’s been overseeing the customization of a 53-foot semi-trailer that has
a fully loaded commercial kitchen, an
awning that can cover 200 people,
and even a platform that could
accommodate a performance by the
band.
“We’re planning to feed about a
thousand people per show for about
30 of our own shows,” he says. And
when the band isn’t on the road, he
envisions being able to provide the
food concessions for other bands.
You don’t have to talk long with
Brown to realize that he’s a guy
with big ideas, and a guy with the
drive and ability to turn them into
something real. For him, music is but
one pursuit of many, and he seems
equally enthused talking about how
he plans to parlay his other interests
into some kind of bigger enterprise.
Besides the food concession, he,
Chef Rusty and bandmate Coy
Bowles have already published a
book of recipes and stories that they
sell on the Zac Brown Band website.
And his merchandizing ideas extend
well beyond t-shirts and other typical fan gear. He has a machine shop
that he’s been setting up to make
knives, and he has a leather shop.
He also recently purchased land near
his home in the Fayetteville, Georgia
area, where he plans to establish
a camp for autistic children. It’s
something he’s wanted to do ever
since he worked at a summer camp
for developmentally challenged kids
when he was in his teens.
On this day, Brown is talking from
a recording studio in Atlanta, where
he’s putting the finishing touches
on several records he’s producing
by artists on his Southern Ground
record label, another of his enterprises, which he launched in 2009.
His taste for rootsy, authentically
soulful music can be heard through
the Atlanta-based artists on his roster — Sonia Leigh, Nic Cowan, Levi
Lowrey, and the Wood Brothers.
Leigh, Cowan and Lowrey all recorded here, with the Zac Brown Band as
the session players. Brown is noticeably proud of the artists and the projects, and when we meet in person a
couple of weeks later, he’ll play a few
freshly completed tracks from Sonia
Leigh. The earthy, visceral, throwback
vibe of each tune sticks like a good
Southern meal.
Brown is technically enjoying
a pocket of downtime during the
band’s three-month break after a year
of heavy touring, although downtime
for him is split between his various
projects and his family. He’s trying
to stay close to home, as his wife
Shelley is very pregnant with their
fourth child (their oldest daughter
Justice is 4, so they have a tight cluster of young girls). He could probably
use some rest himself, given his touring schedule and the meteoric rise
the band has experienced over the
past two years.
The Zac Brown Band more or
less established permanent residency on the music charts with their first
major label release, The Foundation,
which ranked as one of Billboard’s
top 20 albums of 2009 and was
“Darius Rucker won ‘Best New
Artist’ at the CMAs last year, and
I was a Hootie & the Blowfish fan
when I was in high school, so I
don’t think my situation was quite as
bizarre as his was,” he says. “Being
new in the country music scene,
I guess, was the recognition. We
appreciate being recognized, but the
most important thing was that we got
to play on national television. That’s
what means the most to us, getting
to meet some of our musical heroes
and getting to play.”
And they sure can play. The
band boasts a top-notch ensemble:
Jimmy De Martini (violin, vocals), John
Driskell Hopkins (bass, vocals), Coy
Bowles (guitar, organ), Chris Fryar
(drums), and multi-instrumentalist
Clay Cook (guitar, organ, mandolin,
pedal steel, vocals). Cook, the most
recent addition, is well-known on the
Georgia music scene and formerly
“The longevity of your band depends
a lot on the loyalty of your fan base.
I just try to set the bar really high
for what we give people. To play a
four-hour show, to give them really
good food, to give them a great
environment.”
recently certified double platinum.
The record would produce five No.1
hits, including “Toes,” “Chicken Fried,”
and “Free.” Besides radio airplay,
they’ve been building a loyal following through heavy touring (around
200 shows a year) and incredible live
shows that routinely stretch to four
hours. Brown has definitely managed
to give fans the kind of good-time
musical escape that would make
Jimmy Buffett proud.
The band’s efforts earned them
a Grammy in 2010 for “Best New
Artist,” and they’re nominated for
four Grammys this year. They also
received an Academy of Country
Music Award for “Top Vocal Group,”
and five Country Music Association
Award nominations in 2010, including “Entertainer of the Year.” The
group took home the award for “Best
New Artist” and performed their hit
tune “As She’s Walking Away,” from
their latest record, You Get What
You Give, with Alan Jackson at the
awards show. I ask Brown if the
“new” tag seems ironic for a guy
who’s been playing music professionally for 13 years.
played with the Marshall Tucker Band
and in the Lo-Fi Masters, a duo with
John Mayer before Mayer launched
his solo career.
“He’s the icing on the cake for
the band,” Brown says. “We needed
somebody who could play a lot of
auxiliary instruments as well as sing
high harmony. The vocal arrangements are a lot of fun for me to do,
and having the band members that
can pull all of that off and more is
great.”
While the country music genre
has been the easiest tag to hang on
their music, the band has assimilated
different musical styles — bluegrass,
folk, pop, Southern rock, reggae and
jam band, to name a few — into a versatile, vocal-harmony-rich Southern
sound with big-tent appeal. Their
versatility and independent spirit give
them creative freedom, Brown says,
because their guiding compass is
simply that the music be good.
“When we’re writing, each song
is born totally of itself and turns into
exactly what it wants to turn into,” he
says. “We don’t put any boundaries
on it and decide we’re going to try to
write a reggae song or a folk song.
We let songs come into their own
and be what they want to be.”
Each song, Brown says, follows
its own schedule for ripening into
form.
“Some songs are entirely written
in like a month, some in a day, and
some take five, six years,” he elaborates. “I’ll know — I have an internal
radar that goes off when I know the
song is done. Then we bring that to
the band and work out the arrangements and everything around it. Then
we start playing it out live. Usually
by the time we’ve recorded a song,
we’ve been playing it out live for six
or eight months, so we already know
it without having to think about the
changes, and we can really put emotions into the song. You can’t do that
when your brain is in the way.”
The band’s well diversified
musical scope has a lot to do with
Brown’s development as a player.
He started studying classical guitar
when he was 7, then moved on to
bluegrass and folk.
“My oldest brother was 21 years
older than me, and I was exposed
to everyone else’s music, which I’m
thankful for,” he says. “My brother
Wynn played banjo and guitar, and
got me into bluegrass when I was
little.”
Eventually he fell under the spell
of acoustic guitar-oriented singersongwriters. He rattles off his early
influences, based on the records
that played in the house: James
Taylor, Jim Croce, Dan Fogelberg,
the Eagles, the Allman Brothers,
America, Bread, Crosby, Stills, Nash
& Young, Cat Stevens. In addition to
learning classical guitar technique,
he says James Taylor impacted his
approach to fingerpicking through
his ability to evoke so much melody,
including walking bass lines, from
one guitar.
“I learned a lot by deconstructing
his guitar parts,” he says.
At age 14, Brown opened for
Shawn Mullins, and after seeing
Mullins perform, he knew what he
wanted to do for a living. It was
around that time that he picked up
his first Taylor, an 810. When he was
18, he bought an 814ce and started
playing with a drummer as Far from
Einstyne.
“I made a living on that 814 for
about six years,” he says. “I played it
in Panama City [Florida]. We played
six hours a night, six nights a week,
continued next page
www.taylorguitars.com
16
and I played outside. I sweated and
I beat a hole in the guitar, then I sent
it back to you guys when I was on
the road, and you sent me a brand
new case. You replaced every single
thing on the guitar but the wood. You
could tell that I had just played the
crap out of that guitar. I still have it.
It’s hanging over the kitchen table in
my house right now.”
When the guitar first went down
for the count, Brown switched to
a used nylon-string guitar that he
bought on-the-spot from a guy who
had just finished playing it on stage.
“That sent me back home to
playing on nylon strings, which I had
originally learned on,” he says. “So I
played it for about a year or so, and
then you guys started making the
nylon Taylor. That’s when I moved
over and found one.”
Brown’s NS74ce soon became
his main performance guitar. Besides
liking its tonality and the way it fits in
sonically with the other instruments
in his band, he found that he wasn’t
breaking strings like he sometimes
did on his steel-string guitars. On the
nylon, he liked to tune down a halfstep to E-flat, which allowed him and
the band to sing more comfortably,
an important consideration when
you’re playing four hours a night. The
one problem was the slightly floppier
string tension.
With the help of Bob Taylor and
some serendipitous timing, the problem would soon be resolved. The two
met last year when the band was in
San Diego for a show.
“The first time I met Bob,” Brown
recalls, “I explained to him what my
problem was, and he was like, ‘OK,
no problem.’ So that’s when he sent
me a prototype guitar that I play now,
which is actually a 27-inch scale.”
It turned out that Taylor had
recently released its Baritone guitars,
so the tooling was already in place
to make a longer-scale neck for the
nylon. The neck on Brown’s custom
nylon is actually joined at the 13th
fret to keep it from being too long,
and the bridge was moved back
accordingly. As a result, Brown can
play in E-flat and have normal string
tension.
“That is my go-to guitar,” he says.
“That guitar does not die. And it’s a
lot easier on my voice.”
Bob later sent Brown a longscale, deep-body Dreadnought steelstring.
“That thing is awesome,” he says.
“The more I play it in and the more it
opens up…it’s gonna be a monster.”
At a time when it seems increasingly challenging for artists to grow
their fan bases and establish a viable
long-term career, Brown understands
the importance of connecting with
his fans, and as he puts it, “superserving” them.
“The fans are the most important
thing to us,” he says. “They are our
customers. They don’t care who your
record label is. The fans are the ones
who will be there, even if all the companies that work for you go away.
The longevity of your band depends
a lot on the loyalty of your fan base,
and I just try to set the bar really high
for what we give people. To play a
four-hour show, to give them really
good food, to give them a great environment. We’ve got a state-of-the-art
sound system out with us now that is
the only one of its kind in the United
States. Martin Audio out of London
sent it out with us, including some
of the best engineers in the world to
dial in this system. A lot of the companies that are in the business are
showing us love and helping us to
present the most powerful fan experi-
ence that we can put together, and
that’s the way that I know we can
have a career long into the future.”
For Brown, delivering quality
music, food and other products and
experiences are all part of the outreach of Southern Ground, which he
sees not just as a label but a culture
and a brand.
Brown’s plans for 2011 include
the release of several records from
the Southern Ground label, plus a
heavy schedule of touring, including
dates with Kenny Chesney and some
stadium shows.
“At the end of the night we’ll have
a super band on stage — both bands
that play the night are playing one
big show, united together. That’ll be
rehearsed. It should be a lot of fun.
We’ll try to keep the shows interesting and change them up regularly, so
every time we’re in a city, people get
to see a different show.”
17
Bonding
with Bob
It’s no wonder that Zac Brown
and Bob Taylor have become fast
friends. The two seem to have found
a kindred connection based on a
shared sensibility toward life. Both
have doggedly pursued their passions, become really good at what
they do, and nurtured their respective talents into a success that has
touched a lot of people. The fact that
Bob was able to help Zac solve an
ongoing guitar problem after their
first meeting surely didn’t hurt, either.
Brown’s first meeting with Bob in
San Diego in 2010 led to a follow-up
visit to the Taylor factory soon afterward. Being interested in machines
and tools, Brown found the operation
fascinating, and as the two talked,
they found that they had other common interests besides guitars and
music, from cooking and building
things to off-roading adventures and
philanthropic pursuits.
The two stayed in touch, and
when Zac was making arrangements
with the USO organization for the
band’s second tour through the
Middle East, he invited Bob to join
them. Bob eagerly accepted, and
he later chronicled his experiences
in a series of blog posts that were
excerpted in our summer 2010 issue.
“Having Bob there was very
cool,” Brown says. “We had a lot of
time to talk and really get to know
each other. He’s an expedition kind
of dude; he just saddles up and
goes with the flow. It meant a lot to
the people over there. I think it was
the same thing for him as well. We
sure enjoyed having him out there.
There were a lot of late nights sitting
around laughing and having a good
time.”
It’s clear that Brown has an enormous amount of respect for what
Bob has accomplished with Taylor,
and as Brown has been building
infrastructure into his own expanding
operation and dealing with the growing pains of managing rapid growth
and people, Bob has been able to
offer advice and a sense of perspective.
“We share a lot of the same goals
and a lot of the same loves — of
people, of wanting to provide jobs
for people, and wanting to build
something that’s perpetual, that’s big,
that’s long-lasting,” Brown reflects.
“I’ve enjoyed Bob’s friendship very
much. I’ve enjoyed confiding in him
and asking advice. From a very high
level, we’ve gotten to be friends,
and he’s also able to be a mentor
in some areas that not that many
people get to experience.”
Bob is no less effusive in his
admiration of Brown.
“Zac’s my brother from another
mother,” he quips. “Sometimes in life
you meet someone that you have
instant rapport with, like there’s no
favor too big or too small that you
wouldn’t be happy to grant. Although
we have common interests, what
I like most about Zac is his deep
desire to build equity in business and
relationships. He loves to employ
people and see them achieve their
potential. He loves to put things
where they’re not supposed to be
and make it work; make it become
a new method or new standard. He
thinks out of the box. He’s an inventor, but he’s not just an idea man,
he’s an implementer. He inspires me.
This will be a lifelong friendship, I can
tell you that.”
The two had an opportunity to
spend some time on each other’s
home turf in early December. Brown
flew out to San Diego to work on a
sport utility truck that Bob helped
him find and outfit for off-roading,
and then they each took their trucks
out for a camping and desert-riding
adventure.
Bob later flew to Georgia and
spent some time with Brown at his
home, where he saw his machine
shop and knife-forging setup. Brown
picked Bob’s brain about the ins and
outs of computer mills, and Brown
plans to purchase one soon.
“I’m honored to have a relationship with Bob and Taylor Guitars,
Brown says. “It’s such an amazing
American company. It’s amazing to
watch the trajectory and see the
consistent quality. And then the
research that Bob did for me to solve
a problem with my guitar, that was
an amazing help because I make my
living every night with my instrument.
Many thanks to Bob and to Taylor
and the guys who work hard building
the guitars.”
Bob and Zac during their
USO tour in Iraq
19
The 2011 Taylor
A revamped Presentation and 900 Series, a new GS,
double cutaway electrics and new colors refresh the 2011 line
With each year’s guitar line
we inscribe a fresh chapter in the
story of Taylor’s ongoing love affair
with guitars. Like any great relationship, ours is built on a strong
foundation — a driving passion for
crafting inspiring instruments —
and evolves each year as our
design team explores new frontiers in acoustic and electric tone.
On the pages that follow we
unfold a scenic road map for this
year’s Taylor line. Whether you’re
a longtime member of the Taylor
family or newcomer, we hope you
come away with a fresh appreciation for the wealth of Taylor guitar
“personalities” that are available
to you.
What’s New for 2011
While our standard guitar line
remains largely intact this year,
we’re pleased to unveil several
new additions. For starters, we
responded to customer requests
for a more affordable GS model
by adding an ovangkol/spruce
416ce to the line. We also gave
the 900 Series a makeover, returning to our elegant appointment
package from several years ago,
which features our popular “Cindy”
fretboard inlay, rosewood binding, and red purfling. Within our
Signature Series, the Doyle Dykes
Signature Model welcomes an
attractively priced new sibling, the
Doyle Deluxe, which features a
maple laminate back and sides, a
black finish, and a new headstock
treatment. And our Presentation
Series returns from a brief hiatus
to showcase a beautiful redesign.
Distinctive new features include
vibrant cocobolo for the back,
sides and backstrap, an ebony
armrest and binding, green heart
abalone purfling, and beautiful new
fretboard and peghead inlays.
Meanwhile, our electric line
breaks new ground with double
cutaway models for the SolidBody
Classic and Standard. We’ve also
added new color options for the
Standard, and we’ve removed the
Custom from the dedicated line,
although it will likely re-emerge
throughout the year in special limited edition offerings.
Finding Your Fit
Finding a guitar that “fits” you
as a player is ultimately a choice
that’s all yours. While there are no
set rules to follow, we’re happy to
share some guidelines that can
put you on a path to some pleasant discoveries. Our Guitar Guide
begins with a walk through the
acoustic “tone equation” that we
talk about at our in-store Road
Show events. It’s the idea that the
combination of a guitar’s body
shape and tonewoods creates a
distinctive type of acoustic voice,
and that the way your playing style
matches up with that voice will
determine your guitar tone. We’ll
break down our five acoustic body
shapes into their fundamental
sounds and then survey the ways
that different tonewoods flavor a
guitar’s sound. We’ll also touch
upon ways to match playing styles
with compatible guitar choices. By
understanding what kind of player
you are and what kind of sound
you’re after, you’ll be able to hone
in on the Taylor models that help
you sound your best.
We also offer tips for getting
great amplified tone using the
Taylor Expression System® and our
other ES-inspired acoustic pickups. From there, we’ll run through
each acoustic series, noting the
woods and aesthetic details that
distinguish each. Then it’s on to
the electric line, where we’ll break
down our pickups and other ordering options that allow you to customize a SolidBody. Along the way
we’ll also showcase the beautiful
custom features of our Build to
Order program, and highlight the
standard model options available
with our acoustics. And we’ll share
the philosophies that shape our
eco-management and customer
service efforts.
As always, our Guitar Guide
is meant to enhance your Taylor
experience. Wherever you are on
your musical journey, we think
there’s a Taylor that will make an
inspiring travel partner. For complete specifications on all Taylor
models, visit taylorguitars.com.
{ S H A P E S + W O O D S + P L AY E R = T O N E }
Shapes
Matching up with the right Taylor
body style will give you a solid
foundation for great tone
An acoustic guitar’s body design literally shapes the sound that
comes out of it. Each of Taylor’s five acoustic shapes was developed to have a distinctive tonal personality, yet all share fundamental
character traits — notably clarity and tonal balance — that define the
Taylor sound.
When considering different body styles, think about the role you
want the guitar to play. Are you looking for a one-size-fits-all model
to handle a range of playing styles, or do you have a specific
application in mind? And don’t overlook physical comfort. How
do different body shapes feel against your body and in your
hands? If you can, try playing different Taylor body styles
that feature the same tonewood combination. This will
help you discern the tonal distinctions of each shape.
Once you find the right shape for your needs, you can
have fun indulging the deeper tonal nuances that different woods bring to a guitar.
And remember, whichever body style you prefer,
you can always rely on the signature playability and
intonation of a Taylor neck.
Grand Concert (GC)
Body Length: 19 1/2”
Body Width: 15”
Body Depth: 4 3/8”
The small-body Grand Concert debuted in 1984 to meet the needs
of a new wave of adventurous acoustic fingerstyle players. In contrast to the
traditionally darker, boomier voices of bigger body styles like dreadnoughts
and jumbos, the GC’s compact size and tapered waist kept the overtones in
check. It was also more comfortable to play while sitting down, and the guitar’s
slightly wider neck gave players more room for complex fingerings. The GC’s
smaller sonic footprint also fit cleanly in a mix with other instruments when
tracking in the studio and with a band on stage, making it a useful tool for
professional session and side players.
Our current generation of GC models continues to accommodate
fingerstylists with finger-friendly traits like a shorter 24 7/8-inch scale length,
which makes fretting easier and adds a slightly slinkier feel on the strings due
to the lighter string tension. If you feel more comfortable with a small body or
favor controlled overtones, a Grand Concert is a great option.
Grand Auditorium (GA)
Body Length: 20”
Body Width: 16”
Body Depth: 4 5/8”
Top down: 816ce, 814ce, 812ce
Our most popular and versatile body shape, the mid-size Grand Auditorium
arrived in 1994 bearing refined proportions that fell between a Dreadnought
and Grand Concert. While the bigger Dreadnought was traditionally
considered a flatpicker’s guitar and the smaller GC catered to fingerstylists,
the GA was designed to deliver on both fronts. The shape produced an
original acoustic voice that was big enough to handle medium-strength
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
21
picking and strumming, yet with impressive balance across the tonal spectrum,
especially in the midrange, producing clear, well-defined notes that suited both
strumming and fingerstyle playing. The GA’s overall presence tracks well with
other instruments both in a studio mix and on stage, and singer-songwriters
have embraced its utility both for composing and traveling with one guitar.
Many people want a single guitar that can cover a variety of styles, which is
why the GA continues to be our bestselling shape. If you want a great allpurpose guitar, the multi-dimensional GA won’t let you down.
Grand Symphony (GS)
Body Length: 20”
Body Width: 16 1/4”
Body Depth: 4 5/8”
The Grand Symphony shape joined the line in 2006 and delivered Taylor’s
boldest, richest acoustic voice. Think of a Grand Auditorium with a turbo boost,
thanks to expanded physical dimensions, including a slightly wider waist and
a bigger lower bout. Strummers and pickers with a driving attack will love the
fullness, volume and sustain, yet for such a robust voice, the GS is also clear
and responsive to fast picking runs or a light fingerstyle touch, so if you’re a
dynamic player, this shape is a true contender. And the big voice doesn’t come
at the expense of balance. The piano-like bass, meaty midrange, and thick,
shimmering highs blend seamlessly. If you like a lush, potent guitar tone that
has the horsepower to compete with other acoustic cannons out there, the GS
shape is a worthy choice.
Dreadnought (DN)
Body Length: 20”
Body Width: 16”
Body Depth: 4 5/8”
What began as a traditional, boxy guitar shape that Bob Taylor inherited
has evolved over time to honor the dreadnought’s enduring sonic heritage
yet also refine the look and sound into a more modern package. The Taylor
Dreadnought still boasts that powerful dreadnought tone that old school
pickers expect, with deep lows and crisp highs, but with a voice that, like every
Taylor, is more evenly balanced across the entire tonal spectrum. Perhaps
more than any other shape, the Dreadnought remains linked with roots
music like bluegrass and folk, in part because of its traditional role in defining
those sounds. Pickers and strummers with an aggressive attack will love our
Dreadnought’s blend of power and articulation, which allows for clear lead
lines and crisp, driving rhythms. Even new models have a rich resonance that
sounds like an older guitar.
Jumbo (JM)
Body Length: 21”
Body Width: 17”
Body Depth: 4 5/8”
Another inherited body style that evolved in Bob Taylor’s hands, the Jumbo
is Taylor’s biggest shape, and conjures a big, full sound without being bottomheavy. While the Jumbo’s voluptuous curves present a lot of soundboard
realestate, the contoured waist helps tighten the midrange, controlling the
overtones. This comes in handy with our 12-strings, with which the Jumbo
shape is most closely associated. The full bass tones counterbalance the
doubled treble strings, producing a rich, lush tone with lots of signature Taylor
clarity and balance. Coupled with Taylor’s thin-profile necks, low action, and
accurate intonation, you won’t have to work hard or retune a lot to get a great
12-string sound.
Top down: 810ce, 815ce
{ S H A P E S + W O O D S + P L AY E R = T O N E }
Woods
not quite as deep as rosewood
or ovangkol. Fast and responsive,
cocobolo’s note distinction gives it an
articulate voice that responds well to a
variety of playing styles, depending on
the body shape.
Tuning in to tonewoods will help you
gauge a guitar’s sonic nuances
The tonewoods selected to craft a
Taylor guitar marry acoustic properties
with visual appeal. Each type of wood
is defined by unique physical traits,
such as density and stiffness, which in
turn impact the way a guitar resonates.
Guitar enthusiasts love to dissect the
tonal frequencies that contribute to a
guitar’s sonic identity, often comparing
the relative levels of bass, midrange
and treble, and noting other acoustic
properties like projection, sustain,
overtones and headroom. Some terms
used to describe tone seem to draw
from our other senses, like “bright,”
“dark,” “crisp,” “sparkling,” “sweet,” and
even “meaty.”
Woods work in concert with a
guitar’s body shape to “flavor” the
shape’s fundamental sound. The next
time you’re in a music store, try playing
several guitars that have the same
body style but different woods. It might
help you tune in to some of those
flavors, and to discover how each
responds to your playing style.
The tonewood descriptions
that follow are meant as a general
reference to help you differentiate
each acoustic series in the Taylor
line. Keep in mind that there are many
other subjective factors. Even with
Taylor’s consistency of sound, each
set of wood ultimately is physically and
tonally unique. Remember also that we
each hear tone in a slightly different
way, and that a guitar will respond
differently to what each player is doing.
But that’s the beauty of woods and
guitars. There are always new and
exciting discoveries to be made, and
the answer is always in your hands.
Tropical Mahogany
Models: 500 Series, Acoustic 5
Series, LKSM models
A popular guitar tonewood, mahogany
claims its sonic identity largely in the
midrange frequencies. Its “meaty”
midrange character is the result of
harmonic overtones that build up to
create a wonderful acoustic “bloom”
that’s often described as “breathy.”
Paired with a cedar top on a 514ce,
one of our most popular models, the
tone conveys plenty of warmth and
character, which many fingerstyle players and light to medium strummers
will enjoy.
Indian Rosewood
Models: 700, 800, 900 Series,
Acoustic 7, 8 Series, DMSM,
JMSM, SCCSM, NS72ce, NS74ce;
Laminate: 200 Series, NS24e,
NS24ce
Rosewood’s rich heritage as a preferred tonewood is due in part to its
highly musical, full-spectrum tonal
range. Boasting a deep low end and
capable of a throaty growl, rosewood
is also balanced by bright, crisp treble
notes, with fewer midrange overtones
than mahogany. It sounds great with
players who have a heavier attack,
especially if you use a pick. If you like
a full low end and sizzling highs, you’ll
probably enjoy a rosewood guitar.
Big Leaf Maple
Models: 600 Series, Acoustic 6
Series, NS62ce, NS64ce, DDSM
Maple’s tone is very focused and
dominant on the fundamental. Its
sound is often perceived as clean and
“bright” because of its relative lack
of overtones and its treble sparkle.
The quicker note decay gives the
notes a sense of definition that allow
the sound to cut through a live band
setting well, making maple guitars
a favorite of stage and studio players. Flamed or “fiddleback” maple is
quartersawn, which makes it slightly
punchier than quilted maple, which is
flatsawn and often yields a bit more
sweetness and warmth.
Hawaiian Koa
Models: Koa Series,
Acoustic Koa Series
Think of the midrange of mahogany
blended with the top end of maple. As
a fairly dense tropical hardwood, koa’s
tone tends to be relatively bright on a
newer guitar, but the more it’s played,
the more the midrange expands to
create a sweeter, more resonant voice.
Koa’s initial brightness can be softened by fingerstylists who play with
the pads of their fingers.
Sapele
Models: 300 Series, Acoustic
3 Series, NS32ce, NS34ce;
Laminate: 100 Series, Baby Taylor,
TSBT, GS Mini
This highly sustainable African tonewood yields a consistent, balanced
voice across the tonal spectrum,
making it great for a full range of
playing styles. It’s a viable alternative to mahogany, with slightly fewer
midrange overtones and a little more
treble zest.
Ovangkol
Models: 400 Series,
Acoustic 4 Series
An African relative of rosewood,
ovangkol shares many of rosewood’s
tonal properties, including a broad
spectrum of tonal frequencies, plus
a slightly fuller midrange and a bright
treble response that approaches that
of maple. While it lacks the name
recognition of other more traditional
tonewoods, its tonal versatility gives
it broad appeal that expands even
further this year with the addition of an
ovangkol GS to our 400 Series.
Walnut
Models: Build to Order
Like koa, walnut’s density and stiffness
yield bright treble notes, but with a
more present midrange that splits the
difference between rosewood and
mahogany. Walnut typically produces
a slightly deeper low end than koa,
yielding a woodier character, at least
initially. The bass tones will grow richer
with time and extended playing.
Macassar (“Striped”)
Ebony
Models: Build to Order
This dense hardwood is typically
clear and loud with considerable
dynamic range. It has a strong bass
and lower mids, clear highs, and
a slightly scooped midrange like
rosewood. Macassar likes to be played
aggressively and, like koa, often takes
a little while for the tone to “open up”
and become richer. It can sound bright
or dark, depending on the technique of
the player.
Cocobolo
Models: Presentation Series,
Build to Order
Mexican cocobolo is a dense, stiff
tropical hardwood that produces a
fairly bright overall tone emphasized
by sparkling treble notes. Sonically,
it’s comparable to koa but resonates a
little deeper on the low end, although
Laminates
Models: 100, 200 Series, Baby
Taylor, Big Baby, GS Mini, NS24ce,
NS24e, TSBT, Doyle Deluxe
Offering guitars that feature a laminate
back and sides allows us to produce
these models more cost-effectively
and pass the savings onto the
customer. Our veneered construction
features three layers of wood that are
glued together, which makes for a
strong and resilient guitar body that
tends to travel well and in general
hold up better to extremes of relative
humidity. A laminate won’t produce
quite the complexity of tone that a
solid wood guitar will, but all of our
laminate models feature a solid wood
soundboard to generate quality
acoustic tone.
Soundboards
A guitar’s top, or soundboard, is a vital
part of a guitar’s tonal equation. The
top resonates together with the strings
to generate a complex range of tones.
Spruce is the king of guitar tops
because it’s relatively light yet strong,
with a high degree of elasticity that
helps translate the player’s picking or
strumming into clear acoustic tone.
We use several different types of
spruce, although Sitka is the most
available.
Sitka Spruce
Models: Most acoustic/electric
and acoustic models
Sitka generates a broad dynamic
range and accommodates numerous
playing styles.
Western Red Cedar
Models: 514ce, 516ce, 714ce,
716ce, Acoustic 7, NS72ce,
NS74ce
Less dense than spruce, cedar’s
relative softness brings additional
warmth to a guitar’s tone, especially
for players with a softer touch, like
fingerstylists or light to moderate
strummers and pickers. With a lighter
touch, cedar is actually louder than
spruce, but players with a strong
attack are often better paired with
spruce, as they might run overdrive
cedar, creating a more distorted
sound at higher volumes.
Engelmann Spruce
Models: 510ce, 512ce, 710ce,
712ce, NS62ce, NS64ce
Engelmann spruce tends to produce
what’s perceived as a slightly richer
midrange than Sitka. It’s often
described as having a more mature
sound associated with an older guitar
that has been played in. Its availability
is limited.
Adirondack Spruce
Models: Build to Order
Once commonly used for guitar tops
but currently limited in availability,
Adirondack spruce has a “springy”
quality. Acoustically, it boasts a robust
output and more dynamic range than
Sitka, which allows it to be driven
aggressively for greater volume
without distortion. The midrange tones
also tend to have a richer, sweeter
quality. Even using it for the bracing on
a Sitka or Engelmann top will enhance
the overall tone.
Hardwood Tops
Models: Koa: K20ce, K22ce,
K24ce, K26ce, K64ce, K65ce,
K66ce, optional on Acoustic Koa
models
Harder, denser woods like koa that are
used on the back and sides of a guitar
are sometimes used as tops. Their
stiffness initially translates into a bright
tone, but the more the guitar is played,
the more the overtones emerge, for a
fuller, richer sound. Other hardwoods
that are available as top options
through our Build to Order program
include walnut and mahogany.
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
23
Top down: Indian rosewood,
Macassar ebony (maple mini
wedge), mahogany/cedar
{ S H A P E S + W O O D S + P L AY E R = T O N E }
The Player
Your playing technique is an
essential part of matching up with
the right model
While a guitar’s body shape and
woods influence its tone, ultimately,
tone is largely in the hands of the
player. The same guitar will probably sound a little different in every
player’s hands, which means that
the nuances of your personal technique will help determine which body
shape and woods match you best.
Much like pairing the right wines with
foods can elevate a meal to sublime
heights, finding a guitar that complements your playing style will make
your playing experience more enjoyable. Here are a few questions that
should help you hone in on the right
type of guitar.
Do you plan to strum, flatpick,
fingerpick, or all of the above?
If you like to mix it up, you probably want a shape/wood pairing
that supports versatility, like a GA. If
you’re predominantly an aggressive
picker or strummer, a Dreadnought
or GS will likely work best. If you’re a
beginner and aren’t quite sure, think
about the styles of music you’d like
to play. Do you like rich-ringing open
chords or do you plan to play more
closed-position chords or single-note
lead runs?
Do you have a heavier or lighter
attack?
In other words, how much energy
are you applying to the strings when
you play? Do you drive the strings
hard to generate volume and create a robust tone? If so, you want a
guitar that’s big enough to handle
that energy and produce a full sound
without getting distorted.
What will your playing
application(s) be?
Will you be playing on your own
or with other people? If you’re playing with others, is it a pure acoustic
environment in which you need
enough volume to compete? Also, if
you’ll be playing with another Taylor
acoustic, it will probably sound better
if they’re different models. A guitar
with a different body style or wood
combination will often create a more
complex tone with richer harmonic
structure.
If you’ll be playing solo and singing, does a certain guitar tend to
better complement the frequencies of
your voice? For example, rosewood’s
scooped midrange might allow more
room for your voice, which tends
to occupy the same midrange frequencies. Will you be recording or
performing with the guitar? Try to
consider the environment in which
you’ll be playing.
Is your tone bright or dark?
At Taylor Road Shows, we talk
about a player’s “bone tone,” often
described in terms of the sonic
qualities of brightness (with more
treble prominence) and darkness
(more pronounced bass tones), just
like wood tones are differentiated.
Players with a heavier attack or who
fret with a tight grip, or fingerpickers
who use fingerpicks, their nails or
acrylics, for example, often produce
a brighter tone. This will sometimes
dampen the midrange bloom and
affect the degree of fullness and sustain. If so, it might help to try a wood
that naturally has a warmer, darker
sound. Fingerpickers can also try
playing more with the pads of their
fingers.
Conversely, fingerstyle players
with darker hands might find brighter
tonewoods like maple, koa or cocobolo to be a good match. They can
also experiment with using more nail
strike in their attack. A bright player
on a bright guitar will most likely produce a tone that lacks depth, while a
dark player on a dark wood may find
a lack of treble sparkle.
Other factors that affect tone
Pick materials and the brand
and gauge of strings you use can
also have a major impact on tone.
Also, our senses of hearing are each
calibrated differently, so you may perceive tonal frequencies very differently than someone else. For example,
one Taylor dealer recalled a customer
who had worked around power tools
much of his life, which had resulted
in a loss of hearing in high-end frequencies. As a result, he preferred
the sound of bright-toned guitars.
The bottom line is that the experience of playing guitars and exploring
tones should be fun. Take your time.
Sample a healthy variety of models.
But try not to sink in a sea of sonic
details. Sometimes a guitar just feels
and sounds right in your hands,
whether or not you can explain why.
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
Acoustic
Electronics
The Taylor Expression System® blends
rich acoustic tone with plug & play
simplicity
People love the clear, full acoustic
tone of their Taylors. Why should
it be different when they plug
in? That’s why we spent several
years developing our own onboard
acoustic pickup and preamp, the
Expression System (ES). After years
of installing aftermarket pickups on
our acoustic guitars and hearing the
difference between true acoustic
tone and the more artificial sound
pickups typically produced, we felt
compelled to explore ways to give
players a more natural amplified tone.
Introduced in 2003, the ES was
inspired by the fidelity of studio
microphones, which capture the authentic detail of an acoustic guitar for
recording. An all-magnetic system,
the ES actually works like a microphone to create a pure signal and a
warm, natural sound. It also solves
traditional pickup problems like feedback and a hot B string. For the first
time, the tonal nuances of a guitar
really came through.
continued next page
25
Expression System
Seamless Design for Better
Performance
Developing the ES in-house
allowed for seamless design
integration with our guitars — the
pickup, in essence, became part of
the anatomy of the guitar. As a result,
we were able to optimize the pickup
and preamp for the Taylor voice. The
nonintrusive way the ES components
were incorporated into the guitar also
preserved the aesthetic beauty of the
instrument.
The current version of the ES
features two magnetic sensors.
A Dynamic Body Sensor® is
strategically mounted to the
underside of the soundboard to
capture the nuances of the top
movement, while a Dynamic String
Sensor® is embedded near the neck
pocket under the fretboard extension
to register string and neck vibration.
Together, the pickups reproduce all
the acoustic clarity and articulation
that define the Taylor sound. A proaudio-grade discrete preamp cleanly
boosts the signal without the noise
that might otherwise distort or muddy
the tone. When you plug in, you’ll
hear the same warm, musical voice
you’ve grown to love when playing
your Taylor unplugged. In fact, the
sound quality is so good that many
artists and recording engineers use
the ES signal for studio recording.
Simple Tone Controls
Part of the beauty of the ES
design is in the way it simplifies
the tone-shaping process. Three
soft-touch roller knobs are elegantly
aligned in the upper bout of the
guitar, allowing for easy adjustment
of volume, bass, midrange and
treble frequencies. Another feature
that enhances gigging flexibility is a
switch on the preamp board inside
the soundhole that allows players to
turn off the body sensor (see our ES
tips on the following page). The easyto-use controls allow you to adjust
to fit the nature of the performance
space.
The ES comes standard on
acoustic/electric models from the
300 Series up and is optional on
models in our acoustic line.
Other ES-inspired Pickups
The Expression System was just the beginning of our ongoing
commitment to developing guitar electronics. We’ve since introduced
other ES-inspired pickups for the Taylor line.
ES-T® Under-Saddle Transducer / 100 & 200 Series
The ES-T® is a single-source, under-saddle transducer with
individual elements for each string. It has an onboard preamp and
the same active controls found on the full ES. Featuring a customvoiced EQ and dynamic response, the system is powered by a 9-volt
battery, with a battery life LED power indicator (which is lit when
the battery is being used). The pickup also has a Phase switch for
feedback control, which is located on the preamp board inside the
soundhole.
ES-N® / Nylon Series
The ES-N is similar to the ES-T, but the preamp design and tone
controls were customized to complement the nylon-string voice.
Our standard ES control knobs enable plenty of tone-shaping and
preserve the natural design aesthetic.
ES-Go™ / GS Mini
The ES-Go is an after-market, passive magnetic soundhole
pickup that was developed specifically for the GS Mini. Anyone can
install it in minutes with just a screwdriver thanks to the pre-fitted
connecting bracket inside the guitar. Pair it with the V-Cable™, which
features a built-in volume control on the cord.
ES Installation and Retrofits
For Taylor owners who have an older Taylor with pre-ES
electronics or a model without electronics, our Factory Service
Center can install or retrofit the Expression System. A retrofit for
“classic” Taylor necks (featuring a one-piece, pre-NT neck design)
incorporates the same type of a neck/string sensor used on the
standard ES, only the pickup housing is mounted in the soundhole.
The Baby and Big Baby can be equipped with an active undersaddle transducer. For more on ES installation, see our Service
Package listings on page 61.
The K4 Equalizer
A secret weapon for any tone-conscious musician, the K4 is a
preamp and equalizer that picks up where the ES leaves off, allowing
you to precisely shape your guitar’s tone by honing in on the notes or
frequencies of your choice and then cutting or boosting them to taste.
It’s super versatile — perfect for studio or home recording and live
performance. Features include a tuner output, phase reverse switch,
headphone jack, and an effects loop, which allows you to use reverb,
a stomp box, a volume pedal or other effects and maintain a balanced
signal chain. Multiple, transformer-coupled balanced outputs give you
routing flexibility, enabling you to drive an amp, PA or both. The K4 is
also handy for enhancing the amplified sound of other types of acoustic/electric guitars. If you like to detail your tone, the K4 will always fit
in your musical toolbox.
ES Tips and Tricks
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
27
Here’s how to get the most out of the
Expression System
Tone Control
The ES has a volume, treble and
bass control (in order from front to
back). Each has a center detent
position, which can be felt as a
“bump” as you rotate the knob. This
position represents “unity gain” on the
volume control (an optimal setting in
which input and output are the same
level) and flat frequency response
for the bass and treble controls. The
detent positions are the ideal place
to start when sound-checking your
guitar. Setting the ES volume at unity
gain and letting the sound person
adjust accordingly will ensure that you
have the maximum amount of tone
control during a performance.
Tracking Battery Life
Since 2007, the ES has been
powered by a 9-volt alkaline
battery (we previously used two AA
batteries). A fresh 9-volt will yield
about 40 hours of plugged-in time.
Remember that plugging a cable into
your guitar turns the ES on and that
the battery is active. When the battery
gets weak, the signal will start to
distort and quickly die out. Try to track
your plugged-in time to avoid having
a battery die during a performance.
When installing a new battery, write
the date on it with a permanent
marker. The battery indicator light
on the edge of the preamp lights up
when a cable is plugged in. If the light
is on, the battery is good. If you have
an important gig and you’re not sure
how much life is left in the battery,
play it safe and install a new one.
Balanced Versus Unbalanced
Signals and Cable Use
Before the ES was introduced,
most acoustic guitar pickups
produced an unbalanced signal. As
a result, in a pro sound situation an
amplified guitar would be run through
a direct box (also known as a DI box)
to convert the signal to balanced,
which minimizes noise, distortion
and ground loops. Once the signal is
balanced, you can run extremely long
cables without any loss of power or
tone. A balanced signal is preferable
because it’s cleaner and louder than
an unbalanced signal. Think of the ES
as already having a built-in direct box.
The type of cable you use will
determine whether the ES produces
a balanced or unbalanced signal. If
you plug your Taylor straight into a PA
or a snake box (a multicore cable that
houses multiple microphone cables),
use a TRS to XLR cable (available
through TaylorWare in lengths of
either 15 or 21 feet). You’ll have a
balanced signal with no direct box
needed. If you plug into the ¼-inch
input of an acoustic amplifier, or use
effects pedals, use standard ¼-inch
mono guitar cables.
Turning Off the Top Sensor
Switch
A small switch located on the edge
of the preamp, next to the battery
indicator light inside the guitar, allows
the body sensor to be turned off. (A
refinement in the body sensor design
in 2010 allowed us to shift from two
sensors to one). It’s positioned so you
can reach it with your finger without
removing the strings. The sensor
is on when the switch is pushed
towards the guitar’s back. Sliding it
toward the guitar’s top turns it off.
With the sensor turned off, the guitar
will be less sensitive and have less
presence. This can be useful for
artists who play large venues and
don’t need all the fidelity the ES offers
in that performance setting. Others
have turned it off because they do
percussive tapping on the top of
the guitar directly over the sensor.
The bottom line is that it gives you a
slightly different amplified sound and
greater performance flexibility.
Fused String Ground
Dirty power and faulty grounding
can create any number of problems
when you plug in. Those of us who
play electric guitars are familiar with
unwanted hum and noise that goes
away when you touch the strings.
This is no magic trick. The noise goes
away because your body is now
acting as the ground connection for
your guitar’s electrical connection.
This puts you at risk of being shocked
if significant voltage travels up the
ground connection to your guitar.
On our acoustic/electrics (300
Series and higher), the 9-volt
Expression System incorporates
our patented Fused String Ground.
This gives you the benefit of noise
reduction when you touch the strings,
and you’re protected from electrical
shock by the fuse. If a harmful level
of voltage travels up to your guitar,
the fuse for the string ground will
blow, keeping you safe from being
shocked. Your guitar’s electronics
will still function; the fuse simply
disconnects your strings from the
ground connection.
Our universal Fused String Ground
can be retrofitted into any guitar.
Balanced Breakout Box
Let’s say you plug your ESequipped Taylor into a PA system
without any effects boxes. Let’s
also say you want to run your guitar
balanced because the sound is
cleaner and louder that way, but you
like to have a tuner in line at all times.
We’re not aware of any pedal-style
tuners that use a balanced input and
output, which is why we designed
the Taylor Balanced Breakout Box.
This little gadget allows you to run
a balanced signal from your guitar
into the box with a TRS to XLR cable
and out of the box to your PA with
a standard XLR mic cable (male to
female). There’s a ¼-inch output to
run to your tuner, and a mute button
to silence the signal going to the PA
so you can tune quietly. By the way, a
great side application of the Balanced
Breakout Box is to mute vocal mics on
a live stage when they’re not in use.
Balanced
Breakout Box
THE 2011
ACOuSTIC / ELECTRIC
TAY L O R L I N E
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
It was easy to find a prime setting
in which to photograph our stageready acoustic/electric models. Ever
since the arrival of Anthology (anthologysd.com) as one of downtown
San Diego’s premier listening rooms,
the contemporary supper club has
matched Taylor’s refined aesthetics with a comparable environment
designed for taking in top-level live
performances. The club boasts a
professionally tuned acoustic room,
a state-of-the-art sound system, and
open sight lines to the stage. The
natural harmony between Taylor and
the club has inspired an ongoing,
collaborative relationship — we crafted
the room’s laser-etched sapele menu
covers, and the above-stage VIP
dining room, named in honor of Taylor,
features a display of Taylor guitars
and photos.
Owner and music aficionado
Howard Berkson, shown with a newly
designed Presentation Series guitar,
graciously accommodated our photo
team’s daytime encampment over the
course of a week, and we appreciate
it. For a closer look at the Presentation Series, see the back cover. To
view video footage of select models,
use a smart phone QR code reader
app on the Taylorcodes shown.
KOA SERIES
Between its burnished gold hues and
exotic figure, Hawaiian koa remains
one of the most visually captivating
tonewoods in the world. The Koa
Series presents a choice of either a
Sitka spruce or koa top, bound with
curly maple and edged with abalone.
Its tone is bright and focused, with
warm overtones that slowly emerge
with playing and the passage of time.
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
29
Back/Sides: Hawaiian Koa
Top: Abalone-trimmed Sitka Spruce
or Hawaiian Koa
Fretboard Inlay: Abalone Koa Series
Binding: Curly Maple
Rosette: Abalone
Additional Premium Appointments:
Maple-bound soundhole
Models: K10ce, K12ce, K14ce,
K16ce, K20ce, K22ce, K24ce, K26ce,
K54ce, K56ce, K64ce, K65ce, K66ce
Shown: K22ce
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
900 SERIES
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
31
Representing the upper echelon of our rosewood models, the 900 Series
returns to a classic look for 2011, featuring the popular “Cindy” inlay that
was designed in tribute to Bob Taylor’s wife. Other former 900 Series
appointments are also reunited, including Indian rosewood binding, red
purfling accents, and abalone top trim that also borders the fretboard
extension. Among our three classes of rosewood guitars, the fine detailing
of the 900 Series sets it apart with exceptional design sophistication.
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood
Top: Abalone-trimmed Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Abalone & Pearl “Cindy”
Binding: Rosewood w/ Red Purfling
Rosette: Abalone
Sunburst Options: Tobacco or Honey (top only)
Additional Premium Appointments: Abalone-edged top and fretboard
extension, pehgead/bridge inlays, Gotoh tuners, bone nut/saddle
Models: 910ce, 912ce, 914ce, 916ce, 954ce
Shown: 914ce
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
800 SERIES
33
The flagship series of the Taylor acoustic/electric line traces back to Bob
Taylor’s first rosewood guitars, which helped establish a modern acoustic
guitar sound. Contemporary appointments include curly maple binding and
a pearl fretboard inlay, which together add a splash of refined style. For a
more vintage look, opt for a tobacco sunburst top.
700 SERIES
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
Besides the clean, understated appointment scheme, our 700 Series
rosewood guitars are set apart from other rosewood models by the
choice of either an Engelmann spruce or cedar top. Engelmann features
a creamier complexion, with a slightly more aged tone than Sitka, and
accommodates fairly aggressive playing, while the softer cedar has a
darker look and yields the kind of warmth that fingerstylists and other
players with a light-to-medium touch will love.
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood
Top: Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: 800 Series Pearl
Binding: Curly Maple
Rosette: Abalone
Sunburst Options: Tobacco (top only)
Models: 810ce, 812ce, 814ce, 815ce, 816ce, 854ce, 855ce, 856ce
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood
Top: Engelmann Spruce (710ce, 712ce),
Western Red Cedar (714ce, 716ce)
Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots
Binding: Indian Rosewood
Rosette: Abalone
Sunburst Options: Tobacco (top only)
Models: 710ce, 712ce, 714ce, 716ce
Shown (L-R): Tobacco sunburst 814ce, 716ce
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
600 SERIES
Visually and sonically, our maple
guitars command a striking stage
presence. The bright, focused tone
makes these guitars a favorite for
performance, recording and any band
setting, while a variety of color and
sunburst options serve to enhance
the natural figure in the maple sets
we choose. Other signature touches
include crisp white binding and our
leaf inlay motif.
Back/Sides: Big Leaf Maple
Top: Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Pearl “Leaf” Pattern
Binding: White
Rosette: Abalone
Colors/Bursts: Amber, Black, Blue,
Blue Burst, Cherry Black Sunburst,
Cherry Sunburst (or optional top only),
Green, Honey Sunburst, Natural,
Orange, Purple, Ruby Red, Ruby Red
Burst, Tobacco Sunburst (or optional
top only), Translucent Black
Models: 610ce, 612ce, 614ce,
615ce, 616ce, 654ce, 655ce, 656ce
Shown (clockwise from top): natural
615ce, red 614ce, honey sunburst
614ce, amber-body 612ce, tobacco
sunburst 610ce
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
500 SERIES
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
Singer-songwriters are often drawn
to our 500 Series because mahogany
yields its inspiring tone easily, with
a breathy midrange and high-end
sweetness that will reward individual
playing. Pair it with a top of either
Engelmann spruce or cedar, which
graces the 514ce, a quintessential
Taylor model that blends warmth and
articulation. For a super lush, boldly
dynamic mahogany voice, try the 516ce.
Back/Sides: Tropical Mahogany
Top: Engelmann Spruce
(510ce, 512ce)
Western Red Cedar
(514ce, 516ce)
Fretboard Inlay: Pearl Dots
Binding: Indian Rosewood
Rosette: Abalone
Models: 510ce, 512ce, 514ce, 516ce
Shown: 514ce
35
400 SERIES
Our new 416ce brings the boldvoiced GS shape to our satin-finish
400 Series this year. Players continue
to discover solid African ovangkol’s
responsive, rosewood-like tone, which
pairs well with Sitka spruce and can
accommodate a range of playing
styles. White binding applies a crisp
counterpoint against the gloss top
and mottled brown hues of ovangkol,
while the Expression System wires
these guitars for high-fidelity amplified
acoustic sound.
Back/Sides: Ovangkol
Top: Sitka Spruce
Finish: Satin with Gloss Top
Fretboard Inlay: Large Pearl Dots
Binding: White
Rosette: 3-Ring
Models: 410ce, 412ce, 414ce, 416ce,
454ce, 455ce
Shown: 416ce
300 SERIES
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
The richness of the solid-wood
acoustic experience begins with
our 300 Series. Environmentally
sustainable African sapele shares
mahogany’s lively tonal response
and, together with a gloss-finish
Sitka spruce top, rings out with a
brightness and clarity that give these
guitars a definitive Taylor voice. Black
binding flanks sapele’s ribbon-like
grain, with large pearl fretboard dots
adding a traditional touch.
Back/Sides: Sapele
Top: Sitka Spruce
Finish: Satin with Gloss Top
Fretboard Inlay: Large Pearl Dots
Binding: Black
Rosette: 3-Ring
Models: 310ce, 312ce, 314ce, 315ce,
354ce, 355ce
Shown: 310ce
37
NYLON SERIES
The evocative flavor of nylon tone has become a vibrant element of many
styles of contemporary music. Popular artists like Zac Brown and Jason
Mraz have fully embraced the Taylor nylon voice for their music, and
we’ve made the nylon playing experience inviting for steel-string players
with signature Taylor playability, a 1 7/8-inch neck, a cutaway, and our
proprietary ES-N® pickup for a natural amplified nylon sound. Choose
from three different solid-wood pairings, or opt for our affordable rosewood laminate models.
NS72ce/NS74ce
Back & Sides: Indian Rosewood
Top: Cedar
Binding: Indian Rosewood
NS62ce/NS64ce
Back & Sides: Big Leaf Maple
Top: Engelmann Spruce
Binding: Indian Rosewood
NS32ce/ NS34ce
Back & Sides: Sapele
Top: Sitka Spruce
Binding: Black
NS24e/NS24ce
Back & Sides:
Rosewood Laminate
Top: Sitka Spruce
Binding: Black
Shown: NS74ce
SPECIALTY MODELS
We all sometimes crave a new sound
to spark fresh inspiration, and each
of our Specialty models delivers just
that. Two GS Baritone models, an
8-String and a 6-String, are designed
with a 27-inch scale length and tuned
from B to B for a deep, rich sound
with normal string tension. Both
record incredibly well and blend wonderfully with other instruments. The
Baritone 8-String’s two octave strings
expand the guitar’s upper range without adding too much 12-string jangle,
and its low-end seems ready-made
for walking bass lines. Our 12-Fret is
a rosewood/spruce Grand Concert
that truly speaks for itself. The reorientation of the neck and bridge with
the body help evoke the sweetness
of a vintage guitar, and blend a rich
depth of tone with sparkling clarity
and articulation.
Shown (L-R): 12-Fret, Baritone
8-String
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
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ACOuSTIC LINE
Taylor helped define the modern, performance-ready acoustic guitar with
cutaways and onboard electronics. But we also love the clean, traditional
aesthetic of a guitar without a cutaway or pickguard, and with understated
appointments. It speaks to the pure essence of the guitar-playing experience. Our Acoustic line presents over 30 models, featuring four body
shapes and a variety of wood pairings for a rich palette of tonal voices.
A pickguard is available at no charge if you like, and for a touch of vintage
style, burst options include a mahogany burst top on mahogany models,
a tobacco sunburst top on rosewood models, and a full body tobacco or
honey sunburst on our maple models. You can also opt for the Expression
System pickup, whose unobtrusive controls blend naturally into the guitar
to preserve the look and feel of a timeless classic.
Grand Symphony
Models: GS-K, GS8, GS812, GS7, GS6, GS6-12, GS5,
GS5-12
Grand Auditorium
Models: GA-K, GA-K-12, GA8,
GA8-12, GA7, GA6, GA6-12,
GA5, GA4, GA4-12, GA3,
GA3-12
Grand Concert
Models: GC-K, GC8, GC7,
GC6, GC5, GC4, GC3
Dreadnought
Models: DN-K, DN8, DN5,
DN4, DN3
Shown (L-R): GA6, DN5,
GS8, GC7
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
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BuILD TO ORDER
A custom guitar speaks to you
in a way that no other guitar can.
Through our Build to Order program,
we’ll not only build your dream guitar,
we’ll also help you dream. Start with
a robust selection of menu options
that cover steel-string and nylonstring guitars, along with the T5 and
T3. To help you, we’ve brought many
Taylor dealers out to our factory to
immerse them in the BTO process,
turning them into experts who can
be a guiding resource. They’ll have
a comprehensive options menu and
worksheet, since you’ll be placing
your order through them. We’re also
happy to answer any questions you
might have about wood selections
and other options. If you live in the
U.S. or Canada and have specific
questions, call us at 1-888-2TAYLOR,
and we’ll help you. For customers
outside North America, contact the
international Taylor distributor in your
country. One of the best parts of the
BTO program is that once you’ve
ordered your guitar, you’ll have it in
your hands in about eight weeks.
Not a bad turnaround for a dream to
come true.
Shown (L-R): Left-handed GA with Macassar ebony back/sides;
Walnut/spruce GS with tobacco sunburst top and armrest;
12-fret maple GC with koa mini wedge and binding
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
43
Standard
Model Options
From top swaps to tuner upgrades,
we make it easy to modify a model
You’ve done your homework.
You’ve played lots of Taylors at your
local music store. And now you’re
really close to what you want. But
you’re not quite there, and you’d
hate to settle when you’ve come
this far. We understand. Guitars are
the culmination of a lot of nuances,
and whether it has to do with playing comfort, tone or cosmetics, it
comes down to personal preferences. Sometimes you want a standard model, only with a slight twist,
without having to spec out a custom
guitar through the Build to Order
program.
That’s why we offer standard
model options. Maybe you want a
short-scale 514ce, or an upgrade
to Gotoh tuners and a bone nut and
saddle, or a sunburst top. Or maybe
you’re a Taylor dealer and you want
to offer your customers something
unique. We can make it happen without a lot of hassle.
Some standard model options
start with Taylor’s Acoustic 3/300
Series, while others begin with the
Acoustic 5/500 Series. Options may
also vary between the Acoustic/
Electric and Acoustic lines, and
within a specific series. Prices also
vary by option. We’ve put together a
list of available options; for pricing,
talk to your local Taylor dealer, since
they’ll need to place the order with
us. And remember that these options
are available for a new guitar being
ordered, and not an existing guitar.
For a deeper menu of custom guitar
options, please refer to our Build to
Order program.
612ce with Honey sunburst
and 3-piece back options
Acoustic/Electric Line
Acoustic Line
300 Series and Up
• Alternative nut widths
(1 11/16 or 1 7/8 inches)
• Switching to or from a
short-scale neck
• Pickguard options (black, clear, tortoise, none)
• Lefty or lefty strung righty
• No strap pin
• Abalone dot bridge pins
• ES-T®
• No electronics
3 Series and Up
• Alternative nut widths of
1 11/16 or 1 7/8 inches
• Switching to or from a
short-scale neck
• Pickguard options (black, clear, tortoise, none)
• Lefty or lefty strung righty
• No strap pin
• Abalone dot bridge pins
• Taylor Gold tuners
• ES-T
• ES®
500 Series and Up
• Bone nut/saddle upgrade
• Sitka, Engelmann or cedar
top substitution
• 3-piece back
• Florentine cutaway
• Tobacco/Honey sunburst top
• Tuners: Taylor Gold or Chrome
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold
w/ black plastic buttons
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold
5 Series and Up
• Bone nut/saddle upgrade
• Sitka, Engelmann or cedar
top substitution
• 3-piece back
• Tobacco/Honey sunburst top
• Tuners: Taylor Gold or Chrome
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold
w/ black plastic buttons
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold
Series Specific Options
Series Specific Options
600 Series
• Satin neck finish
5 Series
• Mahogany top
• Mahogany edgeburst (top only)
Choose between different grades of
maple quilt or flame:
• A Flame
• A Quilt
• AA Flame
• AA Quilt
Color/Burst Options (no charge):
• Amber
• Black
• Blue
• Blue Burst
• Cherry Black Sunburst
• Cherry Sunburst
• Green
• Honey Sunburst
• Natural
• Orange
• Purple
• Ruby Red
• Ruby Red Burst
• Tobacco Sunburst
• Translucent Black
900 Series
Tuner Options:
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold w/
black plastic buttons
Koa Series
• AA koa top
• AA koa back/sides
• Honey or tobacco sunburst top
(Sitka tops only)
• Shaded edgeburst, entire guitar
(koa-top models)
• Shaded edgeburst, top only
6 Series
Choose between different grades of
maple quilt or flame:
• A Flame
• A Quilt
• AA Flame
• AA Quilt
Color/Burst Options:
• Amber
• Natural
• Honey Sunburst, entire guitar
• Honey Sunburst, top only
• Tobacco Sunburst, entire guitar
• Tobacco Sunburst, top only
8 Series
• Engelmann top substitution only
Acoustic Koa Series
• Koa top
• Upgrade to AA koa top
• Upgrade to AA koa back/sides
• Shaded edgeburst, entire guitar (koa-top models)
• Shaded edgeburst, top only
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
45
K24ce with Florentine
cutaway option
510ce with
Honey sunburst top
SIGNATuRE MODELS
Each Taylor signature artist has cultivated an original musical voice
that resonates with the world. What they all share is a love for their
Taylors, which have helped inspire and convey their music. Our
Signature models reference the standard Taylor models they’ve
played over the years, adding a design twist that uniquely captures a
piece of their artistry. We proudly recognize their passion and songcraft through our Signature models.
JMSM
Signature Artist: Jason Mraz
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood / Top: Western Red Cedar
SCCSM
Signature Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood / Top: Western Red Cedar
DMSM
Signature Artist: Dave Matthews
Back/Sides: Indian Rosewood / Top: Sitka Spruce
TSBT
Signature Artist: Taylor Swift
Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate / Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
DDSM
Signature Artist: Doyle Dykes
Back/Sides: Big Leaf Maple / Top: Sitka Spruce
LKSM, LKSM-6
Signature Artist: Leo Kottke
Back/Sides: Tropical Mahogany / Top: Sitka Spruce
Shown (L-R): JMSM, SCCSM, DMSM
DOYLE DELuxE
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
Taylor signature artist Doyle Dykes
has long favored maple Grand
Auditorium acoustic models. A
decade after the introduction of his
DDSM model, we’re pleased to unveil
a new namesake guitar, the Doyle
Deluxe (DDX), a maple laminate GA
with a solid Sitka spruce top. The
goal was to bring a more affordable
signature-style guitar to Doyleinspired players while still delivering
a high level of performance. Offered
in black with a gloss finish, the DDX
features Doyle’s Chet Atkins-style
fretboard inlays, a stylized signature
treatment emblazoned along the
headstock, a 25-1/2-inch scale
length, and a 1-11/16-inch neck. The
guitar comes performance-ready with
Taylor’s under-saddle ES-T® pickup.
Back/Sides: Maple Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Pearl DDSM
Binding: White
Rosette: Faux Pearl Fishbone
47
TM
GS MINI
Whether you’re on the beach or on the couch, the GS Mini is a bundle
of musical fun. Customers keep telling us we nailed it with this guitar,
and as humbly as we can say it, we can’t help but agree. Our modernday parlor guitar is designed to be compact enough to keep up with
your life, whether you’re out and about or just kicking back at home.
Sporting a rich, full voice that belies its scaled-down size, the Mini might
just become your new favorite guitar. And with the easy-to-add ES-Go™
pickup and Taylor V-Cable™, you’ll have a viable performance tool, too.
Size/Shape: Scaled-down GS (23 1/2-inch scale length)
Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Rosette: 3-Ring
Purfling: Black/White/Black
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
49
200/100 SERIES
One of the hallmarks of Taylor craftsmanship is superb playability up and
down the line. Our rosewood laminate 200 Series and sapele laminate
100 Series hone in on the fundamentals of a great guitar-playing experience to give you clear, balanced tone
and great intonation. Whether you’re
looking for a starter guitar, a second
guitar for alternate tunings, or simply
the one that fits your budget, these
guitars will exceed your expectations.
Choose from a Grand Auditorium or
Dreadnought, with an optional cutaway and Taylor ES-T® electronics.
200 Series
Back/Sides: Rosewood Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce (Gloss)
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Binding: White
Rosette: 3-Ring
Models: 210, 210e, 210ce,
214, 214e, 214ce
100 Series
Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Binding: Black
Rosette: 3-Ring
Models: 110, 110e, 110ce,
114, 114e, 114ce
Shown (L-R): 214ce, 110e
BABY / BIG BABY
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
With the birth of the ¾-size Baby
Taylor 15 years ago, we officially put
the travel guitar on the map, and many
of you happily traipsed around the
world with it. It’s comfortable in small
compartments, it fits small hands, and
it loves the great outdoors. Go with
the spruce top, or if you want a darker, earthier sound, try the mahogany
top. The laminate back and sides give
it resilience during weather swings,
just like its bigger sibling, the Big
Baby. When you need a songwriting guitar handy, either guitar will be
happy to play with you.
Baby
Size/Shape: 3/4-scale Dreadnought
(22 3/4-inch scale length)
Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce or Mahogany
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Rosette: Laser-etched
Big Baby
Size/Shape: 15/16-scale Dreadnought
Back/Sides: Sapele Laminate
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Rosette: Laser-etched
Shown: Baby, Big Baby
51
SOLIDBODY
More and more players are discovering what makes playing the
Taylor SolidBody a fun and inspiring electric guitar experience.
Designed completely from the ground up, the SolidBody boasts
innovative Taylor touches like proprietary pickups, an ergonomic
bridge design, and an array of flexible options that allow you
to customize a model for the tones and look you crave. For
2011, we add a double-cutaway Standard and Classic, and
the Standard is now available in a variety of colors that vividly
highlight the figured maple tops. We’ve also added a new
Parchment color option to our pickguards.
Standard
Body: Chambered
Mahogany/Quilted Maple Top
Neck: Mahogany (Gloss)
Single Cutaway: Venetian
Fretboard: Ebony/12”
Models: SB1-S (Single
Cutaway), SB1-SP (Single
Cutaway/Pickguard), SB2-S
(Double Cutaway), SB2-SP
(Double Cutaway/Pickguard)
Classic
Body: Solid Swamp Ash
Neck: Maple (Satin)
Single Cutaway: Florentine
Fretboard: Rosewood/12”
Models: SB1-X (Single
Cutaway), SB2-X (Double
Cutaway)
Shown (L-R): SB2-S, SB2-X,
SB1-X w/ tremolo, SB1-S
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
53
TAYLORCOD E
FOR SMARTPHONES
SolidBody
Classic Colors
Choose from an array of vibrant body
colors, each with a gloss finish, except
for the satin-finish Natural. Then accent
it with one of five pickguard colors.
Trans White
Titanium Pearl
Lava Red
Jewelescent Orange
Purple Flake
Blue Metallic
Viper Blue
Sage Green
Sublime
Magenta Pearl
Tobacco Sunburst
Natural
Trans Red
Black
57
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
SolidBody
Standard Colors
For 2011, we’re introducing a full
spectrum of new color options that
promise to add luminous dimension
to the Standard’s quilted maple tops.
As of our press deadline, we planned
to bring a wide variety of color
options to the Winter NAMM show
and then make our final color selections based on input from dealers
and players. To see our final selection, visit our SolidBody Standard
page at taylorguitars.com.
All specifications are subject
to change without notice. For
complete up-to-date specs,
visit taylorguitars.com.
55
Build Your
SolidBody
Explore the different custom options
offered with the SolidBody using
our online SolidBody Configurator
at taylorguitars.com. The program
allows you to select from all available options and build a virtual
model. Feel free to experiment with
different color, pickup and pickguard
combinations. The Configurator
gives you the option of downloading a picture of your guitar with your
chosen specs. You can also e-mail
them, print them, and be directed to
one of Taylor’s premier electric dealerships to place an order.
Choose Your Cutaway
Single or double.
Choose Your Pickup Configuration
A wide variety of single coil and
humbucker options are available.
Choose Your Body
Classic or Standard.
Choose your Pickguard
Five color options are
offered. For the Standard,
you can also choose to
have certain pickups
direct-mounted without
a pickguard.
Choose Your Bridge
Stoptail or tremolo.
Choose Your Color
The Classic and
Standard each have
a separate palette
of color options.
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
Pickup Configurations &
Loaded Pickguards
An assortment of different pickup configurations gives you the flexibility to
customize the fundamental tonal palette of your SolidBody. Our proprietary
pickup designs include mini and full-size humbuckers (available in either
high-definition or high-gain versions), vintage alnico humbuckers, and silent
single coils. Not only can you choose your preferred pickup configuration,
but you can also easily swap out your pickups with our solderless, “plug &
play” loaded pickguards, allowing you to change the tonal personality of your
SolidBody any time you like, in a matter of minutes.
2 Mini Humbuckers (HD or HG)
Mini humbuckers take up less sonic space than full-size humbuckers, making
them a great choice for a band with multiple instruments. They have plenty of
grind and punch without getting in the way of the mix. On stage, they have a
little more cut and presence.
2 Full-size Humbuckers (HD or HG)
Full-size humbuckers have a heavier, dirtier tone than the minis for more of
a rock edge. For years, players have relied on this combination to deliver
the warm, sweet sound of the neck pickup and the bite of the bridge. The
HG version is full of presence and is engineered to hit the front of the amp
harder than the HD for a heavier, crunchy tone.
L-R: 2 Mini Humbuckers (HD or HG), 3 Mini Humbickers (HD or HG),
2 Full-size Vintage Alnico Humbuckers, 1 Mini Humbucker (HD) & 1 Single Coil
2 Full-size Vintage Alnico Humbuckers
The vintage alnicos are our modern version of a traditional PAF-style covered
pickup. They feature a fat, round sound with a warm bottom end. Traditionally, guitars with two humbuckers have a 3-way switch. Our 5-way switching
system adds both a parallel and series option for a broader tone palette.
3 Single Coils
Another classic electric sound. “Little Wing,” “Sultans of Swing,” and “Another Brick in the Wall” are examples of single coil gold. Our silent single
coils capture all the character of the single coil sound without the buzz and
other sonic noise. The bridge pickup sounds great overdriven, yet has lots of
sparkle and clarity when played clean. Our switching allows each pickup to
be selected individually and also provides two combined pickup positions.
1 Full-size HG Humbucker
Some players just want to plug in, turn up, and rock out. If you like to ride the
volume knob for more nuance, turning down the volume controls a little and
hitting the amp in different ways will yield all kinds of colors and flavors at
different levels. Pulling up the volume pot will split the coil.
L-R: 2 Full-size Humbuckers (HD or HG), 3 Single Coils,
2 Single Coils & 1 Full-size Humbucker (HG), 1 Full-size Humbucker (HG)
2 Single Coils/1 HG Humbucker
Born out of the guitar player culture of swapping pickups, this combo is a
popular and versatile setup. If you like to quickly switch between the slam of
a humbucker and the wisp of a single coil, the “single single hum” configuration will get it done. Perfect for a player who wants access to multiple tones
with one guitar.
1 HD Mini Humbucker/1 Single Coil
This setup throws a nod to Keith Richards and other great blues players like
Albert Collins. A 3-way switch allows you to toggle between the modern
sound of our high definition mini and the spank of our noiseless bridge single
coil. Great for cutting, groovy, rhythmic chording.
3 HD Mini Humbuckers (HD or HG)
The three-mini setup is reminiscent of the ’60s Firebird 7 but with Taylor’s
own sonic imprint. Positions 1 and 5 (Neck and Bridge) deliver a smooth
and driving front edge, with great distortion and clean sounds available at
the flick of a switch. Both positions drive the front end of an amp really well.
Positions 2 and 4 capture a thick single coil vibe, and make great choices
for blues rhythm or lead. The real gem of this configuration is Position 3, the
middle pickup alone. It sparkles and drives at the same time; it’s really transparent and thick. With a trem, this setup suits any style or tonal flavor.
L-R: Pickguard colors - Parchment, Black Pearloid, White Pearloid, Black, Tortoise
57
Body: Sapele
Top: Quilted Maple
Color/Burst Options: Natural, Ruby
Red Burst, Black, Trans Orange;
Tobacco or Honey Sunburst
Shown (L-R): Maple T5C1-12, Black
T3/B, Red Edgeburst T3, Koa T5-C2
T5
T3
Evolving from both the T5 and SolidBody,
the T3 updates the classic semihollowbody sound, driving it across
inspiring sonic terrain, from crunchy
vintage rock to warm, woody jazz.
Signature Taylor design touches include
a coil-splitting application that allows you
to turn the humbuckers into single coils,
and a push/pull tone knob that activates
two different levels of tone-shaping. A
pitch-perfect metal roller-style bridge
maintains tuning stability and includes
two tailpiece options: a stop tailpiece or
an authentic Bigsby vibrato for a neovintage look. Awarded Product of the
Year by music dealers in The Music &
Sound Retailer in 2010, the T3 elevates
the feel, sound and performance of a
semi-hollowbody electric.
Electric guitar or acoustic guitar? Yes.
By bridging two worlds of tone, the
hollowbody hybrid electric/acoustic
T5 has unleashed its own expansive
realm of sound, sweeping from warm
acoustic to wailing electric with the
flick of a switch. Our proprietary pickups are the soul of this versatile guitar,
which features an acoustic body sensor and two humbuckers (one hidden
beneath the fretboard). Plug in to an
acoustic amp/PA, electric amp, or
both with an A/B/Both box.
T5 Custom / Gold Hardware
Top Options: Spruce, Maple, Koa,
Cocobolo, Walnut, Macassar Ebony
Models: T5-C, T5C-12, T5-C1, T5C1-12,
T5-C2, T5C2-12, T5-C3, T5C3-12,
T5-C4, T5C4-12, T5-C5, T5C5-12
T5 Standard / Chrome Hardware
Top Options: Spruce or Maple
Models: T5-S, T5S-12, T5-S1, T5S1-12
T5 Classic / Chrome Hardware
Ovangkol Top
Models: T5-X, T5X-12
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
59
Customer
Support
The Taylor experience delivers much more
than just a great guitar
W
e think that building great
relationships is just as
important as building
great guitars. Our emphasis on
customer service traces back to
Bob and Kurt’s original vision of
what great service between a guitar
company and its customers could
be. That vision continues to inform
the many ways we encourage and
support the experience of playing
guitar today. As a full-service guitar
company, we do much more than
simply repair guitars. We’ll help you
find the right guitar and then get the
most out of it as long as you own it.
And we do it in a personal way that
invites you to be a part of a vibrant
Taylor community. It’s part of what
makes the Taylor customer experience unique.
A Wealth of Guitar Resources
People often have questions
as they consider a guitar purchase
or look to maintain their existing Taylors. That’s why we’ve put
together an array of information
resources for customers. The Taylor
website houses a variety of videos
and Tech Sheets that help you do
everything from restring your guitar
to keeping it properly humidified.
Wood&Steel brings you our latest
developments each quarter. We’ve
also put together a customer service
team of knowledgeable, friendly
Taylor staff, and encourage you to
call us and talk to a person when
you have a question.
If you’re thinking about buying
a Taylor, feel free to call our inside
sales representative Ben Benavente
(1-888-2TAYLOR). He’ll guide you
in the right direction or help locate
an elusive Taylor model that may not
be available in your local area. Ben
is also happy to assist customers
with Build to Order questions. For
general questions about service
and repair in North America, call
our main service number (1-800943-6782). Outside the U.S. and
Canada, please visit taylorguitars.
com and click on our Customer
Service link for complete sales and
service contact information.
We’ve also expanded our information outreach efforts through
other programs. Our popular Road
Show events, now in their fifth year,
have proven to be a fun and lively
forum for sharing information about
guitars, and they allow us to get out
and talk to Taylor owners in person.
Repair Centers
In addition to our main Factory
Service Center in El Cajon,
California, we’ve built a growing
network of certified repair centers
with factory-trained technicians
throughout North America. You’ll
find an up-to-date list of locations at
taylorguitars.com. Internationally, our
new distribution and service complex in the Netherlands will provide
a home base for helping European
customers.
Taylor Service Packages
Beyond providing a complete
range of guitar repairs, we also
offer four service packages that
include general maintenance and
other adjustments that “tone up”
your Taylor. You can send your
guitar(s) to the Taylor factory specifically for one of these packages, or
add a service package to a guitar
that’s sent in for other repairs. Our
Factory Service Center can also
perform Expression System installations and upgrades. (ES installation
includes our Refresh service package.) Guitars shipped to us will be
returned in a brand new shipping
carton with Taylor-engineered inserts
designed to stabilize the case and
cushion the ends.
REFRESH
Includes: Stabilizing the guitar at
the proper humidity level
• Tunertighteningandadjustment
• Fretboardcleaningand
conditioning
• InstallationofnewElixir® strings
• Installationofnewbattery
• Trussrodadjustment
• Cleaningandpolishing
$95 All models
REVIVE
Includes the Refresh package
plus:
• Neckangleadjustment(reset)
• Fretdress
• Acousticmodels:Nutandsaddle
adjustment or replacement
(Tusq) as needed
• SolidBodymodels:Nut
adjustment or replacement
(bone) and bridge adjustment
• T5models:Nutandsaddle
adjustment or replacement
(bone) as needed
$200 Acoustic models
$200 SolidBody models
$300 T5 models
RENEW
Geared toward the gigging player,
Taylor’s repair techs will return your
guitar to perfect performance condition.
Includes the Revive package plus:
• Partialrefretupto10frets(full
refret add $100)
• Fullcheckoftheelectronicssystem
$325 Acoustic models
$325 SolidBody models
$425 T5 models
REJUVENATE
The ultimate hydrating solution for a
dry guitar. Your guitar and case are
returned to optimum humidity levels
with our rehydrating process. Once
the guitar is stabilized, we repair any
cracks in the fretboard or bridge, file
sharp fret ends smooth, level any
uneven frets, and finish with all the
services in the Refresh package.
(Guitars with additional wood cracks
will incur further charges.)
$200 All models
Bone Upgrade
Add a bone nut and wave-compensated bone saddle upgrade to any
acoustic service package for $100.
Expression System Options
• The ES install adds the ES
to a Taylor that doesn’t currently
have electronics, or a guitar that
has other electronics inside the
body of the guitar and won’t
present an obstruction to the
installation process. NT neck
design only. ($500)
• The ES retrofit is used on a
Taylor that has the Fishman
Onboard Blender, Fishman
Prefix or the L.R. Baggs pickup
used on the Doyle Dykes
Signature Model. Side-mounted
controls fill the existing preamp
hole in the guitar.
($500)
• The ES upgrade will modify
your ES-equipped Taylor guitar
from the former AA battery power
source to the 9-volt system
currently used. The latest version
of the ES also includes a fused
string ground, battery indicator
LED, and switches that allow
you to turn off the body sensor(s).
($300)
• The ES-NC (no controls) is an
option for customers who want
the ES electronics but also want
to preserve the pure acoustic
aesthetic of their guitar. This
version features the ES sensors
and preamp, but has no volume
or tone controls. The pickup
installation also features a
standard endpin jack along the
tail line instead of the ES battery
carriage. (The 9-volt battery is
housed inside the soundhole.)
($500)
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
61
Taylor Care:
Humidity
Control Tips
Keeping your guitar properly
humidified is the single most
important thing you can do to
ensure that your guitar lasts as
long as you do. The Taylor website
is packed with Tech Sheets,
videos and FAQs relating to
humidity control. Below are some
often overlooked tips to help you
maintain that ideal range of 45-55
percent relative humidity.
•A digital hygrometer can be
purchased for under $30 and
is a great way to monitor
relative humidity levels in your
case and/or home.
•Using the Humidipak® by
Planet Waves (humidipak.com,
available through TaylorWare)
will maintain proper humidity
levels all on its own. No
monitoring is necessary.
•Ignore humidity levels from the
weatherman. He’s reporting on
the RH level outdoors. You
need to monitor the level
inside, where you keep your
guitar.
•Keep your guitar stored in its
case. Controlling the humidity
level in the case is much easier
than an entire room.
•Keep your case closed when
playing your guitar. In dry
conditions, leaving the case
open dries it out, which in turn
can dry out the guitar.
•Don’t use a humidifier that
blocks off the soundhole. You
want to humidify the entire
guitar and case, not just the
body of the guitar.
Note: Prices apply to the North American market. For international pricing,
please contact our offices in the Netherlands.
Customers in the U.S. and Canada are encouraged to contact our Factory
Service Center staff toll free at 1-800-943-6782 with any service,
maintenance or repair questions concerning their guitars. Our hours are
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. We’ve found that
a personal conversation is the most effective way of answering questions
and quickly troubleshooting problems. So, please call, and we’ll be happy
to help you. In Europe, sales and service questions are best answered by
our international offices in the Netherlands. For contact information, go to
taylorguitars.com/dealers/international
To view additional videos on
humidity control, visit taylorguitars.
com and look for our maintenance
videos under “Service & Support.”
Taylor Abroad
As we expand our presence around the world, our new
European headquarters will give more international
customers a direct line to the Taylor experience
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
I
t’s one thing for a company to
export its products. It’s another
to export its complete brand
experience. But that’s exactly what
Taylor has been doing in recent
years. Luckily, guitars and music
appeal broadly across international
boundaries, and the Taylor experience has taken root around the
world, spawning communities of
passionate Taylor enthusiasts far and
wide.
These days, in locations from the
Isle of Man to Melbourne, Australia
to the Guangdong Province in China,
one would be likely to find a Taylor
guitar at a music store. In some
cases, players are just discovering
Taylors for the first time. In others,
players are now being exposed to
the rich diversity of our acoustic and
electric lines. Wherever it may be,
whatever the retail environment may
have been up to this point, we want
Opposite page: Taylor’s David
Hosler; This page: Taylor’s
new European headquarters
in Amsterdam
dealers and customers alike to connect with who we are as a company.
In 2010, we presented nearly
40 Taylor Road Shows to a record
number of international guitar enthusiasts, offering a fun, interactive way
for people to learn more about our
guitars, meet our product specialists
and factory staff, and experience the
“petting zoo” that encourages people
to discover why our guitars are
inspiring to play. Beyond the Road
Shows, our staff from California
spent more time than ever traveling
to the industry’s biggest international trade shows, including Music
China in Shanghai, MusikMesse in
Frankfurt, Germany, and the Musique
de la Salon in Paris. Our service
technicians also traveled throughout
Europe on several occasions to
present service and repair training
seminars, and to share Taylor’s brand
promise to customers.
A New Home Base in Europe
This year marks our biggest
and most promising opportunity to
share the Taylor experience with the
European market. Having completed
our previous European distribution
agreement, we’ve taken over our
own distribution and will now directly
serve our dealers in Western Europe,
including Great Britain, Ireland,
France, Germany, Benelux, Austria,
Andorra, Monaco, Scandinavia, Spain
and Portugal.
Our new European headquarters
were established in Amsterdam,
the Netherlands, in late 2010, and
throughout 2011 will be developed
into a robust Taylor Guitars complex.
David Hosler, our Vice President of
Quality Assurance, Customer Service
and Repair and a longtime member
of the company’s product development team, personally relocated
to Amsterdam to coordinate the
setup. Our central location in one of
Europe’s busiest port cities is well
situated to serve our European operations. The headquarters will include
warehouse space to maintain a
strong Taylor inventory and facilitate
timely distribution. The building will
also house a sophisticated service
and repair center staffed with skilled
Taylor repair technicians, and will be
equipped with the same cutting edge
repair tools as our service center in
California. Hosler is also coordinating the training and certification of a
network of Taylor repair technicians
throughout Europe, which will enable
players with minor service and repair
needs to have their guitars worked
on more conveniently at a location
closer to home.
We’ve also been working to
strengthen our European dealer network. Eventually, the European headquarters will be equipped for dealer
63
sales training and other special Taylor
events, and we recently began hiring for a variety of sales and office
positions in Europe. Among the
recent additions to Taylor’s European
team is music industry veteran Frank
Stevens, who joined the company as
Director of European Sales. Stevens
will be a close ally of our dealers in
the region, helping them to deliver
the Taylor experience to customers
in stores.
It’s an exciting time as we reach
out to new international customers
and build the infrastructure to grow
our market abroad. To support our
expansion, we’ll be presenting more
in-store events and participating in
more music trade shows. With our
global outreach, a Taylor guitar — and
the complete Taylor experience — will
be available to more players than
ever before.
ECO
Management
From sourcing wood to spraying finish, Taylor innovation
reaches toward greater environmental sustainability
2011 G U ITAR G U I D E
E
nvironmentally responsible
manufacturing methods are
nothing new at Taylor.
Improving the efficiency of the
guitar-making process has been one
of the driving themes of Bob Taylor’s
career, and one of the dividends
of the company’s many pioneering
innovations has been a reduction in
material waste. Changing our cutting
specifications for neck wood with
mahogany trees, for example, led to
a substantial increase in the number
of necks that each tree could yield.
Improvements in the formula of our
finish cut the levels of VOC (volatile
organic compounds) released. And
the robotic system we use to spray
finish on guitars employs an electrostatic attraction method, which
allows for an extraordinarily high
transfer efficiency (in the neighborhood of 80 percent), substantially
reducing the amount of overspray
and emissions.
Of the material waste we do
produce, much of it is recycled. Our
scrap wood is ground in our on-site
wood chipper and blended in a container with our sawdust. This wood
is then delivered to a processor,
where it becomes particle board and
mulch. Ultimately, 100 percent of it
is reused. We also recycle all of our
oil and coolant, and have a solvent
still that we use to repurify our acetone (a cleaning solvent), which is
used over and over. Even the used
strings from our Factory Service
Center find a second home. We
send them to the Second Strings
Project, a program run by Taylor
singer-songwriter Darryl Purpose,
after which they are distributed to
musicians in Third World countries.
Direct Sourcing
Sustainable forestry remains the
most crucial issue among guitar
manufacturers, especially relating
to mahogany, spruce and ebony.
In the case of mahogany, Taylor
innovation has allowed us to “go
primitive” and partner with remote
forest communities in Honduras
to legally and sustainably procure
wood. We’re now in the fifth year
of our Honduran partnerships and
are currently working with three
communities. Each community has
legal rights to a small amount of
acreage of tropical rainforest, and
their government allows them to
take out several mahogany trees
every year in compliance with
harvesting regulations. They select
those mahogany trees and cut them
into lumber for Taylor. Because
of the controlled harvesting, the
impact on the forest is minimal, and
because of the high dollar value we
pay for mahogany compared to a
high-volume logging company, the
communities can earn a healthy
income.
“Each community is able to
cut so few trees because they get
more money per tree from us than
if a logging company came in and
cleared it all out,” explains Bob
Taylor. “The business we do with
these communities provides about
40 percent of their annual income.”
A Policy for Good Wood
Another initiative with major environmental implications is the U.S.
Lacey Act, passed in 2008, which
effectively issued the world’s first
official ban on trade in illegal wood.
A positive global impact has already
been felt, reducing illegal logging
according to some reports by up to
40 percent.
Internally, we’ve established our
Responsible Timber Purchasing
Policy, which ensures that our
purchasing decisions align with
the goal of forest sustainability. It
applies to every piece of wood we
purchase. The policy also addresses
the many conditions that surround
the procurement process. We’ve
even written a forest floor code of
conduct for our wood suppliers.
We feel that having a clear, detailed
policy in place will help us honor our
responsibility to the environment,
customers, suppliers and staff to
be an accountable, eco-conscious
manufacturer.
Looking Ahead: Timber-Tracking
Taylor is currently exploring a
pilot timber-tracking program that
would allow the company to track
supplies of mahogany from their
source point to ensure the integrity
of the supply. The program incorporates bar code and GPS technology,
and would also allow guitar owners
to make a virtual visit to the forest
region that produced the raw materials for their guitars. Such technology
could help increase environmental
awareness among customers and
help them become more connected
to the process of tree harvesting
and to the communities who rely on
forestry for their livelihood.
Bob’s Big Picture Outlook
For years, Bob Taylor has been
proactive in applying creative thinking to environmental issues. And
as an industry leader, his embrace
of new guitar-making methods and
sustainable alternative tonewoods,
such as ovangkol and sapele, has
given them a legitimacy that has
in turn helped change perceptions
within the guitar market in healthy
ways. He explains how Taylor and
other instrument manufacturers can
be responsible stewards of the natural resources they rely on.
“I think you need to start by having a grateful attitude that we have
these resources,” he says. “Most
natural resources are sustainable if
you don’t waste them, if you replace
them, or if your participation in some
way supports the replacement of
them. You also spread the word and
encourage others — your colleagues,
other people in business — to do the
same thing. Rather than be upset
about regulations or pressure to
not overharvest, you have to slim
it down, use the right amount, and
get the highest yield. In my case, if
a tree comes down and a lot of jobs
can be created from that tree, that’s
better than just a few. Does the tree
get cut into two-by-fours and used
up fast, or is it cut into a thousand
guitar tops and used up slowly? To
me, that’s a great way to look at it.”
Opposite page: Bar-coded
mahogany lumber is transported
from the forest in Honduras
(photo courtesy of Greenwood);
This page: Left: Milling a
mahogany tree at the source
in Honduras; Above right: A
mahogany tree being felled;
Right: A mill in Belize
65
What this means is that I never actually play a full Am, E or C chord,
but I imply those chords by playing
groups of notes that relate to each
other in such a way as to trick the
ear into filling in the missing notes.
The droning open A and E strings
here are similar to voicings that
guitarist James Blood Ulmer or the
band Sonic Youth might use.
In the “B” section, the harmony
fills out as I strum the most basic
shapes of Am, E and C that all guitarists know (see chord diagrams
above Example 1). I’ve modified
the voicings of the chords, but the
harmonic progression itself has not
changed.
It’s when the solos start that the
progression becomes really interesting. Once again, I keep the Am-EC-E progression going, but now I
use new voicings and inversions
to imply even more movement (Ex.
2). Chord inversions are most often
associated with jazz guitarists, but
the shapes I’ve used here came from
my study of Texas swing music as
played by Bob Wills and the Texas
Playboys and Riders in the Sky.
Sphere of
Influence
Diversifying your musical palette will spark your creativity
By Shawn Persinger
and help you forge a style all your own.
R
ecently I’ve been
spending a considerable amount of time
studying the music of The Beatles. I
learned that early in their career they
performed no less than 321 cover
songs, including everything from
the rock & roll standards of Elvis,
Chuck Berry and Little Richard to
show tunes from The Music Man, the
torch song “Falling in Love Again” by
Marlene Dietrich, and even the 1921
novelty tune “The Sheik of Araby.”
This practiced knowledge of the
compositions of diverse songwriters
influenced everything The Beatles
would go on to compose. One
wonders what songs might not have
appeared on a Beatles LP if they
hadn’t learned the theme from “The
Man with the Golden Arm.”
What can we learn from the Fab
Four? For one thing, that the more
musical diversity you embrace, the
less commonplace your own playing
is likely to be. You never know when
something you’ve learned, or simply
heard and reflected upon, might
inform your future playing
and compositions.
An Eclectic Approach
Lately, after almost every show I
play, an audience member will come
up to tell me how much they enjoyed
one song in particular, a tune called
“Plain of Jars.” The comments always
start out the same way: “I really liked
that song. It reminded me of…” and
they pause, consider and continue,
“…well, actually it reminded me of
a lot of things.” That’s where the
comments start to diverge: “Klezmer
meets King Crimson,” “Japanese
Gagaku with a little Eddie Van
Halen.” One guy said it sounded like
“Egyptian surf music played by an
Irish band”! (Download the song for
free and decide for yourself at sound
cloud.com/innovadotmu/plain-of-jars.)
I am the first to admit
I wear my influences on my sleeve.
And I enjoy giving credit where credit
is due. Even though many of my influences are obvious, they have been
assimilated evenly into my playing
style rather than simply parroted. I
also try to keep an open mind and
listen to just about every style of
music imaginable, so when someone
does liken my style to Egyptian surf
music played by an Irish band, I can
say, “Thanks, I listen to a lot of that.”
So, why is “Plain of Jars” getting
me so much positive feedback? I
believe it’s because it contains at
least a dozen disparate influences
that coalesce into a cohesive and
catchy song. When I originally wrote
it, I wasn’t thinking, “I’ll try and marry
Balinese gamelan to Appalachian
bluegrass.” I simply took my all varied
interests and
brought them to
the composition
table, but — and I think
this is the most important
part — I did this unconsciously.
Let’s look at the basic elements
of the song (all songs, for that matter, have these basic ingredients):
harmony, melody and rhythm, along
with the various influences that subconsciously inspired me.
Harmony
The first part of the composition
I came up with is shown in Example
1. This seemingly innocuous fourmeasure, three-chord (Am E C)
progression actually makes up 90
percent of the song. This is another
reason I think the piece garners
enthusiastic responses. There is
a lot going on in the tune, but its
underlying concept is a simple threechord jam, twisted and altered in
many unexpected ways. The listener
hears change and repetition simultaneously.
In the “A” section of the tune,
the harmony is Example 1 played
with the voicings shown in the tab,
which are theoretically incomplete.
Melody
Perhaps the most unique feature
of “Plain of Jars” is the “overlapping”
melodic figure that happens in the
“A” section of the song (Ex. 3). This
kind of melodic/rhythmic figure is
often called a cross-rhythm or polyrhythm. Though there are varying
opinions and definitions regarding
these terms, for my purposes I’m
going to stick with “overlapping”
because it is the most accurately
descriptive.
I should point out that the figure
is not actually in 11/8 as shown in
Example 3, but rather is an 11-note
pattern that repeats itself five times,
finally resolving to an E in the last
measure. Because it is an 11-note
pattern that repeats, playing against
a 4/4 rhythm section, the phrase
never starts on the same beat twice
(Ex. 4). The first time it starts on
the first beat of measure one; the
second time around it starts on the
“and of two” in the second measure;
the third time on the fourth beat of
measure three, etc. (Note: I’ve written numbers above the start of each
phrase in Ex. 4.) Now, these details
of where the phrase starts are not
important to me, except for the first
one. All that concerned me when
composing this idea was to make it
resolve in an obvious and satisfying
place.
Plain of Jars
67
by Shawn Persinger
This sort of overlapping crossrhythm is central to the music played
by Balinese gamelan ensembles.
While I’ve never been a huge fan of
gamelan, I have listened to a lot of
music that is influenced by it, such
as the so-called minimalists Steve
Reich and Philip Glass, as well as
the progressive rock band King
Crimson (their 1981-84 period).
Because I’d had exposure to these
types of melodic/rhythmic figures
in the past, once I found this piece
asking for this type of treatment, it
was easy for me to say, “OK, this
will work; I just need to resolve it.”
The other point of interest in
this figure is the scale it is derived
from: A harmonic minor (Ex. 5). The
harmonic minor sound is immediately associated with Middle Eastern
music, though the canon of Western
classical music is littered with
harmonic minor melodies as well.
Guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen is perhaps the current ambassador of the
harmonic minor sound. Space limitations prevent me from overanalyzing this scale, but I’ll point out that
in the key of A minor, it’s the G#
note that gives this scale its exotic
sound. This sonority frequently
prompts audience members to comment that the song sounds like it
came from Turkey or Israel or India.
It’s interesting to note that Jewish
sacred music, Muslim call to prayer,
Hindu ragas and Bach chorales all
rely heavily on this scale for a feeling of tension and release.
Rhythm
Now let’s discuss the rhythmic
aspects of the song. In addition to
the overlapping melody, there are
also accents in the chordal accompaniment that help drive the tune,
give it a groove, and add a sense
of percussion without added instrumentation.
Despite the fact that the song is
in 4/4, the accents fall primarily in
groups of three (see accent markings in Ex. 1). If you were to count
these accents out loud they would
be: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-23-4. If you add those numbers up
you get 16, which subdivides into
4/4. These accents are comparable
to, though much more simple than,
the rhythms that Stravinsky used in
his groundbreaking work “The Rite
of Spring.” Though written almost
100 years ago (1913), this work
is still a controversial and innovative piece of music that demands
repeated listening and study.
Plain of Jars
Am
E
C
E
Ex. 1
& 44 ..
>
.
.
T
A
B
>
7
0
Am
7
0
7
0
7
0
>
7
0
7
0
7
0
A m/C
5fr.
>
7
0
7
0
& ..
10
9
7
Ex. 4
#
4
& 4 ..
.
.
4
6
545 8
7 5 4
65
4
5 7 8
5 7 8
6
5
Though not present on my
recording, I have recently started
to draw even greater attention to
the accents in live performance by
arpeggiating the chords in the “A”
section (Ex. 6). These chordal arpeggiations are something I picked up
from listening to Al DiMeola, who
is arguably the master of this sort
of crosspicking style. Al, in turn,
has acknowledged that he learned
5 6
7
8
7
8
7
8
E/G #
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
5
5
5
3
3
8
45 8 7 54
.
.
4
#
4
6
545 8 7 5
6
7
.
.
#
4
J 44
4
6 5
6
5 4 5 8 7 5 4
#
4
65
7
8
6
7
#
.. 118
5
4
2
#
7
8
6
7
2fr.
3fr.
8
9
10
7
8
6
7
w
..
5
65
4
6
5 4 5
8 7 5 4
4
65
6
5 45 8 7 54
.
.
6 5
Ex. 6
#
6 7
7
8
3
#
4 5 7
7
0
#
#
Ex. 5
&
7
0
Ex. 3
2
65
7
0
>
T
#
1
7
0
8fr.
9
9
9
7
8
7
0
>
C/G
7fr.
#
5
5
5
7
7
5
7
0
C
7fr.
Ex. 2
.
.
7
0
E
>
>
..
#
..
4 5
.
.
>
0
>
7 7
0
>
7 7
0
>
7
7
0
>
>
7 7
0
7
0
7
8
>
7 7
8
>
7 7
shaped the guitar solo. As a player
and composer, I believe one should
always be looking for new sounds
and ideas. That means looking outThe Last Word
side of oneself and far beyond the
As you can see, the composers
conventions of mainstream popular
and guitarists who synthesized and
music. Search for the fine line
inspired me to compose “Plain of
between imitation and inspiration and
Jars” are, to say the least, eclectic.
I have cited a dozen different art- - 1 - allow your musical subconscious to
exceedPersinger
your expectations.
ists who influenced thisCopyright
song and© 2009 Shawn
Prester
John Music ASCAP
could name half a dozen more
who
this technique from listening to Doc
Watson records.
8
>
7
7
8
..
>
7 7
0
7
0
7
.
.
Shawn Persinger, a.k.a. Prester
John, is a self-proclaimed “Modern/
Primitive” guitarist who owns Taylor
410s and 310s. His latest CD,
Desire for a Straight Line, with mandolinist David Miller, has earned rave
reviews from publications including
Guitar Player, The Village Voice, and
All About Jazz.
www.PersingerMusic.com
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69
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70
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