The R. Taylor Story
I've been building guitars for three and a half decades,
and even though my factory has grown large, I've personally made thousands
of guitars. One at a time. There is something so gripping about painstakingly
making a guitar - a single guitar - and putting attention into every
detail, sandpaper and chisel in hand. A luthier never tires of this.
With the resources of Taylor Guitars at my fingertips,
I decided to start a new company that makes guitars in this fashion.
One by one, with no detail too small. The quantity is limited, almost
by definition, because the talent needed to make guitars in this way
is very, very rare and needs to be fostered in a small shop environment.
What resources, you ask? Well, after more than 30 years
in business, Taylor Guitars has amassed an unimaginable supply of wood;
it's the best in the industry. The incredible craftspeople and the experience
they've gained over the years are, in my opinion, beyond compare. Then
there is the choice of the finest dealers the market has to offer. All
this at my fingertips, and catalyzed by an abiding love of guitar making
and fine craftsmanship. Imagine running a small guitar shop that can
go next door to a place like Taylor Guitars and "borrow a cup of
sugar," free of charge.
The Guitar-Building Dream Team
I'd like to mention the craftsman working
hand in glove with me on this. First, there is Larry Breedlove, my nearly
life-long partner in design, and our young colleague Ed Granero. The
three of us make up the design well spring.
When I arrived at the American Dream
guitar shop in 1973 as an 18-year-old guitar builder, I worked beside
a bench already occupied by Timothy Luranc. Tim still works with me
today. He has now transferred to the R. Taylor shop. Tim does the final
assembly of guitars along with any customer repair work. He also supervises
the finish work of relative newbie, Josh Carter, who has a "mere"
10 years of experience at Taylor Guitars, having personally finished
literally thousands of guitars.
Bodies and necks are made by Keith Greenwood
and Eric Larson, each 10-year veterans who were literally chosen out of
a selection of 300 craftspeople. These guys are good.
The guitar orders are supervised by
product manager and sales manager, John DiMaggio. John came here exclusively
for R. Taylor and has a lifetime experience around guitars.
This is my guitar-building dream team, and
the people who will make your R. Taylor guitar if you are ever of a mind
to order one. I invite you to read on and learn more about the company and
the guitars.
More pictures here.
Call for pricing and info. 410-744-1144