Customer Reviews

Taylor Guitars 30 Years of a New American Classic

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
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A very good over view of not only the business, but the man and his vision for the best acoustic guitar. Many of the names of people associated with Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug will surprise you. Many fabulous pictures of some beautiful and rare Taylor instruments, including a few home made models from his youth! Many helpful dates and side notes for the curious and the collector. I would highly recommend this for anyone serious about either Taylor guitars or acoustic guitars in general.

Superbly written and packed with intriguing historical photos, this 220-page coffee-table book tells how Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor met as struggling luthiers in a San Diego workshop and managed to create one of the world's preeminent guitar companies. It's a dramatic tale of economic hardship, disappointment, and eventual triumph over adversity. Guitar geeks will delight in details about tonewoods, tools, and manufacturing, while Taylor owners will appreciate the history of the various models and how they evolved from pencil-and-paper sketches into successful production instruments.

Taylor's extensive (and often humorous) quotes are particularly insightful. He credits other luthiers -- including James Goodall, John Carruthers, Jean Larrivée, and Augustino LoPrinzi -- for providing him with techniques and inspiration, and points to Tom Anderson as being the catalyst for Taylor's own pioneering work with computer-controlled milling machines. We learn how and why Taylor developed such radical innovations as the New Technology neck, finger-jointed headstock, UV-cured finish, and Expression System pickup, and get to ogle dozens of custom, celebrity edition, and one-of-a-kind instruments. More than a guitar book, this is a tale of two plucky pals, who, accompanied by a handful of bright and dedicated coworkers, learned to beat the odds and make their dreams come true.

What a great book. A great story and well told. Wonderful pictures and high quality print and binding make this a must-have. As a former Taylor owner, I had lost touch with the brand, but this book made me appreciate Taylor Guitars and all they've done to get where they are. Finished it in a day

I've been playing acoustic and electric guitar for over 40 years now and have been fortunate enough to acquire some dream instruments over the years, and having bought my first Taylor guitar in 2006 I decided to buy this book to learn more about the people who made my guitar. It is a well written story rather than a guide to their instrument range, and I read it cover to cover in one session. Its a story that tells of a triumph of two men's dream [must include Kurt Listug as an equal to Bob Taylor here] to build and market high-end and consistent quality guitars, despite many setbacks, running out of cash on a frequent basis and on a number of occasions being on the point of throwing the towel in. There is a lovely tale in the book of Taylor purchasing a batch of rosewood from their [friendly?] rivals Martin, sort of forgetting to pay for it,then several years later on a visit to the Martin plant in Nazareth, being pointedly reminded that they still owed for that wood.
There are some beautiful photos of some of the more bizarre instruments they have made over the years, including the famous "Pallet" guitar, fashioned out of oak pallet wood! This is a book not only for guitar enthusiasts or owners of Taylor instruments but also for anyone with an interest in how to have sufficient faith and determination to succeed in an area seemingly dominated by old and well established businesses, eventually becoming a dominant force in the market. A damn good read.