The NT Neck 10 Years and Holding Strong

35th Anniversary Preview

Artist Signature Models Serj Tankian & Zach Myers

SolidBody Trem

Nylon 24s 2 www.taylorguitars.com

stock. When we walked to the back of back to my car carrying my 410e I arrived at your facility, I was gra- the store where the acoustic guitars (in the dark and the rain), I tripped ciously met by [Taylor Customer were showcased, I saw a big, beauti- and went flying like Superman. Service Manager] Glen Wolff, who Letters ful 815ce with a Florentine cutaway. Unfortunately, unlike Superman, my inspected my guitar and agreed the oval knots in the lower bout with I couldn’t wait to hold it and strum it. flight was very short and the landing “Refresh” package would be the smaller knots in the upper...”). I went But to my disappointment, as I got quite violent. I fell full body on top of best option for me. Two weeks later, on to describe many other details. closer, I noticed the “sold” tag. Ric my guitar case and skidded a few I received my guitar via UPS in a When I got the guitar, I was over- encouraged me to take it down and inches on the pavement. The sturdy secured Taylor guitar box. When I whelmed. It was like the staff was play it anyway. I refused — in my mind case not only saved me some road opened it, I was like a kid in a candy able to read my mind. And sensing that guitar already had an owner, rash, but kept my Taylor totally safe store. The guitar looked and played a slight preference, they even gave and I didn’t want to damage it. The and sound. You don’t just make good better than ever! I’d forgotten the true me a hint of sapwood on the sides. sales specialist, Kevin, assured me guitars, you make EVERYTHING tone it was capable of. Also, a few It’s the best-sounding guitar I’ve ever it would be fine for me to play it. good. I now have the scrapes on the minor dings had been spot-removed played: big, deep, warm and “exactly Still, I refused. Kevin took it down case to prove it! from the face, giving it that new look the way I wanted it.” Many thanks to and played it for me. At that point, E Hiatt again. Even more than before, it’s my Jim at Guitar Rodeo and the Taylor the temptation was too great and I favorite axe to play. I encourage all staff. gave in. I was amazed. I could feel Taylor guitar players to consider this David Fielding the sound resonate from its big body Classic Coverage amazing program. In these difficult Potomac, Maryland and loved the deep sounds it pro- I’ve believed in Taylor quality since economic times, it’s a way of getting duced. As I sat strumming a guitar I bought my first 714. I just bought a new Taylor guitar without having to In Praise of R&R I knew I couldn’t have, Ric asked, a SolidBody Classic from my bud pay the price of one. I was really impressed by the way Capobility “Kevin, should we tell her that she’s Brad at Sims Music in Columbia, During my next business trip to Kurt Listug addressed the current In the Spring 2009 issue, Denn the owner of this beautiful guitar?” I South Carolina, and I just can’t the Carlsbad (El Cajon) area, I plan economic situation in his last column, Santoro wrote in [“Ask Bob”] to ask was stunned and without words. He get over what an incredible guitar on allowing for more free time to tour “Resilience and Reinvention.” His about 12-string capos, and [Bob] had ordered the 815ce for me as a you’ve designed. The thing is a tone your facility. strength and conviction were refresh- wondered whether some of the capo birthday gift and was going to hide it monster! I play every Sunday at a Bob Lumley ing in these days of big-bank bail- makers were looking into a special until May 11, but when I showed up contemporary service and usually Westlake Village, California outs. Kurt has become a seasoned capo for the 12. Well, someone did, to help him at work, he’d decided on carry several electric guitars with CEO, and Taylor is very fortunate namely Paige. They’ve been making a a surprise presentation instead. It’s me, along with my trusty 714. For to have him at the helm. Since Kurt 12-string capo for quite a while, and been hard to put down and is the service this morning I only took the Sorry, It Never Ends and I are roughly the same age, I, it’s a model of simplicity. They made best birthday gift I’ve ever received. Classic. At the end of the service I Where does it all end? Just when too, have had to contend with the a wide capo and installed four clear Carolyn Pevey had bandmates, our sound guy, and I think I have The Guitar, you come cyclical folly of the economy over plastic bands on the top bar for the Calera, Alabama others commenting on what a great- up with something better. I’ve had the course of my adult life. It has octave strings. They stay in place well sounding guitar it was. We cover my 915 for three years now — it’s been a heck of a learning curve. I’m but can be moved to accommodate songs from sweet to rocking, and the awesome with the bluegrass licks. sure that Taylor and the assembled different string spacing. It works like a Born to be Wild — and in Tune Classic has the widest range of tonal Then along comes the T5, which is employees will continue to innovate charm, and it’s a bargain at less than I play in a classic rock cover possibilities of any guitar I’ve ever so versatile that the 915 sits off to both on the musical and financial $25. I have one for my 355ce, and I band, the Powder Kegz, and have played. Like a Maserati, it’s very com- the side looking pretty. Next comes fronts. And thanks for recognizing the almost never have to adjust the tuning played for over twenty years in the fortable but very capable of extremes. the SolidBody Custom. Didn’t need role of the customer. Well put, Kurt. before or after using it. Dallas/Fort Worth area. I wanted to To the design and production folks, it (according to my wife) but picked “Perseverance furthers.” (I Ching) Chris Peterson say how much I like playing my two my hat is off to you all. To the folks at one up anyway. Can’t have too many John McCarthy Orange, California SolidBody Taylors. My lead player Wood&Steel, thanks for stirring my Taylors! Then yesterday at my favorite has not converted yet, though I am interest in the Classic. Your guitars music store, I spotted a T5-C2, koa still working on him. inspire me. top. Uh-oh. I played it for an hour — Rodeo Rave Jumbo Surprise We play a lot of biker stuff here Mark McLane well, a couple — then made a deal to This letter of gratitude is a little April 10, 2009 — a day I won’t in Texas. We play outside when hot, Columbia, South Carolina bring in the original T5 and trade up, overdue, but I was prompted by last forget. I had the day off and was just inside when hot, early morning bike with a few dollars, to boot. I can’t put issue’s side panel story on [Taylor going to sit around and play guitar runs when cold, and late night wild this axe down. I’ve played it through dealer] Guitar Rodeo in the BTO after taking the kids to school. But riding club parties in the country, so Rites of String my Bose L1, my acoustic amp, as article (“Any Way You Want It”). From when I found out my husband, Ric, our equipment takes a beating and Thank you for your informative and well as a tube “keyboard” amp, with the first time I played a Taylor, I knew had two people call in sick, I went in is exposed to temperature extremes. fun videos on guitar care, especially a reverb pedal. My poor wife shud- I had to have one. But if I was going to give him a hand. Ric’s employees I had been going through guitars stringing the guitar. I hated spending ders when I get your magazine in the to spend that kind of money, it had to were kidding me about working on like crazy or sending them to the the money on Elixir strings, mostly mail. Someone should have warned be unique, not “off-the wall, out the my day off and asking what he was shop for repair. I hardly have to tune because I am a novice at it and tend- her about marrying a guitar picker! door.” I saw a Guitar Rodeo listing, going to owe me. “A Jumbo Taylor my Taylors — they’ve held up very ed to break them during the restring. Thanks for the great products that called Jim, and proceeded to barrage guitar,” I jokingly said, since that had well under those situations. So, for Your videos have taken the fear away you turn out. him with about 40 questions on build- been my desire for over a year. whatever it’s worth, I think the Taylor and made it simple, fast and fun. C.W. McAloney ing a guitar to my liking. Amazingly, For lunch, Ric took me to a restau- SolidBody rocks! Kenneth Chenault he answered EVERY question with a rant that seemed too far from work, Charles Hemphill degree of knowledge, patience and but I didn’t ask any questions. Before understanding I’ve never before expe- we went in, he recommended that A Refreshing Trip We’d like to rienced. This would seem ridiculous we visit the music shop next door. I Supercase I am the proud owner of several to anyone who hasn’t done a BTO agreed, though I knew we wouldn’t I am the proud owner of three Taylors. My favorite is an 814ce- hear from you Taylor, but I described in great detail see the guitar I was looking for Taylors (410e, T5 and a Liberty Tree), L10. During a recent business trip Send your e-mails to: the pieces of cocobolo and cedar I because we’d checked with the local and the only complaint I’ve ever had to Carlsbad [California], I decided [email protected] wanted for my 815c (“chocolate and music shops several weeks earlier, is how heavy the cases are. Well, no to drive the extra 30 minutes to El caramel grain variation, two broad and no one had Jumbo Taylors in more. Last night, as I was walking Cajon to have it “refreshed.” When 3

Volume 60 Summer 2009

On the Cover 18 10 Years of NT Taylor’s most important innovation ever guarantees the longterm playability of our guitars. A decade after its debut, we revisit how the BobSpeak NT neck changed everything.

The Neck’s Generation Features This year marks Taylor Guitars’ 35th anniversary, and since many of you know I was nineteen when I started

the company, you can figure out how old I’m getting. Enough about that, except to say that I’m still feeling 6 Artist Signature Models It’s been a few years, but our Artist Series reloads with a nod to our great, and still I love making guitars. I’m working with some super-smart people here, and our guitars just keep electric line, featuring models from System of a Down’s Serj Tankian getting better. and Shinedown’s Zach Myers. It’s also the 10th anniversary of our NT neck design, which I consider to be our crowning guitar design achievement over the past 35 years. Prior to its development, Taylors already played well. In fact, we set the standard for how an acoustic guitar should and could play way back in the ’80s. Before Taylor was around, 9 Don’t De-Tune I dare say acoustic players were used to guitars that played poorly due to a lot of things that were overlooked Decades ago, players had to de-tune their acoustics to keep them healthy, in the guitar-building process. But the NT neck took our dreams of the first 25 years — the idea that an acous- but those days are history. Rob Magargal explains the balance of tension tic guitar could have a perfectly straight neck and the perfect neck angle each and every time, and be fully and relief behind a guitar neck. adjustable for both the initial factory setup and the after-factory life of the guitar — and it made those dreams come true. 12 Why We Practice I remember fretting guitars by hand, sanding fretboards with a block and sandpaper, and eyeballing the Who says practicing can’t be productive and fun? How to get the most neck. I was good at that. Then along came Terry Myers, who was better at it than me, by a hair, but better out of your practice sessions and turn those drills into thrills. nonetheless. It’s now 20 years later, and Terry is still here, looking down necks, making sure they’re fine. In fact, today Terry called a meeting to talk about how straight the necks are and how we can firm up every last detail of our operation to ensure perfection on every neck. He walks through the factory each day with gauges hang- 14 Planning an Anniversary With Taylor’s 35th anniversary on the way, we take you behind the scenes ing from chains and checks up on stuff. Then he’ll get in his car and drive to Mexico to teach and mentor on for a preview of some very special LTDs that are unlike anything we’ve the same subject there. He’ll even fly to Germany and check out guitars, or follow a shipment to Japan to see ever done. what the ocean climate and container environment may have done. The difference between pre-NT and post-NT is that nowadays when Terry or I call a meeting to discuss the quality of the fretboard surface, we talk about things that most people, even those in our factory, can’t even 22 New Products: Electric Trem and the NS24 perceive. In other words, the necks have gotten that good. But Terry and I still have the eyes and the interest to We put the whammy on our SolidBody, while the Nylon Series welcomes shoot for theoretical perfection in the real world. a pair of new value-packed models, including our first non-cutaway. What I like about the NT is that, while it’s the hardest guitar building we’ve ever done, it’s also the most accurate and the most rewarding. And since it’s a system that actually works, it’s more achievable than the old 6 14 22 system, which nearly all factories are still using today. Now, when I say “more achievable,” I don’t mean easier; I just mean that if we follow the rules and procedures, it works. The rules and procedures are very strict and don’t allow for much interpretation. That’s the hard part. The rewarding part is that the necks turn out wonder- ful, which makes for a great-playing guitar now and well into the future. This last year we’ve had teams of people from the factory going out to stores all over the U.S. and the world, with one objective in mind: to look at the condition of our guitars, adjust where necessary, and then teach our dealers how to better care for guitars on the wall. Then they bring back their findings to the factory so we can improve what we do on our end. One such team just made a trip to Europe. Six craftsmen (includ- ing Terry), three teams of two. They split up and for two weeks visited dealers, worked on guitars and saw exactly how our guitars look in the field [see “WorldView”]. Even with our full confidence in the NT system, our Departments finish and our wood curing, we still want to go see for ourselves. We learn a lot from these trips. Thirty-five years ago I wouldn’t have believed we’d ever be able to afford to send people all over the world 2 Letters 10 Ask Bob 28 WorldView to bring back vital information and improve the guitar-building process back home. I guess that’s what 35 years Calendar of experience, used properly, looks like in my world. I thought I’d share that with you because this is the kind of 3 BobSpeak 24 Soundings stuff I do every day, and I still find it interesting. Enjoy the NT article in this issue. It’s packed with a lot of infor- 29 TaylorWare mation about how radically different your Taylor guitar is than any of the other guitars you might own or wish to 4 Kurt’s Corner 26 Mixed Media own. There really is a difference. 5 On the Web 27 Taylor Notes ­ — Bob Taylor, President Editor’s Note 4 www.taylorguitars.com

Volume 60 Summer 2009

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

Contributors Bob Borbonus / Jonathan Forstot / Dan Forte / David Hosler / David Kaye Kurt Listug / Shane Roeschlein / Bob Taylor / Corey Witt / Glen Wolff Chalise Zolezzi

Technical Advisors Ed Granero / David Hosler / Gerry Kowalski / Tim Luranc / Rob Magargal Mike Mosley / Brian Swerdfeger / Chris Wellons / Glen Wolff

Photographers Rita Funk-Hoffman / David Kaye / Steve Parr / Tim Whitehouse Kurt’s Corner Circulation Printing & Distribution Katrina Horstman Woods Lithographics - Phoenix

Keeping it Real ©2009 Taylor Guitars. 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, As you read through this issue, about craftsmanship, about guitar you were to promote yourself or Expression System, GALLERY Series, K4, Liberty Tree, Peghead Design, Pickguard Design, PRESENTATION which celebrates our 35th anniver- care, and about musicianship. We your company in a way that was not 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 sary, I think our passion for what we want to express our opinions about consistent with what’s actually real, and Design, TAYLORWARE, and WOOD&STEEL are registered trademarks of the company. Balanced do comes through loud and clear. things that are important to us that would create a pretty major Breakout, Dynamic String Sensor, ES Blue, Grand Symphony, GS, GS SERIES, T5 Thinline Fiveway, Taylor What other guitar company puts out (although I’ve largely refrained from disconnect. People know what’s real Acoustic Electronics, ES-T, Thinline (T5) Fiveway, T3, T3/B, and T-Lock are trademarks of the company. Patents pending. a magazine like this to invite you into talking about cars!). We want to tell and what isn’t. their world! the stories of our employees and Wood&Steel is real, and it remains We created Wood&Steel 15 years dealers because we feel these are an accurate expression of who 2009 Taylor Factory Tours & Vacation Dates ago because we wanted to include stories worth telling, and because you we are, of our lives here within the If you plan to tour the Taylor Guitars factory in 2009, please note that we’ve you in the company. We wanted to deserve to know these people. walls of Taylor Guitars and beyond revised our tour schedule. A free, guided tour is given every Monday through share what we were working on, what If you look at the effort and care them, and of the lives of our beloved Thursday at 1 p.m. (excluding holidays). No advance reservations are neces- we were excited about, what we were we put into this magazine, you get a customers. We’ve evolved a lot as sary. Simply check-in at our reception desk in the lobby of our main building by concerned about, and what our plans sense of the effort and care we put a company over the past 35 years, 1 p.m. We ask that large groups (more than 10) and school-supervised groups were. We wanted this to be a two- into our guitars and into every part of but being real has been a consistent schedule special tours in advance by calling (619) 258-1207 and asking for the way relationship, and we wanted to this company. value that has helped us connect in a Factory Tour Manager. We kindly request at least two weeks’ notice for all group hear and share your stories, answer You’ve no doubt heard about meaningful way with the world. As we tours. your questions, and showcase the branding and what branding means. look forward to celebrating future an- While not physically demanding, the tour does include a fair amount of walk- pursuits of people who’d become Branding to me means quality niversaries with you, you can be sure ing. Due to the technical nature, the tour may not be suitable for small children. part of the Taylor family. communication of the company’s that you’ll always have a direct line to The tour lasts approximately one hour and 15 minutes and departs from the main The same holds true today. products and ideals. This is about who we are. building at 1980 Gillespie Way in El Cajon, California. Wood&Steel is a vehicle for sharing so much more than simply running Please take note of the weekday exceptions below. For more information, includ- knowledge — about guitar design, a pretty ad; it has to be honest. If ­ — Kurt Listug, CEO ing directions to the factory, please visit taylorguitars.com/contact/factorytour. We look forward to seeing you!

Holiday closures: Additional closures:

Monday, September 7 Please note that tours will not be (Labor Day) given during these weeks:

Friday, October 16 August 3-7 (Taylor anniversary)

Thursday-Friday, November 26-27 August 31-September 4 (Thanksgiving holiday)

Monday, December 21 through Friday, January 1 (Christmas, company vacation) 5

Find us on Facebook. Add us on MySpace. Subscribe on YouTube. On the Web Follow us on Twitter: Editor’s Note twitter.com/taylorguitarspr The Post-NT Golden Years

A new home for our LTDs, contests aplenty, and fresh videos In guitar circles, much attention is given to the “golden age” periods of guitar design. Collectors of vintage acoustics hail the pre- We’ve been busy developing create a short video showing how summer in support of their new World War II era. Electric connoisseurs celebrate the late ’50s and a new online home for our limited they put the gear to work on stage studio album, Big Whiskey and early ’60s. In a more contemporary vein, many enthusiasts cite the edition models, starting with the and in the studio, with videos posted the GrooGrux King, will also award ’90s as the beginning of a modern golden era, which saw the rise new artist signature guitars we on testdrive.taylorguitars.com for a two runners-up the complete Dave of many talented small-shop luthiers and the integration of precision designed with Serj Tankian from second round of voting. The top- Matthews Band Live Trax catalog, tools into the process of making guitars. While each golden period System of a Down and Zach Myers voted artist will receive time in a stu- Vol. 1-15. has a unique identity that draws from the context of its times, they all from Shinedown. Our new LTD sec- dio to record an EP with their gear tend to share a common theme of design innovation. tion will include a gallery of beauty as an official Taylor Guitars and Elixir shots, specs, a list of stores where Strings band. For more details, visit you can find available models, plus sonicbids.com/taylorelixirtestdrive Taylor has partnered with Country videos. We’ll also be showcasing Music Television’s popular TV show, It’s tempting to paint the post- our 35th anniversary models there “Crossroads,” for an awesome fan NT period as a golden era for later this summer, followed by the giveaway: a custom Taylor DN5 Fall Limiteds. Over time we plan to We’ve got a pretty cool promotion signed by rocker Bryan Adams the company. add an archive of past LTDs, as well. going with Dave Matthews that one and country music sensation Jason You’ll find everything at taylorguitars. lucky fan will love. In cooperation with Aldean. Enter to win at cmt.com/ com/guitars/limiteds Live Nation and Musictoday, we’re community/sweepstakes/crossroads- This issue, as we recognize a pair of milestones along Taylor’s offering the ultimate giveaway: a bryan-jason/ timeline — 10 years of the NT neck and the company’s 35th year in chance to meet Dave Matthews and business ­— it’s tempting (and admittedly self-serving) to paint the have him sign your new Taylor 914ce. post-NT period as a golden era for the company. But I think everyone Are you an artist or band on the Contestants can enter to win around here and many of you out there would agree that it is. As rise and looking for a break? Taylor by visiting taylorguitars.com and Our “Videos” feature is freshly you’ll glean from Bob Taylor’s comments in his column and our NT ® Guitars and Elixir Strings have clicking on the Dave Matthews stocked with live performances and 35th anniversary stories, the arrival of the NT neck helped open teamed up for Test Drive 2009, a promo box before July 22. The prize recorded from the Taylor stage at the doors to a period of prolific guitar development, and the results promotion with sonicbids.com in sup- package includes two tickets to the NAMM. You’ll find three new videos speak for themselves. Acoustic and electric pickups. The Nylon port of emerging artists. Artists enter Dave Matthews Band concert at each from Coheed and Cambria Series. The T5, GS, SolidBody and T3. The Build to Order custom the contest by uploading their profile, the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and Alter Bridge, new tunes from program. and fans vote for their favorites. The in Irvine, California on September Sixwire and Doyle Dykes, plus a These days, we’re in constant development mode, and it’s not top 50 artists are then reviewed by 13, roundtrip airfare, hotel stay, and sizzling jazz jam with guitarist Peter unusual for us to introduce new guitars throughout the course of the a music panel, which will select five a meet-and-greet with Dave. The Sprague on a Taylor nylon-string. year. This issue alone, we bring you the SolidBody tremolo, a pair finalists and outfit them with Taylor winner will also receive a custom And if you haven’t seen our “Plug of new nylons, new artist signature models, and a preview of some SolidBody Classic guitars, a supply Taylor 914ce, Dave’s main acoustic and Play” videos demonstrating our first-of-a-kind guitars we have in the works to celebrate our 35th of Elixir Strings, and Elixir Cables. model, which he will sign in person. Loaded Pickguards for the SolidBody anniversary. These finalists will be challenged to The band, which is touring this Classic, be sure to check them out. Ultimately, whether or not you think of this as a golden era for us isn’t that important. Just know that we’re more focused than ever on making cool guitars, and that, thanks to the NT neck, they’ll play and sound great for many years to come.

— Jim Kirlin

Correction: In last issue’s story on our loaded pickguards, we com- mitted an egregious faux pax and misspelled Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Online name. We regret the error. Read this and other back issues of Wood&Steel at taylorguitars.com under “Resources.”

7

Dave Matthews, Tommy Shaw and recording, it’s still the heaviest, and ancient Greek tragedy Prometheus looking forward to working on that.” Jason Mraz. Look for news on those when I say heavy, I mean the tone of Bound with playwright Steven Sater Serj is also working on two models in the coming months. the strings when you’re picking them of Broadway’s Spring Awakening books, including Cool Gardens 2. is so loud and big.” fame and director Diane Paulus, Jokingly accused of being a or a performing artist, a He also has a 710ce-L9, a cus- who recently earned an award for slacker, he laughs. Fgreat guitar is an indispensable Serj Tankian tom myrtle/Engelmann GA, and a her Broadway revival of Hair in New “Believe me, this is a mellow year creative partner. A great guitar will One of the most creative and 12-string 654ce. About two years York. He’s also looking forward to for me,” he insists. “I’m usually doing channel inspiration, deliver the goods articulate frontmen in rock, singer- ago, he sampled a T5 and loved collaborating on a film project with all of this stuff while I’m touring. So in the studio, and elevate one’s game songwriter/poet/humanitarian activist what it allowed him to do on stage his friend, Roger Kupelian, who was at least I can do things at my own on stage. Whether inviting songs Serj Tankian cultivated a huge world as a rock frontman. the top digital painter on all three pace. I get to get out of town and or helping to convey them to an fanbase with the Los Angeles- “It’s light and thin, so you can Lord of the Rings films and who has enjoy the weekend, so it’s much audience, it’s no wonder that artists based alt-metal band System of a just stand in front of the mic and an effects company that does digital easier. It’s a year off, basically.” develop a personal bond with their Down from the late ’90s through rock out,” he says. “For a stage envi- designs for a lot of Hollywood films. guitars, or that Taylors make preferred 2006. The band’s shared Armenian- ronment, in order to play live, the “He wrote his own script and has SerjTankian.com companions for many gigging musos. American heritage brought exotic T5 works great.” When he plays it this amazing vision that’s kind of like With a reputation for great tone, play- musical influences that filtered into live, he says he usually goes direct, Braveheart meets 300,” he says. “I’m continued ability, performance-readiness and their hardcore/thrash metal/avant- through a DI box. durability, there’s a lot for a working progressive rock affinities, distilling Having owned both a black and artist — and front-of-house sound their music into a fiercely original a red T5 Custom, when it came to guy, studio engineer and listeners — sound. Dynamic shifts between creating the specs for his signature to like. ethereal melodies and pummeling model, the STSM-T5, Serj chose black Our reputation was built in the speed riffs mixed tension and release with red binding, unbound f-holes, and ’80s and ’90s by helping artists who in a powerful way that, together with an inlay design for the fretboard and were in search of better tools, from Serj’s socially charged lyrics and headstock based on a necklace he Nashville session cats and sidemen soaring vocals, connected viscerally found in Europe years ago. looking for a balanced acoustic tone with listeners. The band’s eclectic, “It’s a perpetual energy wheel,” he that fit the mix, to singer-songwriters uncompromising approach pushed says. “I liked the design. We made who wanted a reliable acoustic that the parameters of rock into new some designs for System merch was easy to play and stayed in tune. places. Music critics took note, while over the years, but I never ended up Solving the problems of musicians the word-of-mouth buzz from devoted using it.” makes us happy, and our guitar fans quickly spread around the world, During a visit to the Taylor factory development over the years, from turning System into a platinum-sell- in May, Serj talked about his recent acoustics to electrics, has pursued ing, must-see headline act at festivals work, including the ability to expand an ongoing theme of enhancing the like Ozzfest. System’s five studio upon the orchestral ideas of Elect musical pursuits of players. records went on to sell more than 16 the Dead. In some cases, we’ve designed in- million copies, and their prodigious “I had never made a rock record struments to fit the signature playing artistic output peaked with the dou- as a composer without a band,” he needs of artists, like Dan Crary, Leo ble studio releases Mesmerize and says. “I wrote everything on either Kottke and Doyle Dykes (honorable later Hypnotize in 2005, distinguish- acoustic guitar or piano, but as I mention: Richie Sambora’s double- ing them as the first rock act in chart started experimenting with different neck 6/12-string). In others, we’ve history to debut two No.1 new studio instrumentation and arrangement taken particular production models albums in a calendar year. ideas, I realized that the whole that artists have grown to love and The band took an indefinite hiatus orchestral, rather grand vibe of what collaborated with them to create cus- in 2006 to allow members to pursue I was doing lent itself well to drums tom appointments that reflect their other artistic projects, and Serj’s and guitars, and that I could totally individual artistic identities. diverse creative energies have been extend everything.” With the recent increase in widely dispersed. He and guitar- Serj had an opportunity to extend customized building here, through ist Tom Morello (Rage Against the things further earlier this year, when various LTDs and our Build to Order Machine, Audioslave) formed the he expanded his arrangements from program, the timing seemed right nonprofit grassroots political orga- Elect the Dead with the help of the to revive the Taylor Artist Signature nization Axis of Justice to increase 70-piece Auckland Philharmonic in Series and have fun with some of our awareness of human rights and New Zealand, where he has a home. artist friends who have been long- social justice issues; he started his “You can’t give up on a chance time Taylor players. We’re excited to own record label, Serjical Strike to work with an orchestra if they’re relaunch the series this summer with Records; and he released his first interested,” he says. “We recorded a pair of models from our electric solo album, Elect the Dead, in 2007. the show and plan to release a DVD line, designed for two rock artists, He also continued to write poetry, and a live CD. It came out phenom- Serj Tankian and Zach Myers, whose having published his first collection, enal. I was the most excited I’ve ever albums and live performances have Cool Gardens, in 2002. been playing any show in my whole helped them amass devoted follow- Serj’s relationship with Taylor life. When you have 70 people on ings, respectively, and whose talents began during his System days, when stage playing your music, it’s an inde- and passion for music deserve a he started using our acoustics for scribable feeling as a songwriter, as Above: the STSM-T5 features a red energy wheel inlay in the great guitar. songwriting and performance. His a composer.” fretboard and headstock, with matching red purfling on the body, Meanwhile, we’re busy working favorite is his 410. As for upcoming projects, Serj fretboard and headstock. It comes with chrome Taylor tuners and on more guitar collaborations with “The sound of that is so heavy,” has plenty on his plate. He’s working standard T5 electronics; Opposite page: Serj with his T5 at the other popular Taylor players, including he said backstage last year while on another solo record. He’s been Taylor factory in May Taylor Swift, Steven Curtis Chapman, on tour. “Especially for picking and developing a musical based on the 8 www.taylorguitars.com

Zach Myers Shinedown. He’s been with them “The high gain pickups are not a on stage with Shinedown’s other burst top. A fleur-de-lis headstock Conventional wisdom says that ever since, mainly as a guitarist, false advertisement,” he confirmed guitarist, Nick Perri, helped stack the inlay is a nod to his extended family a good approach in life is to figure and his versatile playing has helped during a recent break from a studio thick layers of guitar that replicate in Louisiana. His fretboard inlay is out what you do well and then do inflate the band’s big, sweeping session, where he was record- the band’s huge sound from their based on a tattoo he has on his left it. Memphis-based guitarist Zach sound with searing rhythmic texture ing tracks for a tune slated for an record, Zach found himself having wrist, a “Curse of Thorn” — the same Myers picked up the guitar at age and soaring arena-rock choruses. upcoming Sylvester Stallone film. to adapt his playing when Perri left tattoo that cinematic serial killer 13, discovered he was a natural, Even when playing thick, detuned “The HGs are very hot.” the band at the end of 2008. The Michael Myers has on his wrist in and by age 14 had a record deal riffs from the band’s current hit Zach says his Stevie Ray influ- band chose not to replace him, and the classic Halloween horror films. and was touring internationally as a record, The Sound of Madness, the ences come through in the way he Zach’s versatility has allowed him to The flick is one of Zach’s favorites blues guitarist with his own band. soulful underpinnings of his fretwork works the pickups on the guitar. perform double duty and cover a lot (he keeps a Michael Myers mask on Drawing deeply from the wellspring come through. “I like to work every position and of ground. hand backstage during tours). By of his hometown’s musical heritage, Zach was already a Taylor the tone knob,” he explains. “I utilize “I’m playing everything,” he says. the way, Zach’s first name is actually at 15 he was jamming on stage acoustic player (he’s had a 314ce everything — the split coil, splitting “I pretty much had to relearn how to Michael. But he swears he did not with Buddy Guy at B.B. King’s on for years; he now also has a cus- the pickups from straight up using play the guitar because I’m playing kill Nick Perri. Beale Street. Influenced heavily by tom GS), so when the SolidBody the bridge to straight up using the the rhythm with the lead accents Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, debuted his interest was imme- neck, and I split them a lot — and I’ll and lead with rhythmic accents. Shinedown.com Zach’s soulful chops could be both diately piqued. Even with his switch in the middle of a solo.” So I really had to go back to the expressively melodic and scorching, substantial collection of vintage Having played the high definition basics and dive into the guitar again, Both the Serj Tankian Signature and his talent opened many doors guitars, he heard something differ- (HD) pickups, as well, he says he’s because there’s a lot of guitar stuff T5 and the Zach Myers Signature as a musician. He formed a local ent in the SolidBody pickups, and interested in experimenting with the on this record.” SolidBody models are scheduled for band called the Fairwell and also his Standard has been getting a lot HD for the neck and the HG for the Zach’s Signature SolidBody, the a late July release. Each will include spent time touring with Memphis of stage time since May of 2008. bridge. ZMSM-SB, is based on a Standard a certificate of authenticity signed by hard rock band Saliva, before being When the HG version of the hum- “For me, I like my clean to be with Style 2 HG pickups. He has the artist. For more information, visit asked to fill in on bass for two weeks buckers came out, he was the per- super-duper clean,” he says. two versions: one in white and taylorguitars.com or contact your with the platinum-selling rock band fect guy to take them for a ride. While Zach’s rhythmic interplay another in blue, each with a sparkle- local Taylor dealer.

Left: Zach Myers on stage with his ZMSM-SB

Above: Shown in white with a sparkleburst top and Curse of Thorn fret- board inlays

Right: The blue sparkle- burst top model

See more photos and full specs at taylorguitars.com 9

Don’t De-tune

The adjustable truss rods of today’s acoustic guitars

eliminate the need to de-tune after playing. But old

habits die hard. Time to debunk an obsolete technique.

By Rob Magargal Production Training Manager

In my many years of playing and inside: “Use light or med-light strings string guitars made today have are more defined. Overall, this com- tension without the adjustable servicing guitars, I’ve heard plenty only.” This was due to the fact that, adjustable truss rods installed into plements the function of a guitar, and truss rod. Keep your Taylors tuned of theories about guitar care from without a way to adjust the neck, the shaft of the neck. This allows it shows how far the industry has even if you plan to store them for fellow players and repair technicians the excess tension from medium or players to experiment with various progressed. Yet for some reason, I an extended period of time (but be around the world. Although I’ve prob- heavy gauge strings would cause the string tensions and tunings, and to still hear from a surprising number of sure to check them periodically). If ably forgotten more than I remember, necks to bow too far forward, result- keep the neck in great playing shape players who slack the strings on the you play in an alternate tuning and one particular notion keeps coming ing in high action (especially at the over the life of the guitar. This was guitars they do not play. Maybe it’s keep your guitar in that tuning when up in conversation. It’s the idea of upper frets) and poor playability. a huge step forward in the acoustic because collectors still have some of you’re not playing, it should be fine: slacking, or de-tuning, the strings A half or whole step down will not on guitars when they are not being hurt it because there is still some played or when they are being stored With the truss rod, there is tension pulling the neck real tension on the strings. Even for extended periods of time. Based guitars traveling on airplanes should on the frequency with which this idea backward as the string tension pulls the neck forward. not be de-tuned; cabin pressure still comes up, I’d like to shed some It is imperative that they work in harmony together. won’t pose a threat. light on the subject. Most manufacturers tune their The guitars of our grandfathers’ guitars to concert pitch before cas- era did not have adjustable truss If players did use a heavy set guitar industry — arguably its big- those old vintage guitars that don’t ing them and boxing them for ship- rods. Some guitars did have a steel of strings, they would typically de- gest advancement. That said, there’s have adjustable truss rods. ment. Here at Taylor, we ship tens rod running the length of the neck tune the guitar after playing it or more to a quality guitar than just In the case of Taylors, please of thousands of guitars each year, shaft, which provided much-needed completely slack the strings to keep an adjustable truss rod: There are keep them tuned. With the adjust- and every one of them leaves with support to the neck. But there were the tension off the neck and prevent plenty of guitars with truss rods that able truss rod, there is tension pull- the strings stretched, tuned to pitch, no true ways to adjust the neck relief premature front-bowing, in the hope play very poorly. ing the neck backward as the string and the guitar properly humidified. (forward curvature caused by the of prolonging the life of the neck The guitar has evolved in other tension pulls the neck forward, This keeps them in great playing string tension on the neck). All one and the guitar. With no other way ways over the years, and these days, and it is imperative that they work shape when they arrive at their des- could do was hope it would hold up of adjusting the neck for different most manufacturers make a guitar in harmony together. If you slack tination. over the course of the guitar’s life. tensions, it was a good idea for the that can hold up reasonably well to the strings and only have the truss With a guitar tuned to pitch and For many years, if you looked into times. varying conditions. The neck angles rod tension on the neck, the same stored in a properly humidified case the body of an acoustic guitar you Let’s jump forward several are set better, the body geometries damage can occur to the guitar as or room, it will be primed for playing would see these instructions stamped decades. The vast majority of steel- are truer, and the bracing patterns the Old World neck that has string for many years to come. 10 www.taylorguitars.com

of a two- and three-piece back, especially in maple. But to take the discussion further, we’re not try- ing to equalize all guitars anyway. Ask Bob It’s those super-micro differences between one guitar and another Maple vs. maple, CV bracing and the reverse that make the game of finding the one you like more interesting. By Midas touch the way, there are far greater dif- ferences in stiffness between indi- In the photo of Ray Davies in acoustic or acoustic/electric, vidual pieces of wood than there the last issue of Wood&Steel with this beautiful tonewood. Is it are between a three-piece and [“Soundings”], he seems to because ovangkol does not suit two-piece back. I don’t know about be using ebony bridge pins on what the body is trying to do? I the accuracy of the development strings 3 through 6, and bone/ loved the sound of the 414ce but story you read, but it doesn’t make ivory pins on 1 and 2. How would was left wondering what a GS4 or sense to me. the different pin materials affect a 416 would sound like. his guitar’s sound? Also, I’ve Shane Heieck been considering changing the Pembroke, Ontario, Canada plastic pins on one of my less Is there a tonal difference expensive guitars (not a Taylor!) Good question, Shane. Ovangkol is between flamed maple and for ebony pins. Would I notice an an incredible-sounding wood. The quilted maple? Also, what type improvement? Could I use the reason is both complex and simple. of spruce would you recommend ebony pins Taylor sells (some We have a limited ability to actually with a maple body? online sources suggest they may distribute every model that can be Travis Morgan be a bit short), or should I go conceived. Dealers simply cannot with something generic if I’m not stock, nor can consumers hold in Although flamed maple and quilted using them on my Taylors? their mind, all the choices, so we maple are different patterns from John Cebula tend to focus on fewer models. Still, different trees, flamed maple is we offer a hundred-plus standard usually cut with vertical grain, John, what if I said that the bridge models. The reality is that you’ve while quilted maple is flatsawn. pins won’t make a big difference probably only seen upwards of This is to bring out each of their in the sound of your guitar? This 20 of our models in stores. So, most desirable cosmetic features. detail is way more cosmetic than adding more variety just dilutes Relating to Mark’s question about acoustic. Now, there are people our mission of getting guitars to back stiffness, you can be sure I was intrigued by the sidebar in the Spring who swap those parts and become players. Not that this guitar you that quilted maple is not as stiff as Wood&Steel, “Modify an Existing Model,” and more, or perhaps less, happy with suggest wouldn’t be awesome, but flamed maple due to the difference wondered if the short scale would work well on the in the grain direction, or cut, and their guitar’s sound. It’s one of the real world inhibits our ability GS model. I’m coming up on my 50th birthday and those little details that you really to get it to you. So, that’s the real therefore it makes a difference in have to discover for yourself, and, answer. Fortunately we have our sound. The softer, more flexible quilt am looking forward to celebrating with my next luckily, it’s not a big investment to BTO program, where you can order will produce a bit warmer sound, Taylor. Would I find such a guitar at one of your do so. As for our ebony pins being about anything you can dream up, while the stiffer, quartersawn flame Road Shows? long enough for your non-Taylor so, in effect, that guitar is actually will produce a bit snappier sound. RJ Maass guitar, they probably are; however, available to you. The difference is slight, and some the holes in your guitar might not may not perceive it, including me Sioux Falls, South Dakota be reamed to the same diameter as at times. As for the type of spruce, our pins, which could cause a tight take your pick — they all work well. If Yes, a short scale would work well on a GS. The fit. If you have a Taylor already, just My 614ce has a three-piece you’re talking about a large-bodied sound would be loose and full because the strings try your pins. I think a little dose back. I recently read about the guitar, I’d go with Sitka, and if you’re of trial and error is the answer to development of Martin’s D-35 thinking of something smaller like a are shorter and have to be de-tuned a bit to get to both of your questions; feel free to rosewood and Sitka model with GC, I’d recommend Engelmann. standard pitch. But the GS is responsive enough experiment. a three-piece back. They felt the to work with a bit of lower tension. Your hands need to lighten the top bracing will love it, which is the main purpose of that scale due to the increased stiffness of the three-piece back when com- Is there any reason why maple length. It’s easy on your hands because of the I am the proud owner of a 2006 pared to the two-piece back of, is not widely used for acoustic smaller fret spacing and the lower tension. I can’t 214. The guitar sounds beautiful, say, their D-28. Have you noticed guitar necks? One of my favor- tell if you’re asking a tone question or a playability full and balanced. It took me any difference in tone between ite necks is the maple one on thirteen years of playing to find 614s with two-piece and three- Stratocasters (the one with no question, but I’ll say that the tone wouldn’t suffer, this guitar. On a recent trip to piece backs? Have you made bound fretboard, just maple). Are and the playability would be easier. It’s anyone’s my local Taylor dealer, I picked any compensation for the alleged there other concerns (i.e., tone)? guess if one will turn up at a Road Show, as it’s a up a 414ce. I immediately heard increase in back stiffness? Michael Cozma very random mix of guitars that get sent out. But at a sound very similar to my 214. Mark Kantrowitz Oakville, Ontario The tone was just as full and Hillsdale, New Jersey least you can feel the short scale on any GC, T5, T3 balanced, but with a little less low Michael, there are a couple of rea- or SolidBody. end. I was wondering why Taylor Mark, we’ve never noticed a dif- sons. It takes big wood to make does not make a GS model, ference between the stiffness acoustic guitar necks. Strat necks 11 are made from 1¼-inch-thick boards have to say that is our biggest, most finish. What’s your opinion about 15 years ago from Lauzon music you re-wet it and find that it goes dry of maple, which can come from important accomplishment. There is adding a pickguard in terms of in Ottawa and have wanted in less than two weeks, that’s a sign small trees. Acoustic necks require so much to that neck that is incom- aesthetics, value, etc.? I have no to purchase one of your LTD that it’s thirstier, and you could go a 4-inch-thick wood, which requires parably better than traditional guitar plans to sell the guitar, but I’m still guitars for the past few years. back to your original schedule. Are big trees. Those days are mostly neck designs that it’s hard to con- concerned that adding one might The problem is you keep making you keeping it in its case? Please gone. Another reason is that for most dense into a sentence. And recently, reduce the value. improvements/modifications to do that. guitars, we simply like the weight with the R. Taylor brand, where we Kyle S. your guitars: better electronics, and sound of mahogany better. We lavish attention on just a few guitars tops, necks, etc., so I keep waiting now use sapele on some models a week, I realized that we can do as Kyle, I don’t think you have to worry for the next evolution. I am worried as a substitute for mahogany, now fine a job as any one-off builder alive, about reducing the value. A clear that if I buy one today, I will also I am currently serving in The that mahogany is less available. Of and also have the accuracy of the pickguard would maintain the original want the one you come out United States Army (173rd course, we do use maple on all our high-tech features of a Taylor. Those look of the guitar if you’re interested with tomorrow. Now I can have Airborne) in Vicenza, Italy. Recently maple-bodied guitars, such as the guitars blow me away. In the end, I’m in that. You can get one — either whatever I want through your we returned from Afghanistan, 600 Series and any BTOs in which still striving, along with my family of the permanent type or the remov- BTO program and have had a where I had a Baby Taylor. maple is requested. That is mostly for builders here who feel the same. able electrostatic kind — by calling GA with figured mahogany and Unfortunately, with the dry weather visual/cosmetic reasons. TaylorWare. I think that might be your Englemann spruce haunting my the neck would shift and not stay Just in case you’re talking about best choice. Also, you might inspect dreams. Got any advice? tight to the body, and when it the fretboard and not the neck, we to see if you’re really scratching your Greg Goodfellow rained the body would feel like it simply prefer ebony to maple. It’s I’ve noticed that your Taylor gold finish, because you may not be. I can Prince Edward Island, Canada was going to explode in my hands. harder, doesn’t get dirty, holds frets tuning machines appear to oxidize. seem to play for years on a guitar and What small-sized guitar would you better, and overall just does a better I’ve witnessed this not just with not make much progress on wearing I’m thinking we should quit improving recommend for a climate such as job. I’m not a fan of maple fretboards your guitars but with all guitars. through. We make a lot of guitars the guitars. Really, though, I’m glad Afghanistan or Iraq? I enjoy playing on acoustics. At first when I see something without pickguards because we feel you brought it up, because most after a patrol and find that it eases like that I immediately grab a soft that they’re mostly unnecessary, and guitar companies are selling their my stress. I just can’t afford a new cloth, thinking it’s a smudge, but it seems to be working out okay. A past. We’re selling our current Baby Taylor every three or four it’s not. Can anything be done to bit of scratching on the finish won’t work and our future. We’re going months while there. I own a nylon-string NS62ce defeat this ghastly phenomenon? really hurt the guitar too much. Give it to keep improving guitars, and your Michael Volpe, SSG U.S.A. and a steel-string Doyle Dykes I asked a local guitar tech this some thought. collection will probably grow. You’ve Anniversary Edition model. Both question about an electric I brought just gotta go with the flow. But here’s Michael, you might consider a guitar are great guitars, and the Taylor in to be serviced, and he said what I’d suggest. Order your guitar made mostly of synthetic materials workmanship is superb. I’m get- there’s nothing you can do about with CV bracing, and that will get (high pressure laminates). It might ting on in years and prefer playing it — just change them every few Just curious if you’ve experimented you to the forefront of our acoustic work better in your extremes than an nylon-string guitars. I would like to years. Really? with alternative tonewoods for development. Any improvements that all-wood guitar. Another thought is see Taylor come out with a thinner Steve Cochrane the nylon-string guitars — maybe we might make on the electronics that you could humidify your Baby model guitar to play, something New Jersey one-offs or custom requests like will always be upgradeable. I think and keep it in its gig bag when the along the lines of the Godin nylon- cocobolo back and sides with a you’ll be safe, and by the time there’s weather is dry. That way, the change string guitars or the now defunct The guitar tech is sort of right. If tuner koa top, or all koa, or koa back and something that you like better, this from wet to dry would be very little, Chet Atkins chambered body manufacturers would begin putting sides with cedar top. If so, what guitar will have age on it, which and your Baby would basically be guitar, the CEC Studio model. You thicker coats of higher purity gold were the sonic results? It seems always makes a guitar sound better either normal or a bit wet and would might not even need to start from on guitar tuners, then they would like cocobolo/cedar would make a than new. probably hold up just fine. scratch — maybe a T5 nylon model last. But the cost is prohibitive. Gold fine combination. would do the trick. plating on guitar parts is thin. The Craig Held Al Baggetta pH on someone’s fingers also makes Agawam, Massachusetts a giant difference. One person will Cocobolo/cedar would make a great I just picked up a new Taylor kill tuners in a day, while another will guitar. I would shy away from a koa GA8, an incredible piece of I hear ya, Al, and since you have a do no harm year after year. We had top: It’s just too heavy and hard work. The humidity in my place Got a Doyle Dykes model I’ll tell you that an employee once with the reverse for nylon strings. Again, you could is in the 30-40 percent range question for Doyle is pushing for a T5 nylon, too, Midas touch — he was forbidden BTO that guitar. Koa with cedar (I live in Toronto). I currently so you’re in good company. We’ll get to touch a completed guitar or any would be good, too, as you suggest. have a Planet Waves humidifier Bob Taylor? there someday. metal parts. We still like him, but Anything with cedar is going to make that hangs between the middle don’t let him get near your strings! a nice nylon because the cedar is strings in the soundhole and has Shoot him an e-mail: One thing you can do is wax the so responsive. I’m going to put in a little sponge. Currently I fill it [email protected]. tuners with Turtle Wax [Carnauba my plug for Indian rosewood again, up and leave it in until it is dry

When was it that you finally felt like Clean Wax]. It has carnauba wax in it, though, because I think it’s the most every two weeks (based on the By the way, you had arrived as a guitar maker? and it will help protect the finish. And underrated wood in lutherie today. Taylor instructions). Is this good if you have a Joe Garcia of course, wipe down after each use. That’s because it’s common. But it’s protocol? Is this humidification specific repair or Berkeley, California hard to beat, and it’s affordable. If device satisfactory? service concern, I were to move away from that, I’d Jimmy Yang please call our Wow, probably never. But there were pick the koa over the coco because Customer Service a few milestones along the way. The I am the proud, original owner I think it would perform better on a Jimmy, you’re doing the right thing. department at first big one was year twenty with of a 2007 DDSM, natural finish. nylon. If it takes two weeks to dry out, then (800) 943-6782, the GA guitar. That was my first real, I’m an intermediate-level player your guitar needs very little humidity, and we’ll take 100-percent Taylor guitar shape, and and typically flatpick, crosspick and and you’re giving it the right amount. care of you. eventually its aesthetic was designed strum, with very little fingerstyle. As Just remember to never wet it while into all our shapes. It’s a good guitar the guitar comes from the Taylor I have a dilemma and need it’s still wet. You could also let it and has defined our company. At year factory without a pickguard, I’m your help. I own an old school go a week or two longer with a dry 25 we introduced the NT neck, and I concerned about scratching the Dreadnought purchased about sponge. If, after letting it go a month, Why We

WoodsheddingPractice doesn’t have to be a drag. How to put more fun, purpose and progress into your practice time. By Shawn Persinger

Originally I had intended to fol- obvious minor key material but cer- Malmsteen, Jewish traditional music low up last issue’s article on picking tainly not happy, predicable, major and bluegrass! I had a student a guitar camp with a piece on how chords. Recently I had a student who who enjoyed Yngwie’s playing, not to make the most of your practice kept bringing in songs from the sing- because it was fast, but because time. But the more I considered it, er-songwriter genre that he wanted he liked that “classical, European the more I thought about addressing to learn. All of the tunes seemed to sound.” “Do you mean this?” (Ex. 3) not just how but why we practice. lean in that melancholy direction, I asked? “Yes!” he replied. The har- fully finish off any blues or The obvious answer is to improve and as it turned out, something quite monic minor scale is a neo-classical rock solo. Even at a slow our playing and to have fun, but I curious linked them all. To test my metal mainstay, but it was around tempo, it adds excitement. find that most guitarists don’t con- theory of what he liked, I offered him much earlier than the 1980s. Luckily, This short burst might be sider practice to be fun at all. Fun is composer Erik Satie’s “Gymnopédie my student also had an open mind, all that you need. Second, playing the guitar; practice is work. No. 1,” even though it’s more of a and it wasn’t such a leap for him to because a song happens But does it really have to be? The classical piece and performed on the move from Yngwie to the Hebrew folk to be at a fast tempo. This following are some ideas to help piano. Oh yes, he liked this! What song “Hava Nagila” (Ex. 4). Jewish seems obvious, right? But you discover ways to practice more was the common characteristic? The music is filled with minor key songs just because a song’s overall efficiently, effectively and joyfully, and Major 7th IV chord moving to the with an emphasis on harmonic minor. tempo is fast doesn’t neces- to offer some insights into why you Major 7th I chord (Ex. 1). A progres- After that little trip to the Middle East, sarily mean the melodies or might be intrigued by certain musical sion shared, or at least emulated, we tried the Old Time/Irish/bluegrass solos have to be fast. Examples concepts in the first place. by such melancholic classics as standard (all those genres stake a 7a & b show the melody for Simon and Garfunkel’s “Old Friends,” claim to this tune) “Paddy on the the traditional folk tune “Old Joe What Do You Like? “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind, “Here’s Turnpike,” (Ex. 5) which uses a com- Clark” in two different forms and Figuring out exactly what you like Where the Story Ends” by The bination of the harmonic and natural both at the same tempo, but 7b about music, particularly your favorite Sundays, and many others. minor scales. It was the tonal color of uses twice as many notes. So, songs, can be a lifelong pursuit. The Once we found a theoretical the scale (the harmonic minor scale serve the song: If you can’t answers aren’t always so obvious, or source of his enjoyment, we were is the same as the natural minor play up to tempo, then try if they are, they’re vague: If you like able to use this idea to develop his scale with a raised, major 7th) that to figure out a way to play the beat, which beat is that: 4/4, 3/4, understanding of chord theory and intrigued the student and not just the half as many notes yet still 7/8? If you like the melody, which the importance of chord voicings. context of shred guitar. convey the melody. This notes make up the melody, and from Putting the Major 7 scale tone on top say with a hundred, I think those gui- might take a little work on your part, what scale? For our purposes here, (Ex. 2a) gives a much more wistful Playing Faster tarists are only using half their poten- but the reward is worth it because, I’ll keep this simple and offer two sound than the typical jazzy voicing So, you want to get faster on the tial to say anything. Why not be able while it’s good to play fast, some- examples of a search for a deeper (Ex. 2b). It’s important to realize this guitar? Why? To impress other guitar to make both statements, fast and times it’s nice just to keep up. understanding of music that yields when trying to develop your chord players, to win the fastest guitarist slow — and everywhere in between? a wellspring of inspirational practice vocabulary. Don’t dismiss the sound race, or to serve the music? The Otherwise, aren’t you just saying the Why Practice Scales? material. of any specific chord until you’ve way I see it (and hear it), only one of same thing over and over again, fast Do you know your basic scales — Perhaps you find yourself drawn tried voicing it a few different ways. those answers is valid. I’m the first to or slow? majors/minors and pentatonics to melancholy music. Not depressing This is especially true of chords that acknowledge that speed has a legiti- What is the purpose of speed in (Ex. 8) — in a couple of different music with lyrics of doom and gloom, have more than three different notes. mate and valued purpose in music. music? I’ll offer a couple of different keys and a few different positions? or soundtracks blatantly contrived to My second example might help While we’ve heard the old cliché that answers. First, to add a sense of cli- If so, then stop practicing them! pull at your heartstrings, but music you find a jump-off point to unex- there are players who can say more max to a solo. Example 6 illustrates Certainly they provide the foundation filled with longing and want — not plored territory, and involves Yngwie with just a few notes than most can a quick 16th note lick that can taste- for your solos, melodies and even 13 your chords, but knowing the basics Why We Practice Examples is enough when it comes to scales. Do you know what you get when you keep practicing your scales? You get better at playing scales! And we all know how fun they are to listen to: I can go up, I can go down, I can go up, I can go down. If you wanted to add new words or phrases to your vocabulary, you wouldn’t continually say the alphabet over and over again, would you? Start putting your scales to work. Example 9 uses all seven notes from the G Major scale. More melodies, fewer scales!

Set a Definite Goal What are you practicing for? Having an unambiguous goal can push your practicing to new heights. Until now I’ve encouraged you to make your practice fun for yourself. In many ways that is enough, but why not share your labor of love with others? Let’s face it: Many guitar players have a split personality. We can be introverted to a fault (you have to be to a certain extent to practice by yourself for several hours a day), but our guitar ability makes us want to be extroverts as well, so we can show off a little, or at the very least communicate on a differ- ent level, where words alone are insufficient. This doesn’t mean you have to try to become a rock star or a profes- sional, touring musician. It doesn’t even mean you have to release a CD (there are enough of us out there already). The versatility of the guitar lends itself to making public music in an endless number of situ- ations; here are just a few avenues to pursue: 1. Consider playing an open mic night. I guarantee there is one near where you live. 2. Aim for playing at a friend’s birthday party. Perhaps you’ll simply play “Happy Birthday” or learn the guest of honor’s favorite tune, or better yet, why not write a special song person- alized for the occasion? 3. Perform in your child’s school classroom. But trust me, the younger the kid the better. Do not attempt this at a high school! 4. Make a three-song CD/ EP for your parents as a Christmas gift. I did this last year for my dad with a personalized, one-of-a-kind CD sleeve. He said it was the best present he’d received in years. 5. hold your own! At its best, making music embod- performance or in practice, you have Shawn Persinger, a.k.a. Prester Volunteer to play at a local home for There are many other perfor- ies the highest qualities of art, intel- in your hands the ability to engage all John, is a self-proclaimed “Modern/ seniors. Remember, many of them mance vehicles available to you in lect, physical skill, personal expres- of these noble characteristics of the Primitive” guitarist who owns Taylor came of age during the apex of the addition to these. Need I mention sion and even the scientific method. human spirit. What are you waiting 410s and 310s. PersingerMusic.com swing craze and/or at the birth of the Internet? Find the one that works Whether you know it or not, when- for? rock and roll. You’d better be able to best for your skill level and personality. ever you pick up your instrument, in Driving As usual, Bob, Kurt and their crew break new ground to celebrate a Taylor anniversary. Parlor, baritone and 9-string guitars are but a few of the goodies on the way as the company approaches 35.

By Jim Kirlin

For35 a company that spends most of its time looking forward, the idea of anniversaries at Taylor somehow seems a little, well, backward. So it’s only fitting that Bob, Kurt and the Taylor design team would choose to commemorate special anniversaries (every five years) by dreaming up guitars that embody the company’s latest thinking and reveal a glimpse of the road ahead. Over the years that philosophy has crystallized into a Taylor tradition that aptly honors the spirit of innovation hardwired into the culture of the company.

16 www.taylorguitars.com

“A lot of companies seem to be guitars because we weren’t sword the worst economic downturn in the concept is to craft a series of about to get something from conception trying to recapture the past,” Bob fighting our way through the day history of our company and maybe ten unique batches of as few as 35 to production efficiently, and we’re says. “I think we’re unique in that anymore to make a straight neck. the last 75-80 years of the country,” limited edition guitars, some acoustic ready to really engage ourselves in we are really moving forward in what And then along came the Expres- he says. “But we’re nimble. We and some electric, to be unveiled guitar design this year and make we do.” sion System, then the T5, then the have a lot of engineering, product in August and September. Some of some cool models to celebrate our Consider the impact of previous SolidBody.” design and manufacturing ability. the “35s” will feature exotic and rare anniversary. Once we’re done, the anniversary offerings. The 20th an- With a rock solid foundation There are a lot of exciting things we woods, such as feathered koa (see tooling will be there, so maybe it will niversary LTDs marked the debut of of straight necks and other ultra- can do. I actually like times like this, back cover), grafted walnut, and transition into our being able to offer the Grand Auditorium, which would consistent manufacturing methods where you’re sort of forced into do- flitch-sawn Brazilian rosewood, while some other version of these through come to define an original Taylor look securely in place, the company’s ing something different, and then others will be a smattering of what the BTO program. and sound. The 25th introduced the innovative pursuits only seemed you embrace that. To me, it’s kind of Bob playfully calls the “You Asked “This may be a year that de- NT® neck (see that story on page to accelerate, eventually spawning like Zen, where you just think, well, for It” guitars: Taylor firsts that deliver fines all kinds of things,” he adds. 18). The 30th showcased a short- creative initiatives like the R. Taylor what’s this year about, and how can on customer requests from over “Maybe it’ll mean more of a variety of scale, deeper-dimensioned Grand boutique brand and the Build to we change it up?” the years. Among them are a parlor custom-built guitars. And next year Concert that ignited a prolific period Order program. Each new develop- guitar, a baritone guitar and even a and the year after might be different

Left: Taylor developer David Hosler with a cocobolo top T3/B, one of the first 35th anniversary models made

Right: Ed Granero, Taylor’s project manager for new development, with a neck for a 9-string prototype

Opposite page: Longtime Taylor guitar designer Larry Breedlove with the body of a parlor guitar prototype

Previous page: Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug against a backdrop of computer mills at the Taylor factory

of tonal refinements, including brac- ment in turn brought a fresh wave of The 35s 9-string. One series is slated to have options on guitars or different guitar ing tweaks and other shape-shifting discoveries. “Discovery” is definitely As Bob and his product develop- a Laskin-style armrest. Another may models. We’re open to the market.” acoustic experimentation, the fruits the operative word, Bob says, be- ment group met to kick around ideas include a redesigned Dreadnought. We’d love to show you more of which included the bold-toned cause many innovations around here for possible 35th anniversary mod- Exotic top T3s and SolidBody mod- of the guitars, but as of our print GS and a pure acoustic line. don’t necessarily begin as targeted els, if a theme emerged, it was vari- els are also in the mix. All models will deadline, most of them don’t exist. As Bob reflects on those devel- developments. ety. Between Taylor’s ongoing evolu- feature a commemorative “35” inlaid In some cases, final specs were still opments, he pauses to note the spe- “Life sort of tells you what the tion as a successful full-line acoustic between the 11th and 12th frets. being decided upon, early proto- cial significance of the NT neck, not next frontier is,” he says. That’s sort and electric guitar company and its As an added touch that cel- types were starting to be built, and just as an innovative design but as a of how Kurt and I run this place. And ability to fulfill more and more cus- ebrates the enduring heritage of a our design and tooling team was watershed in the company’s history. along the way we discover things. tom guitar orders, really, the sky was first generation company, the 35s busy writing programs and design- “Back when we were first doing I mean, when we invented NT, I the limit. It reminded Bob of another will culminate with a final series that ing custom tools to gear up. But the NT necks, I remember talking couldn’t have said the ES pickups instrument maker in its heyday. will personally involve the remain- we’ll pick up where this sneak pre- with Eric Bacher here, who was in would be the next frontier. And when “I think of a company like Gibson, ing craftsmen from Taylor’s earliest view leaves off at taylorguitars.com, charge of final inspections on gui- we did that, I wouldn’t have said where they’ve had times when they days from the Lemon Grove shop. where we’ll bring you updates on our tars,” Bob says. “He was just like, that hybrid electrics were the next were the best across the whole That includes Bob and Kurt, guitar progress throughout the summer. ‘Another good one… another good frontier. So if people ask me what spectrum,” Bob says. “They made designers Larry Breedlove and Tim Look for photos that track the de- one… another good one,’ because the next frontier is for us, I’d say I’m acoustics, electrics, bluegrass in- Luranc, finish department manager velopment and production of these the necks were all so great. Here’s a open to it. I’ve been open to those struments and all that kind of stuff, Steve Baldwin, purchasing manager models. The 35s are scheduled for guy who had worked here ten years frontiers all along.” and a brand can mean all that.” Bob Zink, and product quality man- release starting in late summer. at the time, and the difference was Part of that openness, Bob In the end, the development ager Terry Myers. obvious to him. I told him my wish stresses, involves using the com- group decided to use the company’s “It should be fun,” Bob Taylor for the next 20 years was to become pany’s manufacturing sophistication 35 years as an anchor for deliver- says. “This whole 35th project is a full-line company, where we could to respond to market conditions. ing its most eclectic collection of a cool thing. Right now we have actually focus on making really cool “Here we are in our 35th year, in limited edition guitars ever. The the tooling capacity, we know how Bob Taylor on the Art of Prototyping A big part of Taylor’s guitar-making prowess stems from our ability to move through the design and prototyping process efficiently. Bob Taylor’s feeling is that a guitar needs two things: a good design and a strong ability to produce that design. In designing a new model, we apply our sophisticated aesthetic principles and extensive guitar-making knowledge to establish a strong foundation, then use 3D software programs like SolidWorks to refine our ideas. Getting to the point where we can produce the design is more involved, as it demands a major commitment of resources on the tooling end to bring the design into the manufacturing realm, where it can be executed with precision craftsmanship. In the case of a new model like a parlor guitar, we’ve opted against making one in the past because of the tooling commitment required to make a model that probably won’t occupy more than a micro-niche in the market. But this year, Bob says, the timing is right. Our tooling crew has already fabricated custom sidebenders for our parlor body shape, and the prototyping process should be fairly straightforward. “We know what we want to do,” Bob explains. “The neck will be easy. We’re going to pick a shape, and we’ll probably be pretty committed to it, but we might do some handbuilt modeling to get there. The key is to get the structure, the architecture, the basic form and mass of it down on the first prototype. We can look at a guitar and know if we’re at the line of whether it’ll be too weak or too stiff. We can usually get where we want to be in three or four prototypes, and we’ve got a lot of bracing options to work with.” A big part of the prototyping process, Bob says, actually involves refining the little aesthetic details that give the guitar a cohesive identity. “I had an uncle who was a rancher and raised horses, Appaloosas,” Bob reflects. “He also was an incredible wood carver who carved horses. But he didn’t like the horses from a lot of other wood carvers. He used to say, ‘I just hate these carvings where the horse has the rump of an Appaloosa, the front of an Arabian, and the head of a quarterhorse. Horses don’t come that way.’ You and me, we’d look at them and think they’d look OK, but he’d go, ‘What horse is that?’ “Sometimes when we build a guitar prototype, if it hasn’t been fully thought through, we might look at it and go, ‘What guitar is that?’ So, a lot of our prototyping process is about trying to get all the parts to where we look at everything together and think, that’s a complete guitar. Most people don’t notice that that’s been done; they just notice that it’s good. But it doesn’t get there without prototyping. “I think a lot of times people think the prototyping process is where we make one that sounds bad, then make another one that sounds bad, and then we make another one and ­— ahh — that’s it. We can get the sound part pretty easily. The rest of it just has to come together so this whole thing has some gestalt that’s right. Cool guitars happen when it all comes together, where the wood that you chose, the cosmetics, the binding, the shape of the bridge and neck, all of these things converge and you think, OK, now this thing is packaged as a really cool guitar.” JoiNT SUCCESS

Ten years ago, the NT neck joint broke with tradition to solve an age-old design flaw. A few hundred thousand guitars later, the industry’s most stable, adjustable guitar neck remains the gold standard for playability.

By Jim Kirlin 19

Bob says. “We basically spent 25 one of the most important innovations affordably. It also helps a Taylor resist to a great playing experience. years building a foundation, and we in the modern era of guitar building, the effects of humidity change in the If nothing else, think of the NT finally got there with the NT.” and for good reason: It allows total world. The design even manages to neck as an insurance policy that Ten years on, the NT remains the control over action and intonation. preserve the aesthetic elegance of guarantees longterm playability for ob Magargal best neck/body attachment in the It enables our original factory setup the acoustic guitar, working stealthily your guitar. We all value performance Rchuckles as he describes the acoustic guitar industry. The patented to be dead-on every single time, and to maintain a balance of geometric reliability and serviceability when we cartoonish looks of disbelief he’s design has been lauded by other if the neck ever needs adjustment, harmony between the neck and body shop for a car; why should it be any encountered out on the road. Over builders and repair technicians as it can be done easily, quickly and in order to give players an open lane different with a guitar? Especially the last couple of years, the affable since you’ll probably own your guitar Taylor repair guru has manned the longer. repair bench at numerous re-string events held at the stores of Taylor Tension and Humidity dealers, where he would inspect the Before the NT neck, the same pride and joy of many a Taylor owner. basic dovetail-style neck had been Occasionally he would notice that the industry design standard for a guitar’s neck could use a slight acoustic steel-string guitars for adjustment, so he’d begin an on-the- more than a century. For a while, spot neck reset. In about a minute, steel-string acoustics didn’t even he’d have the neck off. have adjustable truss rods (see Rob “Owners would be watching me Magargal’s piece, “Don’t Detune,” remove the strings, and the next thing on page 9), but even after they were they knew I’d pass them their neck introduced, the traditional dovetail and say, ‘Would you mind holding design retained fundamental flaws, this?’” Rob says. “Their eyes would namely the inability to easily maintain get really big and their jaws would the proper neck angle to the body drop as they realized I was handing for intonation and playability. While them half their guitar.” a major nemesis of a guitar is The astonished reactions speak humidity change, most guitars will to both the design prowess and also experience a natural change in the air of mystery that surrounds their top geometry over time due to the revolutionary Taylor NT® (“New the forces of tension on the wood Technology”) neck joint. While the components — especially on a guitar design radically improved the stability that sounds good. and intonation of a guitar neck, it’s “If a guitar has great tone, the a virtually invisible feature, since all chances are close to 100 percent the NT magic happens literally below that it’ll need a neck reset at some the surface and is fully concealed point,” says Pat DiBurro, a New once the guitar neck is bolted to the Hampshire-based luthier and body. Besides, most guitar owners repair technician who has restored don’t spend much time pondering acoustic guitars to health for 20 the mechanics of neck joints, so long years. “It’s because the quality as the guitar plays well. Considering of the tone is the result of the Taylor’s tried-and-true playability, builder constructing an instrument you’re forgiven if you take our necks with light, responsive tonewoods and for granted. bracing. Over time, string tension A decade after the NT neck’s will pull the guitar out of alignment, breakthrough debut, with many essentially changing the original thousands of guitars out in the shape. A neck reset is required world bearing witness, it seems a to restore the geometry between fitting occasion to revisit its enduring the neck and the current body benefits to players. While the design shape. Guitars that are less likely may not be not as sexy as the elegant to require a neck reset are often contours of a body shape, a set of overbuilt with excessive structure, hypnotically figured wood, or an array which dampens the tone projection.” of beautifully detailed appointments, Add to that the effects of relative the NT neck is just as responsible humidity fluctuation — especially low for people’s ongoing love affairs with humidity that dries guitars out — and their Taylors, whether they realize it or a guitar is acutely vulnerable to not. As Bob Taylor is fond of saying, movement, especially for traveling Taylor has a Ph.D. in neck design, musicians whose guitars may be and he considers the NT one of exposed to wild humidity swings. Above: A guitar body’s CNC-routed pocket, which will accommodate the NT neck. A pair of precision-milled Taylor’s finest innovations. Given the Not only can fluctuating humidity spacers will be inserted to set the correct neck angle, and then the NT neck will be bolted in place. The company’s track record for breaking throw a guitar’s performance out Expression System’s neck pickup (positioned between the pocket and the soundhole) will be covered by the new ground, that’s saying something. of whack and make for a sour fretboard extension; Opposite page: An NT neck with angle-adjusting spacers “Making a straight neck that’s playing experience, it can lead to good every single time and is serviceable was kind of a life quest,” continued 20 www.taylorguitars.com

considerable guitar damage. Dry From Bolt-on to NT Still, both the bolt-on necks conditions can cause a guitar top When it came to neck design, and the traditional dovetail design Mahogany Conservation to shrink by as much as much as an Bob didn’t waste much time breaking continued to share a structural eighth of an inch across its width, vulnerability: The cantilevered As Bob Taylor was developing the NT neck, he faced another with tradition. Back in the mid-’70s, causing it to sink (or eventually fretboard extension continued significant challenge: the depletion of mahogany resources in the just a few guitars into his career, crack). Wet conditions have the forward unsupported. In both cases, world. Back when mahogany was abundantly available, guitar he adopted a bolt-on approach to opposite effect — the top will swell when the neck was attached to the makers could go to a lumber mill and select from a seemingly attaching the neck heel to the body. and rise, pushing the bridge upward body, the fretboard extension would endless supply of mahogany to suit their needs. But that supply had He managed to weather an ensuing relative to the fretboard surface. be glued to the guitar top to secure rapidly tapered off — in fact, that supply really no longer exists at storm of derision (guitar heresy!) from While monitoring and controlling it. This creates a potential hinging all. The only long-term solution as Bob saw it would be to develop skeptical traditionalists who believed the relative humidity that one’s guitar effect at the edge of the body as the sustainable ways to go “primitive” and work with indigenous groups the dovetail joint was superior and that is exposed to is still the best way to top of the guitar swells or shrinks in regions of Central and South America, where mahogany trees the bolt-on neck was a cheap corner- care for it, Bob Taylor and his design and carries the fretboard with it. grow. But such communities don’t have the sophisticated resources cutting tactic that would compromise team also confronted the issue at a The result is a hump at the 14th or experience required to cut and mill the wood to a guitar maker’s the integrity of the guitar. But the deeper, more fundamental level — fret, compromising playability and specifications, which have to take into account the changing grain bolt-on approach not only proved to one that would increase stability and intonation, not to mention causing orientation within different parts of a tree. be legitimate; it also made it easier to adjustability. potential damage to the guitar. Knowing that he needed to maximize the amount of useable service the guitar if the neck needed The NT design increased the guitar wood from every tree that was cut, Bob rethought his to be removed and reset. cutting specifications. Instead of having the wood cut to traditional, rectangular 3x4-inch neck blank dimensions, Bob specified 4x4s.

This would ensure the proper grain orientation no matter which part of the tree was being cut. In other words, the square dimensions meant that the wood couldn’t possibly be cut wrong: If the grain orientation was wrong on one side, it could be flipped to another side since the dimensions were square. The modified cutting specs have allowed Taylor to get appreciably more wood from a tree than ever before. For example, a four-foot diameter tree with 25 feet of trunk will yield about 3,000 necks; cut in the traditional 3x4 size, the yield would be about half of that because nearly half the wood would have the wrong grain orientation. Although it took several years to lay the groundwork with the first community, located in Copen, Honduras, the results have been great all around. “Now we work in partnership with a coordinating organization that helps communities like Copen and makes contracts with them and their government,” Bob says. The community has legal dominion over a small amount of acreage of tropical rainforest, and their government allows them to take out about five or six trees every year in compliance with harvesting regulations. They select those mahogany trees and cut them into lumber for Taylor. “It’s really sustainable because they cut so few trees per year and don’t impact the forest that much,” Bob says. “And they’re able to cut so few because they get more money per tree from us than if a logging company came in and cleared it all out. So, a little goes a long way for them economically. The business they do with Taylor is about 40 percent of their income for the year. Going directly to the source ends up being a more sustainable type of routing. That’s one of the ways we’re able to procure wood when The neck pocket is routed in a computer-controlled mill it’s getting harder to get.” 21 stability of the neck in that fretboard a traditional neck joint. Resetting it is exact amount for the engine to run extension area by supporting the considerably more complicated and at peak power. The saddle height fretboard nearly the entire way and labor-intensive than the NT neck, as is the carburetor of the guitar. Why a three-piece neck? by changing the way in which the Bob Taylor explains. Vibrating strings are the energy At the same time the NT neck design was introduced, Taylor neck met the body. The NT neck “With a traditional guitar neck, which the saddle distributes to the also integrated another design modification: a three-piece neck, joint’s “paddle” — a half-inch-thick you have to take some sort of body. Saddle height that’s too high which replaced the single-piece neck previously used. Although extension of the neck beyond steaming device, chisels, etc. to or low decreases efficiency. Bob sometimes associated with the NT design due to the coupling of the heel — continues to support loosen the glue and maybe pull the Taylor determined what height the their introduction, the three-piece approach was actually a separate the underside of the fretboard dovetail joint out to get the neck off,” saddle should be on his guitars development. The three components (headstock, neck shaft and from the 14th to the 19th fret. To Bob says. “Then you would reset for optimum energy transfer. It’s heel) are cut from the same neck blank to ensure matching color and accommodate the joint, Bob and the angle by removing wood with common for any guitar to have a grain, after which the headstock piece is glued to the neck shaft at his team took advantage of the a chisel, make some filler pieces, change in string height, and the the appropriate angle, using a scarf joint. Making a neck without a precision capability of computer and put it back on. But when you typical procedure would be to raise heel yet attached to the back offers major manufacturing advantages, mills. Pockets are routed into the change the angle, it also moves or lower the saddle. The NT neck including more accurate computer-controlled milling. body to receive the heel, neck joint the neck forward or backward. So, design allows for quick removal of “It allows us to work on a neck like never before, like an electric and fingerboard, so in effect, the when you’re done with that, you also the neck to change the string height guitar maker would,” Bob Taylor explains. “It gives you a long, neck is actually inlaid into the body. have to fill the saddle slot and try without altering the saddle.” uninterrupted run of flat wood to be able to mill. This way we can use The beauty is that the fretboard isn’t to put the saddle in a new location. Mark Tate, a luthier, authorized sophisticated machinery to make the fretboard surface and the back Taylor repair technician and owner of the neck super straight. Then we add the heel.” of the Luthier Shoppe, a Taylor The NT neck is responsible for dealer in Springfield, Illinois, echoes the benefits of the NT design. people’s ongoing love affairs with “The NT neck solves the previous their Taylors, whether they realize 100 years of the worst problems that you could ever encounter on a it or not. guitar,” Tate says. “If that had been the only thing Bob ever did for the guitar, it would’ve been enough. actually affixed to the guitar’s top, With the NT, the neck angle can be Compared to pulling a traditional so it won’t be adversely affected changed in minutes, there’s no glue neck off for a reset and shaving the by swelling or contraction caused to deal with, and the adjustment sides down, trying to make it fit, [the by humidity change. A pair of laser- never changes the intonation NT] is just so simple. cut spacers, tapered in varying because the neck never moves “With the CNC [computer-nu- increments of two-thousandths of forward or backward.” meric-controlled milling], the joint is an inch, are placed into the pockets Pat DiBurro has repaired both tight,” he elaborates. “In terms of the in the body, allowing for micro- traditional and NT necks and knows transmission of vibration and tone, adjustment of the neck angle to an firsthand the skill level required for a it doesn’t get any better. With other accuracy of one-thousandth of an traditional reset. necks, people sometimes use gas- inch. Our ability to set every single “It requires years of practice to kets and glue in there, and by put- Taylor NT neck with that degree of master,” he says. “The intricacies of ting an insulator in, you’re no longer accuracy means that everything is neck angle, joint tightness, and side- wood-to-wood, which is what you optimized for incredible intonation to-side string spacing require several really want. What amazes me is that and playability. The way the neck hours of labor and, frequently, many [guitar makers] have spent so joint meets the body — a solid touchup work on the finish, as well.” much time on really elaborate inlays connection of wood surfaces without Because resetting a dovetail and purflings around bodies, and glue — also helps transfer the tone neck involves the removal of the yet one of the most important parts between the body and the neck and wood from the neck, DiBurro says, of the whole guitar, where the neck increase the guitar’s sustain. an important consideration is that and body join, is the least under- if too much wood is removed, stood or the least looked at.” Micro-adjustability it can’t be easily replaced. As a The bottom line benefit for play- The reality for many people who result, the neck angle or side- ers, Tate says, is that with the NT buy a guitar is that right out of the to-side string alignment may be they get structural stability, playabil- gate, the intonation and playability compromised. With the NT neck, ity and peace of mind. are often compromised. A guitar there’s never any wood removed “If someone comes in with an is- may have high action past the fifth from the neck; an angle adjustment sue, it’s great to be able to tell them, fret or may not stay in tune up the simply involves switching out the ‘We can fix this. Your dream guitar is neck. It may have certain “dead” spacers. not done. We can bring it back and The jointed headstock also strengthens the traditionally vulnerable spots where fretted notes don’t ring “The purpose of a neck reset make it better than new,’” he says. area where the angled headstock meets the neck shaft. It’s common out, or it may have to be retuned is to return the guitar to proper And if you happen to be there knowledge in the guitar-building world that a jointed headstock is frequently. These kinds of issues action with the correct amount of while he’s doing it, don’t forget to substantially stronger than a continuous piece of wood (classical may seem to be a minor trade-off for saddle protruding above the bridge,” make a funny face when he passes guitar makers have been using scarf joints for many years, and our a good deal, but a price is paid in DiBurro says. “Imagine the guitar as you your guitar neck. own in-house stress-testing confirms the boost in strength). The scarf other respects — it can be hard on a ’70s muscle car engine with the joint currently used on our three-piece necks has evolved from our one’s hands and ears and quickly body as the piston and cylinders original finger joint and provides a more aesthetically pleasing look to amount to a real inspiration-killer. pushing and pulling air. On top of the neck. And an imprecisely set neck will only the engine is the carburetor, which get worse over time, especially with distributes the energy, gas, in an DIVE BAR A classic whammy bar design gets the Taylor treatment, bringing a new and improved version to the SolidBody.

Pitch benders, take note: The The lower fulcrum point also Taylor SolidBody is now officially addresses some of the little issues armed and dangerous. As of late that players have grappled with for summer, all SolidBody models will years, like balance problems and be available with an optional tremolo string slippage. Among the tremolo bridge that harvests all the classic system’s cool features are the ability appeal of rock and roll’s expressive to set it up to be floating — allowing pitch-warping wand and adds a fresh the pitch to be manipulated both splash of Taylor engineering. sharp and flat — or to have it bottom The Taylor tremolo system is a out, which means if it’s fully up to knife-edge, fulcrum bridge design pitch it can only go flat, not sharp. that honors the heritage of other companies, from Fender to Floyd Rose to Wilkinson. Of course, Tremolo vs. Vibrato in classic Taylor fashion, we Although the term “tremolo” is brought some of our own ideas frequently used with whammy and refinements to the table and bars, the more accurate term added what we feel are nuanced for pitch-bending is vibrato. improvements to the traditional design. Back in 1954, Leo Fender The basic idea with a knife-edge dubbed his vibrato bar fulcrum tremolo is that the bridge design for the Stratocaster rests on a blade-style pivot point with a “synchronized tremolo,” counter tension provided by springs offering it as a synonym for beneath the bridge that return the unit vibrato, and the misnomer to pitch. Ours is a two-point system, would famously go on to and one of our design tweaks was to take root in the lexicon of the lower the fulcrum points (in relation electric guitar world. to the strings and the springs), which normally stick up fairly high, and to integrate the fulcrum design with our sleek, high-performance SolidBody An adjustable set screw also lets a bridge. player fine-tune the degree of floating “We worked to optimize the or bottoming out. And all SolidBody fulcrum point, spring tension, and guitars equipped with the trem will the feel of a fulcrum-style bridge,” feature locking tuning machines, which says Taylor developer David Hosler. greatly reduce the possibility of string “We took advantage of what we had slippage and help keep the guitar in already used on the SolidBody bridge tune. with the break angle and the string “We’re not claiming to have length and incorporated it into the reinvented the wheel here, Hosler tremolo design. But the fulcrum point says, “but at the end of the day, our was really the main thing. tremolo blends a familiar feel with a The goal, Hosler says, was to get new functionality we think is unique. the trem to re-center better. These are small improvements that for “With traditional tremolos, it’s very us make a huge difference. Players close to the strings, which is OK,” he familiar with a really well set-up trem says, “but we like the feel of lowering will totally get it, and for those who’ve the fulcrum point so you have a more struggled with vintage-style trems, this balanced, natural feel. It also tends to will be a breath of fresh air because it bring the trem back to a more natural does what they’ve always wanted their resting position.” vibratos to do.” DIVE BAR NS FOR LESS Two new rosewood laminate nylons — including our first non-cutaway — make the classical sound an affordable option

You don’t have to be a classical designed one of them as our first player to love the Taylor Nylon Series. non-cutaway nylon, giving players Designed with today’s steel-string who prefer the more traditional body players in mind, our NS models offer aesthetic an elegant option. all the distinctive flavors of the nylon The NS24ce and non-cutaway sound, yet with the familiar feel of a NS24e both feature our Grand Taylor steel-string. With a cutaway, Auditorium body shape, a satin-finish electronics and an ultra-playable Indian rosewood laminate back and 1 7/8-inch neck, they’ll give you a sides with a solid Sitka spruce top, a comfortable, performance-ready slotted headstock with a rosewood alternative to a traditional wide-neck overlay, classical chrome tuners with classical guitar. And with lighter cream buttons, and our ES-T® under- string tension than steel-string saddle pickup. guitars, they also make a great choice If you’ve ever thought of adding for beginners and others looking to some nylon flavors to your acoustic ease up on their fingers. arsenal, these two beauties are sure This summer, our nylons broaden to please your palate — and your their appeal with a pair of beautiful wallet. rosewood laminate models that Both models are scheduled to bring the price within the reach of start shipping in late July. Visit your more players. What’s more, we’ve local Taylor dealer to sample one. 24 www.taylorguitars.com

first album and is currently working big check and a new Taylor guitar. Eventually the late nights of the on her second. She and her band On top of that, we’re doing so many club scene took their toll, and Reed also performed on the Taylor stage at shows now! I just can’t wait to see returned to India to embrace a quasi- Winter NAMM earlier this year. where things go from here.” nomadic lifestyle, staying with Tibetan Soundings ArmedForcesEntertainment.com Johnnybulford.com monks in the Himalayas and studying Jonaleewhite.com throat singing. Even there, he found an unlikely exchange of musical ideas Pin-ups, Pickups and but the appreciation from the troops between a monk friend and instructor, makes it all worth it.” Legends & Lyrics who had a fascination with Western a Purpose They’ve also had a lot of fun, as he Here’s Johnny Singer-songwriter and guitarist rock. As the Minnesota-based rock band points out. For a 23-year old aspiring country John Bohlinger, the bandleader “I would be trying to focus on Catchpenny geared up for their third “These soldiers are pretty music star, what could top being for the USA Network TV show learning how to resonate the low tone Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) hardened at times, but we get them compared to the likes of Vince Gill, “Nashville Star,” checked in recently of the Tibetan throat singing, while at tour in the Middle East, lead singer stage-diving and playing cowbell, and Garth Brooks and James Taylor, all to let us know about his latest Taylor the same time teaching [him] lyrics to and guitar player Christian Schauf even let them jam along with us or rolled into one? How about being exploits. Bohlinger appears on a pair Queen songs!” Reed says. (T5-C2, SolidBody Classic, SolidBody on their own. In our minds, it’s their named the “Best New Act in Country of episodes for the new PBS series While there, he met many Israeli Standard, GS5e) reached out to our show, and we do whatever it takes to Music” at the 2009 Colgate Country “Legends & Lyrics” (legendsandlyrics. artists and musicians, prompting him artist relations honcho Bob Borbonus make sure they enjoy themselves, at Showdown, the nation’s longest com), an “in-the-round” style music to relocate his recording studio from with a unique request: to send him least for a few hours.” running country music talent search. performance program that features his Portland home to Jerusalem — a the body of a plain white SolidBody. The band’s dedication was famous recording artists of all genres city, he says, that is full of stories We did, and a few weeks later, we acknowledged by the military this who write many of their own hit of tragedy, hope and inspiration. were messaged through Twitter with past March, when AFE honored the songs, along with professional song- He worked with Palestinian, Israeli, a picture of the SolidBody, newly band with its “Entertainer of the Year” writers who pen tunes for stars. Swedish, and U.S. musicians on the adorned with a painting of a flag- award at SXSW. Bohlinger played an NS64ce with record, Coming Up for Air, which was waving blonde bombshell, in a style Catchpennyband.com Motown legend Lamont Dozier one due for a summer release. He’s also reminiscent of the pin-up girls of the night and with singer-songwriter/ been performing solo acoustic shows 1940s. guitarist Justin Hayward (The Moody in Europe, with more scheduled Schauf had connected with Blues) on another episode. He also in the U.S. this summer. Reed has Minneapolis-based visual artist Rounding the Bases lent his GS (“a killer guitar and my owned several Taylors over the years, Valerie Carpender to help him Another Taylor artist, Cincinnati- workhorse”) to Mark Farner of Grand including a 414ce and 714ce, and achieve his vision for a custom guitar based country songstress Jonalee Funk Railroad for his appearance on lately has been performing with an painting. White (814ce, T5C, SolidBody the show. 814ce, which he loves. “I wanted to do some sort of Classic) and her band also recently The first season of “Legends & “I have never heard so many patriotic theme, but also wanted to returned from an AFE tour of U.S. Lyrics” began airing in April 2009 comments on the sound of a guitar keep it classic and simple,” Schauf military bases in Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Artist Valerie Carpender’s on PBS, and the second season’s before this tour with the 814,” he says. “After studying the old World Germany, the Netherlands and the patriotic pin-up girl performances are scheduled to air says. “Incredible!” War II warplanes, I just fell in love UK. The trip marked White’s first AFE this fall. Check your local listings for Danreed.com with the idea.” tour and her first time out of the U.S., air dates. Myspace.com/danreed2012 It was Carpender’s first time and she was enthusiastic before she using a guitar as a canvas, which she even set foot on the plane. Singer-songwriter Johnny later displayed as the “Pin-Up with a “Many of us in the band had ties Bulford (410ce, 810ce) started Purpose” at an art exhibition. to troops either currently serving playing guitar as a teenager in Border Crossing Taylorspotting “I wanted to make Christian’s or who had served, so their central Florida “to meet girls” and Singer-songwriter Dan Reed’s Actress Isabelle Fuhrman, 12, guitar special to him and the troops,” encouragement was our initial before he knew it was on his way artistic pursuits have always found who stars in this summer’s horror she explains. “The hand-painted motivation,” White says. “Once to winning just about every major ways to dissolve borders, leading thriller Orphan, recently bought a technique I used makes this guitar we arrived in Sicily, we were Florida music competition. Soon he him all over the world during his K22ce and played it at a school one of its kind, which was an overwhelmed by gratitude. The was opening for some of country’s 25-plus-year music career. Reed concert. Fuhrman plays Esther, a important element. This project was soldiers and sailors we met were biggest names. With two albums got his break back in the late ’80s young orphan whose sweet demeanor redeeming to everyone involved.” sacrificing so much, yet were so already to his credit, Bulford just with his genre-meshing, Portland- wins over a couple, prompting them Catchpenny is no stranger to appreciative of us, as though we had released his third, Livin It Up, based funk-rock outfit the Dan Reed to adopt her. Then bad things start the AFE circuit, Schauf explained in made the sacrifice. We talked for which features tracks that he either Network, which scored them a choice happening… Newest “American Idol” an e-mail from Kuwait as the band hours with them. The performances wrote or co-wrote. Among his gig as the support act for the Rolling winner, 23-year-old Kris Allen from awaited a transfer back to the U.S. came second. We knew from that first collaborators were the Grammy- Stones in the early ’90s. After a trip Conway, Arkansas, played his 614ce “Armed Forces Entertainment day of the tour our role was not only nominated tunesmith Charlie Craig to India to interview the Dali Lama on several of the show’s episodes. approached us a few years back at to entertain, but to listen and offer (Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Dolly for Spin magazine and the eventual “I’ve been playing, singing, writing South by Southwest about doing a support and friendship.” Parton) and Robert Arthur (Brad dissolution of his band in the wake music since I was 13, and I don’t ever tour. We figured if we’re playing for White and her band, who Paisley, Mark Chesnutt). When he of the Northwest’s grunge explosion, sing without my guitar,” Allen said… troops, we may as well go where it’s headlined the tour, have attracted spoke with us, he was gearing up Reed focused his creative energies in Knoxville, Tennessee rockers 10 really needed and play in the real war a growing fan base while sharing for a headlining summer tour through other ways, starting an independent Years (10yearsmusic.com) recently zones. After our first tour, they asked the stage with such artists as Clay most of Florida, as well as a string of record label, acting in theater, TV and played a few dates with Shinedown. us to come back as much as we Walker, Taylor Swift and Dierks dates as an opener for other country film, and writing screenplays. In the Founding member, drummer/guitarist/ could, and this year, we’ll do nearly Bentley all over the U.S. Her debut acts. Despite his accomplishments late ’90s he opened a music nightclub songwriter Brian Vodinh usually gets 150 shows in Iraq. The cool thing album, Wake Me, produced three hit so far, Bulford remains humble. in Portland, turning it into a place that out from behind the drum kit during is, we’re traveling by Blackhawk and singles: “Sunday Paper,” “I Break,” “I feel like this whole thing fused performances from cutting edge the show to play a couple of acoustic focusing on small bases that have and “Wake Me,” all of which broke snuck up on me,” he says. “It’s as if bands with DJ-driven electronic music. tunes on his 614ce. He says all the never had any form of entertainment. into the Top 40 country charts. White I started the [Colgate] competition, He also formed a live performance band’s songs have their origin with We’ve had some scary moments, wrote nine of the 13 songs on her and the next thing I knew I had a electronic group. him writing on his acoustic. Clockwise from top left: Jonalee White rocks out; Catchpenny’s Christian Schauf (white shirt) with the troops in Iraq; actress Isabelle Fuhrman and her Orphan film character Esther; Fuhrman performing with her new K22ce; rising country star Johnny Bulford; singer-songwriter Dan Reed (photo by Sofia Lundberg); Brian Vodinh from 10 Years (photo by Harry Reese)

26 www.taylorguitars.com

creature with which we’d like more than a few hours of playtime.” The Perfect as Can Be 816ce Earns Readers’ Guitar Player GW crew wasn’t shy about naming Choice Award June 2009 Mixed Media it “One of 2009’s Hottest Products.” Guitar Player “Whether you’re a pro, weekend war- The T3/B continues its streak of May 2009 rior or a casual player,” they wrote, strong accolades among gear review- Once a year, the Guitar Player “there’s plenty here to give you chills ers. Guitar Player associate editor reader community heeds the call and thrills.” Barry Cleveland lavished praise on to vote for their favorite products, the T3/B every step of the way, from artists and the best — or worst — the guitar’s “deeply quilted maple top Guitar Player articles and covers in Je T’aime, 812ce the Readers’ Choice Awards. With Guitarist & Bass (France) April 2009 The U.S. media aren’t the only ones who adore Taylor guitars. In the 20th anniversary edition of the votes tallied and readers’ comments French music publication Guitarist & read, the players voted the Taylor Bass, France, writer Olivier Rouquier 816ce (GS) the Best Acoustic or opines about his 812ce, calling it an Acoustic-Electric Guitar. Be sure to “exceptional” guitar in the two-page check out the full lineup of catego- spread. ries in the publication’s May 2009 edition.

Taylor Tweets Twitter.com If you’ve been living under a rock and the gorgeous honey hues” to its or just busy rocking out on your “chameleon-like pickups and switch- Taylor, then you may not know what ing system.” Cleveland delved deep Twitter is. The micro-blogging and into the pickup switching, calling the social networking site is one of the T3/B’s humbuckers “full and rich, latest Web-based communication with lots of clarity and definition.” vehicles through which one can The bridge pickup, he elaborates, follow the text updates — issued “had just enough brightness and in 140 characters or less — of just edge to cut cleanly without harsh- about anyone, including Taylor ness, the neck pickup provided tight, Guitars. If you need a steady fix of woody mids and robust lows, and Taylor news, be sure to become a when combined they produced a Taylor follower and check out our well-balanced sound that would be posts, which are often several per equally at home in rock, R&B, and day and feature the latest reviews T for 3 In the upper position you can easily jazz settings.” and other Taylor sightings out in the Guitarist UK evoke older-style jazz sounds and, to On the guitar’s coil-splitting world. Head to twitter.com/taylorgui- May 2009 be honest, whenever we came back capability, Cleveland notes, tarspr to the guitar and/or changed amps “The 812ce, here in its sunburst “Switching to split-coil mode Like any proper English host, and tones we heard new things. version, is a real jewel. It’s a model changed the guitar’s character com- chief gear guru Dave Burrluck invites “Above all,” Burrluck concludes, that reclaims a certain softness of pletely, dishing up a wonderful range readers to an afternoon of quality “T,” “it’s another bold move for a brand playing for maximum expression.” of delectable tones, not surprisingly as in T3 and T3/B, in the May issue that has its eye on the electric market Rouquier notes the pure, acoustic more reminiscent of a semi-hollow of Guitarist magazine. The six-page and is a guitar we’d suggest you Taylor tone that so many players Rickenbacker than a solidbody feature spread offers a detailed tour audition as soon as you can.” have come to love, citing the “perfect Fender. With the Tone control fully of the guitar’s ins and outs, from its relationship between the bass and clockwise, the bridge pickup pro- design and construction to its perfor- treble.” duced gloriously sparkling sounds mance versatility. Burrluck has plenty While Rouquier flatters the slim with just a touch of compression, Hot Chills neck with its “nice, easy action,” the the neck pickup yielded Gretsch-like of good things to say along the way. Guitar World robust electronics that “work like clang, and together they produced a “Both T3s deliver exactly what June 2009 you’d expect from a large semi,” he a charm,” and its craftsmanship of very satisfying combination of those writes. “Yet the T3 has its own char- Editorial staffers at Guitar World the “highest quality,” he closes his two tones.” acter…. The tone control is a revela- are a little wild for the T3 and T3/B, glowing review with a present. “The Completely satisfied with its per- tion, especially in its down position confessing that “terms like ‘elegant’ return of quality/price doesn’t get formance, Cleveland ends by calling where, in mid-travel, it rounds the and ‘sexy’ make us think of Megan more excellent than this, for a guitar the T3/B “about as perfect as a highs subtly but almost changes Fox. Add in ‘semihollow’ and our fabricated entirely in California with guitar can be.” The review scored the character to an older Gretsch, thoughts immediately turn to Taylor’s materials of grand quality. The perfect the T3/B Guitar Player’s coveted Rickenbacker or even Tele-like style. new T3 model, yet another gorgeous guitar gift for a 20th anniversary.” Editors’ Pick Award. 27

to add other notes to the progres- he reflected in his Wood&Steel sion.” profile. “I’ve looked into the lives of Cephas talked about the impact the people who were the foundation Taylor Notes of Blind Boy Fuller in propagating of the blues, and music in the black the Piedmont style. community in general. Remember, “He probably was the best- when I was young, I got to meet so Legendary Piedmont Blues Guitarist John Cephas Dies at 78 known Piedmont-style player, and he many of the old blues guys, who inspired many others in the Piedmont related their true-life stories to me. area to play that way — Reverend And through reading and talking to Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Pete educators, and through the Library of Anderson, Tampa Red. And they, in Congress, I’ve gained some knowl- turn, influenced other players, includ- edge about this art form.” ing me.” Thanks to Cephas, many others Cephas was best known for his around the world now have a deeper work with harmonica player Phil appreciation for that art form, too. Wiggins, whom he met in 1977 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. They teamed up as a duo in 1984, and in 1987 12-Month, No-interest they were honored as the “Blues Entertainers of the Year” at the W.C. Financing Extended Handy Awards, where they also won through July 31 “Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year” for their debut record, Dog Due to popular demand, we’re Days of August. Two years later, extending our program with GE Cephas was presented with the Money and our dealers to offer 12 National Heritage Fellowship Award months of no-interest financing with by the National Endowment for the the purchase of qualifying new Taylor Arts. models. Now you can take advan- Their musical partnership tage of this killer deal through July included residencies at universities 31, 2009. The program covers: and international tours sponsored by the State Department, Smithsonian • All 300 Series/Acoustic 3 Series Institution, National Council for the and higher Traditional Arts, and other organiza- • All Taylor electrics, including the John Cephas, from the 1997 Taylor Guitars catalog tions, which took them to Africa, SolidBody, T5 and T3 South America, Russia, China, Italy, • All limited edition models, Australia, and New Zealand. including our new Spring LTDs We’re saddened to note the western Virginia, had seen a concen- home brew, and they’d pitch these Cephas was a longtime Taylor • All Build to Order models passing on March 4 of blues guitar- tration of slaves for nearly 200 years big parties that would last Friday player who loved his many Taylor ist John Cephas, a longtime mem- as a result of the slave ships that to Saturday. They’d bring whatever models, including several each in All you need to do is visit your ber of the extended Taylor family. would arrive on Virginia’s Eastern instruments they had — guitars, fid- the 700, 800 and 900 Series, along local authorized Taylor dealer and ask Cephas was a preeminent exponent Shore. The slaves preserved their dles, banjos, washboards, tub bass- with a Brazilian rosewood 710, 510, if they’re participating. of Piedmont-style blues guitar, char- cultural heritage through music es, and such — and play this wonder- LKSM and PS-10. Over the years, acterized by an alternating thumb- played on a harp-like kora, plucking ful music, and dance and sing.” he and Wiggins performed on the and-finger picking style in which the complex melodies on the 21 strings At age 9, Cephas learned the Taylor stage at numerous trade thumb plays the bass line while the with an alternating thumb-and- Piedmont and the Delta blues pick- shows, where they always captivated fingers pluck the melody. The country fingers style, which evolved into the ing techniques from a cousin, David listeners. Cephas appeared on the Modify a Model blues form would go on to be hugely Piedmont style of blues as players Taleofero, who showed him the differ- cover of our 1997 catalog (posing Follow-Up influential in the development of adapted to western instruments. ences between the two. with his 915ce), and in 2000, he col- American music, informing the play- Born in Washington D.C., “In the Delta style, you spell out laborated with us on the design of a Last issue’s cover story on our ing styles of such artists as Merle Cephas spent much of his youth with the melody on a single string, while signature model (JCSM), based on Build to Order program included a Travis and Chet Atkins. relatives in Bowling Green, Virginia, the other strings are strummed to our 914 but featuring pared-down sidebar item (“Modify an Existing More than just a great player, where he would hear his grandfa- keep up,” he explained. “In Piedmont, appointments. The fretboard inlay Model”) about the options available Cephas was a blues preservationist ther’s stories of slave-era ancestors it’s all melted together; the alternat- was the outline of a bluesman walk- to customers who want to order a who traveled the world as a cultural and listen to music at family gather- ing-thumb-and-fingerpicking makes it ing along a road with his guitar. standard Taylor production model historian and musical ambassador. ings. sound like two or three guitars going Always a pleasure to listen to as but with minor alterations. Since As a performer, guitar instructor and “Folks didn’t have money or auto- at one time. Then, with that going a player and a storyteller, Cephas then, we’ve received inquiries from educator, he shed much light on the mobiles or the means to travel, so on, there are little seventh and sixth was reminiscent of a West African owners about switching out the African-American context of the blues they’d have house parties right in the notes added to the major progres- griot, a vital musical historian who appointments on a guitar they already form and the connection between homes, in the community,” Cephas sion. Now, in order to get that full, would use traditional song forms to own. A few folks even asked about the West African fingerpicking tech- said in a Wood&Steel profile from rich sound, you’ve got to be able to capture a community’s important life swapping out inlays or binding. Just niques brought to America by slaves the summer of 1997. “As a little kid, I depress more than one string at a stories to preserve its heritage for to clarify, the modify-a-model options and the Piedmont style that devel- saw these folks come together after time. By mashing two strings with future generations. we offer apply to a guitar that hasn’t oped from them. a hard week’s work. They’d have one finger, or four strings with two “In my long career, I’ve had an been ordered yet. The Piedmont region, in south- plenty of good food, corn liquor, and fingers, you leave other fingers free opportunity to study a lot of history,” 28 www.taylorguitars.com

For the latest event listings, including Road Shows, Doyle Dykes workshops, festivals and other Taylor events, visit the WorldView Calendar Taylor online calendar at taylorguitars. the retail level; another part involves service contingent on the trip. “The com/calendar. Teching through Europe growing our service infrastructure in service centers can do everything From May 7-21, six of Taylor’s top Europe to support the needs of Taylor we can do here at the factory. We TAYLOR ROAD SHOWS FESTIVALS / TRADE SHOWS guitar technicians from our factory owners after they purchase guitars. want to reinforce to the stores and We’ll be resuming our U.S. Road headquarters traveled to Europe As our guitar techs visited stores, customers that we’ll continue to take Shows in September. Be sure to Hawaiian Slack Key Festival for a two-week barnstorming trip to they spent time checking and “tuning care of them.” check taylorguitars.com/roadshow for “Oahu Style” authorized Taylor retailers. Split into up” each store’s existing inventory, In addition to our service visits, the latest dates. If we haven’t sched- Honolulu, Hawaii three two-man teams plus a sales talking about guitar humidification, this past spring we also launched uled a Road Show for your area, you August 16, 2009 representative from Fender, our running through informal product our popular Road Show events in can “demand” a Road Show for your Slackkeyfestival.com European distributor, our techs visited demonstrations, and showing store Europe, led by UK-based Taylor town and encourage your friends and and serviced 32 stores throughout staffers the advantages of a Taylor in product specialist Dan Boreham. fellow Taylor owners to do the same MIAC the UK, Germany, Holland, Belgium, terms of easy serviceability. More events are planned for this at eventful.com/taylorguitars. Toronto, Canada Brussels and Germany. Taylor currently has three fully summer (see our calendar listings for August 23-24, 2009 The trip was the latest of our functioning factory service centers more details). You can see photos of INTERNATIONAL ROAD SHOWS Miac.net ongoing efforts to expand Taylor’s set up in Europe, and a fourth one will recent European Taylor Road shows service presence in Europe with the be set up in Paris in September. on Taylor Europe’s Facebook page. THE NETHERLANDS Walnut Valley Festival goal of offering customers abroad “These aren’t just repair shops; Facebook members can also watch Kees Dee Winfield, Kansas the same Taylor brand experience they’re full-blown service centers,” several videos that Hosler posted Tuesday, September 22 September 16-20, 2009 that they enjoy in the U.S. Part of that says David Hosler, Taylor’s VP of during his trip on the site’s Taylor fan Leusderweg 40-42 Wvfest.com experience means ensuring that the quality assurance, customer service page. 3817 KB Amersfoort, Netherlands quality of our guitars is maintained at and repair, who was part of the Tel: 033 465 53 55 Music China www.keesdee.nl Shanghai, China Venue: De IJsbreker October 17-20, 2009 Bavoortseweg 25 Musicchina-expo.com Left: Rob Magargal with 3833 BM Leusden sales person Katharina Showtime: 20:00 Musical Instruments Fair Japan Geistmann at Guitar-Place Yokohama, Japan in Aschaffenburg, Germany Sticks ´n Strings Musical November 5-8, 2009 Instruments Musicfair.jp/foroversea.php Below: Outside Musik- Wednesday, September 23 Produktiv in Ibbenbüren, Jodenstraat 11 Germany. L-R: Taylor’s Rob 5911 HJ Venlo, Netherlands Doyle Dykes Workshops Magargal, guitar department Tel: 077 352 30 49 manager Dennis Schock, www.sticks-n-strings.com Ellisville, Missouri and Fender district sales Venue: Café Central Fazio’s Frets & Friends manager Martin Heybeck Market 22 Monday, July 13, 7 p.m. 5911 HD Venlo (636) 227-3573 Showtime: 20:00 Champaign, Illinois Tonika Music C.V. Lloyde Music Center Thursday, September 24 Tuesday, July 14, 7 p.m. Regattaweg 5 (217) 352-7031 9731 AJ Groningen, Netherlands +31 50 312 04 37 Brookfield, Wisconsin www.tonika.nl Cream City Music Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m. BELGIUM (262) 860-1800 Muziekhandel Jacky Claes Friday, September 25 Cedar Falls, Iowa Hasseltweg 54 Bob’s Guitars 3600 Genk, Belgium Thursday, July 16, 7 p.m. +32 8 935 77 36 (319) 277-8863 www.jackyclaes.be Showtime: 20:00 Alexandria, Minnesota Carlson Music Center Piens MusicPlanet Friday, July 17, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 26 (320) 763-4011 Guido Gezellelaan 40 9800 Deinze, Belgium Westminster, Maryland +32 9 381 82 00 Coffey Music www.piens.be Tuesday, July 28, 7 p.m. Showtime: 20:00 (410) 876-1045 ® Summer ’09 Summer strumming always feels better with cold lemonade and TaylorWare some fresh-picked TaylorWare. CLOTHING / GEAR / PARTS / GIFTS

Outline Guitar T. Colorfully overlapping lines render the shape of our SolidBody Classic. 100% ringspun cotton with double stitching on the neck and hem. A small Quality Guitars logo appears on the back below the collar. (Short Sleeve; Smoke #1448, M-XL $20.00; XXL $22.00)

Taylor Pub Glasses Hoist your favorite beverage for a toast with a touch of Taylor style. Four different designs, in black and gold, put a unique stamp on each 20-oz glass in this set of four. (#70011; $25.00)

New

The children’s Let’s Play T celebrates the little groovers and shakers of the world with a Taylor-strumming boy on baby blue and a girl on pink. 100% cotton jersey knit with ribbed neck, double stitching on the hem and sleeves. Available in Infant and Toddler sizes. (Infant Pink #1404, Infant Blue #1406; Sizes: 6, 12, 18 months; Toddler Pink #1407, Toddler Blue #1408; Sizes: 2T, 3T, 4T; $15.00)

Tess, daughter of our director of brand marketing, Jonathan Forstot, loves her tunes. Her favorite song is “Love Story,” by Taylor Swift. She also likes “You Are My Sunshine” and “C is for Cookie.”

Our men’s Soundhole T hones in on the source of great Taylor tone and shows off our distinctive bridge and pickguard shapes, plus an 800 Series inlay. Traditional fit, with heavyweight, preshrunk 100% cotton and double stitching on the neck and hem. (Short Sleeve; Sand #1445, M-XL $20.00; XXL $22.00)

Suede Taylor Guitar Straps (Black Suede #62001, Honey Suede #62000, Chocolate Suede #62003, $35.00)

Order online: taylorguitars.com/taylorware | Order by phone: 800.494.9600

The Black Flex Fit Cap features a red Quality Guitars logo on comfortable six-panel brushed twill with a matching red guitar embroidered on the back. One size fits all. (#00370, $20.00)

Our Navy Garment Washed Flex Fit Cap features the Taylor logo in silver. One size fits all. (#00380, $24.00) Our Weathered Peghead T has a lived-in look and feel that you’ll love. Distressed treatment of the iconic Taylor peghead and lettering applies a vintage touch to the soft, pigment dyed, ringspun cotton. 100% preshrunk, generously cut for comfort, with double needle stitching for extra durability. (Mocha #1440, M-XL $20; XXL, $22.00) Our Vintage Electric T rocks out with a winged SolidBody design in gray on lightly marbled black. 100% cotton, mineral washed and distressed for a soft, worn-in feel. (Vintage Black #1453, M-XL $25.00; XXL $27.00)

New Colors Antique Logo T-shirt Pre-washed, super-soft 100% cotton, featuring our distressed logo and cut as a Slim Fit. Sizes S-XXL. (Short Sleeve; Green/Tan #1438, White/Blue #1436, Navy/Gold #1437, S-XL $20.00; XXL $22.00)

New Our Taylor Surf Club T, inspired by Southern California beach culture, crosses two different types of ’boards that each make for major fun in the sun. Distressed graphic treatment on soft-washed, pigment-dyed fabric. Preshrunk 100% ringspun cotton with a generous fit. Ribbed collar with Our Taylor Bar Stool fully supports you and your music. The classic double needle stitching on the neckline, sleeves and bottom hem. Includes design features a comfy, padded swivel seat in a black matte, vinyl finish the Taylor logo on the sleeve. (Brick #1446, Denim #1447, M-XL, $20.00; with a gray Taylor logo. A foot ring adds to your playing comfort. 30” XXL, $22.00) high. Easy assembly. You’ll be ready for a house concert, even if it’s just an audience of one. (#70200, $99.00. Additional $5.00 shipping charge for each bar stool ordered.)

Our SolidBody Trucker Cap sports the Taylor SolidBody logo patch on orange, featuring side and back panels of tan trucker mesh to keep your head well vented, with Taylor Guitars ’74 screen printed on the left side. An adjustable polysnap closure ensures a comfortable fit. Eric from our sales team is a sun-loving guy who takes full advantage (#00160, $20.00) of the outdoor pleasures that come with living in San Diego.

30 Order online: taylorguitars.com/taylorware | Order by phone: 800.494.9600

Our K4 Preamp and Equalizer lets you control the tone of your Taylor acoustic/electric guitar whenever you’re recording or plugged into a PA system. Designed for the specific frequencies of the acoustic Taylor Logo T guitar, the K4 EQ uses pure analog tone shaping for isolating and Sizes: S-XXXL. (Short Sleeve; White #1435, Blue Dusk #1434; adjusting individual notes and tones. It features transformer-coupled S-XL $15.00, XXL-XXXL $17.00) input and output, and can even run on two C batteries, in case you forget your power supply. (#80845, $498.00) Taylor Loaded Pickguards let you swap out the pickup/pickguard unit for your SolidBody Classic in minutes, without the need for soldering. Choose from seven different pickup configurations, including HD and HG mini and full-size humbuckers, single coils, or a mix of both. Available in four different pickguard colors. Each loaded pickguard gives you a unique pickup personality, allowing you to dial- in your preferred tone with incredible ease. For a complete list of ordering options, go to taylorguitars.com/taylorware. Special introductory price: $195* (reg. $248) *Single HG Humbucker: $148 (reg. $198)

Our Universal A/B/Both Box lets you run your Taylor T5,® Taylor acoustic, or any brand of electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass to two separate outputs. It’s perfect for running a T5 into an electric amp and an acoustic amp. And, the A or B indicator The Ladies Script T features a fun graphical flourish over a Taylor stays lit when BOTH is activated, which means you’ll always know guitar, with the company name inscribed across the design. Slim fit where your signal is. Want to connect a tuner between you and with a tapered waist. 100% combed, ringspun cotton. the PA and maintain your Expression System’s® balanced signal? (Pale Blue/Gray; #4470, S-XL $20.00) Plug into the Balanced Breakout, connect your tuner, and you’ll stay balanced into the rig. Thanks to its high-quality transformer, your signal always stays pure. (Universal A/B/Both Box, #80820, $89.00; ES Balanced Breakout,™ #80821, $89.00) Visit our website for more information about the TaylorWare Gift Card.

SolidBody Pickups Our HG (high-gain) humbucker gives SolidBody players a simple-to- install pickup option. Slightly darker-sounding than our original HD (high-definition) humbucker, the HG unleashes more front-end drive for a crunchier tone with extra rawness. The modular design allows anyone to swap them out at home with ease. The pickups are connected with a Molex (pin-and-socket) connector, so all you’ll need are a Phillips head screwdriver and a few minutes for a simple “plug and play” experience. Available as Style 1 (Classic, Custom) and Style 2 (Standard), and offered in two versions, neck and bridge, with each voiced and output-balanced for their respective string positions. The Taylor Carry All Bag was designed to hold your gear plus your lap- Available exclusively through TaylorWare. (Chrome, $79.00) top. Measuring 16” high x 18” wide x 12” deep, the Carry All features a Special introductory price: $59 (for a limited time) Guitar Parts. Choose from an assortment of replacement parts like padded, removable nylon laptop sleeve, 6 external pockets, rear access #83706 Style 1 HD Neck #83708 Style 2 HD Neck chrome or gold tuners, nuts and saddles, guitar cables, pickguards to an interior compartment, adjustable/removable section dividers, and #83707 Style 1 HD Bridge #83709 Style 2 HD Bridge and bridge pins­ — with or without abalone dots. 3 easy-access interior pockets for storage of a cell phone, iPod, tuner #83726 Style 1 HG Neck #83728 Style 2 HG Neck or other small devices. Includes a padded, adjustable shoulder strap. #83727 Style 1 HG Bridge #83729 Style 2 HG Bridge Visit taylorguitars.com/taylorware to see the full line. (#61180, $89.00)

31 Presorted A Publication of Taylor Guitars Standard U.S. Postage Volume 60 / Summer 2009 PAID Phoenix, AZ | | | Taylor Guitars 1980 Gillespie Way El Cajon, CA 92020-1096 taylorguitars.com Permit No. 1225

The paper we used is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC is a non-profit organization that supports environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Fine Feathered Friend This magnificent SolidBody electric is one of an ultra-limited series crafted to celebrate Taylor’s 35th anniversary this year. It features a top of stunning feathered Hawaiian koa that came from a crotch area of the tree, where a large branch converged with the trunk and added weight. As a result, the wood is more compressed. The koa was flatsawn to produce the beautiful feathered appearance.