Preserving Ebony's Future
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INSIDE THE WORLD OF TAYLOR GUITARS / VOLUME 72 summer 2012 Preserving Ebony’s Future A bold plan for sustainable sourcing Builder’s Reserve VI Mustache Bridge Jumbo More Than a Store Nurturing a Music Community Open Mic Tips 2 www.taylorguitars.com 3 Letters Volume 72 Summer 2012 Find us on Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube. Follow us on Twitter: @taylorguitars Ever since he bought his Taylor NS34ce, few offered to buy it for way more than I are going to be friends for a very long find a local dealer with one in stock. he seems to want no part of us. We paid for it. The answer is no every time. time. I also want to give credit to one Zach [Arntz] brought one to Acous- haven’t seen the light of day in a long You could offer me a million bucks and I of your dealers. Butch at Bigham Music tifest last year, I played it and bought Features time. It’s awfully dark in these cases. would say no. The guitar is a part of me. in Dalton, Georgia is great. I’ve gotten it. You produce fine instruments, but I We’ve even heard him talk about buy- I’ve played it so much that I wore a hole all my Taylors from him, and I’ve always bet you sell more due to your support On the Cover ing a Taylor steel-string of some sort. through the top, which I had repaired been more than satisfied. I don’t know of the stores who carry your product. PLEASE don’t let him. We miss Andy. and a new, slightly bigger pickguard put of anywhere else I’d rather do business. I can’t say enough good things about 6 Your First Open Mic 12 The Future of Ebony If you haven’t, maybe you secretly want to. An open-mic survivor shares Could you possibly put out a recall on on. I was thinking of retiring it because it Thanks for making great guitars. Melodee Music and their involvement In our special report, Bob Taylor talks about tips that will lead to a smooth performance for you and your listeners. all Taylor nylon-string guitars? We’d has seen some rough times — it’s been Janet Pinette with the local community as well as Taylor’s ownership stake in a Cameroonian appreciate anything you could do to knocked over, dropped, smashed into local musicians. I am glad you feel the ebony mill, the challenges of ebony sourcing, help. with mic stands, and the headstock same way. and the framework being developed for ethical, Andy Christie even went through a window once. I Six-String Therapy Eric Knight sustainable business. bought another Jumbo 615 cutaway I was in Little Rock, Arkansas for but, sadly, had to sell it when things cancer treatment when I took a fall that After the Fire got tough. It has been 25 years since I resulted in an injury to my spine. Five Lots of Love Coffey Shop I had my old Taylor 550 [12-string walked into that shop, and I am so glad weeks in the hospital were followed by Love my Taylor 210ce. Love I just purchased a 2012 Spring mahogany Dreadnought] repaired a I did. That guitar is one of the reasons I two weeks in physical and occupational Wood&Steel. Love dreaming about Limited cocobolo 814ce and wanted year or so ago, and it occurred to me still play music for a living today. therapy as an in-patient. I had to learn my next Taylor guitar. Love the yet to tell you how fantastic Bob Coffey that I never thanked all the great folks Ken McCoy how to walk all over again. Yet I also unnamed koa SolidBody Standard on at Coffey Music is at keeping his Tay- there at Taylor for doing such an excel- realized that I needed to play some last issue’s back cover. Love the idea lor advocates happy. Bob and Zach lent job. music. Problem was, I was far away of Taylor having a contest and giving [Arntz] (your Taylor guy and Coffey’s The 550 was in my garage when Mongolian Mojo from home and my Taylor 314ce, and away a koa SolidBody to the person rep) let me try out everything, including it burned to the ground. The firemen I am a United States Peace Corps for the time being, a full-size guitar was who names the new models. My sug- a beautiful 914ce that Zach sent out had it sitting on top of a pile of debris Volunteer serving in Mongolia. When I out of the question. Enter the GS Mini. gestion: “The Mahalo Series.” to Coffey for my inspection. Ultimately in the driveway when I found it the next left the U.S. about a year ago to start Playable in a hospital bed and a wheel- Thanks and keep up the great work. I purchased the cocobolo Spring LTD. day. Fortunately, it was in a hardshell my 27 months of service, I struggled chair! Not to mention a great-sounding Joseph D Godec I also ordered a tobacco burst 814ce case and seemed salvageable. I think with leaving my coveted 300 Series instrument that I’m still playing now with a short-scale neck. the Yamaha 6-string I had next to it Taylor behind. I remedied this by going that I’m back home and in remission. Bob Coffey is as good as it gets must have protected it some, as the out and buying a Baby Taylor the week Thanks, Taylor, for being a big, or “Mini,” Beginning with the Best as a Taylor dealer, and over the years, Yamaha’s top had burned off. before I left. A year later the little guy if you will, part of my recovery. I can’t sleep tonight! Tomorrow, I have purchased many Taylors from At any rate, you all did a superb job is still going strong. It has weathered Ross DeAeth at 43 years young, I will buy my first him. It is this kind of extra effort that of repairing it, and I swear, it sounds harsh conditions, bumpy travel and guitar: a 2008 tobacco sunburst Taylor keeps our local Taylor dealers so con- and plays better than ever. Thank you extreme climates, and still sounds as 814ce. I read Bob’s book and have nected to the community and keeps all for your excellent craftsmanship and good as it did the day I bought it. Mon- Better Late Than Never watched over a dozen YouTube videos 8 Builder’s Reserve VI: Mustache Bridge Koa Jumbo people coming back in each week to for assisting me with the details of how golians absolutely love when I break I’ve been playing the guitar for close of the factory processes. Who doesn’t appreciate a good ’70s mustache? Our classic mustache see “what’s new” in the Taylor section. to ship it without incident. it out and play for them. I have taken to 47 years. I’ve had Martins, Yamahas, Tomorrow I am buying more than a bridge returns to celebrate the Jumbo 12-strings of Taylor’s early days. A special thanks to Zach, as well, for Roy Goodman to allowing my Mongolian friends and Washburns, even a Hohner. I still have Taylor guitar. I am providing myself with providing such top-notch customer Sunnyvale, CA co-workers to sign the guitar in the tra- an old Martin D-28 and a real old Guild future blank pages for memories yet service and sales advice. The new- ditional Mongolian script. Thank you so 12-string that sings with me. But I have to write. My friends asked me, “Why, 18 Spotlight: Ebony’s Artistry Preserving the supply of ebony requires that we use what the forest provides. est additions to my Taylor collection much for continuing to produce quality never had such a wonderful instrument at 43, are you thinking of starting to That means embracing its aesthetic diversity. Here’s a sample. inspire me to play better and longer Not for Sale guitars and giving me a beautiful, resil- as my new Taylor 414ce Limited. It has play guitar, and why would you spend than ever before. In July of 1987 I was looking for a ient instrument to remember my experi- the sweetest sound of any guitar I’ve so much money on your first guitar? 8 20 My best release of job stress is guitar, so I went to my favourite shop ence in Mongolia by. ever owned, and plenty of punch when In only seven years you’ll be 50!” I 20 More Than a Store placing one of your beautiful guitars in that sold acoustic instruments. I told Justin Guerra I need it. It also frets easier than any thought about this for a moment and What’s the secret to a good local guitar shop? A staff that knows their gear, my hands. The rest just happens. the owner, “I am walking out of here guitar I’ve ever had. said, “Well, I’ve always wanted to play knows their customers, and knows how to create a sense of community. David C. with a guitar today,” so he sent me to I guess it boils down to what a for- guitar. After researching Taylor Guitars, a practice room and started bringing Credit Report mer boss told me: “Son, you catch on their quality, their people, Bob’s vision, 26 Backstage Pass: Terry Wollman me guitars.