Taylor Factory Tour Part 3 of 4 - Finish Application

Exclusive multi-part tour of the Taylor Guitar Factory with Bob Taylor.

[@henridiaz]

I met many employees at Taylor in El Cajon when I went on the factory tour last and they are the happiest employees I've known. Rather than doing boring repetitive jobs, they operate the machines that do the tedious work and spend time doing working on guitars that can only be done by the hands of skilled guitar craftsman and technicians. It's a rewarding work experience. There are "employee guitars" hanging in some of the break rooms for anyone to use. They also have an awesome table tennis room for lunch time & breaktime recreation. Mr. Numnutz obviously hasn't taken the time to visit the Taylor factory or understand the Taylor ethic. I've had a Taylor for about 12 years and it's not perfect but holding up better than my '72 Martin, '92 Takamine and '07 Takamine. It hangs in my living room and is played daily. The neck and action are both still excellent as is the tone and intonation. Of course, if I bought the same guitar today it would be a MUCH better guitar for the money due to Taylor's progressive innovations. I just might do that. I'm also considering moving to SD, CA when I retire and working at Taylor part-time. Seriously, even after working in electronics as a technician for 30 years, there's no better place I'd rather work.

[@dawnrsng]

My husband worked there many years ago as a CNC operator; it was his favorite job. At the time he worked there, there used to be a chiropractor on duty for the employees that worked there and Bob made sure it was a good work/ life balance. they shut down the entire plant for the week of Thanksgiving. Of course, that was many years ago, not sure what it's like now.

[@senorkaboom]

For me, it is all about the finish. I have built and finished enough clocks and cabinets and enjoy the process I use to finish. 3 to 4 coats of polyurethane finish, fine sanding between coats, with hand rubbed pumice and rottenstone powders in oil over the final coat. I have had many comments made on my finishes, with no negatives. It may take a while, but the results are impressive, even if I do say so.

[@uspsdaveable]

When I walked into Guitar Center a few years ago I played a Martin then a Taylor. After a long time of switching back and forth, I walked out with my Taylor 414, of all the guitars I own , it’s my favorite by far. Would I like to have a Martin too.....yeah. One can never have to many guitars.

[@mattvdh]

This is seriously opening my eyes to how well made Taylor guitars are! WOW Makes a standard Fender/Epiphone factory seem like Fisherprice stuff!

[@rezznax]

Take a look at the Cort-factory process (the OEM manufacturer for Fender, Squire, Breedlove and many others). The process is pretty much the same. kzbin.info/www/bejne/earPo2WXfJutd9k

[@arthurogle7581]

Initially I wasn't much a fan of Mortise Tenon or as Bob Taylor called it " M T". But after seeing the process I can live' with it on my next Taylor. Okee Dokee with me now. Bob is a genius at designing, implementatio IMHO.

[@romeovelasco4151]

Nice job Bob....

[@HitTheB4ss10]

my Taylor 214CE was just around 930€... so everyone with once worked in his holidays (like me as a student) can afford a Taylor ;) a dream came true.

[@vernonknight8611]

Bob how did you go from hand built to automation money wise?

[@martijnvandenakker803]

@ numnutz78 ( the "nutz"-part is right), you have a lot of comment, have you? The fact that you can't affort Taylor- guitars doesn't mean that you have to nitpick to everethkng Bob does... Let me see YOU build a guitar, I am sure that you can't even fabric a toothpick...

[@crispee1978]

your probably correct as my qualification is not in cabinet making or anything to do with wood. im actually a qualified fabricator (pipe fitter, plater and welder). ive also been made redundant by the vast introduction of CNC machines and various other automated proceses. so yes i can talk on a very authoratative standpoint on how id much rather have a bit of muscle ache than a life on the unemployment line. the irony of your comment is palpable. if i hadnt been made redundant by the machines we talk about then i would be able to afford several taylors, not that i would buy one, id take a martin, a gibson or a collings any day.

[@DJWRailroad]

numnutz78 And Martin uses CNC as well, just in different applications. Both companies are testimonial to American craftsmanship and once prevalent pride in one's work. Btw, regarding CNC, someone still has to operate (or control) the devices, program them and maintain them (as well as constantly monitor quality of the finish work). A new category of specialists for a constantly changing work place. It's called "evolution." Again, both companies still employ impressive craftsmanship in different respects.

[@andrewhartnett2140]

There is fallacy in your own position. Perhaps it couldn’t have been known seven years ago. People at the front line of automation now regularly admit there will not be enough new “specialist jobs” to replace those being eliminated. Your response is a more elaborate, “learn to code” response. There are people advocating universal basic income , and in the words of one technocrat, we will need drugs and computer games to occupy all the people we no longer need. The above commenters skills took years to develop. You scoff at him and tell him to learn something new. Also, highly relative work is quite liberating. There are even religious folks who consider work like that to be a form of meditation or prayer. Ultimately what does all this automation achieve in the guitar world? The precision is nice but it has a point of diminishing return. There are plenty of instruments made prior to any automated processes and they are all more than acceptable for use playing the worlds greatest music. Automation gets us something precise at faster speed. People have proven precise enough to make a guitar so the automation simply spares some mistakes and gains speed of production. Is that needed in the guitar world. It promotes more mindless consumption of goods and faster consumption of materials. How many more guitars does the world need every year? Is the increase in production actually a good thing overall? Good enough to offset the loss of human labor? It’s a more complex argument than you presented.

[@grandnaguszek7417]

These robots might very well be the first ones to become sentient. Hold on folks because the Singularity is coming!

[@Jewsonemp]

Unfortunately for me my Taylor 214ce must have been made on a Friday afternoon. Nothing but problems with it even after it had been returned to their service centre. In fact it came back in worse condition than it went in. If I could turn back the clock 2 months I should have gone with my first instinct and bought a Martin.

[@trevorgwelch7412]

I can’t afford one but I would like a Taylor Guitar

[@anakrony]

A Stradivarius is a Stradivarius because of the imperfections, not because they are perfectly made, which is quite ironic, being the perfect violin. One might also argue that Stradivarius was using the technological advances of his day to achieve such perfection, he was using math and tools like the compass and drafting instruments to make the plans, and the finish on a Stradivarius is still to this day a mystery. I applaud Bob Taylor for showing us his factory and making amazing guitars.

[@012345678935564]

gracias

[@Cesar-mj4ng]

De nada

[@woiv]

looks like a car manufactory!!!!!!

[@fernandosalazar6562]

Hola alguien habla español? Que sepa algo de las pastillas de la guitarra teylor 710 CE

[@baergal]

sounds to me like susodino would prefer inconsistent guitars :)

[@Equestional]

too expensive for me

[@JohnHenry2420]

Too bad the guitars are not made with soul...Instead a robot gets to make them and take away a mans job.

[@LyleStyle87]

Thur takin err jerrrrbs!!! 😂

[@Sparky6string]

I can appreciate the science application and modern machinery but looking at this methodology I'm wondering why the Chinese couldn't do as good a job. I mean from what I see modern guitar making consists primarily of button pushing abilities, and I would place my money on the Chinese as the superior button pushers, therefore making them superior guitar makers.

[@adamkubiak1933]

It is not what you do. It is also, but sometimes primarily, WHAT you do this to. WOOD is the answer, not buttons, my friend;-)

[@petesorensenguitar]

KassperT The work that counts isn't done by machines.

[@ettubaby]

+KassperT Chinese factories don't have that much automation, they don't need it, people are plentiful and cheap. The USA has the cheapest energy costs in the world, thank you fracking and super cheap natural gas and by using machines us factories can compete. Taylor has a great price point.

[@JTMarlin8]

China is incapable of producing quality at a small scale. Taylor may be the biggest solid wood acoustic guitar manufacturer in the world, but they only have a few dozen CNC machines. Compare this to the Chinese factories making Apple iPhone bodies with 20,000 CNC machines. You can't pick up an iPhone, admire the quality, and expect the rest of China to produce at that level.

[@vaibanez17]

Mexicans are doing a great job too, pick up a 114 or 214 and you'll see.

[@spartacus1988]

spend so many dollars for a guitar that is not made in mono- has no value

[@jggfgfeshhgg6470]

they make or claim to make such an effort to get the wood, soundboard, to vibrate as much as possible, and then coat it with an excessive amount of finish just to make it look good. If you are going to cover the wood with filler and paint, why not use bad wood and give the good wood to someone that cares about sound and resonance and not looks.

[@mattpeters6224]

What? Don't like to be negative, but there is a serious flaw in you assessment.