In 2004 I took the opportunity to visit the Taylor Guitar company in El Cajon, CA. This is another manufacturer of American-made guitars.
If you find yourself in the San Diego area and have a few extra hours, do drive a bit east and visit Taylor Guitars, it is well worth the drive.
Taylor is an innovative company, they developed their NT neck quite some time ago and that design characteristic is why I own a Taylor guitar! This implementation allows for a very quick neck-set, should the need arise. Taylor also uses a bolt on neck design, which facilitates easy disassembly when a neck-set becomes necessary. My Taylor has gone through this process and was brought back to original specification. The entire process takes about an hour.
Now, if you have a dove tail, glue–in neck design, and find that a neck-set is needed you are looking at a week’s worth of work. The difference between the dove tail design and the NT neck is most apparent when a neck-set is needed to bring the guitar back in to specification. The other concern of a neck-set in a dove tail design is damaging the finish on the guitar body. The NT design allows for a trouble-free task that leaves absolutely no traces on the guitar body.
I’d have to say this design is the single best advance in acoustic guitars in my lifetime!
Some people say they believe a dove tail, glue-in neck, sounds better than a bolt-on… I can’t tell the difference and my ear is demanding! But, after having several instruments that have needed a neck-set, I’ll take the NT neck every time!!
My work horse guitar has been a 2003 Taylor 310ce. It has performed flawlessly for 10 years and I expect it will do the same for the rest of my life.
Go visit the Taylor Guitar factory and check out their fantastic work.
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- Taylor Guitars sanding station. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitar factory.
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- Taylor Guitars Liberty Tree prototypes. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitar factory.
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- Taylor Guitars Plane to machine tops and backs. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars.
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- Wood holding and drying area at Taylor Guitars. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars.
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- Racks of Taylor Guitars NT necks in process. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars.
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- Taylor Guitars final fitting and finishing station. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars final QC station. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Fretting station at Taylor Guitars. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars front gate. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars.
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- Taylor Guitars seam gluing machine for tops and backs. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars
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- Taylor Guitars CNC machine cutting NT necks. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars CNC rough cut NT necks. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars CNC machine in operation. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars CNC machine cutting NT necks. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars installation of a rosette. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars binding in process. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars bodies in process. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars bridge tooling jigs. Picture taken at Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars NT neck blanks in process. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Close up of a seam gluing machine for tops and backs. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars binding channel router in action. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars backs in process. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars finish application. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars wood kiln. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars CNC machine. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars wood sorting. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars wood planer. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars tops in process. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars rosette installation in action. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars discussion on thickness of tops and backs. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars sides in process. Pictures taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars stringing bench. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars tooling jigs and wood supply. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory
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- Taylor Guitars tooling jigs. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars top bracing demo. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars side bending tooling. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars factory shop area. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars production area. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory tour.
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- Taylor Guitars production area. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars production floor footprint. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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- Taylor Guitars saw dust catcher. Picture taken at the Taylor Guitars factory.
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