Yes,  " R. Taylor " stands for Robert (Bob) Taylor,  so what makes this line different from the rest of the Taylor line?  In my mind it can be boiled down to one word ... continuity.   That is how you make the jump from consistently good sounding guitars to consistently exceptional sounding  musical instruments ... I'm talking something REALLY distinctive.  You need the continuity of a very small number of people doing the hands-on work.  The luthier who is fabricating  the box HAS to be the person selecting the tonewoods,  matching the top to the back & sides,  voicing the struts,  thicknessing the top & back plates ... it is only with this kind of continuity that you get a truly remarkable instrument. 

     And yes,  remarkable is a very apt description of our very first R. Taylor guitar.  From the stunning display of medullar rays on the Engelmann spruce top to the dramatic matched grain pattern of the Cocobolo back & sides,  this guitar is simply awe inspiring!   This instrument does not rely on a lot of 'makeup' to achieve its effect.  It really is a classic beauty ... unadorned burnished ebony fingerboard ... wood bound peghead with a delicate " R. Taylor " script ... brushed gold hardware finish ... hand mitered body purfling ... old world craftsmanship coalesces with innovation.

    When I looked in the soundhole of this guitar and saw the solid internal linings,  I knew that this new workshop was SERIOUS about tone.  Outfitting a guitar frame with solid linings is a very time intensive process,  but one that yields very noticeable sonic results.  The sides become much stiffer and reflective with solid lining (as opposed to kerfed lining) which invariably results in a much more responsive instrument with added complexity in the upper partials. 

    Also impressive for an instrument that does not feel overly large,  is the fact that this Style 1 shape has a body resonant frequency just below F# ...  lower than that of a dreadnought!  Most larger guitar bodies yield a 'Helmholtz' resonance at around low G which produces a weak note right where you need a strong one!  It is voicing details such as this that are very difficult to consistently incorporate in a production environment!  There has very obviously been a lot of painstaking attention to detail put into this guitar with regards to optimizing its sonic potential!
 
 
 

     In the words of Bob Taylor himself;  "I've been building guitars for three and a half decades,  and even though my factory has grown large,  I've personally made thousands of guitars ... one at a time.  There is something so gripping about painstakingly making a guitar,  a single guitar,  and putting attention into every detail,  sandpaper and chisel in hand.  A luthier never tires of this. 

     With the resources of Taylor Guitars at my fingertips,  I decided to start a new company that makes guitars in this fashion ... one by one, with no detail too small.  The quantity,  almost by definition,  is small because the talent needed to make guitars in this way is very , very rare and needs to be fostered in a small shop environment. 

   What resources, you ask?  Well, after more than 30 years in business,  Taylor Guitars has amassed an unimaginable supply of wood;  it's the best in the industry.  The incredible craftspeople and the experience they've gained over the years are, in my opinion, beyond compare.  Then there is the choice of the finest dealers the market has to offer.  All this at my fingertips,  and catalyzed by an abiding love of guitar making and fine craftsmanship.  Imagine running a small guitar shop that can go next door to a place like Taylor Guitars and "borrow a cup of sugar" free of charge!"

    The staff of the new R. Taylor Guitar Company has Bob,  Larry Breedlove and Ed Granero as the design team.  The body and neck luthiers are Keith Greenwood and Eric Larson with Timothy Luranc as final assembly man and Josh Carter as finisher.   These craftsmen were chosen from over 300 luthiers and each brings a wealth of experience and a dedication to craftsmanship seen in only the very highest level of lutherie. 
 
 
 
 

    The models and pricing are really very easy to keep track of in the new R. Taylor guitars.  They currently offer two body styles,  namely the " Style 1 " which,  by the way,  is where the GS series was derived from,  and the Style 2.  Standard wood combinations are: 
 
 

      To keep the pricing simple,  not only are all of the above guitars the same price ($4480.00 U.S.$ list price) but the vast majority of options are offered at no cost!!!  Here is a list of some of the options offered on this exclusive new line. 
 
 

Link to R. Taylor cutaway Style 1 with Western Red cedar / rosewood

Link to R. Tayor official homepage

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