This past March, Keith and I were fortunate enough to make a pilgrimage to Taylor’s factory in El Cajon, CA.  While we were eager to tour their state-of-the-art facility and document our experience (be on the lookout for upcoming videos and photos on our social media channels), the true purpose for our visit was to hand select tonewoods for some exclusive custom guitars with none other than Bob Taylor’s heir apparent, Andy Powers.   Since coming on board at Taylor, Andy’s influence on classic Taylor designs and his visions for the future have become increasingly apparent.  Initially, we saw aesthetic changes in 500 and 700 series guitars; then we saw the first model exclusively attributed to Andy, the new Grand Orchestra; and, most recently, Taylor has released the newly revised 800 series, which feature protein glues, thinner finishes, and modified bracing.  For some Taylor enthusiasts, the shift in Bob Taylor’s role in the company and the developments taking place under the stewardship of young Mr. Powers may seem unsettling.  However, judging from our experience working with Andy directly, and as the guitars themselves attest, Taylor’s legacy of innovation and continual refinement of their designs is thriving, and their guitars are only getting better as a result. 
 
Now for those unfamiliar with Maple Street Guitars culture, we are fond of certain analogies, one being a comparison of guitar builders to chefs.  Working from the same recipe, no two chefs will make the same soufflé!  Such is the case with guitar builders, who all draw from recognized design precedents and rely upon well-established tonewoods.  Yet, beyond the ingredients selected, a builder’s individual sense of voicing and design is what ultimately yield a unique tone, or, as we often say, a “family of sound.”  Thus, after many years of hands-on experience with a particular brand (like Taylor), we have come to recognize certain recipes that consistently result in outstanding tone, while exemplifying a given brand’s signature voicing.  Our inventory ultimately reflects both our experience working with the companies and builders we represent as well as our observations of customer preferences over the years.  Yet, when visiting a world class restaurant, it is wise to defer to the chef (or at least to listen to the specials!), rather than brazenly flaunt one’s own tastes.   Bearing this in mind, we were very eager to get Andy’s take on our ideas for our next batch of Custom Taylors.
 
And so it came to pass that Andy Powers magically appeared before us at high noon in the Taylor wood vault, just as we had begun sifting through some beautiful sets of tone woods that had been specially set aside for our consideration.  Though he had a “laid back” demeanor, Andy exhibited palpable enthusiasm for the process of selecting woods and envisioning the instruments that they would become—it was clear, this man was serious about guitars!  Together we culled through sets of Ovangkol, figured walnut, master-grade Koa, and flamed maple to pick the best candidates for the guitars we had in mind.  Earlier in the day, yours truly had heard rumor of some Honduran rosewood that had recently appeared, and we were able to snag a select set of this beautiful tonewood as well.  Like many prized tonewoods, Honduran rosewood is in very short supply (it is not presently offered on the Custom Taylor menu), so Andy was hesitant to let us have even one set.  But with a little sweet talking, and possibly some mumbled promises about my first born, I prevailed!
 
As we had hoped, we were able to discuss our intended orders with Andy in detail throughout the wood selection process.  His comments prompted us to make subtle changes in the case of a couple guitars, especially where our designated tonewoods were in very limited supply.  We had, for instance, intended to order several guitars with Redwood tops, but Andy was not very pleased with the available stock at the time—we watched (a bit horrified) as he nonchalantly broke and scrapped four or five tops that didn’t meet his approval.  In the end, we found only one exceptional Redwood top worthy of a Maple Street Guitars Custom Taylor, so we modified the remaining two orders to have hot-rodded cedar tops complete with Adirondack CV bracing.  I was flattered by Andy’s noticeable excitement over one of my more unusual ideas, a 12 fret Grand Concert with a cedar top and maple back and sides.  Incidentally, this beautiful, elegant guitar has since arrived, and it is everything we’d hoped for and more!  All in all, though our time was brief, we had a grand ole time shooting the breeze with Andy, gleaning his insights on everything from neck shapes to the tonal nature of highly figured woods like flamed maple. 
 
The remainder of our time at Taylor was spent taking in all aspects of their operation, right down to shipping, quality control, warehouse, machine shop, and even the “mad scientist” division.  Around the five o’clock hour, we called it a day and accompanied our friends Ryan and Barney from the sales department (which is known as “Cubesville”) to the Manzanita Brewery for some welcome local brew.  As the first crisp bite of “Chaotic Double IPA” diffused on my palette, I reflected on our experience and the destiny of our Custom Taylor creations, which would soon channel the passion and emotions of a few lucky customers.  The guitar geek in me was giddy with anticipation, for what fun is life without a bit of guitar lust?!  Soon the sun was setting on another enviably beautiful day in San Diego, the land of life-changing burritos and tacos, and beachfronts swarming with surfers, all lured by the murmur and crash of the waves.   Perhaps it was the beer flights talking, or maybe it was our brush with a rising star, but I knew that Keith and I were both were riding a wave of exhilaration, stemming from our slight but instrumental contribution in the making of something truly beautiful, unique, and timeless.

Taylor Guitars Trip 2014 Part 1 30 views

Maple Street Guitars was happy to be a sponsor of Law Jam 2014.  Law Jam is a charitable event with proceeds supporting pro bono legal services and Atlanta youth programs.  Keith and Lindsay attended the event on Saturday, 06/07/14, which featured a giveaway of a Martin DX1KAE that was donated by Maple Street Guitars.  The evening was a fun-filled night that featured some great live music from some exceptional bands.  Those lawyers sure can ROCK!

 

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