Taylor
Taylor Guitars is an El Cajon California‐based luthier, widely regarded as one of the finest and most prestigious makers of acoustic guitars
In 1973, at age 18, Bob Taylor began working at American Dream, a small guitar-making shop owned by Sam Radding, where Kurt Listug was already an employee. In 1974 Sam Radding decided to sell the business. Taylor and Listug became partners along with Steve Schemmer and bought American Dream which they renamed Westland Music Company hoping to conjure the image of a larger company in the minds of the public.
Needing a more compact logo suitable for the guitars' headstock, the founders decided to change the name to Taylor as it sounded more American than Listug and because as Kurt Listug put it, "Bob was the real guitar-maker." Listug became the businessman of the partnership for which he was to prove well suited while Taylor concentrated on design and production. Taylor and Listug expanded their small shop into a major guitar manufacturing company while maintaining creative control and ownership. As of 2008 Taylor Guitars has more than 550 employees. The factory is located in El Cajon, California with worldwide distribution. A second plant has been opened 40 miles away in Tecate, Mexico where the smallest guitars of the Taylor line, the Baby and Big Baby, are made along with the Taylor guitar cases. All other Taylor guitars are made in El Cajon, California. Taylor's corporate office is located in El Cajon, California.
