Taylor manufacturing.....

[martinedwards]

this is depressing..... (http://www.taylorguitars.com/video/factory-fridays/default.aspx?edition=13&title=13%3a+The+Taylor+Neck)

All those machines!!!

[t_shirtsnjeans]

Well, machinists are making a good living building all those machines!

Bob Taylor is getting back to his roots hand building guitars again after a long break of letting his machines do the work. But if you really check deep into Taylor and all that he does you'll be truly impressed with his efforts and keeping so many employed. Also he keeps a lot of Taylor guitar owners very happy with their purchases. Who else offers free repairs for life on those beauties?

[mishmannah]

Arrrrgh, that was painful to watch, but very interesting...

It hurt even more to see those routers work so efficiently,and the saw marking precise fretboard slots...

It got unbearable seeing the lads looking bored as they slapped yet another MOP inlay peice into the ebony fretboards, as if it was their thousandth...

That Taylor site is incredible though. I've had it on my Favs. for two months now...they are really generous with the info.

Guitars deserve more loving by hand than that, but in the real world, you've gotta get 'em out quick to make the bucks.....ah well...

I am beginning to wonder if a handcrafted guitar is any better than a laser guided machine, with regards to precision...does precision mean better tone?

[martinedwards]

I've never had the pleasure of a Taylor in my sweaty mits, but I know my machine made squier strat has a fine neck on it!!

the acoustic side of things though......

a machine cant tap tune a soundboard.........can it?

[seamas]

Who else offers free repairs for life on those beauties?

CF Martin & Co.

:smile:

[Tingly]

That was incredible. I was mesmerized watching those hands, machines and glue turn a lousy piece of wood into a work of art!!

I could watch guitars being made for hours.

I have got to go on that Martin factory tour and then buy one there!!!

[flamin-gitaur]

I have seen that video before, I agree it is pretty impressive, I have been a machinist for about 15 years, and I can say that if you wanted a "hand built" guitar with the same accuracy as one of those Taylors, It would probably cost at least 4 times as much. Keep in mind that this is how "most" guitars are build now a days anyway. Wether it is a cheap in-expensive instrument or a high end expensive gem.

[Monclova]

I would love to own one of those taylors, I dont care if they are made with a machine, they sound very nice.
But I do respect the hand made ones

[mishmannah]

it's stunning how the blades of the machinery make no effort in shaping the necks..

Yea, I'm sad- I've watch over half of them already. Including the homer simpson side bender guy who presses green buttons for go and red for stop...:p

I've heard how tricky it is drilling the truss rod hole...and how the machine seems to do it effortlessly...

[t_shirtsnjeans]

The best thing about machining? They are the exact same on Monday as they are on Wednesday and Friday. No hangovers to worry about, no paycheck to want, no bills to fret over (heh, I used the word 'fret' on a guitar forum), and no shaky caffeine withdrawal scrolls on any of the woodwork to be filled in with woodfiller.
It's all about consistency and keeping quality in at the same time. The woods will never be replaced though, so the tones will be different and shine through as the years go by.

[mishmannah]

/\ but somehow its terrible for guitar making to get that......passionless...

..makes me even more determined to make a guitar completely by hand..oh, with perhaps a Dremel. :p

[Monclova]

I dont know about passionless though, because it depends on what you passion is, Taylor as much states that he wants a consistant and reliable, but high quality guitar, with machineing he gets it.

[seamas]

Where machining has made the biggest impact is on the low to medium priced guitars.

Back before the computer aided machines and lasers, etc. the cheap-o guitars were pure garbage - really horrible.
But now a cheap-o guitar, while not necessarily a great tone machine, is a real musical instrument, and if you are careful and know what to look for, you can find a very playable, decent sounding guitar for cheap.

Though I think it is important to ignore the inlays in the cheap-o guitars. Usually the bling-bling on those is a signal to me that they are not concentrating on tone.
In that aspect the machines have dramatically increased the amount of decoration on guitars accross the price-point spectrum. Where once the fancy inlay was a manufacturer's testament to craftsmanship - now it's an almost crass deversion from what is really important: the tone.

[t_shirtsnjeans]

If all the Taylors were to be handmade from now on, to keep up with demand, he'd have to charge $15,000 each to get that kind of quality that we can get one for $1500. I know, I have one, actually two Taylors, and to find flaws is impossible, that is unless I put them there.

The 410ceLTD has a bolt-on neck, and I dare you to find the difference in the looks of that or a glued neck. The advantage to the bolton? You can set the angle for action with about 5 minutes worth of work and no one can tell. With a standard guitar that is dove-tailed in you have to first break the glue joint, then pivot the neck and the fretboard that is still glued to the body just stays there looking wierd and the cost of a glue joint fix is quite expensive and needs to be done by an expert, the bolt-on can be done by the owner quite easily.
Bob Taylor is building guitars by hand again. Not sure of the prices, but they are amazing.

[zappatude]

CF Martin & Co.

:smile:
I quess Willie Nelson doesn't know that.

[Lazy Bee]

Interesting, is there no glue on the back of the inlays. I thought that was odd. Machines? Pretty impressive actually. Guess I'm not a purist but then I've never played a hand made guitar.