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Mike Carter
08-12-2002, 12:23 AM
It's still hard to believe that all that really happened,

I will try not to GUSH.

I am so Truley overwhelmed by the generosity and Kindness of Bob Taylor and the staff at Taylor Guitars, it is hard not to be emotional.

I would have never believed that Bob Taylor would be such an Honestly Kind, Down to Earth, Humble person if I had not
have had the opportunity to spend two whole days with him.

He patiently took time with each and every person at Taylorstock and answered every possible question that came to mind throughout the entire event. He as well spent about 9 hours straight standing on his feet at a table helping people
select wood for their Taylorstock Guitars, not even taking a break to eat, He just stood at the table and took bites off a plate that was brought to him at the table there in the warehouse where all this was done, when he could sneak them in..

Bob Made Master grade wood available, that he would never have offered to the general public because in his own words "It is to nice to use, if I make a guitar with it I won't have the wood anymore" He told me that he had been saving some of this wood for years, but he figured this was good time to use it, I believe it was because he knew the people attending Taylorstock really appreciated how rare and almost imposible it is to get after his two hour seminar on wood and the great lengths his supplier goes to in Obtaining it. Out of literally Tons and Tons of wood, only a very few pieces are of master grade qualty guitar wood are ever found. even the wood used on standard series guitars takes an incredible amount of effort to obtain today. So Bob offering up the best of the best of all the types of wood he has was something that no one could have expected. You would expect that this wood would only go to the truely rich and famous.

The Level of courtesy extended to us was also truley amazing, We were treated like Family by every person that worked at Taylor Guitars. We were fed, entertained and schooled in all aspects of what it takes to produce the High Quality Guitars we have all come to love.

This experience was like going to Mecca the Holy land and comeing away the HOLY GRAIL !!

The Heirloom custom guitar I will be getting will be cherished in my family for generations I would hope.

It was obvious that the people that actually work in the production shops really LOVE their jobs. we had lunch and dinner with them and I had a chance to talk to quite a few of them. They are well paid with great benifits, but the fact is they love what they are doing and give you the impression that every piece they work on, they would want their name on. After seeing them work and talking to them It definately made me want to work there.
To bad I am to old to start over in a carreer. It would be nice to really love what you do for a living, and the company you work for.

I have so much more to say but this post is already way to long.
So I will just say THANKS AGAIN to Bob Taylor and everyone at Taylor Guitars. I am sure that everyone that was there at Taylorstock feels the same way I do.

He really is my Unlce Bob now also.

david_m
08-12-2002, 01:14 PM
I couldn't say it any better myself.

Here's something to think about.... It's 11:30pm Saturday night. Bob Taylor has been helping people select wood for guitars for NINE STRAIGHT HOURS. He actually skipped dinner to keep working with people. After Bob helps them select wood Ed writes up the order...... After all of this, Bob takes the time to work with Ian Anderson for another 45 minutes after almost everyone has gone. Bob selects some stunning quilted mahagony (yes I said quilted). Bob then picks two fiddle back necks and checks each for hardness and weight. He tells Ian they've selected all the wood to be light so the guitar will be very responsive. Even though one neck is slightly harder than the other, the lighter neck will match the guitar's balance better. Keep in mind this is after NINE hours of questions and helping.

Then, he takes the time to look over the piece of Engleman I picked out for my guitar top(with help from the AWESOME Taylor staff). He raves over the silking on the top. Then he notices a small discoloration. He places the GC template on the top piece and finds that the bridge will sit directly on top of the spot. He sketches in the outline of the top and marks the sound hole. It's now midnight and Bob Taylor is personally prepping the top piece on wood that has my name on it. He stands back and looks over his work, then he says, "This is going to make a beautiful guitar. What's your back and side wood?" I tell him Ziricote. He smiles and says, "With a GC... Oh, that's going to GREAT!"

I simply can not say enough positive things about EVERY SINGLE person at Taylor guitars. It is an experience I will never forget, and when the guitar arrives it will be a cherished keepsake for generations.

David

meridian
08-13-2002, 07:50 PM
David_M, you are right on target. Bob Taylor is the real deal. No denying that he actually was enjoying helping select just the right top for the wood folks had chosen regardless of the long long long hours -- and he was standing the whole time!

There is no faking the genuine interest that the man took in helping each and every one of us. But to still be totally ready to work in-depth with Ian hours and hours after we should have all gone home, well it is just amazing! I am truly in awe of the guy!

And, BTW, Bob took real care with every wood selection, carefully weighing back and forth with Trombone just the right coloration for the top to go with the Ziricote she had chosen. He even completely rejected the cocbolo back set I had due to three tiny cracks and sent the guys off to find me the next (and virtually identical) cut! But there was NEVER even a hint of his being tired or even anything less than totally interested, totally committed to every person getting the absolute best combinations of wood available.

I am totally in awe of this man!

TaylorBear
08-13-2002, 07:55 PM
I hope I can meet him NEXT YEAR AT TAYLORSTOCK II :D

MJH
08-13-2002, 08:38 PM
I can only repeat what already has been said. What a great guy and what a great weekend!

Mark