Book Review: Guitar Lessons; Bob Taylor

Guitar Lessons; A Life's Journey Turning Passion Into Business. Bob Taylor

“Make your work your play, and play your work” ~Sir Chinmoy

“My story is about my interest in building things and my interest in playing guitars merged… a talent and interest combined into one.” ~Bob Taylor

     Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a deep passion for guitars, and am willing to talk about—or read about-- any aspect of the instrument, and the music it allows people to express. When I discovered this book written by the person responsible for, what is now one of the most successful guitar manufactures in the world, I was excited, and expecting to read about a guy and his love of guitars.

     Guitar Lessons is the story of Bob Taylor as much as it is the story of the company, Taylor Guitars. At its heart it is a business book, but that is only one of several themes carried throughout the pages of Taylor’s autobiography. It is also an underdog story, describing how a small-time builder of acoustic guitars was able to survive amid, and compete with industry giants like Martin and Gibson. Among these and other themes, the one that jumped off the pages to me was of a social nature; the way Bob, and his partner Kurt Listug treated the people around them.  

     This theme could best be described as social sustainability. According to Wikipedia, this concept encompasses human rights, labor rights, and corporate governance while safeguarding future generations. It also describes the philosophical aspect, which “…focuses on individuals’ behaviors, attitude and actions.” As mentioned, this theme runs throughout the book. Some of the more memorable examples that leap to mind are statements such as:

“I was blessed with the ability to be happy and content with what I’d been able to achieve and I mean that in regard to every step of my career” pg67

“We worked hard to clean up our act and become better customers to our suppliers” pg91

“You are only as good as your employees” pg92

“The local government liked us because we followed their laws and helped clean up their air” pg179

     Taylor even included a chapter dedicated to the relationship between employer / employee, Ch13, “We’re All In This Together.” The fact this is considered a business book, one would expect it to address what is arguably the most important aspect of a business—its people. What one may not expect is the way Bob and Kurt (50/50 owners in Taylor) approached a brewing “us vs. them” controversy in their factory. The two decided to invest three days away from the factory and hired a consultant to address the problem; they asked, “What would I want if I were an employee?” pg153. One of the things they discussed was they didn’t know what it meant to be good employers, but they were willing to find out. That willingness to honestly seek and acknowledge their shortcomings along with their desire to do right by their employees speaks volumes about their character. 

     On page 154 Bob writes, “You don’t have to give away profitability of the business to garner trust & respect from employees you just have to consider their needs, show solid leadership skills, and be fair and generous.” They invested much time, effort, and money into this relationship to make the employees feel part of the Taylor family; if you ever have a chance to visit the factory, you’ll see that they have succeeded, and in a big way. 

Of course being a guitar nut, it was also nice reading about advances Bob made in guitar manufacturing, such as the bolt-on neck; again challenging conventional ways of thinking. The traditional way of attaching the neck of an acoustic guitar to its body is by using a glued dovetail joint. Changes in humidity levels often cause a guitar neck to move out of alignment. Repairing this often requires removal of the neck. Doing so on a traditionally made guitar is very labor intensive. Taylor designed an alternative method of attaching the neck using bolts with a custom fit neck-pocket, making the process of removal much easier, and creating a straighter, more stable neck in the process.

Custom made, flamed Koa body/sides
 with detailed abalone inlays 

Since guitarists tend to be traditionalists, the bolt-on New Technology (NT) neck was a bold move for Taylor. The respectful manner in which they interact with their suppliers, employees, local government, and customers is also a bold move in today’s business arena. Those moves appear to have paid off as Taylor Guitars continues to grow, introducing new models and design approaches that challenge tradition. Their employees feel as they are part of a family, and are invested in the growth of the company. Did I mention they also make wonderful guitars?

“…During the late hours of the night, when I am not working on poems or when I’ve grown exhausted by my writing “voice,” I often pick up my Taylor 710 dreadnought and find a quiet nook to carve out an intimate bond with my guitar.” ~Ben Jackson