FAQs (page 3)

Why do some Taylor models have pickguards and others do not?

Pickguards certainly aren't necessary, but we've seen some guitars that were pretty badly battered because they didn't have them. Hard-strumming and energetic movement during performance can lead to all sorts of scrapes, scratches, and gouges that might not occur at other times. But the simplest reasons we can cite for putting pickguards on most of our guitars are - tradition and aesthetics. Most people expect pickguards on their guitars, and, frankly, some models look funny without them. Also, because Taylor guitars are versatile (i.e. capable of accommodating different playing styles), putting pickguards on them ensures that their woods and finishes will be protected no matter how delicately or aggressively they're played.

We don't put pickguards on our 900 Series guitars because not doing so maintains the theme- unique to that series - of "no plastic anywhere on the guitar." That feature has made the 900 Series especially attractive to "purists," and to others who simply like the idea. Mainly for aesthetic reasons, we do not put pickguards on our Presentation Series guitars, nor did we include them on the Koa and Walnut Series.

Some people swear that a pickguard slightly "dampens" the sound a guitar produces; others pooh-pooh the notion. We think if there is an effect, it's probably negligible. If there is a scientific study that proves either theory correct, we're not aware of it.

For guitars that are already built, we offer a faux-tortoiseshell pickguard which can be installed by a qualified repairperson. Simply call our Customer Service department for instructions on how to obtain one and please be sure to specify which body size the pickguard is for, as there are different shapes for each body style. We can also supply clear pickguards. However, they're very difficult to install, because getting all of the air bubbles out is almost impossible, and once the pickguard touches the finish, it usually won't come off again without pulling up some wood from the top. After making several repairs brought about by this, we decided it's best to either order the guitar that way through your dealer as a custom request, or to send the guitar back to us (we also might have a repairperson in your area that can do the installation for you).

What kind of fret wire does Taylor use, and what method do you use to install them?

On our current Taylor guitars, we use a fret wire made from a nickel/silver alloy. We previously used a fret wire made from a metal called "Monel". Monel is also made from nickel-silver, and both are extremely hard. The fret wire is pressed in, rather than hammered, and about six feet of wire are required to fret a guitar. We do not use glue for installation. We're exploring the possibility of using stainless steel (it's even harder), but no switch has been planned yet.

There are light streaks on my ebony fingerboard. Is this discoloration a flaw in the wood, or a badly done dye-job?

That light marbling you occasionally see is not a "flaw," but the wood's natural pigmentation. When you see large quantities of ebony (as we do), you know that such marbling is fairly common. Some manufacturers of cheaper guitars dye their ebony for cosmetic purposes, but we don't; we believe that ebony is best left in its natural state. For our Presentation Series guitars, we do select ebony with little or no marbling as part of the process of picking the "cosmetic cream" of the available woods. It's simply one of the "extras" we provide for these ultra-high-end models, but has nothing at all to do with the quality of the ebony. In fact, some of us actually prefer marbled ebony.

Do you make left-handed models?

Yes, you can get any Taylor guitar, with the exception of our acoustic bass, in a left-handed model. There is no extra charge. We can even do a left-handed guitar strung right-handed, if you prefer. Our usual turnaround time is two months or less, even for custom orders. See your local Taylor dealer for more info.