Guitar Lessons: A Life's Journey Turning Passion into Business

by Bob Taylor

Overview

The inside story of the founding and growth of Taylor Guitars, one of the world's most successful guitar manufacturers

Bob Taylor mixes the details of his experience as a tradesman and cofounder of Taylor Guitars, a world-famous acoustic and electric guitar manufacturer, with philosophical life lessons that have practical application for building a business.
From the “a-ha” moment in junior high school that inspired his very first guitar, Taylor has been living the American dream, crafting quality products with his own hands and building a successful, sustainable business. In Guitar Lessons, he shares the values that he lives by and that have provided the foundation for the company’s success.
Be inspired by a story of guts and gumption, an unwavering commitment to quality, and the hard lessons that made Taylor Guitars the company it is today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470937877
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	01/25/2011
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	668,193
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

BOB TAYLOR is the cofounder and President of Taylor Guitars, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of acoustic and electric guitars. Considered a visionary among guitar builders, Taylor has pioneered advancements in both guitar design and process, and developed many of the innovations used across the industry in acoustic and electric guitar production today. Based in California, the company employs over 500 people and builds nearly 500 guitars each day.

Read an Excerpt

Click to read or download

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction: Rust Never Sleeps xv

Chapter 1: Life’s Little Lessons 1

Chapter 2: My Very First Guitar 9

Chapter 3: Inspiration 23

Chapter 4: The American Dream 31

Chapter 5: On Our Own 43

Chapter 6: Early Successes and Early Failures 53

Chapter 7: Sweat Equity 65

Chapter 8: Figuring It Out, One Guitar at a Time 81

Chapter 9: Finding Our Place 101

Chapter 10: Gaining Traction 115

Chapter 11: On the Move 125

Chapter 12: Making Our Case 133

Chapter 13: We’re All in This Together 141

Chapter 14: Embracing Technology 159

Chapter 15: Building Our Brand 169

Chapter 16: Innovation 183

Chapter 17: Artists and Celebrities 195

Chapter 18: In 10 Years We’ll Be Glad We Did 207

Chapter 19: The Third Owner 215

EPILOGUE 227