Author Topic: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?  (Read 55887 times)

Rogue picker

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Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« on: April 15, 2012, 05:38:03 PM »
I just bought a Taylor 110 and love the sound (I've been playing for seven years and all of it on a Rogue brand cheap-o). Playing it I noticed that it said made in Mexico, way back in the body.  I love how it feels and plays so it really doesn't bother me, but I was concerned that if I mentioned it to other players if they would have a rep for not being a "real" Taylor.  The Martin x series I played at my local shop didn't sound good to me and when I asked about it to my guitar guy he commented tha they aren't " real" Martins. Exause they aren't made in the USA .  Should I expect the same treatment?  I know that my 110 sounds way better than the x Martin does.  What do u think?
Taylor 110

jalbert

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2012, 06:04:13 PM »
Yes, they are real Taylors. The factory they're made in is in Tecate, which is very close to the border as is El Cajon on the U.S. side. Traffic permitting, it's about an hour's drive away which allows for a lot of interaction between the two. As far as I know the Tecate factory is wholly owned by Taylor and produces no other brands, as opposed to the OEM setup that many manufacturers in East Asia have. I don't think you could find a difference other than the label on a 100/200 series made in the U.S. versus one made in Mexico. Therefore the difference between Mexican and U.S. Taylors is one of specifications and price, not quality.
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Taylor339

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2012, 07:13:51 PM »
Absolutely not.  I will PM you my address so you can get rid of it and and get a real Taylor.
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Captain Jim

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2012, 08:32:58 PM »
Hey Rogue,

Welcome aboard.  I have a 114ce that I truly enjoy.  Nice finish, great tone, plays beautifully.  In fact, when I bought this one, I tried a bunch of Taylors, all different series.  This guitar sounded and played the best of all those I tried.  The salesman told me, "We have one new in the box, if you'd like that one."

"No thanks.  I played this one, I like this one."

It says Taylor on the headstock, I registered it with Taylor, paid real US money for it.  The labor to make it may have been less expensive, but it is a Taylor.  If someone else has a problem with that... well, that's their problem.   ;)

Enjoy your new Taylor.

Best wishes,
Captain Jim
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2012 Taylor 814ce
2006 Taylor T-5
2011 Taylor GSmini
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Rogue picker

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2012, 09:57:34 PM »
After playing a Rogue my Dad bought me for 50 bucks ten years ago (a guitar i will cherish for the rest of my life), my Taylor plays like magic.  I'm left handed so I had to pick carefully and special order the lefty version of what i played in the store.  It was such a big purchase in my life (a reward for getting my first teaching job after years of work) I was a little worried that I would have to defend myself to haters out there and my experience with the X series Martin shook me.  The owner of the store told me not to buy it because it wasnt made in America and wasnt a real Martin.  After playing I got it because it didnt sound good, but all the Taylors sounded the same when I played them.  Very happy with my 110 and plan to cherish it for years to come!  Enjoy yours!
Taylor 110

mgap

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2012, 11:19:14 PM »
You will not hear that they are not real Taylors here.  I once had a 110 and it played real nice, built to Taylors standards, yes it was a good guitar.  Yours will serve you well for years to come.

I have had MIM Fender Telecasters and they were very well built also.  Some people prefer them.
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andyi5

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2012, 01:25:35 AM »
The prejudice against US guitar brands that are outsourced for manufacture overseas goes back a long long time. Given that it was always rooted in the idea of a lower priced version and that quality could be hit and miss, there must have been some truth in it. My Strat is an example where perception alone makes it far more desirable as a US model, although in fact Fender have made some terrific instruments out of the Far East and Mexico. But try and convince some folks of that and they may snigger.

Sometimes you'll see examples of an older Baby Taylor etc on ebay and if it's US made you'll often see this listed as though it was a premium feature. But personally I think the close proximity of Taylor's Tecate factory to their US one means that it's nothing to worry about at all.

Interesting though how some folks have mentioned they have seen quality control issues on the MIM Martins.

Nicky Midss

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2012, 02:16:09 AM »
there is a difference between USA 100/200s and mexican ones. before 2007, USA 100s/200s were solid wood. now its laminate.

i had a 214e-G. it was incredibly bright. the action was great, but just too bright. i also did want a USA model, so i bought a used 2006 314. love my decision. the mahogony warms the tone up a bit so its not full blown bright.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2012, 10:49:25 PM by michaelw »
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Herb Hunter

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2012, 08:38:34 AM »
there is a difference between USA 100/200s and mexican ones. before 2007, USA 100s/200s were solid wood. now its laminate.

i had a 214e-G. it was incredibly bright. the action was great, but just too bright. i also did want a USA model, so i bought a used 2006 314 for 1k. love my decision. the mahogony warms the tone up a bit so its not full blown bright.


Technically, you may be correct but the implication is misleading. The switch from solid to laminated back and sides had nothing to do with the change of manufacture location.


The Tecate plant, if memory serves, was originally opened to produce guitar cases. When production of the Taylor Baby was moved from El Cajon, California to Tecate, Mexico (less than 40 miles away) in order to make room at the El Cajon plant for T5 production, not only were no changes made to the guitar but some of the personnel involved in Baby production were transferred to the Tecate plant. Other employees shuttle between the two locations. Eventually, production of the 100 and 200 series guitars were transferred to Tecate but any changes had to those two series had nothing to do with the transfer.

TaylorGirl

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2012, 08:42:33 AM »
They are definitely real Taylors!

Got me thinking.....with GM outsourcing to other countries, are those GM cars truely GM?  We have a John Deere farm tractor....I know they have factories in several other countries....are they really John Deere tractors?  With today's world market, you could say that about pretty much everything.....computers, clothing, instruments, etc....

If people make that claim that your guitar is not a Taylor, consider it jealousy. 
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mgap

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2012, 08:51:44 AM »
The Taylors made in Tecate are made according to Bob and his designers manufacturing standards.  They don't make up their own rules their.

As once stated about MIM Fenders, MIM Fenders are made by Mexicans in Mexico and Fenders made in the USA are made by Mexicans in the USA.  All are made by Fenders standards.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2012, 05:03:00 PM by mgap »
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BigSkyTaylorPlayer

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2012, 09:10:09 AM »
I guess that depends on how one defines a "real Taylor".  Personally I really don't get people who think like that.

I love my Mini and part of that is BC of the price point - if I was going to spend more I would have bought another full size guitar (probably will anyway......LOL) but if the Mini was made in the US it would cost more than $500 and I would not have one.

Edward

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2012, 10:43:47 AM »
Of all the major guit manufactures like Fender, Gibby, PRS, Martin, Taylor, I feel it is the mothership's own attention to its non-US mfg materials and workmanship that makes all the difference: not so much origin, but how much energy the home-front wants to pay abroad.

As personal, anecdotal, opinions go, the MIM Fenders are ok ...owned several in the past and still own two today; not bad, but not superlative guits.  Same with Epiphone ...nice, but just ok.  Sigmas ...meh.  PRS SEs are seriously nice, IMHO: it seems like Paul pays really close attention to these as if he has frequent-flier miles to Korea ;)  Which brings me to Taylor: Bob has repeatedly stated in print that he is hands-on in Mexico and goes there often.  Call it good management, call it convenience/proximity to ElCajon, call it smart, whatever; but IMHO it makes a big difference when the main dude shows up often to keep his fingers in the mix.  All this to say that I personally feel Taylor's MIM guitars suffer no drawbacks that I can tell, at least not that I have ever felt nor heard.  That's a big deal for me.  I cannot say the same for the aforementioned makers, with the best of them being PRS for me.  Just my observations/ownership over these many years, mind you, so take with heaping grains of sodium chloride :D

Edward

maritimer

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2012, 11:23:09 AM »
With Taylor's attention to detail in manufacturing excellence, it matters not where it is made but more with how the process is managed and most importantly, the quality of the materials used.  Taylor, IMHO, with its strong focus on wood sourcing and utilization, has this nailed down.  Having said all of that, I have a NGD out for delivery status awaiting a T5 Classic that was made in the Mexican plant...  Tonight I will be able to contribute first hand.  This will be my 7th Taylor and first made in the Mexican facility.  I know the quality will equal what I have experienced to date.  My only negative from the Taylor perspective was the 1st version of the ES system....  8)

Enjoy your guitar!  If it is your fist Taylor, have no worries, you will own another in the future!
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cigarfan

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Re: Are Mexican Taylors real Taylors?
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2012, 11:50:56 AM »
I think everything is relative. Consumers will evaluate according to their own experience. I agree with TaylorGirl above, if anyone is claiming because a Taylor is non-USA built, it's bad or flawed ... gotta be jealousy or lack of esteem maybe. I cannot remember hearing consumer complaints that Tecate made product was inferior in any way. Exactly the opposite. And I attribute that entirely to the Taylor hands-on approach at all production facilities. Sounds like we can even extend that to the new saw-mill in Africa as well.

I own a Tecate built Taylor GSmini. Unbelievably good for such a small package. It sounds like a Taylor! Doesn't matter where it was made ... in my hands it plays great and sounds like a Taylor! I don't need anything more than that. If someone wants to claim it is somehow not really a Taylor, let em' ... won't effect the way I feel about mine. That is their problem.


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