Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars => Topic started by: ebick on February 04, 2014, 10:51:25 PM
-
I don't think I have ever seen this come up here, but with the 40th anniversary coming up, it finds me wondering who might have a year one guitar. So, I'll start and ask that you only post if you have one older than the previous...
2011 814ce
-
2003 312CE Fall Limited Edition
2001 (?) Baby Taylor
-
I know this is far from the oldest, it's a 1987 510 serial # 5292, one of the last ones made at the old plant.
-
77 710 here, but Redwood Tree trumps mine with a 76 815 8)
http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=4539 (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=4539)
-
I've got a 1970 Taylor Fladgate port in my wine cellar.
-
from the 20s, with just under 19 hours to go
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1920s-TAYLOR-ORAL-THERMOMETER-METAL-CASE-ROCHESTER-NY-/221365001122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338a61dba2 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1920s-TAYLOR-ORAL-THERMOMETER-METAL-CASE-ROCHESTER-NY-/221365001122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338a61dba2)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/lusAAOxycmBS4U3n/$_57.JPG?rt=nc)
precursor to the hygrometer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-USA-Made-Taylor-Instruments-Sling-Psychrometer-for-Relative-Humidity-/251440736664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8b092998 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-USA-Made-Taylor-Instruments-Sling-Psychrometer-for-Relative-Humidity-/251440736664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8b092998)
-
from the 20s, with just under 19 hours to go
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1920s-TAYLOR-ORAL-THERMOMETER-METAL-CASE-ROCHESTER-NY-/221365001122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338a61dba2 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1920s-TAYLOR-ORAL-THERMOMETER-METAL-CASE-ROCHESTER-NY-/221365001122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338a61dba2)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/lusAAOxycmBS4U3n/$_57.JPG?rt=nc)
precursor to the hygrometer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-USA-Made-Taylor-Instruments-Sling-Psychrometer-for-Relative-Humidity-/251440736664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8b092998 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-USA-Made-Taylor-Instruments-Sling-Psychrometer-for-Relative-Humidity-/251440736664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8b092998)
There is always a wise guy
::)
-
There is always a wise guy
::)
"guitar" was not specifically stated in the title, although it was in the post -
fyi, the design of the headstock logo took some inspiration from the style that is on the thermometer
the original Taylor Instrument company, founded by George Taylor in 1851
http://www.taylorusa.com/taylor-about (http://www.taylorusa.com/taylor-about)
-
There is always a wise guy
::)
"guitar" was not specifically stated in the title, although it was in the post -
fyi, the design of the headstock logo took some inspiration from the style that is on the thermometer
the original Taylor Instrument company, founded by George Taylor in 1851
http://www.taylorusa.com/taylor-about (http://www.taylorusa.com/taylor-about)
There is always a Taylor ham in the bunch.
-
It's not the oldest, but my 615 was built in 1983.
-
May be the oldest 615 on the firum?
-
I own Serial #253, I was told that Bob started the numbering system with #100 ? So if thats true mine is the 153 Taylor.
The 815 is a 1976. 38 years old now and sounds amazing. Is in excelent condition for it's age ,and this 815 was very well constructed. I know there are some American Dreams Guitars out there, Please speak up 8)
-
I've got a 1970 Taylor Fladgate port in my wine cellar.
I've got some really good cigars to go with it.
-
Make mine a Toro please. They are my second addiction ;) I've a couple more Grand Habano Vintage 2002s here, They go well with The Taylors also. But always keep the Gits cased when not in use.
-
so far ...
11 814ce
03 312ceLTD
01 BT
87 510
83 615
77 710
76 815
looks like this thread has stalled, unless someone pipes up with a 75 or 74 model :-\
how about the oldest Taylor guitar in series & shape ???
91 412
-
2000 Baby Taylor
-
Make mine a Toro please. They are my second addiction ;) I've a couple more Grand Habano Vintage 2002s here, They go well with The Taylors also. But always keep the Gits cased when not in use.
I store my ports as carefully as my guitars. Had a yummy 1994 Cockburn's vintage port on Super Bowl Sunday with friends..... same color as my Custom GC's AA rosewood back.
-
Make mine a Toro please. They are my second addiction ;) I've a couple more Grand Habano Vintage 2002s here, They go well with The Taylors also. But always keep the Gits cased when not in use.
I store my ports as carefully as my guitars. Had a yummy 1994 Cockburn's vintage port on Super Bowl Sunday with friends..... same color as my Custom GC's AA rosewood back.
I am the same way with my cigars. In honor of the Super Bowl (and before I watched it) I pulled from the humidor a 9-year old Partagas Serie D No. 4. (yes, from down there). It shared time with a nice glass of Balvenie TUN. This was the best part of my day. Certainly better than watching the game.
And we better get this thread back on track. Maybe start something over in the lounge to continue this conversation.
-
so far ...
11 814ce
03 312ceLTD
01 BT
87 510
83 615
77 710
76 815
looks like this thread has stalled, unless someone pipes up with a 75 or 74 model :-\
how about the oldest Taylor guitar in series & shape ???
91 412
OK, like cigarfan said, we'll get this thread back on topic.
Oldest, by series:
2000 Baby Taylor
-
I own Serial #253, I was told that Bob started the numbering system with #100 ? So if thats true mine is the 153 Taylor.
The 815 is a 1976. 38 years old now and sounds amazing. Is in excelent condition for it's age ,and this 815 was very well constructed. I know there are some American Dreams Guitars out there, Please speak up 8)
That's got to be the winner right there.
-
Not much to contribute here, except that my BabyT is 1999 :)
Edward
-
Not much to contribute here, except that my BabyT is 1999 :)
Edward
Aw...man! :-\Beats my 2000. I'm out of it.
-
i had a 97 baby T with the soundwall, but it didn't have the rather flamboyant headstock silkscreen of the 96 model
(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0240/9767/products/1996_301_Baby_Taylor_headstock_ba1c281b-fe1b-41b5-b35d-aa2c49f5d25f_1024x1024.jpg%3Fv%3D1387822169)
there's a 03 quilted maple
(http://www.acousticgallery.com/photopost/data/502/babyma.JPG)
figured rosewood
(http://www.acousticgallery.com/photopost/data/502/1358305r.JPG)
& quilted sapele with 'hog top hanging out here & i've got gold grover mini tuners with
ebony buttons, ab dot ebony pins & gold hardware that need to be put on the maple &
sapele, a la 02 liberty tree baby, but in terms of any of them being the oldest baby here ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qML5yrVFxQ#t=52 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qML5yrVFxQ#t=52)
;)
-
My Baby M dates to 2000, but that was two years after Taylor introduced that variation on the Baby.
-
Mine won't win the prize but I do have a 1995 Dan Crary.
-
Mine won't win the prize but I do have a 1995 Dan Crary.
cool 8)
yours is the oldest DCSM listed so far -
here's a link to a 96 model
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-14666.htm (http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-14666.htm)
i have an 89 810c that has the same cutaway shape, rosette, binding & fretmarkers
with a cherryedgeburst finish & abalone edged top - love those square shoulder X10s :D
-
I own Serial #253, I was told that Bob started the numbering system with #100 ? So if thats true mine is the 153 Taylor.
The 815 is a 1976. 38 years old now and sounds amazing. Is in excelent condition for it's age ,and this 815 was very well constructed. I know there are some American Dreams Guitars out there, Please speak up 8)
um, i did a little more research & according to the serial #, your 815 could be a 77 model :-\
this used to be on the previous iteration of Taylor's website
http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2010/taylor-guitars-serial-number-dating-guide/ (http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2010/taylor-guitars-serial-number-dating-guide/)
SERIAL NUMBERS YEAR SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS
[didn't use serial numbers!] 1974 Employees Bob Taylor, Kurt Listug, and Steve Schemmer purchase the
American Dream Musical Instrument Manufacturing shop in Lemon Grove,
California, and change the name to Taylor Guitars; all rosewood used is Brazilian.
10109 to 10146 1975 Had to let most of our employees go after we used up our original capital;
settled into being broke and trying to figure out how to make guitars.
20147 to 20315 1976 Guitar #20168 is the first Taylor made from East Indian rosewood; guitar
#20179 is the latest Taylor “on record” to have the mortise neck joint
(by the time we made #20229, we were not using mortise neck joints);
Kurt hits the road to sell direct to dealers.
30316 to [--]450 1977 Taylor Guitars signs a distribution deal with the Rothschild company,
an instrument distributor.
there shows to be 37 made in 74 & 168 made in 75, if the sequence was continuous with all numbers were
used & the year was when the guitar was started, if i recall correctly, the idea for starting with #10109
was that #10101- 10108 were reserved as numbers #1-8, so that those guitars could built "later on" -
depending on when the sequence changed from 30316 to a 3 digit number, if it started at one or continued, say for
example if there were 14 models made, to 30330 & then the transition was made, the first 3 digit serial could be #220
but regardless, your 815 has an earlier serial # than my 710, so you're still "in the lead"
so far,
11 814ce
03 312ceLTD
99 BT
95 DCSM
91 412
89 810c
87 510
83 615
77 710
77 815
-
This is not mine but it could be yours, Is this a real 1976 810?
Looks like a fair price?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111278701933?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Michaelw, thats good information!, Looks like I was sold a 77 model that was advertised as a 76.( should I complain? Haha). So from now on I'll know its a 1977.
-
This is not mine but it could be yours, Is this a real 1976 810?
Looks like a fair price?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111278701933?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Michaelw, thats good information!, Looks like I was sold a 77 model that was advertised as a 76.( should I complain? Haha). So from now on I'll know its a 1977.
it looks legit to me -
no truss rod cover, the bridge looks like it's been reglued, non-original style bridge pins &
case & it's hard to get a good idea of how it looks, partially because of the lighting, although
the pics are decent size, they're not hi-res & when zoomed in on, they get fuzzy in a hurry
it is a first year model, but not for the reason the seller is stating -
it was the first year that the 800 series went from brazilian rosewood to east indian,
as there were guitars made with the Taylor logo on the headstock beginning in 74
i have a feeling i know where this guitar came from & it's just being flipped -
i would've been willing to pay the $ guitar sold for previously, but not the current $ :-\
-
Believe I have the oldest on this Forum :) - First Serialized Taylor
A while back I noticed the historical serial number information on the TaylorGuitar.com Website (outdated references above now) indicated that the first Serialized Taylor was SN# 10109. This appeared to be incorrect, as my guitar is SN# 00109. I had recently read that S/N XX101 thru XX108 were reserved, thus making this possibly the first serialized Taylor ever built, produced between April and May of 1975. Bob has communicated his thoughts on this matter and graciously decided to amend his Taylor website to now read as follows:
"The two oldest verified serial numbers are 00109 and 10109. Record keeping in the early days was spotty and it's uncertain which guitar is actually the first one, but these two were built within the first few months of Taylor Guitars production."
https://www.taylorguitars.com/support/general/decoding-taylor-guitars-serial
For pictures and the full story also see the A Relic of Taylor Guitar History posted on this forum as well
Steve
-
I have 3 '98 models:
514ce
W10
Baby-M
Before that, my previous guitar was an '83 Ovation.....before that, a '77 Ventura Martin copy....and before that....a "Fame" monstrosity that nearly cured me of playing guitar the same year I started.
In '98, I was at the Acoustic Guitar Festival in Marin, CA. I talked to a lot of really cool players (Roy Bookbinder, Janis Ian, Laurence Juber, Ed Gerhard and others). Laurence was doing Taylor clinics at the time, which is how I got my 514ce.
I talked with Jessica Baron Turner, who wrote a book called "Smart Start Guitar". She was playing a very plain looking Taylor - it had the Taylor 'look', but either no binding on it, or a simple, dark binding - if it had a rosette at all, it was just a simple black circle.
She saw my interest, and said, "Go ahead and try it out".
I did - it played and sounded great.
I asked her about it, and she said, "Oh, Bob gave that to me".
"You mean Bob Taylor?"
"Yep."
I looked inside the guitar - the label had Bob's (real) signature on it, and it said:
"GC Proto #1".
I (carefully) handed it back to her before I dinged it.
-
my 614ce is a 1996 model and it is mint :)
-
Technically the first Taylor that I bought was a '96 Baby Taylor, during the first year they came out. At that time, we were doing a lot of motorcycle touring, and a Baby in its dedicated hard case was a good option for the back of the bike. I was visiting California from Alaska (where they could not be found) and saw one on the shelf at Tall Toad in Petaluma. Bought it and took it back north on the plane. That one ended up being sold to a good friend about three years later for his son to learn on. Baby proved to be a little too quiet for campfire jams, even though it was easier to strap to the motorcycle.
My first "real" Taylor was a 2001 414ce, so I was a fairly late adopter.
-
Not I...
I've got a 1995 GA-KS (#62 of 100) and a 1997 Cujo14 (#43 of 125). They're incredible instruments - the stuff that first attracted me to Taylor - so far ahead of their time!
-
Not I either, although my first Taylor was a 1991 510 with a 1 7/8th fretboard custom ordered. I played it a couple years, sold it, went guitarless for 10+ years before getting my 314ce. Sure wish I had kept that 510....
-
Excuse my ignorance, but what year did Taylor officially begin to sell guitars?
thanks,
scott memmer
-
Okay I'll play....1995 GA.
-
Excuse my ignorance, but what year did Taylor officially begin to sell guitars?
thanks,
scott memmer
The company began in 1974, so I'm guessing that this would be the year they began selling guitars under the Taylor name...
-
In early 1975 I walked into the Lemon Grove shop and had Bob and Kurt build me a custom maple jumbo. Believe it was the first serialized Taylor (S/N # 00109). Spoke to Bob about it a few years ago and they agreed to change their website information to the below:
The two oldest verified serial numbers are 00109 and 10109. Record keeping in the early days was spotty and it's uncertain which guitar is actually the first one, but these two were built within the first few months of Taylor Guitars production.
SERIAL NUMBERS YEAR
(No serial numbers) 1974
00109 and 10109 to 10146 1975
20147 to 20315 1976
-
In early 1975 I walked into the Lemon Grove shop and had Bob and Kurt build me a custom maple jumbo. Believe it was the first serialized Taylor (S/N # 00109). Spoke to Bob about it a few years ago and they agreed to change their website information to the below:
The two oldest verified serial numbers are 00109 and 10109. Record keeping in the early days was spotty and it's uncertain which guitar is actually the first one, but these two were built within the first few months of Taylor Guitars production.
SERIAL NUMBERS YEAR
(No serial numbers) 1974
00109 and 10109 to 10146 1975
20147 to 20315 1976
pretty cool stuff. just curious, what made you have the courage to buy such an unknown luthier at the time? wish i could be that brave today, but i haven’t taken a chance on a new brand yet
-
Bought my 1991 410 new in 1991. Still my main go-to guitar.
-
In early 1975 I walked into the Lemon Grove shop and had Bob and Kurt build me a custom maple jumbo. Believe it was the first serialized Taylor (S/N # 00109). Spoke to Bob about it a few years ago and they agreed to change their website information to the below:
The two oldest verified serial numbers are 00109 and 10109. Record keeping in the early days was spotty and it's uncertain which guitar is actually the first one, but these two were built within the first few months of Taylor Guitars production.
SERIAL NUMBERS YEAR
(No serial numbers) 1974
00109 and 10109 to 10146 1975
20147 to 20315 1976
I’m thinking that’s the oldest here! Cool story, I enjoyed your earlier post on it too.
-
In early 1975 I walked into the Lemon Grove shop and had Bob and Kurt build me a custom maple jumbo. Believe it was the first serialized Taylor (S/N # 00109). Spoke to Bob about it a few years ago and they agreed to change their website information to the below:
The two oldest verified serial numbers are 00109 and 10109. Record keeping in the early days was spotty and it's uncertain which guitar is actually the first one, but these two were built within the first few months of Taylor Guitars production.
SERIAL NUMBERS YEAR
(No serial numbers) 1974
00109 and 10109 to 10146 1975
20147 to 20315 1976
(https://media.tenor.com/images/5e8ddb96e95fdda9583f8ef0082b77f8/tenor.gif)
-
3/2/1987 Serial # 4906 Dan Crary Signature Model