Guitars44me
“R. Taylor was Bob Taylor's personal guitar playground. And was actually a completely separate company from Taylor Guitars.
It truly was a small shop just outside of a huge factory! I was fortunate to get a couple tours of the R.T. Shop when commissioning a couple of special instruments. Bob had a small team of Taylor's most experienced luthiers, headed by my dear friend Tim Luranc, build about 200 guitars a YEAR for six years for a total of about 1,200. In contrast, The two Taylor factories turn out about 400 guitars per DAY.
R. Taylor was a luthier's dream while it lasted. All the advantages of the world-class Taylor factory, and all the time necessary to build world-class Luthier style guitars. Nice to be able to walk next-door and help yourself to the cream of Bob's super wood stash! Or the most beautiful abalone.... R.Ts luthiers spent three times as much time on each instrument as Taylor does! Time to hand select the wood, tap tune the pieces, shave the braces, etc. The workmanship is flawless.
Unfortunately they turned out to be in unintended competition with the Taylor Custom Shop.
I have it on good authority that if they ever reopen R. Taylor the guitars will be a LOT more expensive!!!
My Pal Tim Luranc was the Head Luthier for RT for the entire time they were being built. He also handled the clients for the last year or two.
I have owned a BUNCH of these. Fabulous instruments all.
The Style One came first. Grand Symphony size. (GS)
The Style Two was the same size as a Grand Concert (GC)
15 inches across the lower bout on the style two,
and 16 1/4 inches across the lower bout on the style one.
The construction was quite different from regular Taylors.
Just a few got the new at the time arm bevel, and a few were ordered with a headstock backplate, which adds some strength and looks cool
NT neck on all of them. First year had fingerjointed headstock on most.
They offered four neck carves. Standard RT, similar to a post 2000 Taylor. slim RT, similar to a pre 2000 Taylor.
https://forms.fillout.com/t/7BD28FV7vfus
And slim and standard (mod) V. Although the V carves were very rare.
Fit and finish were always perfect:”