Our tour was so good!!! Informative, fun and the artisans are amazing They have a great shop and a "try me" wall of guitars

Excellent tour of the Guitar manufacturing areas. Our tour guide Michelle is a rock star. She did a great job sharing with our tour what it takes to manufacture these wonderful guitars. Had a chance to take photos during the tour and also play some of the fantastic Taylor guitars before and after the tour. Even though I am a drummer, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and learning about these instruments. read more

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Excellent product, great customer service and fair prices for amazing quality! Highly recommend this company. read more

Taylor Guitars - 314 CE - Guitar Stores Near Me - El Cajon, California

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I took 2 of my Taylor's in for repair and service. Price seemed reasonable. They came back precisely on the day promised in new, well set up condition. Very happy read more

If there were 10 starts Taylor would deserve it. My father was an accomplished professional musician and he only had 4 acoustics in his playing career of significance. Two were Taylors and one was sold after acquiring his first Grand Symphony, he liked Taylor that much. When he passed I inherited both Taylors. One needed some pretty significant work due to the move and humidity of its prior home. Chris Bearden rescued not only an amazing guitar and made it better, but he more importantly returned a family heirloom, and a piece of American craftsmanship back to our family. It not only plays as well as anyone could imagine, but it sound in typical Taylor fashion, absolutely amazing. Being on active duty and blessed to live in San Diego offered a rare trip to the service/factory and the employee culture and leadership is evident. Thank you Taylor for everything you did. The effort and craftsmanship you invest in each guitar is only exceed in the care and level of customer service you deliver after it is acquired by the public. Keep it up. You are defining what makes America and SOCAL great! Thank you from our family. read more

I throughly enjoyed my visit to Taylor Guitars. They offer a factory tour at 1 pm every weekday (except for holidays). The tour lasts about 2 hours with everyone wearing radios and headphones so the docent can be heard. My tour ended up including 35 people, and in spite of the size, the tour moved along easily and everything could be seen and heard. The showroom itself was amazing. All of the guitars are available to be played, and they have a couple of sound rooms available as well. One part of the showroom has all of the guitars that are made at the El Cajon factory for sale, while another part of the showroom is focused on education about woods, design, and history. Of course, the showroom includes various paraphernalia like t-shirts, guitar straps, and picks. I found the staff friendly, and the docent who gave the tour regaled (or assaulted) us with his wit. Overall, my visit was enjoyable. I'm looking forward to returning, if only to play with all the guitars. read more

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Some of the best technicians and best customer service you can get. Looking at the other reviews I see other people feel the same way. The 1 star that they got was some guy showed up and they weren't open when they should've been that kind of sucks I feel his pain The pride really shows. read more

Hey guys, you need to update your website hours to reflect correct holiday closure. Drove up from Tijuana today to fix my guitar before a five day run of shows starting on the Fourth of July. Found out you're closed till Monday. Not happy. This is for a recurring issue that was supposed to be fixed last time. I'm a full-time musician, and can't have uncertainty when I'm playing. Time to switch guitars. read more

Pretty guitars but quality sound is missing big time. Go to show room and you will see what I mean!!! No quality

Came here for their tour to see how the guitars were made and I definitely had a blast! From every week day Monday to Friday at 1:00 PM they have a tour which take visitors around the factory to show how Taylor Guitars are made. I went with my family and it was pretty cool, they supply you with clear protective eye glasses/goggles so that your eyes are protected in case anything may get to you when you're upfront at the waxing/buffing areas. They also supply you with a pair of head phones connected to a portable module that allows you hear the tour guide whom is hooked up to a mic if he is too far away to hear. One thing I suggest is try to go on a day that is not TOO hot. Majority of the time you're in the factory but at some brief moments you are outside (when you look at how the wood is air dried) which may kind of get uncomfortable when it is hot. Overall I had a great experience and also got to try out many guitars. Until next time! :D read more

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I'm seeing that the negative reviews here are complaining about Taylor's CNC process, prices, thin necks, and overall hype. Some of these points are just absurd or silly. With that said, I have owned a big baby taylor in the past, and I currently have a Taylor 414ce ltd. However, my taylor is not my favorite guitar (It's an elitist J200) and I don't feel like I'm being biased with this review. Taylor's CNC process is designed so that you can get quality instruments with good quality control. This is different from Martin's construction where most of the guitar parts are handmade, but this shouldn't be a negative or positive hit to taylor because in the end you get a well made guitar regardless of whether or not its machine or handmade. Taylor's prices for their guitars have also been rising over the past couple of years and can understand how that may be off putting to some people. In fact, the differences between the 400 series and lower vs the 500 series and up seems to be a little bit strange when you consider the limited edition models. For example, a 414ce ltd with rosewood back and sides cost about $1000-$1300+ less that an 814ce with the same woods. The only difference being the extra appointments or "bling." I don't think that warrants a price increase along those lines especially since everything else (the more important stuff) is the same. However, with that said, the 300 and 400 series instruments are great instruments for the price. The higher series are also good instruments, but I think its a better deal to just get a limited edition of the lower series that has the same woods. The thin necks as a compliant is rather silly. Taylor's thin neck design was one of its attractive features that lead to it's current success back in the 70's and 80s. There is some debate whether the current bolt on necks they use are worse than the traditional dovetail joints from a sound perspective, but from an engineering perspective, the bolt on neck makes it easier for luthiers to perform neck resets in the future. The most understandable thing about the complaints is the hype about taylor. As a teenager I fell into the hype machine with Taylor's excellent marketing team - Lots of new artists were playing them, they were marketed as a new guitar company focused on innovation, they advertised as developing new technology that would revolutionize the guitar world such as their ES, NT necks, T5 hybrid and etc. As a teen, I was convinced they were the best guitars more from their marketing rather than using my ears. However, with that said, taylor does make great quality instruments with a very unique signature tone that focuses on the highs rather than the low tones. I still like my taylor but have since discovered that the best guitar tone for me is the Gibson J200 tone - and that seems to be the heart of all negative reviews whether its taylor or someone else. There is no "best" guitar since sound is all subjective, you've got to pick the guitar that speaks to you personally in the end. The only way to honestly rate a guitar company is by their construction and quality. I personally am not a big fan of the booming martin sound, but I will definitely say that they are well crafted from people who love their work. So give taylor a play at your local guitar store to see if it speaks to you. *PS - someone here mentioned that a better option would be to go through an independent luthier instead. As expensive as taylors, martins, gibsons, larrivees and other high quality mass produced companies are, buying a guitar from Goodall, Olson, Ryan, Mayes and other independent luthiers is out of the pockets of most people. read more

Taylor Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me - El Cajon, California

I'm not a guitar player myself, but I do enjoy being seranaded... My nephew works here and suggested we take the tour. (Of course, they saved him and the other "benders" for last!) The tour was fascinating. The guide was friendly, the set up was ingenious (we all wore headsets so the guide didn't have to yell), and I learned a LOT. I was impressed with how close we were able to get to the "action," how much of the work is done by human beings, and how much work goes into making a guitar. You should definitely take the tour. (Your young kids should not -- it's over 2 hours and there's so much stuff they could get into.) Now, if only they gave out free guitars at the end... read more

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Excellent factory tour! I haven't done more than strum my guitar in over a decade and still this tour made me want to: 1. buy a Taylor 2. work here 3. come for the tour again before I move far-far away. The tour guides were all really cool and showed you every step of the guitar making process, from the cuts of wood to the finished product. There's an area where you can play the guitars and a gift store that includes a free souvenir made from byproduct wood from the guitars. After living in San Diego for three years and doing all of the tourist attractions this was definitely one of my favorites and I'm sure I'll talk about it for years. Plus it's free! When we went they had just finished a "private tour" with a celebrity. I didn't see who, but they had mucho security so ya never know if you'll come on the same day as your favorite band member. *Mostly wheelchair accessible* there was a fella on our tour in a wheelchair and he easily navigated the entire tour except for one small room that was upstairs. It's where they glue the insides of the guitars on so it's not the end of the world to miss just that one step. However, our guide was pretty cool and went above and beyond to get this fella upstairs so he didn't miss anything. read more

In this day and age where companies are looking to cut costs and outsource everything, it's refreshing to know that there are people that still care about doing things the right way. Taylor Guitars, to me, is a company that still does the "Made in USA" moniker with pride. Even their telephone system is answered by real people in their El Cajon headquarters, rather than an automated machine or a bunch of people in a distant foreign land i've been playing guitars for 14 years and i discovered Taylors through a friend in church who owns a '93 610 model. After playing with them synthetic Ovations, i thought, "Wow... it sounds and plays different"! Back then, i had no idea with the difference between an all solid-wood guitar and those that have laminates, or those even with synthetic materials. i thought all guitars are the same. i couldn't be more wrong My first ever Taylor was a used '99 310 bought sight unseen from eBay. It is one of the more "lower-end" Taylor models, but it was made with the utmost care and efficiency. It was an affordable all-wood guitar and it gave me many good memories and many good years of playing. It got stolen a whilst back :( After being guitarless for five years, i decided to splurge and buy myself a 714ce. Buttery-smooth action, great intonation and just a killer combo of Western Red Cedar and Indian Rosewood... Still have my trusty 714ce and she is sounding better and better as time goes on Now, since my first Taylor, i have become more familiar with the world of acoustic guitars and i have tried many great "hand made" luthiers. They're awesome guitars in their own right and if i had a big bank account, i would definitely think of getting one. However, i'm just your average guy with little disposable income and i sure as hell cannot spend thousands of dollars at a whim. Taylors are plentiful and i consider them affordable for those looking to get a decent all-wood, American guitar. If i lost my 714ce or it got damaged somehow, i could go find another one just like it and be happy once again i also love their hour-long tours of the factory. i've taken five tours already and each time, there's always something new to see i appreciate Taylor Guitars for their innovation and for their desire to be better stewards of the natural resources they consume in order to give us such beautiful instruments read more

Taylor Guitars - My beautiful 2008 714ce :) - Guitar Stores Near Me - El Cajon, California

Went to the service department because I thought that one of my guitars had electronic issues. The lady who helped was Lindsay and she was super helpful and kind. She basically helped me test it out. I ended up leaving one guitar for repair under warranty and taking home the one I thought was problematic. They are going to do a lot of work by replacing the neck and a setup. It's my favorite guitar so I'm happy that it will get taken care of. I really appreciate how helpful and thorough the staff are. I'm so glad I made the drive out. Totally worth it... and I'm impressed with the people who work there to power the Taylor brand. Now I have another reason to love the Taylor name. read more

This is such a cool guitar company. What a gem of a factory in the middle of El Cajon. The tour was in-depth and our group was really able to see all aspects of putting a guitar together. It hadn't occurred to me prior to seeing it all being made, how many steps are involved in the process. I was really impressed with the environmentally responsible ways in which the company sources its trees for the various guitar woods. All of the people working on projects were willing to answer questions as we walked through the warehouse, which I thought was really neat. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the guitars getting sprayed with the fiberglass coating and how quickly they came out smooth and dry. At the end of the tour the group was given coasters made out of leftover scrap wood from the guitars - how cool is that?! read more

Mark the sales manager here was amazing and was super helpful in assisting me to purchase the right guitar. Even after two full days from open to close of me playing and looking at the guitars I was never pressured to purchase the entire time. Mark states it is more about the experience and not the sales experience. I would definitely recommend to purchase your next guitar here at the Taylor Guitar Factory. You guys made a lifelong Taylor player. read more

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Extremely disappointed with my Taylor. It's my opinion that a product is only as good as the company that stands(or doesn') behind it's product. Mine developed a crack on it's front side that Taylor customer service(Adam Bernal) quickly attributed to customer neglect completely ignorimg the possibility of a defective guitar. I've owned acoustic guitars for over 40 years and never had this issue. Was excited to finally get a "Taylor" but found my older, cheaper guitars not only didn't crack but were easier to play. Loved the tone to bad found out the hard way that Taylor is not worth the investment! Requested to speak to management about problem but was totally blown off. Frank Trujillo Alb. NM read more

Taylor did an event with Buck, they raffled a guitar each day for three days. I won one of the guitars. It sounds amazing, although it is the second nicest guitar I own, lol. It is their smaller version guitar but has a truly amazing sound. It sounds like a much larger guitar. I am for sure going back here. read more

Awesome free tour! Informative and friendly guide. It's incredible to see how much are still hand done and learn about how they have created machines inhouse to expedite efficiency. Don't bring your kids under 15. You are walking through an actual factory with active machinery. read more

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I am an avid guitarist and collector. I have guitars from Gibson, Godin, Fender, Kiesel (!) and others. I recently bought the Taylor T5z Pro and I can't put it down! It sounds wonderful unplugged but when plugged into an amp sounds similar to a semi-hollow body! And at three and a half pounds, it never weighs heavy on you. The guitar is beautiful and the workmanship shows. I knew that they were leaders in the acoustic guitar sector but the T5z model is pure awesome! BTW, the factory tour is worth the visit! read more

Taylor Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me - El Cajon, California

Taylor makes amazing acoustic guitars. I've had a Big Baby for well over a decade, and it's been such a nice little guitar, I haven't yet bothered to update to a full-scale six-string. Of course when I do upgrade, it'll be to another Taylor. I've played many of the other big brands making acoustics and many lesser-known brands as well. Very few compare with Taylor in terms of quality and playability. None of them have that bright resonance that only seems to get better with age (and a set of new Elixirs). As a company, Taylor is an industry leader in sustainable practices (it takes a lot of wood to make guitars and deforestation is a real problem). They've invested in tree farms across the globe intended to help them continue to create fantastic guitars for many decades to come, all with renewable resources. Taking a look at their Yelp listing I learned they offer free factory tours. I travel to SD often, so I'm absolutely planning to take one soon. read more

I am the host of TheoryThursday and I get to collaborate with Taylor guitars. The new revolutionary "V- Class guitars" truly special. Modern day Stradivarius style guitars with more sustained than you would expect ~Tune LIVE to the "V-Class RUMBLE" on TheoryThursday every week aT 7pm PST. Broadcast on FaceBook & YouTube www.theorythursday.com read more

2nd time being in their showroom, 1st time buying a guitar from the showroom. Took the tour of the factory the first time, and hung out for a few hours this time to play more. Ended up finding a killer 224, then comparing it to all of the 2-series in the showroom and above and finally just as they were about to close for the day, took it home. The sales process was easy and quick, the sales manager was friendly and informative all the way through the inspection and "delivery" of the new guitar. Very happy overall and will be back for another tour as the employees are the ones who guide the tour so you may get a neck specialist or someone with a lot of knowledge about the finishing process. read more

Super amazing people here at the Taylor guitar's service center. Moving away soon super going to miss these people. Having my guitar serviced before moving 3000 miles away from San Diego. For 20 years I guitars have been serviced here and I'm truly going to miss this place. read more

Guitar players know Taylor makes superb acoustic guitars. As a female with small hands, Taylors fit like a glove. The necks are perfectly crafted with a quick action and comfortable to play. I flew into San Diego just to tour their amazing factory. I love my Taylor 810 Dreadnought and limited edition 614 Grand Auditorium (1 of 300 made and signed by Bob Taylor on interior label). Shania Twain, John Fogerty, Vince Gill are a few famous musicians playing the 810. The factory tour was so cool and informative. I greatly enjoyed playing every model for a few minutes. What a thrill! The staff were welcoming and dedicated to their work. A big thanks to Bob Taylor and all Taylor employees! read more

Taylor Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me - El Cajon, California

Did the tour a few weeks back. What an AMAZING experience. It's free as well. Taylor makes beautiful guitars. I wish they'd do a kind of 'economy' line at a lower price point besides the minis. If I could afford it I would have at least two. They sound amazing and are truly pieces of art. On the tour you can really tell the employees are dedicated to the craft and the company really cares about sustainability and the happiness of the folks there. read more

I worked here one summer many moons ago. I was so excited to learn the art of being a luthier or whatever. I even thought Taylor made really great guitars. WRONG! Taylor makes overpriced, soul-less, computer designed wussy thin-necked guitars. All the inlays are made by a laser. The necks are shaped by a computer controlled router. Its all assembly line crap. Are you willing to pay over $1000 for that? Not me. Always remember that people make music and not the instruments. I have a 50 year-old Regal parlor guitar I picked up for $40 that is way more fun and unique sounding than anything Taylor can make. If you need to have a beautifully made hand-crafted acoustic, find one of the thousands of independent luthiers in America and order from them. Or buy a Martin for god sake! read more

Really happy with my recent Taylor guitar purchase. After years and years of borrowing guitars from friends to practice on, I finally have my own! The factory tour was also interesting and the employees were very helpful. read more

I called the facility to ask a model question. "RING RING, RING RING, RING RING." "Hello, Taylor Guitars can I help you" enunciated a pleasant female voice. "Yeah I need to speak to someone about the GS series." "Hold on please. . . RING RING." "Hi Taylor service department, can I help you" asked a deep American accent. "Hi, is there a difference between the 06, 07, and 08 GS8 models?" "Well, the RS . . . . flagship . . . same specs . . . now known as the GS8." "So it's the same guitar." "Yup, pretty much." "Thanks, bye!" No automated prompt, no foreign distant accent, dedicated personnel, and best of all, no bull shit! And I love my baby Taylor! read more

Of course we know about the amazing guitars, the cool factory tour etc... This review is for Taylor's service and repair, located a few buildings away from the visitor center. I took my guitar in to fix a crack we think was caused by a dehydrated guitar. I was leaving town in 3 days and although the wait was 6+ weeks, Taylor fixed the crack for $20, and completed the Revive package (clean, strings, dress the frets, reset neck and replace my saddle) in 24 hours! Thanks Chantha and team! read more

This is partly a review of the guitars, but more so a review of the company itself and the tour they give. I own two of their guitars, a 615ce and a 712 ce. They are fantastic guitars, and I would recommend anyone that is serious about their playing to give Taylor a look. The tour is really interesting and gives insight into what makes Taylor different. I believe the difference is innovation. It's the way they combine new technology and processes with old world craftsmanship. They are not afraid to challenge the status quo. And build things right here in the US, San Diego California. They also have very good customer service. They answer the phone when you call, and are genuinely interested in their customers and their guitars. They want to help, and it shows in the way they talk to us. read more

This is a very fun, educational tour I highly recommend for anyone interested in guitars especially acoustic. Taylor is one of the leading names in guitars, and by the end of this 90 minute tour you will see why. As a musician and guitarist, I gained a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship and detailed work that goes into creating each Taylor instrument. Be sure to ask questions, the guide is very knowledgeable and friendly :) Check it out , you will enjoy it! read more

Taylor guitars are are simply top notch and made here in San Diego County. Their tour walks you through their manufacturing processes and is totally awesome and worth every minute. Also their service department does a unbelievably great job. They fixed a a pretty big ding in my 815ce guitar so you would never know it was there, they reset the neck so the play was so tight it was unreal, it made my guitar better than new, even though it was over a decade old. Everybody will rate based on their experience, and mine was nothing but good. read more

Taylor guitars are our personal favorite guitars. My kids have several Taylors and the ease of play and mellow sound make Taylors a great investment. When I found out that the home of Taylor was in El Cajon I was wondering if they gave tours. They do. The tours are free at 1:00 on most weekdays. You meet in the visitors center and sign in. They fill up and sometimes they'll have another tour to accommodate everyone. It is a walking tour where you wear headsets and the tour guide talks. You can ask questions along the way. The headsets are a great idea because it's a factory and machines are loud. Try not to get too far behind the guide because you might loose connection and then you get static. You are encouraged to take pictures and video. I learned a lot about the making of a guitar as well as how Taylor sources their wood and are an industry leader and educator. The tour starts and ends in the gift shop / visitors center. There are free wooden circles with the Taylor logo burned onto them that you can use as coasters. These are from the holes cut from the guitars. Parking is limited in front of the visitors center but there is plenty across the street and it is free. read more

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I bought a Taylor 914 CE nine years ago. I woke up one day to find a crack on the front at the bottom up to the saddle. I immediately got on the phone with their service department who walked me through how they would repair it and put me at ease. Even though the turnaround time was 6 weeks, it was worth the wait. Looking at it you would think it is a new guitar. You could never tell there was a crack. They also suggested a fretboard tune up (well worth it) and fixed all the dings and blemishes from years of use. To say the least they exceeded my expectations. read more

Just took our 2nd tour at the factory. This is so cool and informative. We get to see how a guitar is built, from the wood stacks out back to the finished product and everything in between. If you are into guitars or craftsmanship, you will love this venue. Monday thru Thursday's at 1pm. read more

Great store. Amazing looking at all the beautiful Taylor guitars! I got to play each one...lol. I love my Taylor guitar. The factory tour is amazing as well. read more

What a fantastic tour! If you're a guitar fan, or even if you aren't, seeing how these gorgeous instruments are made is truly an experience. The people giving the tour, as well as those people working while you get to watch, are so passionate and so friendly. This is one of those things that most people don't realize you can do while visiting, or living in, San Diego. It's a free tour, and I can't recommend it enough! Go do this. read more

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I have had a baby taylor for over 20 years they are supposed to have a lifetime warranty about 3-4 years ago the bridge started coming unglued they fixed it although a sloppy job at least they fixed it now the back started coming unglued and the guy wanted 60 bucks!Guess there lifetime warranty ain't to good.I am going to fix it myself and sell it and will NEVER purchase another taylor product especially now that China is making such good guitars! read more