An Industry Innovator

Headquartered in El Cajon, California, Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug. The two first met while working at a hippie guitar shop in San Diego called the American Dream and partnered to buy the business when owner Sam Radding announced he was selling the shop. Though young when they started (Bob was 19, Kurt was 21), their shared passion for guitar making, along with their gritty resolve to make a living doing what they loved, nurtured the company’s gradual transformation from a struggling shop into the leading global manufacturer of premium acoustic guitars.