Responsible procurement of wood is critical for Taylor Guitars. Harvesting dead mahogany trees and replanting in Belize is just one example of Taylor's commitment to the environment.
The Responsible use of wood resources is critical for Taylor Guitars and all guitar builders. Though we use a small amount of wood relative to building construction, furniture making, and other industries, careful management remains imperative.
We do everything we can to ensure that the woods we use are harvested in a responsible manner that is not injurious either to the environment or to the future supply of the woods themselves. We also introduced our New Technology Neck method of construction in 1999, which allows us to make the most use out of the woods we obtain.
Two recent wood purchases exemplify the spirit in which we strive to procure the beautiful woods we use. In 2003, Bob Taylor visited a California orchard of grafted walnut trees. After seeing the striking wood first-hand, Bob struck a deal to purchase the entire orchard, which had reached maturity and was scheduled to be cleared and replanted. Early in 2004, Taylor Guitars also purchased a substantial amount of standing dead mahogany trees from the rainforest in Belize, all victims of hurricane damage. After a lengthy government permit process, the trees were approved for harvesting with the use of local villagers. In this example, dead trees, which stood next to unharmed live ones, were harvested, processed, and cleared for replanting. Read the complete story in Wood&Steel, Summer 2004.