# Taylor guitars: the future of Ebony



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Someone posted a link to this video from Twitter. The future of bbony, and the upcoming changes to its use on guitars. Its from Bob Taylor, of Taylor guitars, but it would seem to apply to ebony on almost all guitars and musical instruments:


[video=youtube_share;anCGvfsBoFY]http://youtu.be/anCGvfsBoFY[/video]


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Hmmmm you know, I have no problems at all with the colourations of ebony. It wasn't long ago I learned that it ever came in colours other than black and the white and brown mottling is to me quite striking.

I do wonder what Bob is doing to give back to the environment. Are they replanting what they take or limiting the size of what they take or managing the take by a means more selective.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow, what a great clip.

I'm very encouraged and I guess inspired by what Mr. Taylor had to say and what he has done.

That and the Taylor's I have played (fantastic instruments all) will be considerable factors in my next acoustic guitar choice.

Thanks for posting this. I think it falls under community service.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Well did some looking up. Ebony can take 60 to 200 years of growing to be of a harvestable size. It is a poor competitor with other plants (including its own species) and will fail to grow under a lot of conditions (10 hours light every day as a minimum etc). 

The other thought I had was that by opening up the "B grade" to "A grade" pricing really is pulling the rug out from under A grade poachers. If any joe can cut down any ebony tree and make money off it just as good as the poachers ransacking a forest that would I hope really put salt on the tails of those poachers.

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/ebony-info.htm


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Dana Bourgeois has been singing this song for the past 15 years. He has often stated that there is a great deal of excellent tone woods available for use that are not easily accepted by the buying public. The majority of the guitar buying public, especially those after the high end stuff, expect and demand aesthetically perfect pieces of wood. 

The consumer is quite often the motivator of those that practice an illegal act.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Oh probably a few folk who have said "wait, what's wrong with that wood?" out there. I know I've said it and there have been a few folk wanting to build using what they cut down in their back yards here.

The big difference now (as opposed to the last 15 years) is two fold. There are real laws with real bite to them AND Bob Taylor owns the top ebony wood providing company to all other user companies and what he provides is what they get.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Yes, lots of people have good ideas. This guy is in a position to make a real difference and more fundamentally, to affect the perception and tastes of the guitar buying public at least to the extent that they (we) will have these previously wasted materials available.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

I've got one of those "B" grade ebony boards on my guitar, and I've always liked the look of it.


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Good for Bob Taylor! I know a lot of more boutique luthiers who have been advocating the same thing for a lot longer; however, it is up to people like Bob who can influence the guitar player's mentality. That being said, I'm happy I have an "older" Taylor with dark ebony.


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

ronmac said:


> Dana Bourgeois has been singing this song for the past 15 years...


Yes Dana Bourgeois has, and that as a low volume builder it's like the tail wagging the dog to try to influence public opinion, and that someone like Bob Taylor is better positioned to do so... Good to see this from Bob Taylor.

Consider how many streaked ebony trees have been wasted over the years. It makes me ill.

What also makes me ill, is all the cheap import guitars (and furniture even) being made with depleting resources of tonewood. I'd rather see Martin guitars made with real wood and import junk made from richlite and hpl instead of backwards as it is.


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