Toured the Taylor Guitar factory and picked up some 4x4 blanks

[Brian Kent]

I do not play the guitar, but I do love wood and woodworking. I took some friends to the Taylor Guitar factory in El Cajon (free tours each weekday). The guides are the employees. Very knowledgable. Very interesting.

So the pictures are from the drying tents, stacks of neck blanks, and other awesome materials used in making over 100,000 guitars per year.

The last picture is a small box of cut-off mahogany that they let me take home. It looks promising that there will be a ton more available in the future.

[Brian Kent]

This picture with the pink label is their very rare legal Brazilian Rosewood. You get the full documentation proving cutting date (over 25 years ago) and shipping path to go with your guitar. Otherwise it can be confiscated at some borders.

[Roger Chandler]

Wow......I could almost get envious, Brian, but I shall restrain myself! :D I got a few billits of mahogany back a few years ago, and made a lamp, some boxes, etc from them. Mahogany is a joy to turn. Glad for your good fortune!

[Scott Hackler]

Very cool indeed. Not just for the massive wood collection but for the guitars themselves!

[Sid Matheny]

Very good gloat Brian. Please tell me they do not burn all those cut offs.

[Brian Kent]

First they offer them to employees for their own projects. Then they offer them to outside people / non-profits to use. Third, they throw them into a chipper and donate them to gardeners as mulch.

[Brian Kent]

Here is a jig photo that a friend got. On the right is a way to hold and dry the book-matched backs of guitars. They take their time selecting pieces to go perfectly together, glue, and put it on one of the arms of the press. It applies the right pressure on the edges and to hold the pieces flat together. Then they turn it one step by hand and do it again. By the time it is full, the first set is dry and they take it to the laser-cutter.