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Interior of an acoustic guitar on display at the Taylor Guitars factory in El Cajon

Taylor Guitars builds acoustic guitars in El Cajon and is owned by its workers

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Photo: Richard, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

In 1974, Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, who worked at a small guitar shop called American Dream in Lemon Grove, bought the business with a partner. Taylor built the guitars, and Listug ran the business side. They called it Westland Music Company, but the instruments carried Taylor’s name.

The company moved to El Cajon and grew steadily. Taylor’s guitars became known for being easy to play and for the use of computer-controlled machines that made guitars more consistent, an unusual approach in a craft-heavy field.

Wood and supply chains

Taylor has paid close attention to where its wood comes from. In 2011, it bought an ebony mill in Cameroon with a Spanish partner and began buying ebony with color variations that had previously been thrown away. It has supported replanting projects for ebony and koa.

Employee ownership

In 2021, Taylor and Listug sold the company to an employee stock ownership plan, making it 100 percent employee-owned. They said they wanted to protect the company and its workers from being sold to an outside owner.

Taylor employs hundreds of people in El Cajon and at a factory in Tecate, Mexico, just across the border. The company offers factory tours in El Cajon, which draw musicians and visitors. In East County, it is one of the best-known manufacturers and a significant employer.

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