In the past year or so, Taylor has been busy revamping their entire line of guitars. They are adding new models with Gold Label Collection, which are inspired by the tone and aesthetics of instruments built in the 1930s but are crafted with modern construction techniques. They are reaching into their past with the Legacy Collection, which give you the sound and vibe of the earliest guitars Bob Taylor and his crew built in the 1970s and 1980s, but with some contemporary tweaks to playability. And they have refined the Standard line with a modified top bracing and a newly designed neck joint. This is all very exciting, but it does mean some models have been retired while some other guitars we have in stock will have the older features. We also have a handful of GS Minis in discontinued colors. We are offering these models at a reduced price and happily, they still come with the full Taylor warranty. 

The Taylor Builder’s Editions are designed by Andy Powers with a focus on combining comfort and ease of play with maximum responsiveness and tone. Most of the models feature a beveled armrest, chamfered body and fretboard edges, and a reshaped cutaway that flows smoothly into the heel and incorporates a finger bevel where the cutaway meets the soundboard. Other refined touches include “silent” satin finish, which helps quiet the incidental noise against the guitar body.

Taylor has redesigned their standard line of US made guitars from the 300 Series up to the Presentation Series. The Next Generation models have three bigs changes. They now have scalloped V-Class bracing under the hood. The new bracing increases the responsiveness which yields more warmth, power and open-string richness while preserving pitch accuracy that V-Class is known for. 

Secondly, they all have Action Control Necks, which have easier-than-ever string height adjustability. A long-tenon neck joint improves tonal transfer with the body for added warmth and sustain, while the shimless action control feature allows quick, precise string-height adjustments with a simple turn of a bolt through the soundhole.

And third, They are fitted with Taylor’s new Claria pickup, which has been designed with the input from score of players. The Claria pairs an undersaddle piezo pickup with a new proprietary preamp to deliver easy, reliable amplified tone in any live performance setting. Designed for versatility, its clear, natural voice can be shaped from lo-fi warmth to contemporary detail using the soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour and Tone controls.

Bob Taylor and his crew were making great sounding and playing guitars 50 years ago, and when those models have enjoyed reasonable care over the years they still play and sound exceptional. The Legacy models offer you a chance to get the sound and vibe of the original Taylors, with some contemporary tweaks than even the most hardened originalist will agree are improvements that Bob would have included back then if he could. Like the guitars built way back when, the new Legacy models have X-Braced tops, white binding and the straight-ear peghead shape that recalls the company’s Lemon Grove days.

With the Gold Label Collection, Taylor has designed a series of guitars that are inspired by the tone and aesthetics of instruments built in the 1930s but are crafted with modern construction techniques. The Collection consists of four body styles: the deep-body Grand Concert, the slope-shoulder Grand Pacific, the square-shoulder Dreadnought and the Super Auditorium. 

All of these guitars have torrefied Sitka spruce tops and Taylor’s new Fanned V-Class bracing, a combination that dials up formidable warmth, power and sustain. They all feature the long-tenon Action Control Neck which makes it easy to dial in the perfect feel in minutes.  

Long favored by advanced bluegrass flatpickers seeking maximum efficiency, a proper speed bevel is key to maximizing glide for players of any genre. With carefully designed edge geometries, these picks move effortlessly across the strings in both directions. Only Token uses a proprietary, computer-controlled milling process to cut these critical shapes into every pick with the consistency advanced playing demands, and with benefits for all levels of playing.

What Are They Made from?

Amber “No. 1” is a translucent US-made virgin polyetherimide long used in the pick industry for balanced tone, solid attack, low friction, and pro-level durability. Its ductile properties provide a soft feel while still delivering a bright, articulate, tone.

Tan “No. 2” is a virgin US-made polyetheretherketone with excellent mechanical properties. It maintains strength and stiffness, resists wear, and has a low-friction surface. It delivers a warm, balanced tone with a smooth, buttery feel. 

Green “No. 3” is a Token Made™ exclusive, made with a proprietary process from a unique formulation of US-made polyamide-imide. It delivers exceptional durability, surprising volume, velvet glide, and Goldilocks tone for a whole new flatpicking experience.

Earlier this year, a crew of builders from the Japanese company Creek Guitars stopped by with four of their guitars, and we were so impressed with their works that we got all of them. The folks at Creek describe their instruments as Brand New Vintage Guitars, and we think they have done an exemplary job of living up to their motto. They are focusing on the slope-shoulder acoustics and semi-hollow body electrics that were built in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the late 1950s and they have really captured the look, tone and feel of the era.

The quartet we got are part of Creek’s Time Machine Series and they all feature lightly aged finishes. The acoustics have torrefied Adirondack spruce tops, mahogany back and sides and Madagascar rosewood bridges and fretboards. The electrics also have Madagascar fretboard and with laminated maple back and sides. In a nice touch, they wind their own humbucking pickups. Please stop by and give them a try. We think you’ll agree Creek Guitar are something special.

We are very excited to announce the arrival of our Martin’s D-45 Project 91 guitar, which is a limited run of exact replicas of each of the 91 examples of the Model D-45 made before 1942. We got #3, which is based on the first 14-fret D-45. (The first and second D-45s were 12-frets.) The original version of our example, D-45S serial #63715, entered production June 29, 1936, and was sent to Hunleth Music in St. Louis when completed. Of course nobody knows for sure, but since the first two 14-fret D-45 models were made with a slightly wider Dreadnought body, one has to wonder if Martin’s original plan was to make their top Dreadnought model in this slightly larger size. This example is made of truly spectacular Brazilian Rosewood with an Adirondack spruce top and it sounds like a million bucks.

The Rest of the Story>

Dear Friends,

Gryphon will be closed Saturday, July 4, for Independence Day, as well as Sunday, July 5, and Monday, July 6.

When we reopen on Tuesday, July 7 we will be changing our store hours and Gryphon will no longer be open on Mondays, instead we will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 until 6.

By closing on Sundays and Mondays, we can have nearly our entire team available during business hours, allowing us to provide more efficient trade-in evaluations, repair consultations, and access to our specialized expertise when you visit.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to seeing you soon.

The Gryphon Crew

We started our eBay auctions as a way to clear out the collection of instruments needing work, and the parts to fix them, that have accumulated in our attic over the decades. We purchased them all with the intention of fixing them up to sell when the repair shop had some down time. Well, the flow of customer repairs has never slowed and some of these instruments have been up there for decades. It’s time to face the fact that if something has been sitting there for ten or twenty years, we are not likely to ever get around to fixing it. And even with that example, we are still taking in instruments that need work but instead of sitting on them for thirty years, we’re putting them up on eBay right away.

We start new auctions every Thursday so check back regularly. Who knows what treasures will show up?

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1920s Geib & Schaefer #440 Faultless 

Mandolin Case for Gibson F-5

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Fender has been making guitars under the Squier name since 1982, when they launched the line to compete with the inexpensive instruments then coming-out of Asia. Many of those import guitars and basses were based on classic designs like the Stratocaster, the Telecaster and the Precision Bass and Fender figured, correctly, they could do a better job of making entry-level Strats and Teles than anyone. Over the decades, the brand has grown to become one the most popular line of guitars for beginning and intermediate players in America. We are very excited to offer these well-crafted guitars and basses to you.

Squier Sonic Series

The Sonic series is Squier’s entry-level range and it includes well-made, inexpensive versions of famous Fender models like the Strat, the Tele, the Mustang and the Precision Bass.

Squier Affinity Series

The Affinity series is Squier’s flagship guitar range. This line includes classic models like the Stratocaster, the Telecaster, the Jazzmaster, the Precision Bass and the Jazz Bass at prices that won’t bust your budget.

Squier Classic Vibe Series

The guitars in Squier’s Classic Vibe series are based on vintage Fender models from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. These are a step up from the Affinity series and not only do the various models have the cosmetic features of vintage guars, the pickups are voiced to match the era.

Squier Paranormal Series

The Squier Paranormal series reimagines classic guitar designs with unconventional shapes and innovative features for a fresh take on tradition. These models feature unique pickup configurations, different switching choices and upgraded materials.

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It’s no secret that we’re big fans of carved top mandolins with oval soundholes here at Gryphon. While they don’t have the volume and projection that mandolins with F-holes have, they more than make up for it with a warm, bubbly tone that is well suited to Celtic music, jazz, classical, old-time string band music and just about any style that isn’t bluegrass. For decades, the only way to get your hands on an oval hole mandolin was to track down a vintage Gibson. Happily, there are now a number of builders making them in every price range.