Hardware Podcasts

Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon

How I Built This · 26 Jan 2026 · 1h 09m

What this episode covers

Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, co-founders of Taylor Guitars, recount building the company from a $3,700 San Diego repair shop into a global acoustic guitar brand. They discuss key design innovations like the slimmer neck and the operational shift to one-guitar-at-a-time production, which improved cash flow. The founders also detail navigating market crashes, securing high-profile artist relationships with Prince and Taylor Swift, and executing a 100% employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) as a succession strategy.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Taylor Guitars, Martin, Gibson, Rothschild Musical Instruments
Also
Taylor Swift, Prince, Westland Music Company, Wooden Steel

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