San Diego NEW PRODUCTS : Taylor Guitars Makes a Case for Better Fit and Strength

Taylor Guitars, the well-known, Santee-based guitar maker, now produces better-fitting, stronger and more stylish cases for acoustic guitars.

Taylor, which has been producing acoustic guitars since 1974, began manufacturing the cases after concluding that there was a shortage of quality cases.

Starting this week, all instruments crafted by Taylor will be packed and sold in the all-poplar cases. In November, the company will begin offering them for $200 through retail outlets.

“The typical case is made to fit any number of guitars because they all vary in design and shape,” said Kurt Listug, Taylor’s vice president. “As a result, we could never find a case with a snug fit. That’s why we decided to make our own.”

The cases, which feature a chestnut-brown vinyl covering, velvet interiors and an embossed, gold-leaf Taylor logo--are designed specifically for Taylor guitars, Listug said, but they will accommodate other brands as well.

The new cases provide better protection because the tops and bottoms are arched, he said. Because of that design, “it’s harder to shove the case into the guitar and crack the guitar.”

Musicians who travel may like the new cases because they are also smaller and easier to carry. “We don’t make them any bigger than they have to be,” Listug said. “It doesn’t have all the extra foam and padding.”

Initially, Taylor plans to manufacture 200 cases a month--just enough to match its monthly guitar production. After a year, Listug said, the company expects to double that. With more than 700,000 imported and domestic acoustic guitars purchased in the United States last year, demand is plentiful for handsome, durable cases, he said.

“You’ll be surprised how quickly people go through cases,” said Listug, 36, who, at age 21, teamed with Bob Taylor to form Taylor Guitars. Taylor, 34, is president of the company. He made his own guitars in wood shop classes during his teens and today designs the company’s instruments.

In 1974, Listug and Taylor were working at American Dream, a guitar repair and custom shop in Lemon Grove. They purchased the store and launched Taylor Guitars.