YouSaid · the spoken record

Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor

lines on the record
66
first
2026-01-26
most recent
2026-01-26
sittings or episodes
1
sources
podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

  1. “And you would take over the lease of the space. Yep. Okay. So $3,700 was to buy the name of the business and his tools and equipment. I mean, when you heard that price, was that something that you guys could do easily?”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  2. “Thirty seven hundred for the business. Was that seems to me to be really low? Was that a lot of money in 1974? Because he was doing $30,000 in sales a year. Was that a lot, $3,700”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  3. “So this was a very small shop, probably the owner of the shop, Sam Redding. Well, from what I've read, it wasn't doing great. And I guess he decides in 1974 he wants to just move on. And he goes to his employees, including you guys, and says, hey, I want to sell it. Anybody interested in buying my shop? Do you guys remember how, I mean, did you, both of you immediately put up your hands and say, we want it?”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  4. “But you were, I mean, this was a small guitar shop in a suburb outside of San Diego, and you come up with this idea, and it's not like all of a sudden like Nirvana revolutionizes guitars. It would take a while for people to see this innovation. And so I'm assuming at the time the people around you weren't like, oh my God, Bob, you have changed guitars, right? They were just like, oh, this is great.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  5. “All right, so this is the first year 73, the both of you are working there, and I guess, Bob, I mean, you start to experiment with like different methods or techniques of making, particularly the neck of the guitar, explain what a guitar, an acoustic guitar neck was at the time and what you started to do.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  6. “I think, Bob, you were 18, and Kurt, I think you were 21 or 22 when you guys were there. And I mean, you were so young. So I have to assume that at the time, neither of you guys had big ambitions. Probably you were thinking, this is cool. I'm working at a guitar shop and I'm earning a paycheck.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  7. “Got it. Okay, I want to bring you and Kurt because meanwhile, you also grew up nearby in San Diego. Yeah. And from what I understand, you were a little bit of a hippie. I've seen a photo of you with like super long hair. And you were also getting really getting into music at the time. And eventually, I guess you end up dropping out of college and getting a job at the American Dream too, right? Like around the same time that Bob started there.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  8. “Yeah. And so basically, you finish high school in 1973, you get a job at American Dream specifically to build custom guitars for people who wanted to buy them.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  9. “And I think you continued to make a few more guitars in high school. And I guess it was around the time you discovered this little guitar shop in a suburb of San Diego called the American Dream. And I think they mainly did repairs or maybe they sold some supplies, but they also made custom guitars, and I guess it was run by this guy, Sam Radding.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  10. “And like fashion and food, the guitar business is also shaped by trends. When Taylor guitars started, disco and New Wave were on the rise, and acoustic guitar songs were considered boring and old-fashioned, but Taylor guitars adapted, experimenting with new designs, new manufacturing techniques, and eventually electronics that made acoustic guitars easier to amplify on stage. Through all of it, one thing stayed remarkably steady, the partnership between the co-founders. Bob focused on guitar design and innovation. Kurt ran the business side. We'll hear from Kurt in a minute, but first to Bob, who grew up mostly in San Diego. And as a boy, he was also getting interested in music.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  11. “Stadiums before sold out tours, before most people knew who Taylor Swift was. And we'll get there. By guests today, Kurtless Doug and Bob Taylor co-founded Taylor Guitars in the 1970s. The company grew out of a tiny guitar repair shop in San Diego into one of the most respected acoustic guitar brands in the world, right up there with Martin and Gibson. The brand really took off at least initially with the people who mattered most, serious musicians, the kind who obsess over tone and balance and how a guitar feels in your hands. Today, tailor guitars is a global company with revenue well into the nine figures, but in the beginning, growth was slow, painfully slow. When Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug started the business in the mid nineteen seventies, every guitar was made by hand. Sales came mostly through word of mouth. It took years just to gain traction.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  12. “One of the surprises Taylor Swift pulled off during her era's tour was to play an old guitar that for many of her fans was instantly recognizable, its painted bright blue and decorated with orange coy fish swimming around the center and down the fretboard, that guitar is so distinctive that for a time it was on display at the country music hall of fame. It was the guitar tailor used to record her album Speak Now. But when it quietly disappeared from its display case right before the eras tour launched, Swifties had a hunch that Taylor would bring it out on stage, and when she did, it was a big deal, especially for today's guests, because they made that guitar and gave it to her as a gift. And as you will hear, the connection between Taylor Swift and Taylor Guitars, no relation by the way, goes way back, back before.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  13. “Welcome to How I Built This is a show about innovators, entrepreneurs, idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built. I'm Guy Rosen on the show today, How Bob Taylor and Kurt Lista pooled their money to buy a tiny guitar shop in San Diego and built one of the most popular acoustic guitar brands in the world. Taylor Guitars.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  14. “And when you're ready to launch, you offer code built to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Loans issued by Celtic Bank and serviced by Stripe. All loans subject to credit approval. Eight years in, I would have been like, What is going on? We've barely grown in eight years. We're still struggling.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  15. “At airbnb.ca slash host. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. I talk to entrepreneurs all the time who are looking for a way to upgrade their digital footprint. Well, whether you're just starting out or you're scaling your business, Squarespace is the easiest way to build a great website that stands out. It's an all-in-one website platform that gives you everything you need to claim your domain, showcase your products, and get paid. Anyone can use Squarespace's cutting-edge design tools to build an online presence that truly reflects what makes your business special. There are templates, intuitive drag and drop editing, and even an AI enhanced website builder. Then, Squarespace's built-in analytics tools help you make smarter business decisions, review website traffic, learn where to focus engagement, and track revenue all in one place. Looking to grow your business, Squarespace even offers fast, easy business financing through Squarespace Capital. Go to Squarespace.com.”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT

  16. “You know, one of my favorite parts of traveling is getting a feel for a neighborhood, the way locals do. A few summers ago, I was in Rome and stayed in an apartment I booked on Airbnb. It was tucked in a quiet neighborhood just outside the Roman forum. Every morning I'd walk to the corner cafe, grab an espresso, and just watch the world go by outside. I even managed to chat with the owner about the neighborhood he lived in for nearly forty years. And he got me thinking about my own neighborhood. There are incredible hiking trails and great restaurants and, of course, the beach. And when I'm traveling this summer, listing my own place on Airbnb could be a really smart way to let someone else experience the area the way I do, like a local. Listing your home on Airbnb while you're traveling is a great way to make some extra money. You could put the money toward your next trip. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much”

    2026-01-26 · How I Built This with Guy Raz · Taylor Guitars: Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor. From $3,700 Shop to Global Icon · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT