Hello from Fairhope, Alabama (on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay)

[WoodKnot]

In an attempt to do some Internet research on my old Taylor guitar, I stumbled upon this sight.....
So I thought that I'd sign up and look around a little bit. My baby is a 1995 Limited Grand Auditorium- Walnut Spruce, otherwise referred to as GA-WS. She's #138/150 and we've been together since 1996.

I'm currently building a 1250 sq ft two-story woodworking shop here at the house from which I intend to build acoustic guitars. I'm a carpenter, and have built other instruments, but the need to control humidity and temperature is absolutely necessary down here on the Gulf Coast in order to build guitars, so that's why I'm currently building a shop and not a guitar.

I'll post this in another section also, but does anyone know where I can find marketing literature from 1995 advertising the Limited Series that my guitar belongs to? It was a series of 4(maybe 5) guitars introducing the new (at the time) Grand Auditorium body shape. I'm interested in any marketing information from the series, but definitely information specifically concerning my GA-WS.

Thanks for checking me out
And be blessed,

Joel (aka WoodKnot)

[TaylorGirl]

Welcome. We have another Joel from AL here.

[stepchildusmc]

welcome in Woody ! always good to have more here...especially someone with intimate woodworking/luthier skills !!!

[CodeBlueEMT]

 Hi Joel. Welcome to the UTGF. I'm sure someone will post more info on your GA-WS. A few might try to purchase her from you. We love pictures, especially builds. Glad you found us. Enjoy.  

[mgap]

Welcome to the forum.  That is a nice GA-WS you have.  Love the walnut tone. 

[Jersey tuning]

WoodKnot Welcome. Would not you love it if we all came over and did a barn ...er, workshop, raising?

[WoodKnot]

TaylorGirl- dulcimers are where I began this journey...I'll post a pic of my first build if you'd be interested. I don't know many other Joels, but my friend who is the international sales rep for Carvin Guitars is also a Joel.

stepchildusmc- my lutherie skills are, so far, acquired through building instruments with necks sitting atop the body (ie. dulcimers).....we'll see how I do when I finish the shop and attempt a guitar (where the force of the string tension desires nothing more than to slap the faceplate against the lower bout with a resounding pop). 
My carpentry skills, on the other hand, aren't where my OCD mind would like them to be.....but none of my worldly skills will ever live up to my own expectations.

CodeBlueEMT- I love pictures too, and I sometimes read the articles. 
I can't imagine any amount of $$$ separating me from her??? But hey, I've yet to be offered a sick amount of $$$ for her???
I have a whole lot of build pictures.....but they're of my shop.   

mgap- as far as I know, this was Taylor's first use of Claro Walnut??? I have a friend who dropped major bucks on a custom solid Koa Santa Cruz guitar. When he played my GA-WS he tried to trade me for it.
I love the tone so much that I purchased an almost identical back/side set and Master Grade Curly Sitka top set for a future build. I'm sold on Claro Walnut as a tonewood.

Jersey tuning- I'd be so ecstatic that I'd change my username to Wood Too!!! I'm tired of building a shop.....and ready to build guitars!!!

[TaylorGirl]

TaylorGirl- dulcimers are where I began this journey...I'll post a pic of my first build if you'd be interested. I don't know many other Joels, but my friend who is the international sales rep for Carvin Guitars is also a Joel.

Sure, I'd love to see pics of your dulcimer/s!

I currently have a McSpadden, a Clemmer, a FolkRoots and an Olympia (walkabout). I am getting a custom build being done right now by Doug Berch.

Maybe he'll chime in here, but the other Joel from AL is "blueshwk".

[Strumming Fool]

Welcome Joel-

Your guitar is representative of the period of time when the grand auditorium (GA) model was first introduced by Taylor. I have a 1995 GA-KS (koa/sitka) from that same time period. I believe that 100 of each wood combination were manufactured at that time. They're special guitars--unfortunately I have no marketing material as I acquired mine used from an estate sale in 2012.

Hope you enjoy your stay here!

[michaelw]

i'll keep an eye out to see if i can find anything in this format
http://www.mulhern.com/pdfs/taylor20anniv_tbl.pdf

there were six different GA-LTD models in 95 -
GA-WS - 150 made, became the W14ce in 01, but with claro walnut, 98-00 had cedar tops
http://www.elderly.com/items/20U-12836.htm

apparently, the GA-WS models were made with black walnut,
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=97771&postcount=4

the cujo guitar, made in 97, was also black walnut -
http://www.elderly.com/items/20U-10593.htm

other guitars in the 95 GA-LTD series -
GA-MC - mahogany cedar, 300 made, became the 514c in 96
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-10984.htm

GA-RS - rosewood sitka, 300 made, became the 814c in 96
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-1995-Limited-249-300-Rosewood-Grand-Auditorium-/331182526266?nma=true&si=Wg7UP6qBDKW%252FcBlY8viSp62ERmM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

GA-KC - koa cedar, 100 made, became the K14c in 98
http://www.elderly.com/items/20U-13507.htm

GA-KS - koa sitka, 100 made, became the K14ce & GA-K in 08
http://elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-15212.htm

GA-BE - brazilian engelmann, 50 made, no abalone purfling on back & sides, precursor to the PS
http://www.bgwguitars.com/data/taylor133.htm

[WoodKnot]

Thank You michaelw. I've always been under the impression that my guitar had Claro Walnut back and sides...not Black Walnut...Go Figure?.?

[TaylorGirl]

So, where are your dulcimer pics?

[WoodKnot]

Here you go, Susie...sorry for the delay, but we've been pushing some pretty long days trying to finish up this custom remodel of a yacht interior for the client. By the time that I get home, I'm pooped...and then my 8 year-old wants to play...and I want to be "SuperDad".     

[WoodKnot]

Hey Strumming Fool. You sure have a lot of really nice guitars in that collection. Maybe one day I'll be able to tempt you into wanting one of my builds

I've never seen one of the GA-KS. What is the Kujo14, and where does the name originate?


Joel

[WoodKnot]

Here's a few pics of my GA-WS...