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Guitar
Maker: Taylor Guitars
Date: 2002
Place Made:El Cajon, California, United States, North America
Model: LTG / Liberty Tree Grand Theater
Serial No: 20020325126 / No. 194 of 400
SignedPrinted in tan, red, and black on paper label visible through soundhole: MADE IN THE USA / LIBERTY TREE GUITAR / [the following underlined and printed in black] 20020325126 LTG 194 / SERIAL NO. MODEL NO./ [Robert Taylor signature in black ink] / ROBERT TAYLOR / ESTABLISHED IN 1974
Printed in tan and red on paper label affixed to neck block / QUALITY / Taylor® / GUITARS
Printed in tan and red on paper label affixed to neck block / QUALITY / Taylor® / GUITARS
MarkingsOval gold and black decal on back of head: MATT UMANOV / GUITARS / NEW YORK
Stamped on tuners: S / Made in Germany
Stamped on tuners: S / Made in Germany
DescriptionLarge trees were common meeting places in 18th century America - one, an elm in Boston, became the location of planned rebellion over the Stamp Act of 1765. The tree was also a site of celebration following the repeal of the act in the following year. Trees in other towns came to be named Liberty Trees after the original, and Liberty Trees also became a symbol of the French Revolution. A tulip poplar on the site of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland was one of these trees. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd caused catastrophic damage to this tree, and it had to be removed, after an estimated 400 years of life.
Taylor Guitars purchased 80,000 pounds of wood from this tree and used it to make the backs and sides of 400 LTG Liberty Tree guitars. After those sold out, remaining wood was used for 400 Baby Liberty 3/4-size guitars. Following the construction of those instruments, no remaining wood was sufficient to make guitar sides. After the introduction of the electric-acoustic T5, Taylor allocated the last of the Liberty Tree wood for the tops of 50 Liberty Tree T5s.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece quarter-cut Sitka spruce: medium grain; strong ray pattern
Back: two-piece tulip poplar cut off-the-quarter: very broad curl; narrow black-white-black wood purfling center stripe
Sides: two-piece tulip poplar cut off-the-quarter: very broad curl; sides divided by ebony strip at endpin
Head and neck: mahogany; head veneered with ebony, inlaid with 13-star U. S. flag comprised of light hardwood with curl, red tropical hardwood, blue-dyed light hardwood, and mother-of-pearl stars; ebony truss rod cover affixed to face with two Philips-head gold-plated screws
Heel cap: ivoroid
Binding: ivoroid on top and back; trim on top comprised of abalone strip surrounded on each side by thin black-white-black wood purfling
Fingerboard: ebony bound in ivoroid, 20 silver-plated yellow metal frets; single black plastic side dots behind the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th frets; double black plastic side dots behind the 12th fret; light, curled hardwood and red-brown tropical hardwood inlaid on lower portion of fingerboard with laser-cut words from the Declaration of Independence. This inlay continues onto treble side of top
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony with curved lower outline; bone saddle with single compensation on B string; ebony bridge pins with abalone eyes
Pegs: six gold-plated Schaller tuners with ebony heads
Strap button: turned, gold-plated brass with gold-plated screw on treble side of neck heel
Endpin: black metal with Allen key opening at end
Rosette: red-brown tropical hardwood inlaid with 13 mother-of-pearl stars on treble side, with light hardwood, red tropical hardwood, and dyed-blue hardwood stars and stripes banner with thirteen mother-of-pearl stars on bass side, which continues onto fingerboard
Pick guard: none
Finish: clear gloss nitrocellulose lacquer on body; clear matte nitrocellulose lacquer on neck
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; bevelled corners
End block: mahogany; bevelled corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace; two transvers braces in lower bout, two spruce scalloped finger braces on each side to the outside of the X-braces; spruce tapered upper transverse brace; small spruce reinforcement braces along soundhole; maple veneer along upper edge of soundhole; steel adjustment nut on laminated extension in front of neck; spruce bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce with tapered ends; spruce graft along center joint
Taylor Guitars purchased 80,000 pounds of wood from this tree and used it to make the backs and sides of 400 LTG Liberty Tree guitars. After those sold out, remaining wood was used for 400 Baby Liberty 3/4-size guitars. Following the construction of those instruments, no remaining wood was sufficient to make guitar sides. After the introduction of the electric-acoustic T5, Taylor allocated the last of the Liberty Tree wood for the tops of 50 Liberty Tree T5s.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece quarter-cut Sitka spruce: medium grain; strong ray pattern
Back: two-piece tulip poplar cut off-the-quarter: very broad curl; narrow black-white-black wood purfling center stripe
Sides: two-piece tulip poplar cut off-the-quarter: very broad curl; sides divided by ebony strip at endpin
Head and neck: mahogany; head veneered with ebony, inlaid with 13-star U. S. flag comprised of light hardwood with curl, red tropical hardwood, blue-dyed light hardwood, and mother-of-pearl stars; ebony truss rod cover affixed to face with two Philips-head gold-plated screws
Heel cap: ivoroid
Binding: ivoroid on top and back; trim on top comprised of abalone strip surrounded on each side by thin black-white-black wood purfling
Fingerboard: ebony bound in ivoroid, 20 silver-plated yellow metal frets; single black plastic side dots behind the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th frets; double black plastic side dots behind the 12th fret; light, curled hardwood and red-brown tropical hardwood inlaid on lower portion of fingerboard with laser-cut words from the Declaration of Independence. This inlay continues onto treble side of top
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony with curved lower outline; bone saddle with single compensation on B string; ebony bridge pins with abalone eyes
Pegs: six gold-plated Schaller tuners with ebony heads
Strap button: turned, gold-plated brass with gold-plated screw on treble side of neck heel
Endpin: black metal with Allen key opening at end
Rosette: red-brown tropical hardwood inlaid with 13 mother-of-pearl stars on treble side, with light hardwood, red tropical hardwood, and dyed-blue hardwood stars and stripes banner with thirteen mother-of-pearl stars on bass side, which continues onto fingerboard
Pick guard: none
Finish: clear gloss nitrocellulose lacquer on body; clear matte nitrocellulose lacquer on neck
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; bevelled corners
End block: mahogany; bevelled corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace; two transvers braces in lower bout, two spruce scalloped finger braces on each side to the outside of the X-braces; spruce tapered upper transverse brace; small spruce reinforcement braces along soundhole; maple veneer along upper edge of soundhole; steel adjustment nut on laminated extension in front of neck; spruce bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce with tapered ends; spruce graft along center joint
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1031 mm (40-19/32″)
Back length: 495 mm (19-1/2″)
Upper bout width: 277 mm (10-29/32″)
Waist width: 222 mm (8-3/4″)
Lower bout width: 379 mm (14-29/32″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 82 mm (3-7/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 94 mm (3-11/16″)
Rib height, at end block: 100 mm (3-15/16″)
Head length: 178 mm (7″)
Head width, top: 83 mm (3-9/32″)
Head width, bottom: 70 mm (2-3/4″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 360 mm (14-5/32″)
Neck width, nut: 44 mm (1-23/32″)
Neck width, heel: 56 mm (2-3/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4-1/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 649 mm (25-9/16″); low E: 652 mm (25-21/32″)
Back length: 495 mm (19-1/2″)
Upper bout width: 277 mm (10-29/32″)
Waist width: 222 mm (8-3/4″)
Lower bout width: 379 mm (14-29/32″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 82 mm (3-7/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 94 mm (3-11/16″)
Rib height, at end block: 100 mm (3-15/16″)
Head length: 178 mm (7″)
Head width, top: 83 mm (3-9/32″)
Head width, bottom: 70 mm (2-3/4″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 360 mm (14-5/32″)
Neck width, nut: 44 mm (1-23/32″)
Neck width, heel: 56 mm (2-3/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4-1/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 649 mm (25-9/16″); low E: 652 mm (25-21/32″)
ProvenanceLynn and Steve Dillon Collection, Woodbridge, New Jersey, 2021
Terms
Credit Line: Lynn and Steve Dillon Collection, 2021
Not on view
Object number: 15565