<p>Taylor Guitars have built a reputation among musicians and enthusiasts for expertly made, beautifully crafted instruments.</p>
<p>And in a few days, the company will bring the best of the best to guitar lovers in Johnson County.</p>
<p>The Taylor Road Show will make a stop from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday at Guitarworks, 996 S. SR Road 135 Suite J, Greenwood. The traveling “petting zoo” for guitars will feature representatives from the company showing off and performing with some of their most popular models, as well as some unique and custom-made pieces.</p>
<p>Attendees will have a chance to learn about the strengths and sounds of the different sizes, shapes and wood combinations of Taylor guitars.</p>
<p>“They’re bring 30 to 40 guitars with them, on top of our own inventory, that are all of different design and style. They’ll explain the philosophy of the build of a particular guitar, and then plan to the strengths of that particular build,” said Kevin Franklin, owner of Guitarworks. “You get to hear in the hands of a pro what this guitar really does compared to the others.”</p>
<p>Making the free event more special is that the road show is coming back to the place where it first started.</p>
<p>Though Taylor is a California-based company, the idea to do a road show first formed during demonstrations they used to do at Guitarworks. The store had carried Taylor guitars for much of its 33 years, and Franklin had the idea to put together a hands-on event for customers in 2004.</p>
<p>He worked with his account manager with Taylor, and the event proved to be a huge success.</p>
<p>“I told them we needed to make a massive expansion of this, bring it in on our stage,” Franklin said. “They took those ideas and turned it into the first Taylor Road Show. Now it’s their biggest program of outreach.”</p>
<p>Taylor officials were so impressed that they started doing similar events all over the country. Guitarworks remained one of the keystone stops, though.</p>
<p>Tuesday’s event will feature Kenny Echizen, a Taylor product specialist, performing and showing off a wide variety of guitars. People will learn about how different guitar shapes and woods affect the tone, get tips on choosing the right guitar for their playing style and get questions answered by experts.</p>
<p>“It’s an educational type thing and a performance, then afterwards, people can get their hands on these various guitars, feel and hear firsthand what these guitars can do,” Franklin said.</p>
