Taylor Guitars Big Baby 306GB

This one is a 2001 model with the standard Sapele laminated back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top with laser-etched rosette, tortoise shell pickguard, ebony fingerboard (with pearloid dots)and ebony bridge (outstanding for an entry level guitar!), mahogany neck, macarta nut and tusq saddle, chrome tuners, and satin finsh. It is the dreadnought body style, but 15/16 scale of a regular dreadnought. It came with a cool Taylor gig bag and an adjustment tool. The neck is bolted on with screws that are exposed at the 16th fret. It came with strap buttons already installed, so that was really nice. I would have given it a higher score, but let's be real....this guitar is not meant to be displayed.....it is meant to be PLAYED!!! If you prefer CHASING supermodels rather than DATING(cute) co-eds, then this guitar is not for you. Visually, this is a no-frills guitar......but the sound is anything but that!!!

I play everything from country to soft rock to folk and pop. This guitar is extremely versatile. Fingerpicking is easy and produces clear notes all the way up the neck. It can also handle some hard strumming, with just the slightest buzzing. The volume is proportional to its size. Their is not much bass to this guitar (I've only had it for about 3 months and it does seem to be opening up a little more every day), but I didn't expect it to sound like a D-35. I recently played a $600 Larrivee D-03 with solid mahogany back and sides, and this Big Baby with its laminated sapele (similar to mahogany in tone) back and sides sounded just as clear in the mids and highs, but warmer in the lows. Overall, the Big Baby was a better sounding guitar for half the price. This guitar is not one that you would want to record with, but the sound is definitely richer than many guitars costing twice as much.

The guitar was set up with the trademark Taylor low, smooth action. I can play it for hours without any pain or fatigue in my fingers. Taylor did an awesome job in manufacturing this guitar. Fit and finish were top-notch.

If you are looking for a guitar that you can leave lying around next to the couch to play while you are watching TV, this is the one for you. If you are looking for a guitar to take on camping trips (to accompany your singing.... not to use for kindling), this is the one for you. If you need something to learn on, and you want it to take you beyond that point, this is the guitar for you. If you want a guitar with great sound and action at a price that won't make you cry (like a Big Baby! Ha! Ha!) if you put a scratch on it, then this is the guitar for you. If you treat your gear like crap and you are into smashing things, then this guitar (or any guitar for that matter) is NOT for you......seek counseling.

I have not had to deal with them yet.

I also own a Taylor 814C, which is an all-around kick-ass guitar, but I have a puppy and I can't keep it out with the puppy running around. I was looking for something that would give me that sweet, balanced, Taylor sound at a price point that I wouldn't mind leaving out around the house. I've looked at Martins, Gibsons, Larrivees, Yamahas, Alvarez's, etc. and I have not found one in this price range that could give me the same sound and playability. This one is a no-brainer:
Taylor Big Baby.....$300
Elixir Light Guage Strings.....$15
Guitar Pick.....$0.25
Total amazement at the guitar shop when you hit your first chord on this guitar.....PRICELESS!!!

Solid, satin finish top. Very plane, with little to no detail. Exposed screws on neck make it look like my dad made it in the basement. Neck is thin compared to other guitars I liked, but very manageable. No pickups installed, but purchased Rare Earth.

Very rich, full sound. Incredibly impressed for a guitar of this size, and especially price range. Tried several pickups, and liked Rare Earth the best.

Well played right from the factory. The stain on the neck looks incomplete, but gives it a nice "worn" look. Not sure if it was an accident, or on purpose.

Had it for one day. Don't know yet.

My second guitar. I love how it plays, and it feels great in my hands. My final decision was between this and a $1000 Martin. I think I made the right choice.

Solid sitka spruce top, bound back and sides. Dark blonde finish on top and pale sides/back. Screwed on neck, which exposed fastenings that looks a bit unsightly. Typical Taylor pattern scratchplate. Elixir strings. Very basic layout and materials, functional but not flashy.

I have four acoustics and think I know a bad one from a good one. To be honest, if i'd paid #1000 for this guitar i'd be pleased as punch. Seeing as I paid a quarter of that price i'm bowled over. If has a bright, balanced tone and projects superbly considering the size. The top resonates beautifully and will only get better with time. The high notes are thin-ish and the bass notes very rich.

Excellent set up, fine-tuned by the technician at the dealers. The action is very low, which is a nice change from my other guitars. I can get much more 'speed' from this guitar as the effort required to play it is minimal. This is my first experience with Elixir strings too, which have a light polymer coating to reduce friction on the bass strings. Sounds weird, but damn me it works.

One criticism is that playing such a low action in conjunction with a capo produces a lot of string buzz.

The guitar is well finished with a couple of quibbles, the scratchplate is lifting slightly which is a fault with all Big Babies, and the screws on the neck are exposed. Pick one up and play it, and you won't notice either of these things.

Comes with a high quality tan Taylor-embossed gig bag which is very very nice, plus alan key and padded strap.

Seems well contructed. Not sure how long the scratchplate will last though.

They are legendary, and I look forward to putting them to the test if the scratchplate lifts further.

I have a Washburn EA10 which is in serious need of attention, a Yamaha F-series converted to lapslide, a Seagull 12-string and a Marshall AS50R acoustic amp. If this guitar was stolen, i'd buy a shotgun and track down and kill the thief (and his family) or offer him my dog in exchange for the guitar.
I compared it to other Taylors, some Tacoma's in the states, and a few Takamines. They are all nice, but trying any of them in comparison with the Big Baby and then trying to justify the price hike is a waste of time.

This is a wonderful guitar.

2001
Made In El Cajon (just outside of San Diego), California. 20 Frets. Elixer light-guage strings, Solid Sitka Spruce top, laminated Sapele sides (made in Spain), solid Mahogany neck, Satin finish over complete body, Ebony neck and bridge, die-cast silver tuners, 15/16 size body (about equivelant to a Grand Concert), signature Taylor THIN neck, Taylor custom gig bag included.

Overall, No-frills, but still has all you really need

Amazing sound for a guitar of this price and size. I have a few friends that have more expensive guitars (Taylor 510ce and a Larrivee) who could not get over the sound.

Well set up. Top well book-matched no flaws except one - the pickguard doesn't seem to be stuck down all the way. It almost appears like the guys at Taylor had a few pickguards that were slightly bent on the edges that they stuck down. (You can slide your fingernail underneath the edges.
Also - my friend has a Big Baby that was made at about the same time as mine that has the same problem.
Otherwise, all was good.

Seems delicate, yet very sturdy. I have had no second thoughts about taking it outdoors anywhere to play. It also comes with Elixer strings, which last longer

Very good customer service. Been to the factory a couple of times and they are very quick and efficent with all repairs and replies

I tried lots of guitars trying to find the perfect one, and, in my opinion, for the price, you cannot find a better sounding guitar

Made in El Cajon, CA (San Diego). 2001 model
for the store i bought it from, they gave me the gig bag. other places like guitar center charges the same price and an extra $30 for the bag.
I've owned and played it constantly for about a month now.
21 frets, neck a bit on the thin side. no pickups. 15/16 size dreadnought
has a shell-pattern pickguard
VERY NO FRILLS. as minimalist as they come.
soundhole has a laser-burned diamond pattern. oh, it comes with ELIXER poly-web strings, very nice quality!
Satin finish. sitka spruce top, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard.
you can tell from looking at it that very little time was spent on the appearance b/c ALL of their attention was put into to make the tone and playability. the materials
were of high quality.

I own several electric guitars and wanted an accoustic. I was aiming to get a good value and great tone, I think I found it. I wanted a good brand without a lower line name (i.e. epiphone or sigma), and i wanted a guitar made in the USA. The tone is very rich, very bright. When strummed hard, some guitars will buzz, but the big baby actually stays clear, loud, and crisp, but livelier. My music style is a mix of blues, classic rock, alternative, grunge, and radio pop. basically anything that's full with energy, emotion, or sounds good. I wanted something rhythmic, like a guitar i can play while i sing. This is that type of guitar. If you want to play pure soloing or finger-picking, perhaps this isn't for you. For great rhythm and setting a rich background, this is the best bang for buck. The only thing i don't like is that string bending is a bit hard b/c i'm more accustomed to soloing and playing blues licks. As long as you use a pick, single note sounds good.

The guitar was set up well. I picked it right off the wall and it's ready to play. parts are connected very well. the only thing is that the neck color is black, but the color's a bit fading (the blond color wood shows through the black). there's black philips screws on the 16th frets where they connect to the guitar. maybe it's a more solid design for the price, i don't know. but there are no flaws that take away from the tone. The wood, construction, and fretwork is flawless. saddle fit correctly, etc. all the stuff is made here in the USA, in El Cajon, that goes a long way in my book. there was no major shipping across from the other coast, so probably no mishandling or changing of temperature or moisture (no warping, etc.) it's probably less than a 30 min drive from taylor's office to guitar trader.

I think this guitar will probably withstand live playing. It's a satin finish though, so it might scratch easier. but it's got the pickguard. I probably wouldn't be thrashing something really hardcore w/ this one (that's what an electric's for!), but I can really see myself performing with this.
Strap buttons are solid.
I think I can depend on it, and probably wouldn't use a backup.

never had to deal with them, that's a good thing. building a good product is the best costumer support, meaning I never have to call them about problems because there aren't any.
the warranty is for the life of the guitar.

I've been playing off and on for 5 years. practice a lot from books and the net, taken some lessons, played in a garage band, probably look into the open-mic scene and local colleges just for shits and giggles. hopefully start puttin' stuff on the net. if by some odd chance I get lucky I might get into it full-on, but for now I'll be a weekend warrior. i'm an amateur/intermediate player.
I own a parker fly deluxe, kramer pacer, marquise(chinese strat knockoff), and a takamine g-126 (classical guitar). for amps i own a pignose portable and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (12"). Also gots some stomp boxes but that's another story altogether.
I shopped around online and around locally for alternatives and asked a lot of questions. it finally boiled down b/t the martin d-15, the ovation celebrity, the fender tele/stratacoustic, or the taylor big baby. the martin is more a lead-type guitar and pricier (near $600), and the ovation's are more than $100+ more than the big baby and they're made in korea. the statacoustics are very tinny and sustain is crap; they're made to play hooked up to an amp. i might get the others when I have more money.
If it were lost or stolen, I'd feel like crap b/c it is a good buy and a good product. I would get another guitar tho, or upgrade to a higher priced taylor (later!).
I don't quite like the lack of features, but for now I value tone over appearance and features. this guitar serves its role extremely well. It's the best in its category.
I love the TONE, it can compete with the best. for that I give it a 10.

Big Baby Taylor made in USA, 2000 model. 15/16 size dreadnought. Sapele Veneer back and sides, sitka spruce top, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and bridge. Enclosed, die-cast, chrome plated tuners. Scalloped x-bracing, satin finish. Came with deluxe gig bag and special tool for adjustement of Taylor's patented neck design. Beautiful guitar.

Very "clean and crisp" sound which is perfect for playing all types of music, as long as you play with a pick. If you like to finger-pick, the sound is very soft, and you can hardly hear if there's any back ground noise.

After having the guitar for a little over a month, the bridge began to pull away from the body of the guitar. When I called by dealer to report the problem, I did not have any problem getting the guitar sent off for repair. Being promised the guitar would be back in 3 weeks, sadly it took 5. When I got the guitar back, I was very shocked that Taylor sent me a brand new Baby instead of just fixing the brige. Not sure what was up with that, so I called Taylor, but I did not receive a straight answer as to why I got a whole new guitar out of the deal. My first Big Baby had a much prettier design in the wood and for some reason seemed to be lighter than my second. "Go figure!" Taylor did however change the warranty from a one year to a life time for their entire line of Baby's. (Even if you purchased your Baby prior to the conversion.) I've not had any problems as of yet with my second Big Baby, however a local guitar shop told me that they have had several complaints about the bridges pulling up from a Taylor guitar and said that this could be because Taylor doesn't "season their wood". Taylor definitely is not your traditional guitar manufacturer such as Gibson or Martin, and I recommend anyone buying a Taylor to check out their history on their web site.

I don't play on stage myself, but this guitar would be great for any gig. Even though my Big Baby had a flaw from the start, it seems though that it is a very durable guitar. I've even banged it lightly a couple times and it didn't even get a dint! The strap buttons seem solid, but I would recommend a locking strap with for any guitar. Overall seems to be very dependable.

Taylor's customer support didn't tell me exactly what happend to my guitar when it was sent off for repair, but they were very persistant to return my phone calls and email. Taylor even changed the warranty from a one year to a life time, so I can't complain.

I've only been playing about 6 months, but in comparison to my Santa Rosa and Hondo parlor guitar the quality is FAR better. If the guitar was stolen or lost, I would have to say that I would go for a cheap Martin, or Sigma. I also find my finger tips swollen and blistered from playing, even though my fingers are very well broken in. I love the guitars finish and look. If you are into "finger pickin'", I wouldn't recommend this guitar because the sound doesn't carry and is too soft. Throw in a pick and the sound is incredibly loud. I prefer my cheap 'ole Hondo parlor guitar when playing without a pick. My friend has a Fender acoustic and the Big Baby's look and sound puts his to shame. Anyone who sees the guitar and plays it says it is the best guitar they've played. You definitely get your money out of this one!