Taylor Guitars Big Baby

A plain and simple 2002 Taylor Big Baby, with pickguard and the Taylor padded bag.

Having lived with this guitar for nearly two years now, I feel I'm finally up to giving it a considered review. When I first bought it, I'd never owned a steel-stringed guitar; I had owned several classical guitars which I'd never learned to play properly. Buying the Big Baby was partly to force myself to get to grips properly with rhythm guitar and to fulfill a longstanding love of some types of country, folk and bluegrass music.

I have to say I've found this guitar suits all those styles - it is incredibly versatile. Of course, being such a small guitar, it isn't powerful, but it is crisp, bright, intimate, and largely well-rounded apart from a slight lack of bass, especially if you play with a capo on fret 4 or higher. It's a great guitar to sing over as you won't be overpowered by the volume of the thing (you should be able to hear yourself!), and equally you're unlikely to keep the neighbours awake if you strum into the night. Compared to a Taylor 310 - admittedly one I tried in the shop, which might have had oldish strings - I have to say the Big Baby stands up surprisingly well; the 310 is for my taste a little brash and boomy. The Big Baby can be brash as well if you try to eke loads of volume from it, but treat it reasonably and it shines.

I seldom see reviewers mentioning the plectrum they use, which is odd because simply by varying your pick you can get quite a variety of sounds from this (and any other acoustic) guitar. With a medium Jim Dunlop nylon pick, the Big Baby comes across quite mellow and warm; for bluegrass-style alternating bass mixed in with chords, however, I prefer a Jim Dunlop Tortex pick, which really lends this guitar a great deal of projection and clarity. Celluloid picks are a happy compromise between the two. In all cases, I stick with a medium to medium-heavy pick, as going to anything heavier does tend to push this guitar into that brash overdrive. Oh, the guitar makes a decent recording instrument, if my experiments with a simple all-purpose mike are anything to go by.

Appearance-wise, the Big Baby's unadorned natural finish is really pleasant, and to my eye it's simply prettier than the darker, glossy 310. My guitar has some discolouration on the high frets of the neck, which annoys me a tad though it is apparently not unusual.

The action was a little low to start with, and to be honest this is the only area in which I've had problems. I've had to have the guitar set up about three times in the two years I've owned it, and each time it's set up it has to be tweaked again within four weeks, because the neck keeps moving. Basically the neck tends to become too flat and so the low strings buzz against the middle of the neck. Why this is happening is a mystery to me and to the technician: the guitar is kept in its gig bag when I'm not playing, and though humidity is the obvious suspect, it's not as though London weather (or conditions in my living room) is extreme.

In other respects the Big Baby is competently put together, as you'd expect from Taylor, and very comfortable to play in your lap or standing up. One little personal complaint is that the neck width is a little narrow for my stubby fingers - I'd prefer the 1.75" nut used on Taylor's full-sized guitars. Also, the tuners could really be better.

People say these guitars are light and fragile. They are light, without doubt, but you'd have to be terribly clumsy or wilfully negligent to damage it. After two years my Big Baby still looks like it's in mint condition, and I have played live with it once and would certainly do so again if people would hire me. :-)

No experience of dealing with Taylor, though their UK agents Sound Technology (www.soundtech.co.uk) seem good at handling queries.

This is such a wonderful guitar for beginners and competent players alike - if only it were a bit louder and bassier, but you can't have everything. There's really hardly anything to dislike and much to appreciate for a very reasonable price. If it were stolen, well once I'd got over the shock I'd probably treat myself to the similarly sized (but much more expensive) 312ce, which I imagine would be very similar in volume and tonal response, with the bonus of the Taylor Expression System pickup and (I would hope) perhaps more shades and subtleties - not that the Big Baby is an unsubtle guitar.

Mine was made Jan. 16 2003,I bought it in March of 2003 for $329.00.It features a SOLID Sitka Spruce top,Sapele sides and back(laminate). The fretboard IS Ebony (They do not use faux ebony!Any discoloration,"light yellow or cream" is normal for the wood.Taylor allows this on even their high end models.The bridge is also Ebony.There are no electronics,I would have gladly paid more for a pickup system,but Taylor does not use cheap electronics thus raising the price past the "target" market.It came with a great "gig bag".Will try to get a case for it soon, I feel I have pushed my luck,I take mine all over the place!

This is where this instrument shines!!I play hard,light,flat pick,fingerstyle, all kinds of music and this guitar always sounds great!!It is a pleasure to play and to listen to.You would never guess it is not a full sized guitar from hearing it!I could go on and on but I would be wasting time I could be playing it!

Picked it up at the store(Guitar Center)and did not have to do a thing to it.In fact there were 3 or 4 more to choose from and they all were set up great.Do not know if that was Taylor or Guitar Center though.My Big Baby stays in tune!I use several alternate tunings and a capo at several positions and I have never had a problem.Had to put it away for a while due to health problems (forgot to slacken the strings also)went from winter to spring,pulled it out and was still in tune!Swear on my Big Baby!

Would I take this guitar on the road as my main axe? No. Why? It does feel a little bit on the fragile side.Could be because it is light as a feather.Flip the coin on that one and you have a guitar you can play forever with no fatigue.The only thing that scares me is the neck joint.There are two wood screws driven into the fretboard at the 16th fret.This neck joint allows EASY access to the higher notes but I do worry about strength.

Have not had a need for support with this instrument,but I have dealt with them before and was more than pleased.Prompt is an understatement!

Have been playing for about 20 years(37years old)I have owned many guitars and basses from every price range.Bought this guitar after playing it for only a few minutes(something I never do!).Have laid several tracks with it (mic)and I fooled everyone who heard them.This guitar is all about the tone!In my Humble opinion there is no guitar near this price range that can touch it.

Ebony Fingerboard, 20 frets, Grover Tuners, solid spruce top.

not alot of features but enough to get you by.

here is where i want to rave. I do not own one, but I wanted to review on how good this thing sounds. I played with it for about ten minutes at a local guitar shop...but before you flame me, let me explain.

This thing sounds so sweet it's not even funny. This thing pours out beautiful Taylor tone and playability. I compared it to a 314ce (my personal favorite of all time acoustic), a 310, a 712ce, and even an 814ce! This thing sounded just as good as those other ones, but at a price 4-5x less!!! And when I say it sounded just as good, I'm not saying that it sounded "taylor" like all of the others, I'm saying that really couldn't tell any difference! It sounded THAT good! I know I'm raving here, but I just thought I would share. I'm not sure if this one is special somehow, but it just sounds phenomenal. So you're saying ten minutes isn't enough to play with a guitar. Sit down for ten minutes straight with a guitar or just sit there...that's quite awhile. I didn't have to play it too long to decide that this guitar rocked my world.

The ONLY drawback is that it looks like a child's guitar and that it has a really small body. However, the tone just makes up for it completely.

The woods were really nice looking, not sure what it was built with, but whatever it was, they were extremely good tonewoods. The action was great, not too high or too low, and the taylor sparkle was just there with every pluck of the strings.

Nice guitar, indeed.

It's small, so I don't know how well it would hold up... don't take it to backyard wrestling, and hit your opponent with it, nor would I recommend you throwing it in the back of a pickup truck while traveling in the black hills to be tossed around and even possibly thrown out.

For home use and occasional live use though, this one's a winner.

Weee. nope.

I have been playing approximately 2 years and I currently own two guitars (though at one time I owned five guitars and then some). My acoustic right now is a Yamaha FG412-S which really is a great value. This Big Baby has me sold though. I love it. I think I'm going to go in and play it once more, then throw it on layaway. Seriously, it has me sold. And I believe that if you find "THAT ONE", that you should jump on it, because chances are, you won't find it again.

I still love the 314ce, still my favorite, but for $458.00?!?! GET REAL!!! Big Baby equals BIG VALUE.

God Bless!

2003 model. Mine is similar to all the other descriptions except it has faux ebony fingerboard with a big yellow smear between the 9th and 15th fret. I bought it as a "camp-out"/alternate tuning/slide/mando-itar. Very nice gig bag.

Sounds very good for an affordable mini-guitar. I play all manner of rock, folk, blues, bluegrass. Finger pick or flat. I really disagree with the others in that my instrument has a very strong base and bright high end with no middle. It projects amazingly well for such a small body. You'd have to mike it up in live situation but for banging around the living room doodle fest or at the camp fire, it is fine. I have high-topped it and it sounds much more balanced. It can pull off a mandolin-like sound pretty nicely.

It lacks sustain when used with a slide and has no complex overtones.

The B. Baby sounded fantastic when compared to other $500 or less guitars. Not in the ball park with my Martin's though.

Moderately high action that was lowered easily enough. Intonation was fine but the sucker will not stay in tune. Very poorly cut nut and saddle. Broke three strings at the saddle within an hour of bringing it home. A little emory fixed that but I was surprised that Taylor let it out that way. Frets are polished but could use a bit more work.

Body and neck fit great, looks nice except the ugliest fingerboard ever...I got $30 bucks off so no real complaint but how it got out of the factory is beyond me.

Oh, did I say the tuners are crap? Very, very, VERY annoying...

I've had it for a year and have knocked it around pretty good but it plays and sounds the same as when I bought it. I could never use this for a gig as it won't stay in tune but everything else is fine.

I know Taylor will support their products and I have discussed my problems with people over there that I know...but it is a $300 dollar guitar and a mighty fine one for that price. I really didn't expect any help and I didn't get any.

Been playing for 40 years. Got a Martin 000-28ec and a HD-28, yamaha 12 string, Heritage 555, USA Standard Strat. I got what I paid for. It makes a great beginners ax or a knock around second or third guitar. A little work and they'll play great but the tuners are crap. I'm torn between fixing it up with new ones or just putting up with it. I migh buy another if the tuner problem was solved.

How in the HELL can you people rate this guitar's sound, action, fit and finish with a 10? That said, I'm giving it a 6 but when compared to other instruments in it's price range, it's a 9.

Havn't been playing very long.Started with an Ibanez Artwood-just OK. Returned it for "something else"at G.C.-God bless them people,they'le take anything back within 30 days. Saw the Bib Baby. Picked up the Big Baby....PLAYED the Big Baby. Ran to the checkout and confirmed that "I would NOT be returning THIS guitar." I can't put it down once it's cradled in my bosom.

Has to drop the action.Also change the strings regularly with Portland acou. lights from Webstrings.com($3.50 per set!)

Glad I selected this model specificly for recording.I've set it up with two Neumann KM184's and it just sounds fantastic! Want to further the recording quality with John Pearse strings and possibly an IVORY saddle,which one reviewer claimed made a noticeable difference.Gotta run now-The Big Baby wants to be loved!!!

This guitar is very plain looking which is actually kinda good considering it's 15/16th size. it makes it look cute. It has a very light satin finish. But forit's price how can ou argue with ebony fretboard, sitka spruce top and sapelle sides? Truly your best bang for your buck. Not to mention it comes with elixars!!!

I play most alternative and classical rock. And it suits my style fine. Many people complain about it lacking bass. But I only find that true when you compare it with the high end taylor like the 310 and up. comparing the bass tone with like a...regular ibanez dreadnaugh won't cause too much of a diffrence. overall it's very nice sound that has that crisp taylor trademark sound for under 300!!!

Action was great right form the start, I have't need to adjust. My one complaint is the same as other guitarist with the big baby taylor. The A string drones. light the baby taylor under flouresent light and pluck all the strings. Then watch the A string...you'll see what I mean. It doesn't really bother me that much, but it causes the the notes on the A string to have really bad sustain. Otherwise everything was top notch quality.

I wouldn't reccomend this guitar for live playing, if you want a live playing guita I'd suggest somehting along taylor's x12 or x14 series. I've dropped this guitar many times, it even has a dent on the Side!!!! but it still sounds good and no problems so no worries for me. If I was to gig I'd use this guitar as a backup or for an alternative tuning for one song. if lost, I would definatly buy another one.

never talked to Taylor

I own The Taylor big baby, A takamine Jasmine (don't laugh!) and a Epiphone Sg Gothic 400. I'm currently saving up money for a taylor 414 or 314. Hands down this is the best guitar for the price range. And it's a taylor so if you don't like it you'll be able to sell if for value. A used TAylor is cool, a used yamaha is well...a used yamaha

This Big Baby was made in 2003 in El Cajon (pronounced L CAHON), California. Yes this baby is Made in the USA. The back and sides are sapele laminate. The top is solid Sitka Spruce. The soundhole is laser etched. The neck is made of Tropical American Mahogany. It has an ebony bridge and fretboard with pearloid dots. The headstock overlay is lexan. It has Macarta/Tusq nut and saddle. The tuning machines are just enclosed die cast and chrome plated. It came with and I continue to use Elixir Acoustic Light Gauge strings. THe scale length is 25 1/2", body width is 15", 19 1/2" body length, 4" body depth, and 40 1/4" overal length. The truss rod is adjustable, and Neck width at the nut is 1 11/16". This guitar has 20 frets, X-bracing, and a satin finish. It came standard with a very nice padded Taylor Gig Bag.

I will play just about any kind of music. It just depends what kind of mood I am in. I like Blues the most and this guitar is great. The sound is superb. It has nice low's and bright highs. The Elixir strings really compliment this guitar well. I belive the material the nut and saddles are made out of really help a lot. Intonation is great.

I have a $1,200 Ovation Elite Standard Balladeer and this guitar blows it out of the water in every way. The action is perfect for lead and rhythm. I am a finger picker and this guitar is just perfect. The Satin finish is okay and the fact there is no binding. It kind of makes it look handmade and more rustic. That's cool to me. There were no flaws in this guitar at all.

The guitar seems a little light is all. I don't plan to go on the road. Not sure how it would take a beating, but all in all I think it will last a long time and it could be depended on.

I have called Taylor many times to inquire about various things and they have always been helpful.

I have been playing for 14 years now and this guitar blew my mind. So much so I had to go out and buy the new Taylor 214. The only thing I have added to this guitar was a set of Ebony Bridge Pins with Abolone dots. I bought them from Taylor for $12 a set. I put them on both this and my 214. I am highly please with both guitars and will never stray from Taylor as long as they continue to make such superb instruments.

Made right here in California with a solid top for $320? what i really like about this guitar is that it has everything you need for good sound with nothing you don't. That's what keeps the cost so reasonable. No binding, no inlaid headstock or rosette, no thick lacquer finish, no backstripe, no veneer on the headstock... What's more the bolt on neck (with its ugly screws) i now swear by, because it makes the thing as easy to play as an electric or a cutaway. there's no dovetail at the end to keep you from playing all the way up. The tuners are not the best i've seen, but a substantial improvement over most in this price range. I do have to fine-tune it every other day (but that's partly because i'm really anal about being exactly in tune). I had to ditch the Elixirs and put on some D'Addario EXP's. I'm giving it a nine because the features it has have been very well thought out, and i think it would destroy most of its charm to have inlays and shine and all that. Plus, this geetar came with a great soft case, one of the best gig bags i've seen (except i had to add the second shoulder strap to make it work like a backpack). The gigbag is key since i travel a lot.

Well, i had never heard of the Big Baby series when i played this one. I walked into the "$1000 & Up" room at the store and started playing Taylors, which i have always drooled over. Then this simple one caught my eye, and i figured it must be Taylor's $800 "cheapie" like the other companies make. I picked it up and decided it sounded all right for a mid priced Taylor, looked at the price tag to confirm my suspicion and promptly bought the thing when i read $320. The sound is subtle, but bright, even and punchy, without much bass (sadly-my only complaint). Along with the wonderful neck the sound is perfect for fingerpicking and intricate soloing. A perfect around-the house guitar, comfortable and familiar. I would give the sound a 15 if i could, it is that far above and beyond anything in its price range.

I love the action, the playability is incredible compared to any larger guitar. It was set up really low, but with no buzzing anywhere. The wood seems to be very high quality, though the inner braces aren't sanded down or finished. but really, they're inside the darn thing, who's looking anyway? On the outside the finish is spot-on, with pieces aligned incredibly close. I like the lack of binding, because it shows off the amazing job Taylor has done matching the top and sides. That spruce-meets-mahogany edge is more attractive to me than any pearloid-herringbone-solidgold-showoff edging ever could be.

This is the big flaw. This is without a doubt a fragile instrument. It's delicacy does serve a purpose: the lightweight wood vibrates wonderfully and contributes to the awesome sound. But i am scared to death of knocking this thing over or dropping it on the strap button. I'm afraid it'll just explode into fragments... with no kerfing supporting the back, i fear the worst one day. But then, to replace it would not be a wallet-busting ordeal... I have already dinged it a few times, despite being careful. I try to always keep it in the case. I knocked my keys (4 on a plain keyring) off the shelf above it and they put a good ding in the spruce... oh well.

N/A, but i've heard they're great

I've been playing for seven years, and am an Art Studio major at UC Santa Barbara. I hear a lot of people saying how plain and boring this guitar looks, and how they "definitely didn't buy it for the looks." But personally, my Baby's simplicity makes it more attractive to me than 99% of the guitars out there. It is elegant, honest, and displays fine workmanship without any showboating. Were Taylor to make a guitar with the same lack of appointments, bolt-on neck, and satin finish in a full scale, with a solid back and sides and Grover tuners, i would have my ideal instrument.

My guitar was made in April 2003 in the Taylor factory in El Cajon, CA, USA. It is a 15/16-sized dreadnaught. It has a solid sitka spruce top with laminated sapele (a mahagony-like tonewood) for its sides and back, with satin finish. Its neck is made of Tropical American Mahagony. Comes with a gig-bag that is better and more protective than all other gig-bags I have held in my possession before. Big Baby Taylors do not come with pickups, although I know of a number of people who do wish they did...I personally would have liked the idea as well. Other vital information about this guitar can be obtained at the Taylor Guitars website (it is by far one of the most educations guitar websites I have visited). This guitar is absolutely simple and does not even have a binding, although there is a laser-etched soundhole rosette; which brings me to the most important point I want to make about its features - the Big Baby is not a guitar that is manufactured for aesthetic purposes. It seems to be manufactured for people who already HAVE an existing full-sized guitar, especially Taylors (like myself) and who need a second guitar for casual use; and also for people who are helplessly desperate for a Taylor sound but find the full-sized Taylors unaffordable. I am giving this category a 10 because the guitar absolutely provides all the basic features necessary to provide the guitarist with a pleasant accoustic-guitaring experience. Hence, "features" here is not to be understood within the dimension of physical aesthetics.

I play mostly fingerpicking and fingerstyle, strumming only occasionally. I have not installed any pickups onto it and do not intend to do so anytime in the near future until a need arises. But after my purchase, several other friends have ordered their Big Babies and will install L.R.Baggs iBeam Active pickups on theirs. I trust it will sound good to the extent that the iBeam Active will project the sound of the guitar as it is. What kind of sound does the guitar make? A Taylor sound...this is what most Taylor-lovers fell in love with, isn't it? But the Big Baby is a little lower on the bass as compared to full-sized Taylors, but it is not to be faulted for that. It still provides a very full and amazingly attractive sound. I dare say it sounds better than 90 percent of the full-sized guitars I have heard in the market (maybe it is because I live in Malaysia and Singapore - back and forth - and there just aren't that many good guitars available in this part of the world). But the sound of the Big Baby basically makes me want to play it all the time. It is also the sound that made some of my friends decide almost immediately that they would like to have a Big Baby. I suppose for many of the Taylor fans, it is like a moment of truth!

I am not sure that the guitar was set up only at the factory because I think some adjustments may have been made by the resident luthier of the distributor over here. But the action was low and just right. I have owned the guitar for about two weeks by now, and I have not discovered any flaws in it as yet. There are some rough edges at the soundhole, although that can only be reasonably expected for a guitar thus priced. Again, I am giving this an 8 because a rating needs to be commensurate with the intended level of the guitar. An 8 means it is wonderful, but that Taylor could have added a little more into it to make the owner even happier than he/she already is! But as it stands, it is good enough.

It does seem a bit fragile; but then again, that can be deceiving. I suppose I will only know after an extended period of playing it. The finish may be rather thin, but again, expecting much more than this for such a price may not be reasonable on the part of the buyer. But in the final analysis...YES, I CAN DEPEND ON IT. I do not use it in environments that require amplification, as my full-sized Taylor would do that well for me. The Big Baby is used more within the context of smaller groups and gatherings that do not require amplification, as well as for personal use. I am giving it a 10 for "reliability" because it obviously is not rock solid (but which guitar is?).

I understand that Taylors give a lifetime warranty for ALL their guitars (if I am misperceived on this issue, I stand corrected). I purchased my Big Baby in Singapore, and the warranty is covered by the local distributor...and they provide a year's warranty for all Baby Taylor models, including the Big Baby. I have yet to require any service for the Big Baby. I am unsure if I am supposed to comment on the customer support offered by Taylor Guitars or by the local distributor. As far as Taylor Guitars is concerned, I sent them an email informing them that I am awaiting the delivery of a Baby Taylor 301 (yes, a third Taylor guitar that I am intending to purchase), and that I would like to have a pickguard for it because Baby Taylors do not come with them. Furthermore, for some reasons I shall refrain from disclosing, I did not want to go to the local distributor to ask if they have any. I told Taylor Guitars that I was living in Malaysia and that I would very much loved to have a pickguard for my Baby Taylor, but didn't know how to get it. Within a matter of several minutes, they replied my email asking for my residential address with no other questions asked. As of now, I have received the pickguard even BEFORE my Baby Taylor is delivered...need I say more? As for the local distributor, I do not suppose I would like to publicly comment much on my experiences with them. But I do think that Taylor owes it to themselves to ensure that they appoint distributors that are truly representative of their friendly image. So the rating of 10 that I am giving is for Taylor Guitars (and not for other parties involved in my purchasing experience). And the rating is a 10 only because it cannot get any higher than that.

I have been exposed to and began playing the guitar even before I could speak fluently! I have owned other acoustic guitars before, consisting of several mid-ranged Yamaha models and two Washburn models (one mid-ranged and one high-range). Nothing has beaten the Taylor guitars that I have held so far. I have compared them to some top-range Martin guitars, and was still more amused and amazed by the Taylors. At the moment, I still have in my possession a Yamaha APX6NA (a nylon-string guitar).

Anything else I would like to share? I guess so. Some people have asked me why put all my eggs in the same basket...why exclusively own Taylors. I suppose it is because I have found a sound that I have been looking for all my life, and will be devoted to playing a guitar that I deem does justice to all the efforts I have put into scaling the heights of acoustic guitaring. Watching people like Doyle Dykes and Tommy Emmanuel, I realise I am not quite there yet...but Taylor guitars simply make it easier for me. And if like me, you need to have a guitar with you wherever you travel and you want it to feel like a full-sized guitar without being too cumbersome, I highly recommend the Big Baby. After my purchase of the Big Baby, several of my friends tested it out and placed orders for theirs within less than two weeks of my purchase. This highly attests to the captivating properties of the Big Baby, wouldn't you say?

After running out of patience with a crappy old guitar I had bought at a yard sale for a first guitar, I started searching for an inexpensive, well-made replacement. After playing many $350-and under guitars at Guitar Center, Daddy's Junky Music, and finally the small guitar store where I bought the Big Baby, I decided that this is absolutely the best guitar in its price range. It has a solid top with a satin finish, a full 20-fret neck, an ebony fretboard, and looks absolutely awesome! I think it is one of the coolest looking guitars I have seen. It is 15/16 the size of a usual dreadnought, but it is by no means a "baby"- it feels very much like a light, comfortable version of the standard dreadnought body. It comes with a very nice soft case. It's a great guitar at a great price, and it absolutely has enough features for any beginner, or anyone looking for a fairly inexpensive guitar.

This guitar sounds great! It has a very bright, lively sound, but is not tinny or shrill. For such a small body, this guitar produces a very full sound, and is great for strumming open chords, and playing basic folk. It does not buzz or make any excess noise that I notice. Its clear, bright, full tone is versatile enough to begin learning any style of music. Arpeggios and soloing on the higher strings sound really cool- almost electric-like, I don't have pickups in it and I've never played miked, but I imagine this guitar might sound really cool in the studio, as some of the other reviews mention

I haven't touched a thing since I bought it. The guitar seems to me to have a great factory settup, and the action on mine was really good. I don't like the Elixer strings too much, but they're certainly playable. I have found no flaws on the guitar. The action on this guitar is very good. It has a very thin, electic-guitar-like neck that feels great. It is very comfortable to play in general because of its neck, lightness, and small size.

The guitar can take a lot of hard strumming and rough playing before it falls out of tune. Although I've never performed, it seems as though it would hold up very well through a long night of jamming. The hardware seems good to me, but I'm sure it is not as high quality as more expensive guitars. It also seems a little fragile in the body- I think the thin rounded back could easily be broken. I've had the guitar for six months though and I've had not problems.

I've never dealt with Taylor (haven't had to yet). The guitar comes with a one year warranty

I've been playing for a less than a year, but with the knowledge I have of guitars it seems to be very good and high-quality. I love to play it. I would reccomend this guitar to anyone looking for a guitar that costs less then $400. It is much better than the ovations, squiers, yamahas, and other smaller name guitars that I played in the same price range. The only guitar that I played that comes close to it is the $150 Alvarez RD8, wich if you're on an even tighter budget than I was is a great choice. Anyway, this is an excelent guitar and I highly reccomend it!