Taylor Guitars Big Baby

Made in 2002, in USA. 20 Frets, Solid top (COOL!) Laminated sides and back. I had a Martin 332 thinline installed at the dealer. Passive pickup. Ebony Fretboard. Grover tuners. Nice Gig bag included!!

As for the sound of this guitar.. I played it before and after a 800 series model Taylor. I couldn't believe my ears. I was literally amazed at the sound of this instrument. From the top to the bottom of the neck was wonderful.

Action is great. (note.. have the dealer set it up for you if you're not totally satisfied, they did it for me, I'm well pleased) It played as well if not better than the 800 series that I played. Maybe it was just me, but I thought it played just as well.

I think this guitar would withstand "Live" playing, it seems to be pretty durable. I haven't had the chance to play it live yet, but it is rather light weight, and for all you Les Paul players out there (I've had a few myself) it is a dream in the weight category. Strap buttons are solid, and I would use it alone without a backup axe. It's pretty solid for a "baby"!

I haven't had to deal with Taylor yet... and I don't think I'll ever have to. Their reputation speaks for itself. Wonderful company!

I've played guitar for approx 26 years. Switched over to Bass about 5 years ago. The funny thing is... I went looking for an Ovation Celebrity Deluxe (It already had the preamp and pickups and all). The salesman asked if I had seen the Big Baby yet by Taylor. Knowing what I thought I knew about Taylor Guitars, I looked at him in awe and said, "Yea, right.. I can't afford one!" To my disbelief, he said, "I think you can afford this one" How's 329 plus tax sound? I said, "Dude, I'll take it! Install a pickup and we're there!!" Needless to say, I'm very pleased with the sound, price and playability of this jewell. Consider me sold on the Big Baby!!

Made in 2002 in the USA, 20 frets, satin-finished solid spruce top (nice!) and sapele sides which have a very nice grain. The neck is mahogany, and is bolted in through the fretboard at the 16th fret - I have never seen an acoustic made this way. Another good feature is the ebony fretboard - I'm impressed by that. Chrome tuners, nothing special but they have seemed to get the job done so far. As you probably know, the guitar is 15/16ths scale, just a tad bit smaller. This guitar doesn't have a fancy finish or inlays, but it has a simple, quality look and features, plus good woods for the price.

I am an electric player, but wanted an acoustic to play around with. Personally, I don't like huge acoustics with big boomy sounds, I find them unwieldy and am not a big fan of that kind of tone. I prefer a more defined sound. Those two factors make this guitar really appeal to me. It's nice and compact, easy to play and hold, and it has a very energetic and articulate sound. Very vibrant. I have played more expensive acoustics with tone that doesn't come close. For the price, this thing sounds damn good. People have commented on how good this sounds.

It was set up well when I got it and was easy to play, though my friend has one which has lower action than mine. But it's still good. There are no construction flaws, seems to be in perfect shape. The wood on it is very nice. Also, the guitar is very lightweight.

This guitar is very light, it does not have much of a finish on it, and it is also very thin. It's well made but I would think these factors would make it a little vulnerable. I would say with normal use it will be fine, but if there was to be an unfortunate accident it might take more damage than other guitars.

Didn't deal with them, but I think it's a lifetime warrantly, which is good. I hear Taylor is very helpful.

I have two electrics, an Ibanez RG3120 Prestige and a customized strat. I wanted an acoustic for playing at home and songwriting, and have always felt many acoustics are a pain to play - huge necks, and high action. Probably because I'm used to electrics, but anyway. This guitar feels alot closer to an electric, is very light, and for $300, sounds very impressive. Plus, it's backed up by a quality company that makes some really expensive stuff! The features they've put into this are impressive. I reccommend it.

I've now owned my bib baby for about 2 years. It came with a nifty truss rod wrench and a nice padded gig bag. It's a solid sitka spruced topped 20 fret 15/16 size body. The big baby has a very nice satin top and nice rosette as well. But there are some problems folks., The tuners are TERRIBLE. I bought the big baby expecting all Taylors to come equipped w/ Grovers, but they're no name crappy tuners. If you're a strummer, have fun re-tuning every minute. The action also is way too high. No bracing on the back whatsoever-probably how they kept the price so low, and maybe why the guitar doesn't sing that well.

The baby sounds very rich.....with new strings on it, that is. The elixirs that come with it dont show what sound they actually make with normal strings (cause most of us cant afford 13 bucks a pop for elixirs). When you string on a fresh set, they'll sound great for a few days and then get very dull. The high's are great, but don't expect any bottom end. The bass is very unsatisfying, but what do you expect from such a small guitar with no bracing?

This guitar is great to look at. Very simple. The sitka spruce top dents easily, but is nice. The set up is not great at all. The action when i got it was way to high. I thought a simple truss rod turn would do the trick, but then the strings buzzed. There's no happy medium with a fast action without string buzz. The top bracing inside was not sanded cleanly. Strap buttons are very nice and strong. Not many obvious flaws out of the box. The back wood is sapele, which is pretty sweet looking.

The area where the baby shines-durability. I wouldn't have a problem taking it to the beach or throwing it in the back of a car for a gig. Its cool to have the Taylor logo on your headstock. The strap buttons are very solid. Finish is a little chippy, but looks nice.

Very helpful-just call em up and they'll help you out. Lifetiime warranty.

I've been playing for 14 years. I own a Les Paul Custom, a Clapton Fender Strat, a taylor 714ce cedar top, and an Ibanez Artwood 500. I dont regret buying this guitar b/c its fun to dink around on sometimes, but for the cash, I would have rather gotten an Artwood-that is one INCREDIBLE line of acoustics. If you dont mind retuning a lot, and dont mind an insanely high action, then this guitar is not a bad buy. Just play it carefully before buying.

The Big Baby Taylor is put up against older Martin/Gibson/Gretsch acoustics daily...it keeps right in there. I am a record producer, and am VERY picky about starting with the right instrument before mic 1 is placed. The Baby through KM84/Coles Ribbon into a Neve 1272 is one of the coolest gtr sounds I have EVER gotten...it is not a huge sounding guitar, but that really helps out when recording...it just tracks well...and plays great...I have 3 of them now...

Played great out of the box. While at Guitar Center...I tried all the guitars, and a few high $$$ Taylors and one Martin surpassed it...but these were all in the $2000.00 range...nothing can touch this guitar at this price or even under $1000.00

Been using the Big Baby in the studio for 6+ months, and it gets played everyday, and unfortunately banged around alot...taken a few dings, due to the lack of clear coat finish..but still is ok...even fell over a bass drum and hit the base of an Atlas stand...still ok.

Taylor is VERY cool...just call em, and they will help you...I have had a 514 in the past with problems, and they were always immediately addressed.

I have been playing gtr for 5 years, and producing music for about 3...I have a lot of high end gear, matchless, soldano, fender, jerry jones, Lakeland, Vox, Neve, SSL, Studer, Telefunken, etc...the big Baby fits right in the mix. Don't believe that there is a better acoustic out there for less than $1000.00.

2002 Big baby. Nice tuners, lively top, and great sound.
I added a Fishman Natural one pickup system with endpin pre-amp.

Sounds great unamplified. Awesome amplified.
I play it unamplified and also through the fishman pickup system, through a Carvin ag100-D acoustic amp.
Lively top produces great bass and clear mids and highs.

Setup was typical factory setup, which I changed to suit my needs. I have a very low action which is great for fingestyle playing.
Guitar was made properly with no flaws that I could find.

I have used it in a couple live situations and see no problems, although the way the back is constructed worries me, but I have put electronics in five of these for other people and have never heard of a problem.

Taylor has been great when ever I had a need or question.

best bang for the buck for a solid top low end guitar.
Predictable Taylor neck feel and setup.

This is a followup review of my Big Baby I have had for about 7 months. The sound is improving and I have fallen in love with this simple yet extrordinarily elegant guitar. I have added the features I felt it needed for less than $100. Under saddle p/u, bone saddle, ebony bridge pins(free from Taylor, just call em), and ebony tuner buttons.

The sound had improved over the 7 months. I added the bone saddle, and now the guitar had much more sustain. It simply adds to the already great sound.

I added the saddle and subsequently lowered the action-a simple fix to lower the action. I also don't recommend putting mediums on this guitar. The intonation will suffer. The playability is as great as it was , or better, as the day I bought it.

I will play live with it if given the opportunity. It sounds great with the pickup. I know its not as road worthy as a all gloss finished guitar, but hey for the price of one of those that sound this good, you can buy 3 Big Babies. It is a solid guitar for what it is. It has a couple of dings in it, one on the joint of the back and side as I pulled it out of the bag and one is on the top thanks to my 2 year old and my car keys. Structurally it is quite sound though.

Taylor is a great company and will help you with anything if you ask. They treat us low end owners the same as those who buy their $3500 models. Try that with Gibson's $300 models (epiphone).

Bottom line- I have gone through a lot of guitars in the last five years since I first started and I have never kept one this long. I don't think I will ever part with this one. I love the Big Baby and think it is one of the greatest values in the guitar world today. I highly recommend it.

Ebony fretboard ??!!! need I say more !!!! Oh yeah !! Solid Top!!

I first strummed one of these "Babies" about 1 year ago and swore I'd own one "some day". I ended up buying the smaller "Baby Taylor" for my 5yr old son. I actually have found myself playing that Baby Taylor quite often just for the novelty. It lacks bottom end...but what do you expect. I found myself in the music store recently and saw the "Big Baby" hanging on the wall....picked it up and strummed it and once again was blown away by it's sonic characteristics. Very balanced tone with good volume. Sound for the price ??? I HAVE to give it a 10.

No adjustments necessary on this guitar yet. Nice smooth action, polished frets. Ebony fretboard was a bonus!!! No complaints at ALL !! The bolt on neck is a nice feature allowing the user to change the neck angle if desired.

Mine is brand new so I don't know. The "Little Baby" I purchased last year had to go back to the factory because the back and side glue joint became separated. (Of course my son had NOTHING to do with that!!!!) The Big Baby holds a tune perfectly even after a hard workout. I plan on beating this guitar to death...that's why I bought it. Yes...I will install a bridge pickup and use it live...I will record with it...and when I'm done, I'll buy another...WHY ?? 'cause this thing sounds FREAKING AWESOME !!!

Taylor didn't bat an eye when I had to send back my "other" baby...no questions asked (wheww). I really appreciate the Taylor website as well.

I have been playing for ~25 years. I own a Martin 000-1R, a Fender Strat, Gibson ES-335, several homemade Warmoth guitars, Two Taylors, an Epiphone "Chet", and a cheapo Yamaha... This BIG BABY has delivered the biggest "Bang for the Buck" of any guitar I have ever purchased. My only complaint is that the frets (not on mine but on other's) pop out of the top and bottom due to wood "shrinkage". Someone could lose a finger if they were not careful.

Same as the rest of the reviews - solid sitka spruce top, sapele laminate sides and back. The back is also bowed out - no bracing there. It has a mahogany neck and tortoise pickgard. The only real "design" feature is a laser etched soundhole - quite striking. I guess depending on your sense of style and taste in guitar design, this could either be quite boring, or just plain elegant. I love it. Nothing unexpected or really surprising here.

oooh, creamy. very balanced from top to bottom. Solid projection and volume - especially for a smaller dread. I wouldn't call the sound "bright," - I think it leans toward warm. The supplied elixer strings may have something to do with that. But I love the sound- thats why you buy a guitar right? I do however tend to get pretty heavy handed while strumming and the low E does tend to buzz just a bit in standard tuning, I just hope it doesnt buzz too much when I drop it down (tuning). I mainly play rock/indie rock/madeup-makebelieve-superstarrock. It just sounds waay better than I can play right now - feel kind of bad about my skills. I also listened to top of the line Martins, Taylors, and Takamines back to back against the baby. I was amazed. Of course the $2000 guitars sounded "better," but it wasn't as if they made the baby sound bad. Just different.

No real build flaws. It's a "players" guitar, not at all a show type piece. I looked at 4 different babys - I ended picking the most "irregular" bookmatched one. It just seemed like it had the most individuality. It also played the nicest (actually, they all played just about the same - but i did have to pick one). Finish was perfect except for the very bottom of the neck (nearest the body), it wasnt sanded as smooth as the rest of the neck, but I cant feel it while I'm playing. Action was fairly low, very easy to play (I mostly play electrics). That is probably the largest factor of why this guitar seems so addictive to play.

No idea. Only had it for a few weeks. Everything seems really solid though. Good tuners, strap buttons, etc.

no idea

Been playing for about ten years. I recently sold an Ibanez aw100 in search of another "cheap" guitar. I hated the Ibanez, weak projection, muted bass and the action was horrible. Went in to GC for some strings, bought the strings and on the way out picked up the baby, and that was it. I have never played a guitar that just felt perect in my hands - and this is as close to that feeling as I can imagine. I wouldn't hesitate at all, if I were somehow forced to buy another acoustic, to buy this again. I do wish it had a pickup in it, but I can go get one later. I also own an Gibson SG and a Hamer electric, and a Beringer amp. It doesnt exactly exceed in any one area, but put it all toghether. . . .

This is a 2002 Big Baby made in the usual place, Solid top laminated back and sides. No extras. The real feature is the Taylor quality, good tuners, and decent construction it has the soft bag et al. It's a travel instrument I keep it in the truck and don't expect a lot, or really need a lot for that. I knew what I was buying.

It has an adequate sound, respectable intonation. It isn't as good as my Simon and Patrick Pro, or really as good a full sized guitars of decent quality, but adequate for my needs. Something to strum while traveling.

Action is excellent, everything is as it should be. Taylor even goes out of the way on the back laminate to layer it so it's atractive even though it's not bound. The only real ding on this is I'd rather they'd used a clear pickguard, and wouldn't use elixers but that's personal preference.

This particular one has some scars in the wood itself. Most of them had pretty clear tops, nice straight grain, but this one just has something in the sound vs the others, so I chose it.

It's very light wait, and where it will take a whack on the sides, and even the top, the back is a bit light weight and will flex if ya whack it, so there's a bit of concern on that front.

Taylor has flawless cooperative and friendly support, couple that with a decent website, and they are as good as any and better then most.

Been playing guitar a couple years, mando a bit longer though not as much of late. Overall this is a good travel guitar, much better the any of the various asian ones I've tried at up to twice the price.

If it gets stolen I'll get another. I have never found a Taylor I didn't like, and hope tis is just the first of a few for me.

Features don't vary much. I will say that the earliest ones
came without pickguards (a bad move on a satin-top instrument.)
Mine has the pickguard, so it's good to see that Taylor figured
this out early on. Otherwise, bare-bones and utilitarian -- form
follows function.

I wanted an acoustic that would sit in a mix. My other acoustic
is a big boxy Guild, which throws off too many overtones, and
clutters the midrange. I was going to buy a Fender for about
the same price (possibly a DG23?) but the Fender sounded like
a damp fart next to this. Very clear, a slight sacrifice in
true bass, but enough to outclass other small-bodied guitars.
Very balanced sound. I record it with a Shure KSM32 for rhythm,
and a Rode NT1 for lead. The NT1 brings out all of the liveliness
of the Big Baby. Projects very well, with no boom.

Very playable, right from the store. Over a couple of months, the
action pulled up. I took the opportunity to divorce myself
permanently from the factory installed Elixirs (slippery rubber
puke-inducers) and replace them with D'Addario EXP's. The EXP's
are coated, but have a much more "bare metal" feel and tone. I
use .011's -- the Big Baby doesn't like heavier strings, as it's
a slightly fragile beast. The guitar really comes alive without
the Elixirs deadening the sound.
The neck plays like an electric, and the build quality is fine.
The inside bracing has some loose fibers hanging from it -- this
is not a Collings, after all. But short of buying some piece
of crap built be slaves in Indonesia, I'll settle for some loose
shavings, especially when the guitar sounds this good.

It's well-built, but I wonder about that neck joint. It has a
slightly "temporary" feel overall, but I think that if you
treat it a bit more gently than more robust designs, you'll
do well. I'd be very careful not to let it fall over face-first --
check those case hinges! The pickguard (not present on the
original design) is a big plus for the longevity of the satin
top. Be nice to it, and it should last well.

My regular guitar tech was a Taylor authorized
repairman, and he loves to work on Taylors, because they're
repair-friendly. As for Taylor itself, I've not dealt with
them.

I may buy a second, and set it up for DADGAD. Taylor necks are
supposed to be slightly prone to adjusting themselves (as mine
did) so subjecting one guitar to multiple tuning tensions seems
like asking for trouble. Next time I have $325 burning a hole in
my pocket, I just might grab another Big Baby, and change the
string gauges for the dropped tuning.
p.s. -- this thing sounds very nice as a slide guitar -- very
responsive and alive.

2002 - made in July. Shipped to my dealer and into my hands 3 days later.

You know the features. If not read on below...

Sounds is incredible. Lots of bass, well balanced, bright and very defined sound. I played 5 of them and they were all consistent in tone. Except the one I bought... it jumped out at me.

Well made. Taylor are the best at making consistent quality acoustic guitars.

The lack of back bracing worried me but with the warranty and the level of care I give my instruments, I have no worries.

Some say this guitar is not for performing. I say put a pickup an preamp in this baby and watch those who have spent $2000 on a high end acoustic cry.

No yet needed.

Have been playing 20 + years. Have owned Fender, Gibson, Yamaha and Ibanez. Currently have a Godin electric (best electric guitar makers in my opinion) and my 25 yearl old trusty Yamaha acoustic.

I had a 2000 Martin D-28 which sounds great. The problem was I was too afraid to bring it anywhere thus I could not enjoy it. I say an ad in the local paper for a guy looking for a Martin. I showed it and was still on the fence about selling it. I went to a local music store to get some strings and while waiting for the sales guy to get freed up, I picked up this plain looking Taylor. An hour later my wife was calling me on the cell phone wondering where I was. I was really blown away with the sound. This is by far the best $500 acoustic guitar you can buy and it blows away a significant amount of guitars over twice that! I sold the Martin and bought the Big Baby. I have much more enjoyment playing this.

This is about as basic as basic can be. That's the beauty of this gem.
Spruce top, great neck, pretty good tuning machines. Ebony fretboard. Adjustable truss rod with wench. Nice custom fit gig bag. One of the best acoustic necks out there. I'm giving it a 10 because the simplicity is outstanding.(see overall rating section for comments)

The sound is nice and lively. Bright but not too jangle like. Kinda reminds me of that bouncy 12 string sound.

Very good finish, action & playability. played great out of the box. I made a few adjustments for my particular taste. I still cant believe how reasonably priced these are.

As with any guitar, this will hold its own in terms of quality. Proper care and feeding, this will be fine in the long run.

n/a

Here's how it started, I have a ton of stuff, les pauls & soldano amps is my setup. I wanted a guitar to take to the park. I looked at several, Ibanez,Seagull,washburn and the lower end martins. I was really impressed with the playability. What a great neck!! Its light and smart looking. I also looked at some other crap that you couldn't even tune. This guitar has great harmonics and could be harmonically tuned right out of the box. No fancy abalone toilet seat inlays here, just a great playing guitar that plays like one that costs 3 times as much. It lacks a little bottom end, I can live with that. Overall, I still cant believe the quality and price. I've been playing electric for 26 years & although I've had several acoustics, gibson, takamine & alvarez, I never really play acoustics alot. Thats changed, I can't put this down...Also comes with one of the better gig bags I've seen. I'm generally not a gig bag dude, this one is nice.

Solid Spruce Top. Laminated Sides and Back.

Sounds quite nice for a skin and bones guitar. This guitar is meant to be someones very first guitar or in my case a travel guitar. This is not a guitar for someone to perform with by any means. If that is what you are looking for, sorry.

It is a Taylor, therefore the action is VERY GOOD. The guitar does have an adjustable truss rod, but it comes out of the box very easy to play.

This guitar is not meant to stand the test of time. Like I said earlier, it is meant for an entry level guitar for a beginner or to be used as a travel guitar.

I was looking for a travel guitar and did not want a dinky martin backpacker. This guitar puts any other travel guitar to shame. It is very well built and the action is great. I purchased the gig bag for this guitar which is also very nice. The gig bag is better than any other gig bag I have ever seen.

This guitar is Spartan on features to say the least. With that being said, it does however feature an Ebony fingerboard and bridge, a mahogany neck and a solid Spruce top. The sides and back are laminate and there is no bracing on the back. The Elixer strings wre a nice bonus. Comes with a rather nice monogrammed Taylor Gig bag.

I had a budget of $500 so I knew I wasn't getting a Martin, full size Taylor or any other solid wood American made guitar. I read about the Big baby and decided to give it a try. The local shop had 2 of them and I played them both. From the first time I strummed a chord I knew it was a bargain at $299. The man showed me several guitars that looked fancy, but sounded dead as a door nail. For its size it has a nice brilliant sound. Of course not as deep as full size Dreadnoughts, but I was pleasantly surprised. I mainly fingerpick and strum. it is louder than I expected.

The action was right on from the store. The ebony fingerboard and mahogany neck are a pleasure to play. I had my choice of 2 so I chose the best looking Spruce top because they both sounded fine. Nothing loose, rattling or buzzing.

It is meant to be a throw around, take camping, play antwhere, affordable guitar. With a Satin finish and no binding I imagine it will get nicked up, but it seems solid enough to last a good while.

No problems thus far. I expect Taylor is top-noth for customer service.

I've been playing quite a few years and have had 2 Yairis, an ancient Harmony, a 12 string Alvarez and a few electrics. The Yairis were very nice, but sounded best with new strings. This Taylor has that bright Taylor sound that I really like. This is not a cheap little plywood guitar. It may lack abalone, pearl, herringbone, solid rosewood and a fancy finish, but overall it's a tremendous bargain at this price.

standard no frills Big Baby, 2002, solid top, no electronics. I'll give a 9 for features because it has everything an acoustic needs. Woould have been a 10 but would have liked to see some Grover tuning pegs.

Souunds Great. Very bright. Only negatives are: it's a bit thin sounding, not too much bass, and slight buzzing on the low E sting near the 7th fret. Tuning down to low D doesn't have the balls a normal sized acoustic does, but that's too be expected w/ a guitar of this size.

This is why I bought the guitar. It feels great. Action is perfect, neck is perfect thickness - on the thinner side and the unglossed mohagany back is sweet. This guitar is for playing. This is my first acoustic after like 14 years of playing. I never liked acoustics much because they often have high action and are difficult to play. Not that I'm a wuss (I play w/ 11's on my Fender Strat), but I just never got into acoustics. This guitar changed that mental block of mine the second I picked it up! Playing should be fun and enjoyable, with the Big Baby it is.

I don't know, I'm not worried.

dunno, hope not to.

This guitar is bringing me out of a 2 year hiatus from playing. I couldn't be more excited about playing due to this guitar. I actually initially purchased an Ibanez AW (which I did like very much) and was back in Guitar Center 2 days after my purchase to exchange the guitar for another Ibanez AW w/ a mohagany finish. I was having trouble deciding between the two and asked a kid who was playing his opinion. He put down the Big Baby he was playing and obliged me. He gave his opinion but asked, "have you tried this?" gesturing towards the Big Baby. I said no, but thanks, and went back to my Ibanez dilemma. When he left I tried the Big Baby. That was it, my dilemma was over. I wanted the Big Baby!

2002 20 Fret, u know the stats.
Great gig bag.

Beautiful sound, no apparent buzzing. However, the bass was not very deep. Finger picking was dreamy, especially with the Elixir's!

Great set up, amazing feel. Seems fragile, im scared of people picking it up by the neck in my dorm room. Hope it can withstand the bumps it will take

Seems really light, I have babied mine so far. Only had it a week, so who knows, but if i get 3-4 yrs out of it ill be more that happy.

No clue. But Taylor seems to be the Cadillac of acoustics.

Been playing 6 months, started out with and Alvarez RD10, and sold it in order to buy this one. The guy at Guitar center said give this a try, so i did, and i was blown away, u really should pick one up, if u do, u will buy it! I play a large variety, jack johnson, neil young, weezer, nirvana, sounds great for most. I noticed that my wrist has been getting sore from playing, perhaps a side effect of the thin neck, but probabaly bc i havent been able to set it down!

Made in the good ole USA, paid $319 for it with a good quality gig bag. New from Guitar Center, I played 30 guitars and took home an Ovation Celebrity. Two days later the simple looking Taylor Big Baby made me drive 180 miles back to Guitar center to return the Ovation and get guitar that I couldn't quit thinking about.

This guitar sounds better than others costing 3 times as much. It's a bright sounding guitar that has a good full sound.

The action is awsome (reminds me of my old Les Paul) and it was setup perfect from the factory. Not a flaw anywhere on this one. But it does look simple. Once you pick one of these up good luck trying to put it down.

This guitar with proper care should last a goodlong time, I might replace the tuners with some Grovers, but ones that came on it do work fine. The strap buttons are attached well, and I would depend on this guitar to hold it's own on any stage.

Haven't had to deal with them, but the website has tons of information on care and maintenance.

I have been playing since I was 8 years old now 34, I own a Fender hotrod p-bass, Aria Integra bass, Ampeg SVT stack with SWR bass 350 head, and Two violins. Over the years I have owned many guitars. This one is a keeper. Its a very fun and enjoyable guitar, I wish these where around when I first started playing.

My BB was made in 2001. Solid top, laminated sides and back with a satin finish. It's not the type of guitar that pulls you toward it with come hither looks. Mine has a pickguard and came with a Taylor gigbag. I used to think it's kinda dull looking but my Wife said she thinks it has a certain beauty in it's simplicity--I now see it that way.

I would rate this a 15 if I could. I mainly play fingerstyle and it shines. I have been playing for about 25 years and it's the best I have played. I still have my tried and true Yamaha FG325 that will always have a special place in my heart. Honestly, when I would go to music stores and play the guitars-I couldn't hear a huge sound difference for the money. But with the Big Baby the quality of sound to price ratio is insane. Bob Taylor is a genius!!If I was Martin guitars I could not sleep at night. I was reading that Bob Taylor's favorite guitars he makes are the 514 and the Big Baby.

Wood is simple and beautiful--everything nice--It even smells good!!!
When not playing it --I stare at it and feel very proud it is a Taylor..

To be honest this guitar does not strike me as a battle axe like a Les Paul but everything is solid and it's a Taylor which gives me a sense of peace.

I e-mailed Taylor a couple of times and they answered me in a couple of days

I also own a Gibson Les Paul Studio, a Gold Star banjo, a flatiron mandolin and a Peavey Wolfgang Special Flame. I feel the Big Baby fits right there with these. I do wish a hard shell case was an option with the Big Baby. This guitar is such a value -they should have a picture of it in the dictionary next to value.....
I mainly play Fahey,Kottke stuff and it does great.

You all know these by now... satin finish, bolt on neck, etc... this is a 2002 model. I just wish thet would come out with the other finishes like the baby has. Great gig bag, incomparable to any other in price range.

Great sound, if a little lacking in bass. I was also looking at the Martin countertops models(DX1). Thet were too boomy without a balanced mid and treble. The BB has a great bright, balanced sound. The best sound/quality mix in its price class. Defitintly loud enough.

Perfect finish. I had two to choose from, and picked the better of the two. The neck is as straight as it can be. the fretboard and bridge are perfect.

Seems thin and light, but should do fine in its application. As with anything, if you take care of it, it will take care of you.

I bought this from a dealer who was getting rid of all their taylors because they couldn't afford to stock their stuff anymore. They told me if I had a repair need, they could still address it. I trust Taylor to help me as well.

The best guitar in it price range by far. If you are looking for wall candy, this isn't for you. Go out and buy a Epi or Dean and let it hang on the wall. But if you want to spend $300-$400, and get a quality made in the USA guitar that plays and sounds AWESOME, buy this one. Once you play one of these, you will be left wanting one, I guarantee.

An excellent, I mean EXCELLENT 2001 dreadnought model. It has a solid sitka spruce top and laminated sapele back and sides, a tropical american mahogany neck and a satin finish. The neck is smooth and really comfortable. No electronics installed but hey, who cares? Although it's only 15/16 the size of a standard guitar, it sounds great unplugged! It also comes with a radical gig bag.

No acoustic guitar with a similar price range and size comes anywhere close to this Taylor Guitar. Its amazing how it produces a very bright and crisp sound even though the body has only a depth of 4 inches. Personally I play lots of rhythm at the same time I'm working on fingerstyling and this guitar doesn't seem to limit me at all. Absolutely stunning!

I think the action of this guitar has done a pretty good job. And the overall workmanship of it is nearly picture perfect.

I trust that it'll last, after all, it is a Taylor.

I've been playing the guitar for nearly 5 year now but only recently have I've got serious about the acoustic guitar and this constant craving to play like the pros. Some of my personal favourites and influences include Doyle Dykes, Laurence Juber and Tommy Emmanuel. I bought my big baby a year ago and since then I've not turned back. This is my first 'serious' acoustic guitar. What I love most about this guitar is that I'm paying so little for such a great sounding instrument. It can definitely compete with other acoustic guitars 4 times the price! I've grown very fond of my big baby taylor and if i had lost it, you can be sure I'll buy the same guitar as a replacement the very next day.

No need for me to reiterate the features. The only things that are noteworthy are the (1) the satin finish (which can be noisy as you hand brushes against it), (2) the bolt on neck--which I think is brilliant since there is (apparently) no downside to not having a heel and you get extra fret access and (3) the ebony fingerboard which is lovely--much slicker than rosewood and looks better too. All guitars should have ebony fingerboards but it adds about $10 to the cost so I guess we shouldn't hold our breath.

Remarkable. I heard someone playing one of these and when I found out it was $320 I bought one the next day. The only thing that separates it from a really good Guild or expensive Taylor is that its not as loud--and in an apartment, that's a plus. If you follow the rule that the fancier the guitar is, the worse it sounds you can see just how good the Big Baby is.

Being a 15/16ths sized guitar I suppose the neck is scaled down just a bit, too. I think its perfect. Thin, fast and I can hit most of my Allan Holdsworth chords without much difficulty.

Seems very solid. Heck, if you were to break the neck, just unscrew it. Leo Fender be praised. The tuning pegs are surprisingly good, too.

Can't think of a reason to call.

I'm not sure why this matters but I've been playing since 1966. If you are seeking a DDL guitar (doctor/dentist/lawyer) the lack of frills on the BB will be a concern. There are no inlays, no 10 tops, no flamed Bubinga wood. It ain't jewelry. And I do wish the guitar had a gloss finish. Other than that, I adore the guitar. If you play well, people will be doubly impressed that such a simple guitar can sound so good.

This is a 2001 Taylor Big Baby acoustic guitar. No electronics. 15/16 size dreadnaught shape...but it's a good 1'' to 1 1/2" or so shallower than a standard 4" dread. Solid spruce top, laminated sapele back and sides, ebony finger board and bridge. The back and sides are not your typical laminates: they are very thin 3 solid plys and the back is arched to help bass response and projection. Satin finish on all surfaces. Lexan headstock covering with the Taylor logo. No fancy in-lays or bindings (none at all) and the soundhole rosette pattern is etched/burned into the wood via a laser...a very plain looking guitar. It does have the standard Taylor tortoise shell pick guard.
The neck is very interesting: 1 11/16" width a the nut. The profile is fairly flat...almost feels like a good electric neck in your hand. 14 frets to the body. It's glued and bolted onto the body via 2 scews at the 16th fret. Yes they are exposed, but they are slightly counter-sunk & you can play over them quite easily. The joint is rock solid. This type of neck joint alows Taylor to totally eliminate any neck heel that would normally sit on the body of the guitar. Instead, the neck is planed fairly flat as you approach the body and this gives you lots of room and suprising easy access to the upper frets.

Overall the guitar feels solidly built, but it feels very light when you pick it up to play. Comes with Elixir light (12's) gauge strings.

Came with a stiff and heavily padded Taylor gig bag.

I'm a fingerstyle player. Here's how I came to own this little guy: As the guitarist in the family I was elected to shop for a mid-line guitar for my brother (who also plays a bit) on his 40th B-day as the family's gift to him. Lucky me! and lucky him!! So I camped out in Guitar Center for a weekend trying all the guitars in the $600 to $1000 range. So in the process of trying these out...Tacoma DM9, Taylor 310, Martin 00-16gt, etc...I picked up this Big Baby Taylor almost by accident....and it just blew me away. There's a suprising amount of tone here. I'm using the word "suprising" here because I picked up this $300 guitar immediately after playing a $900 Taylor 310 for 20 mins...and surprise!, this little guy sounds really good. Bass is very present and supportive, more than the Tacoma DM9 (in the 3 DM9 samples I played, the bass sounded choked in comparison) and the trebles are bright and crisp. Notes are well articuated and separated. Could use a bit more mid-range to warm the sound up a little. The neck is very comfortable and slinky and feels good in your hand. All in all, a very satisfying guitar that sounds surprisingly (!) great and plays well. I find I cannot put it down. Came out of Guitar Center with a Taylor 310 for my bro, and a Big Baby for me. Rating it "9" for sound.

Action was perfect out of the box...on the medium low side. Elixir strings added to the neck's positive feel. All joints were prefect, and no glue spots or finish blems. Frets are well polished and even. No buzzes anywhere when playing at normal volumes and only get a faint amount when really digging in hard. The guitar is very light, but well built. Satin finish won't protect against dings like gloss will. The Big Baby is built to perfection for what it is.

Had it 2 months, so I'm not sure about long term reliability. It certainly feels solid and all joints are very tight. Time will tell here. Comes with a life-time warranty.

Life-time warranty. Great web-site. Haven't dealt directly with Taylor yet.

I've been playing since I was 10 or so and I'm 42 now. I'm a huge Merle Travis and Chet Atkins fan and play mostly in that style. I also own a few arch top jazz guitars and a very nice late 80's Yamaha FG460SA...solid spruce top that has aged wonderfully and sounds very sweet. But I find that I play the Big Baby all the time now. The neck just feels so good in your hands; it sounds excellent and puts a smile on my face. I would buy another in a heartbeat. This has to be one of the best acoustic guitar values out there. A "10" for value vs sound.

Its an acoustic guitar. Wood and strings, what else is there? No electronics but you can always mike it or get a pick up with the cash you saved buying it.

Okay here's the story...
Yesterday I went to the music store to fool around for awhile. I went int the small room full of the $1000 and up Gibsons, Martins, and Taylors. I played all of them without any concern of the prices as I figured they were all out of my range. I just wanted to play some REALLY nice acoustics. Then I pick up this Taylor and I am completely blown away by the sound. I mean I had to check my pants for stains. It was that good. After playing with it for awhile I decide to put it up and face the reality that I can't own it. As I looked at the price, once again I was blown away. I had to check my pants one more time for stains because this thing cost less than $400!!!! honestly, I haven't been a huge acoustic person, but I am begining to love the sound and the intimacy they provide. I don't have much experience with acoustics but honestly, in my opinion, this sounded so much better than all the other acoustics I couldn't believe it.

Wonderful, bends with easy and the neck is extremely comfortable

I don't know but I know Taylor has a good reputation

Once again, Taylors, and Martins are sort of the Holy Grail of acoustics.

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL

Bought the Big Baby in Munich for something like 580 Dollars; the transport and a few more dealer hands probably being the reason. It replaces a 30 years old Ibanez Vintage which I still like for it's low action, but the Big Baby ROARS in comparison with it; I've never been afraid of bothering my neighbors when playing guitar, now I am. Goes nice with English/Irish style folk tunes, because it sounds nice, too, when you suddenly go to low.

Where I use to sit the guitar scrapes to the walls sometimes. With no reinforcement at all in the edges I'm afraid the top will come loose some day in twenty years which will be too early because I want to keep this thing longer than that.

2000 model I think........Santa brought it so I'm not sure of the price. Features are pretty well covered all ready.

Great sound for a "cheap" acoustic. I already own a Taylor which I payed over 1200. for and if this guitar had been around then I would have saved some serious bucks. I've played so....many acoustics I've yet to try anything that even comes close for the price.

Played great right out of the box...maybe I'll drop the action a little bit. Guitar is quality built....what you would expect from a Taylor ( not the price you would expect!!)

I guess I'll see....

Been playing about 26 years........15 semi pro. 2 thumbs up on this little jem.

See other reviews

Stunning. No buzzing, perfect intonation, great action. I don't really like Taylor guitars (810 etc.), find the sound not quite as good as Martin's. But this sounds absolutly stunning.

Perfect.

Only brand new!

N/A

Been playing seven years, and I work in a guitar shop. Played them all - Taylors, Martin's, Guild, Gretsch, Fender - All the very high end models. This is definitly a fantastic guitar, and the nicest sounding and playing Taylor I've ever played, irrespective of price. Fantastic.

Chill out, price includes LR Baggs Double Barrel active electronics. Made in 2001. Plywood sides and back, Solid Spruce top with some irregularities in the grain pattern which makes it look even better, gives it more character. I like it. No support braces around bottom edge. Neck is bolted on with screws showing on fretboard. Satin finish, no bindings, no inlays. Comes with gig bag. About what you'd expect in this price range.

I use it for recording, and it sounds great. Mostly finger-picking, some strumming. Not as much bass with the thinner body, as expected.
Somewhat bright sound, yet warm and natural-sounding. I use the mike inside the guitar in one channel for strumming, and the ribbon transducer for finger-picking. I also use an Audio Technica instrument mike with phantom power for really sweet sound on rythm tracks when I want the natural sound of the wood. All sound excellent, but the LR Baggs mike does sound a little harsh without EQ, also gets some pitch feedback, as expected. Overall sound with the ribbon or AT mike is awesome, no need to spend $2000 here. Very little buzz, very little intonation. Sounds great without the amp, too, read other reviews for that. Very well balanced sound output with LR Baggs, not bottom heavy like some other guitars. No Rumble feedback at all, even without EQ. Great for amplified finger-pickin.

Was set up perfect from factory, I added the LR Baggs myself, but I did not feel it was necessary to file the saddle or route the bridge like the kid (not old enuf to shave yet!) told me to do. The ribbon only raised the action about 1/32", but honestly, I didn't even notice it when I was done. I saved $75.00, only took an hour, and helped keep our streets safe by denying the kid luthier some crack money. Bookmatching was perfect, I love the waves in the grain. Some excess glue, but without the bottom braces you can't be too skimpy here. No need to route the bridge. Everything looked great from the factory. Low action.

I would hestitate to gig with this because it looks so fragile with no bottom braces, but I dropped it a few times and it didn't even ding it.

Web site is great. Email is fast.

Been playing 30 years. I own a strat, P-bass. I have owned them all: Fender, Guild, Gibson, Ovation, Epiphone, Martin, just to mention a few. I would rate this a steal. Best sounding guitar I have heard in this price range. If it were lost or stolen, I'd file an insurance claim, then buy another Taylor. Installation of the LR Baggs was easy. I like the ebony bridge and fretboard. The dense wood makes it perfect for the LR Baggs system, since it picks up vibration, unlike other systems that respond to pressure. I sold my Martin to pay for this. No complaints here. I was as critical as possible in the features section, but still give this gitbox a perfect 10, considering the rediculously low price.

You have heard it all before in other reviews

I am a new student to guitar. Started on an older Epiphone and I thought that was good. The more I learned, the more guitars I heard, the more I assumed a guitar with this sound would be out of my price range. All I can say is that it makes me want to play it more and be a better player.

The day I bought this guitar I started out to buy an electric for the sole reason of good action. I have short, fat fingers and have been frustrated learning bar chords. By chance I picked this guitar up and was awed by its ease of play.

Seems incredibly well made. The fit seems excellent. Wish it had a prettier finish but I don't mind giving that up for the price and all the other great things about it!

So far, so good

I have been playing for only a few months, but this guitar has helped me get past some struggles. I absolutely love the sound and the action. Don't hesitate...buy it. I promise you you won't be sorry.

Made in California, Year 2001, 15/16-scale Dreadnought has a solid Sitka spruce top and sapele-laminate back and sides.

see website for all features

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/models/bigbaby.html

packed with features for the money

i will try and temper my enthusiam with the fact i am a new acoustic
guitar player (owned a Washburn and a Baby Taylor before this), been
playing electric for a while...

got this guitar to do acoustic stuff with the band, been around Taylor Guitars and very impressed

that being said i really enjoy the sound of this guitar, it makes me want to play, its a quality instrument

ordered it with a fishman installed under the bridge, no noise at
all...

use it unamped, direct input to a PA and into a fender princeton
amp, it sound great in all three, have used it with a multi fx processor for chorus and echo, real lush

great full mid sound.....

plays like an electric, i need to lower the action a little
again for the money a lot of quality

finish is excellent for the money, no flaws i could see

nice quality guitar for the money

i've had a Baby taylor for a year no problem, so i expect the Big Baby will hold up just fine; even though the guitar is light, it holds up well

would give them all 10's but the factory installed pickup
was not balanced properly (when amped/DI to PA you could
not hear high E string, my mom and pop store guitar tech told me it was an easy adjustment and something that should have been checked
at the factory)

I will give them a 9 because they did give me cost over the phone for guitar with pickup, so I could price bargain with my store - Total cost for guitar with pickup installed $400 (Big Baby $300, Fishman $100)

cannot argue with this company on customer support, they pride themselves on quality and service

I have admired the Taylor line for some time but just could not bring
myself to pay $1000 for an acoustic given my needs (basically an electric player just getting into acoustic); that being said I could tell the quality and features of the Taylor and was very pleased that
they began producing the Baby series; they are very affordable guitars (Big Baby 15/16 size $300 and Baby Taylor 3/4 size travel guitar - $249); sound great, no frills but if you like the Taylor
line but would like to try and entry level guitar (and price) give this guitar a try

a note about the pickup, installed under the bridge, it has a really nice sound, but be careful you check the volume balance of each string
after installation, i've had pickups installed in both the baby and the Big Baby, and both needed follow-on adjustment with the pickups
to get even string volume

great guitars, i am glad Taylor is finally making affordable ones !!

Made in USA in 2001. 20 frets. Solid-top. Spruce and Mohogany sides. Natural finish. Dreadnought body. Rosewood neck. Case included (gig bag).

The sound is excellent! It sounds like I paid thousands of dollars for it.

The finish is beautiful. My pickguard was kind of picked at, but I think that was just because of people in the store who had played.

It seems very stable and could hold the test of time if it is taken good care of. I thought that the fact that there were no struts inside the body was a little strange.

N/A

I've been playing for about two and a half years, and this is the best guitar for sound quality and overall quality I have had

This is a rare guitar in England, and was quite a struggle to get one for Xmas! you all know the spec, mine seems to have very even grained wood, the finish is what I expected, simple but sharp, just the lable in the soundhole wasn't burnished down to the wood!The case is snug fit but great.It is the precision of it all that gets you and the smooth tuners too, value for money. I paid less than retail price here, just #299- us Brits always seen to have to pay more! This is my first new guitars, I have 3 vintage ones also.I find the neck narrow but so slim to the hold.

The magazines said it gave a full sound, does it ever! Bass is so rounded and trebble a little thin which I like. Full open chord such as 'c'are deep and rich and go on for ever. I don't use a pick normally but a pick amplifies the whole thing even more and adds a certain ring also.simple fingerstyle is easy and crisp, but the high E is too close to the fingerboard edge and I have to play more precisly to avoid the occational buzz, but it's so nice...

Not too sure of the factory set-up. The action seems very high compared to all my golden oldie Gibsons etc, so I will drop the bridge when I change the strings, and maybe add an pickup too. Any wood flaws are strangly welcome in this instrument, you expect and almost want to have them!There is a real charm to the 'rough' build that is great.All edges are so well finished it's untrue, right down to the neck adjust tool; exceeds all expectations!

The light weight makes the guitar feel fragile and you can knock it out of tune getting it out of the carry bag. You are always aware of the lack of curfing in the bouts, but the neck joint is really solid it look like it grew on the tree there! The guitar will tolerate very heavy playing, will faithfully stay in tune and never wears you out, it is bias to the headstock though, feels strange at first. Playing off the strap, the dreadnought shape kees the body on you leg, and does't keep wandering off, indeed, try the classic guitarists 'hold' and things are better still. the satin finish is irritating inasmuch that if your right hand brushes over the body as you strumm you can hear the 'chugh-chugh' of the hand passing over the wood grain, a pick guard is needed.All my other guitars are gloss and i don't get this noise. As a travel guitar it would go around the world easy.

Chasing supply of the Big Baby exposed me to the factory and their distributor/outlet systems, which all proved to be world class, beyond reproach. Such service in England is very rare,makes you want to by another Taylor! I went the full 9 yards and ordered the 'New Neck ' video and the first CD of Wood abd Steel, all arrived so quickly, try 3 days from the USA. Bad news is that I am reminded that I can't play very well...It is all very re-assuring.

I have 'played' guitar since the late 60's, and own a 60's Gibson ES125(wonderful)a Hofner Verithin(not so good)a 70's Italian EKO(stunning)and a very rare German Roger which is facinating, found in a junk shop, dates back to the early 50's.I originally wanted a Martin, tried one at 3 times the price of the Taylor and was dissapointed. My EKO was better. A review of the Big Baby in a magazine caught my eye, I took the marketing blurb but it was all true! If the guitar was 'lost' I would look to upgrade to a Series Taylor. I don't need the Travel guitar bit, but another Taylor for sure.I've got enough guitars now, best spend some money on a good teacher so I can get the best out of this lot, variety is the spice of life!

Made in 2000,(Model 306GB). 15/16 scale dreadnaught, solid spruce top and laminated Sapele sides and back. Scalloped Bracing. Standard-size 20 fret neck. Arched Back is glued to the sides without kerfing. Has satin finish, Ebony fretboard and Ebony bridge. The nut and saddle is micarta and the end pins are plastic. Neck is bolted on from top (through the fretboard); the Phillips head screws are visible. Has a chrome plated strap button instead of an end pin and an extra strap button where the neck meets the body. Tuners look imported, but solid and they hold the guitar in tune. No heel on the neck which actually gives you access to about two extra frets. Very nice gig bag included.

Has a nice full tone for its size, with a warmer low end than many full-size guitars. It has a nice clean, bright sound. Sounds much better than other guitars that cost even more. Pretty good intonation with clear overtones. Amazing sustain. Sounds close, though not as good, to a Taylor x14 size guitar.

Pretty good action from the factory, I lowered the saddle about 0.007" and adjusted the truss rod to my liking and it plays like an electric now. Fit was good. Satin finish is OK (rember, it's a cheap guitar). Bookmatching was not fantastic but then again it was $290 with a good gig bag.

Hardware seems ok. Strap buttons are solid. Finnish is satin and thin. The guitar is extremely light and the back glued directly to the sides might not withstand the test of time.

Asked for a pickguard and they sent me one free. I e-mailed them a question about the gig bag and they replied in 24 hours. One year warranty. I also own a Martin and I sense that Taylor's customer support is just as good as Martin's.

I have been playing for 5 years. I also own a Martin HD-28 and an Ovation Legend. This is the best guitar for the money that I have found. I love the ebony finger board and bright sound.

You can find info on features elsewhere. The features are very minimalistic, but that is more my style anyway. It has all I need including pearloid dots on the fretboard which helps while playing in open tuning.

It has an outstanding sound, far superior to other guitars that I tried in the price range. The tone is well balanced between the lows and highs. It has a cheery bright sound which I understand is characteristic of Taylor guitars.

There are some blemishes in the wood used for the sound board (Top). The grain near the sound hole waves in an interesting way and causes a neat affect when the light hits it. I think that the "blemish" adds to the character and gives it a sound that is somewhat unique to my guitar. There was another Big Baby in the store where I purchased mine that had a more flawless grain pattern, though they sounded almost the same, I feel the one I chose had a unique ring to it. The action is great, though when I changed the strings the first time, the action dropped down to the fretboard. Perhaps there was a heavier gadge used before. I simply adjusted the rod and have had no other problems with the action after subsequent string changes. The Finish could be improoved (ie: Bolt on neck) Still, I'd rather keep it as is and keep the price down. It is nothing major.

The guitar looks Fragile, but sofar has withstood a beating. It has been dropped and knocked around a bit. I purchaced it almost 3 months ago and have played it just about every day for a couple of hours or so at a time. I have almost exclusively used a pick and dispite no pick guard, the top has not worne at all. I think that it will last. I recently bought a Fishman soundhole pickup for it and it performs like a champ connected to a Crate CA30D Accoustic guitar amp. I would have no problem playing it in Coffee shop gigs or open mics.

Never needed it. Hope I never do.

If it were lost or stolen I think that I'd definately get another. I love the simplicity about it. There is no trim or decoration on it other than a Lazer etched soundhole design, but I never much liked extravigance anyway. I play mostly folk music and enjoy the plane look of the guitar.

2000 Year Model Taylor Big Baby. Made in USA.
20 Frets, Solid Spruce Top, Sapelle Veneer back and sides.
Mahogany Neck. Satin Finish, 14/15 Sized Dreadnaught.
Grover tuners (although they don't say Taylor or anything on them).
25.5 Inch Scale. Ebony Fretboard. My Big Baby happens to come with a nice pickguard! Comes with nice Taylor Deluxe Gig Bag, warranty
card, some literature, and a neat little truss rod adjusting tool.

My ratings for this guitar are based on comparisons with other
guitars in it's price range or approximate size, to be fair. So
keep in mind that when you see a 9 or a 10 rating, it is relative
to another sub-400 guitar or an OM sized instrument.

The sound is bright. A bit brighter than the regular Taylors.
Makes an excellent fingerpicking guitar and a good strumming guitar.
The highs are a tad thin due to the size of the instrument, and the
lows are a bit lightweight, also due to the size of the instrument.
I would say it compares favorably to a Seagull dreadnaught.
This guitar sounds better than any other sub-$400 guitar that I've
ever heard. The Seagull comes close, and it would be a toss-up.
Considering it's size and price, this guitar produces amazing
sound. I would say its balance and sound is closest to that of
an OM sized guitar.

Set-up from factory was excellent. Low and easy action with no
fret buzz unless you try to strum very hard. Top was bookmatched
very well, and bridge was properly routed. The fit and finish
were a weak point, since Taylor chose to focus on the sound,
feel, and playability, and keep the cost down. The fretwork
is excellent, the neck is smooth and straight. The only thing
that fell short is in the polish department... it could have used
more polish. But for $329 w/ nice gig bag and ebony fretboard, Taylor
sound and playability, and solid sitka spruce top, it is hard to fault Taylor for lack of polish.

I think this guitar could withstand live playing especially
since only the top is solid wood, and the rest of the body
is sapelle veneer. The hardware looks to be top-notch
and should last. The satin finish appears to be durable and
well applied. The strap buttons are solid. I think I could
depend on this guitar, but not sure about gigging with it
without a backup. You should almost always have a backup with
any guitar IMO. And as I stated earlier, my Big Baby came with
a nice pickguard. Looks like Taylor has been listening to customers
and decided to add one!

I've dealt with Taylor before, and they've been very responsive.
Unlike my terrible experience with Larrivee customer service, which
was poor to say the least. I've not dealt with Taylor for warranty
issues, but Taylor has an excellent reputation and I don't think
their customer support is an issue. The warranty is for one year.
I'm giving it a 9 here only because I've not dealt with them for
warranty issues so I can't rate it.

The dealer just received a shipment of two of these Big Babys
the day they were to ship mine, so they didn't even open it,
slapped a mailing label on it and shipped it to me. It came in
it's original Taylor box with plastic wrap on the guitar inside.
It arrived in excellent condition, and I am the first person out
of the factory to play it.

I love the taylor playability - excellent neck feel and low action.
The simplicity in construction and appointments on this guitar is
attractive in a modest way. The gig bag is a quality bag with good
padding, and a nice big front pocket with the Taylor logo on it.
The weak points of this guitar is that the highs are a bit thin,
the bass isn't as strong as a full-sized dreadnaught, and the fit
and finish could use some polishing. But as I said earlier, given the
size of the guitar is 15/16 the size of a regular dreadnaught, and
the fact that it's $329, I can understand these shortcomings.

This is a New 2000, California-made Big Baby Taylor (Model 306GB).
The guitar is a 15/16 scale steel-string, flat top, dreadnaught with solid spruce top and laminated mahogany sides and back. It Handles like a grand auditorium size guitar. The guitar features a standard-size 20 fret neck which is bolted onto the body through the fretboard. The neck is a new Taylor design. Both fretboard and bridge are constructed from ebomy. The guitar comes with Elixar strings. It is an acoustic instrument, but the soundhole is standard and can accomodate my Dean Markley and "Snarling Dog" soundhole pickups.

This has quickly become one of my two favorites (the other is a Gibson WM 45). The sound is very accurate and balanced throughout its frequency range. The bass is tight, but not extended. The midrange and high-end frequencies are very smooth and pleasant. This is a very easy guitar to play as the neck is a new design with low action. It seems to form a continouus contact with the body of the guitar. I have not heard any guitar under $1,000. that I would choose over this instrument. This is a real "best buy" in acoustic guitars and will encourage me to sell some of my lesser holdings and expand into the Taylor line.

I prefer country, soft rock, classical and Jazz. The Big Baby performs in all areas but excels with folk, accoustic rock
and country.

The Big Babies which I selected from were all slightly different in appearance. The guitar looks very simple and only adorned by an etched soundhole rossette. The top of my guitar had several "scallops" in the grain and I thought it gave it character and a hand-made appearance. The top, sides and back are joined without any purfing. The guitar does have some minor finish flaws which add to the hand-made look. They do not concern me at all.

This instrument appears to be very solid and reliable. It is very light though and this adds to its ease of handling and playing.

The Big Baby has a one year warranty. I experienced excellent web site support and fast response. The warranty really merits a rating of 4. Customer support and communications would be a 10.

I would immediately replace this guitar if I lost it. I used to play in rock and folk groups years ago (many years ago) and I recently started playing again. Taylor could make an A/E version and use Koa laminate and provide a hard shell case for under another $300.00. I
would love the opportunity to buy an enhanced Big Baby. The gig bag that comes with the Big Baby offers a lot of protection and is truly a deluxe bag, but it could have been a little bigger for an easier fit.

This is a 15/16 size dreadnought with a solid spruce top. It has a nice satin finish. You can read more about the features of this guitar elsewhere. Bottom line, this is a Taylor and features high quality parts throughout.

The Baby Taylor has a nice full tone given its size. In fact, it has a warmer low end that many full-size guitars for more money. It has a nice clean, bright sound - great for cutting through a mix in the recording studio (very little EQ needed). I compared this side by side with a Tacoma DM-10 (another great guitar for the money) and found the tone very similar, although the Tacoma had a fuller low end (and a much higher price tag).

Very well set up. Nice even action all the way up the neck. No flaws at all. Great!

There is no pick guard which may be a problem for me over time given my playing style (we'll see). It is very light, but given Taylor's record I have no doubt that this guitar will be great for years to come.

This is by far the best guitar for the money - period. If I had another $200 I would have picked up a Tacoma DM-10, but for less than $300 the Baby Taylor cannot be beat.

USA made, ebony bridge and fretboard.....this really is a simple looking guitar with no pickguard or edging but personally I love the look. I was lucky and got one with beautifully textured and naturally marked wood.

I was really impressed by the sound of the Big Baby, it really is amazing for the price. I tested it out against a number of more expensive guitars including a Yamaha and it blew them all away. It's just so bright and loud and really does project amazingly for its size. Using a pick or fingers the sound is distinct and confident....excellent

My Big Baby came with Elixier gore coated strings which are very pricy but great sounding and lovely to play. Action is excellent, just right and the neck is slim and fast with no blemishes. It was the feel of the Taylor which also sold me. Compared to others at a similar price it is just so great to play. While trying it out I could hardly put it down...so fun. There were no faults with my Big Baby...I love it.

The Big Baby is noticeably very light when picked up but it feels solid and inspiring when played. Taylor have obviously had to scrimp on some of the construction methods (such as bolt on neck etc) so this could have conatations in the long run (i've only had mine a week so I can't really say). Overall though, it feels pretty solid

Can't really haven't had any problems yet (fingers crossed).

I've been playing about 5 years now and play mainly electric (I have a USA Tele which is my other true love). The BB is my first steel string acoustic and it's really got me into acoustic playing....my favourite feature is most definately the sound. At this price it's amazing.

Heaven - USA made, Ebony skillfully crafted fretboard and frets, Solid top - honestly, feature wise it is an acoustic guitar, no big surprises in its features. A sweet slim neck. Its important feature is its magnificance - if feels, and sounds and plays wonderfully, like a Taylor, and nothing else compares.

It sounds great, articulate, powerful, -sweet. Sounds like a Taylor!!!!!!

Perfect, neck and fretboard are very clean, comfortable and easily set. Plays like a Taylor!!!!!!!!!111

Well made, I have had the smaller baby taylor for 5 years and it has withstood international trips, motorcycle rides and parties - still plays, looks and sounds sweet.

I called for advice on what pickup to buy and received a real live and helpful person. This is an extremely cheap / inexpensive guitar, I think a high level of customer support is unreasonable but am very confident I would receive any important support I need. The guitar came with care info and names and numbers to call - but hey, it is an acoustic, not a laptop.

I have played for 20 years, mainly an electric player - tube amps only, and custom strats (warmouth's generally) and an occasionally played Les Paul (too heavy, not as comfortable as a strat). I do not mess around when it comes to equipment and this is why I buy a Taylor. I have owned tons of Yamaha acoustics, Ovations, sold and played Guild, Martin, Takamine, Laravee. Taylor is my favorite, Laravee and Martin nice alternatives - but of course this is the only one under $700. It is heaven, and it will not be sold, if necessary it will be replaced, but not willingly parted with. Freaking excellent. 10 out of 10.

New 2000 model with solid spruce top and laminated sapele sides and back. Auditorium sized (15/16th) dreadnought style. Bolt on neck. Sapele neck with ebony fretboard and ebony bridge. Regular scale neck. Sealed Grover type tuners. Includes well padded gig bag. Fishman and LR Baggs pickups available but not included with my model.

Brilliant, articulate full sound for such a small bodied guitar. A fingerpickers dream. Resonates exceptionally well. Excellent intonation. Clear overtones.

Satin finished. Bookmatched top. Cut joining body and neck could be finished better. Hole for truss rod adjustment was a little rough. Set up was perfect. Action ideal for both strumming and fingerpicking. The bolts for the neck should have wooden caps and not be visible. This is the only hint that it is a "cheaper" guitar.
I do have a concern about the bolt exposure and the potential for rust on the hardware especially here in Florida.

The Big Baby Taylor is a light guitar that plays strong, however, I would really "baby" it. It is definitely not a bang up type guitar. At any rate, it still projects quality and the sound definitely is superior to all of the guitars in its class and most dreadnoughts, period. I cant believe such a small guitar can have so much going for it. I would definitely replace it if lost or stolen. I beleve it will be harder for me to pay another $1500 or more for a full size Taylor. The tone is definitely in the Big Baby!!!

No experience yet.

I have been playing for about 35 years and have owned real close to 50 guitars. MY other acoustics are a 1977 Martin D-35, a LoPrinzi DM12 and a Peavey SJ60 acoustic/electric. The Big Baby shines among this company and is way louder than I ever expected. I did not really need another guitar, but when I heard the Big Baby and then played it myself with some fingerpicking, I immediately bought it. You just cant find a guitar that sounds this good anymore without investing a great deal of money. It clearly is the best guitar for the money in the world. Look out Martin X Series. You are in trouble now!!!

Brand new. Found it at Kincaid Music in Springfield Ohio.

Mahogony back and sides, Spruce top.

Noticed the back is glued to the side, with no perfing, I think it's called. Just glue.
Guitar works great and sounds awesome. Top is lively.

Sound is amazing. The bass and midrange is great. SOunds way better than other less expensive guitars I have.

Set up was ok for a strummer, but I play finger styler, so I lowered the nut fret some and adjusted the truss rod to my liking and it plays exactly like my 514-ce now.
Top is perfect. It looks like one piece unless you look very close.

No flaws and no problems at all so far.

it is a great work guitar, but I suspect it is about as fragile as any light acoustic. Nut fret, fretboard and bridge saddle are all substantial.
I think it will hold up fine.

Taylor has been great to me when I needed something and the dealer was great.

Been playing for 40 + years. Have several guitars including 4 acoustics.
I would buy another one, if lost, or at least another taylor.

The only other guitar in the price range that interested me was a couple Larrivee's that I tried, but they cost more.

Made 2000 in USA/ 14 frets to body/scale length 25 1/2 inches Solid spruce top/laminated mohogany back and sides/ arched back so that back bracing is not needed/ ebony fretboard and bridge/ Mohogany neck/ chrome tuners/ delux gig bag included. Odd looking bolted on neck, but it seems very strong.

Sound is bright and has excellent sustain. I tried to compare it to a
414, but since it is another body style that is an unfair comparison.
Decision: Very good for price range, better than Martin X series with solid top and for hundreds less.

Action feels slightly higher than my 414, but looks about the same. Very good action. Fit was good. Finish was average.Bookmatching of top was not great, and there was an odd sworl to the grain of the left side. It looks like Taylor is using the wood rejected for its top line guitars. May be a good thing! You get great sounding wood if you give up high end finish. some finish blemishes on back. New set of Elixors is alway a good start.

The guitar was for my son. When we picked it up, he sad it felt small, yet it is comparable to his concert size Yamaha. I think it was the difference in weight that surprised him. It is very light, like some of the high end guitars that you pick up. It seems stought enough, and since the small Baby Taylors have held up I expect this will also.

Extremely helpful and friendly. Buttttt! This is the first time I have felt let down by Taylor. I prepaid for this guitar months ago, before the Summer Namm. Their PR was that they would be shipping in August, but we just received this one in the Middle of October. When quizzed on where was guitar and why it had not shipped since my dealer had in the order since I first talked to him last winter/spring, someone at Taylor said they were being shipped "randomly". Later I got an email from the area rep who said that the order would ship Oct 5. It was finally shipped Oct 12 and received Oct 17. It took a Herculean effort by my dealer to get it to us that day from his main store to the branch in a nearby town, so my son could return to college with it. Bottom line: Taylor has always been the best with Customer Support/email/webpage, etc. It looks like this is going to be a winner for them and they cannot get production up after creating big demand for a good product at a very good value. Still--"random order shipping priorities"??? On the upside they did send a pickguard I requested by email ten days before my dealer received the guitar, so I guess customer support is still great, while dealer support, shipping, and production is lousy.

Great guitar for the price! Ebony Neck and Bridge for under $500! A great second guitar with a sweet sound and very good action. If not the fit & finish and sound of a $1700 Taylor it is still better than most anything else for 1/4 that price. I really like Martin's X series, but for almost $200 less and a gig bag and an ebony fretboard and bridge and a solid wood top the Talor Big Baby is hands down a better value. I would go ahead and put the pick guard on at the factory, cause people are going to use a pick on this size quitar. I would prefer a 1 and 3/4 inch neck at fret over the 1 and 11/16, but that is a personal prejudice since I think that this is a good guitar that would sound good for fingerstyle playing. I would make the neck bracing look more like a traditional guitar, even though I know Taylor has said this is quite strong enough. I would use the same tecnology, but make it look more like the bolt on necks of the expensive Taylors. This just seems to float in space. The drywall screws in the fretboard look tacky. First comment from My son "What's with these?" I would like to have several of these to keep at work and home etc. to pick around on and give to my kids, but if lost I probably would not immediately replace it, not that I would not want to, but that my son still can play his Yamaha. Overall a great value for student guitar or second guitar.