Taylor Big Baby Acoustic Guitar Review 2023

The Taylor Big Baby is an acoustic that is a perfect travel-size guitar, but still packs a good punch! The Taylor Big Baby also comes in a left-handed model as well for the players that prefer it!

Let’s take a deeper look into the Big Baby. It has a great sound for the price point it is found in. It’s a popular acoustic in the entry-level offerings!

Features

Let’s take a look at some key features of the Taylor Big Baby Acoustic guitar.

• Sitka spruce top.
• Layered sapele back and sides.
• Tropical American mahogany neck.
• Ebony finger board.
• Smaller size makes it great for travel.
• 25.5 inch scale with 20 frets.
• Chrome plated tuners.

Guitar Body Construction

The body on this guitar is the biggest of the small profiles that Taylor makes. It’s just shy of a full-size dreadnought acoustic.

The Sitka spruce top gives the Big Baby a nice tone and has quite the voice for its slightly smaller size. The back is slightly arched, which adds strength to the guitar to make it roadworthy. But it also helps with its volume.

The overall sound is well-balanced thanks to Taylor’s design with this guitar body. It’s great for all playing styles. The back and sides are made from layered Sapele. This is done to keep the cost of the instrument down, but it looks and sounds great.

Layered woods handle humid environments better. This can be a benefit as the Big Baby is small enough to be used more often as a travel guitar. The body is then finished in varnish on the top, back, and sides and does not have a cut away.

Neck and Headstock

Secondly, the Big Baby neck is Taylor’s patented design. It’s made from tropical mahogany and features an African ebony fingerboard. All with a 25.5-inch scale and Pearloid dot inlays.

The nut width is roughly 1.7 inches wide and has a matte finish. The neck is designed to stay sturdy and remain in tune with rock-solid intonation.

The neck feels great when playing and is easy to get around on and play. This neck would also be extremely comfortable for people with smaller hands.

The Taylor design claim is that their necks ensure lasting stability and intonation. We had no issues with the Big Baby when it came to tuning or intonation. Being a more worthy travel guitar, this feature would be extremely appreciated. Especially to those who take it with them when on the go.

Hardware

The Big Baby comes with a Tusq nut and Micarta saddle. Tusq, according to Graphtec, has been designed to transfer the right frequencies. Much more efficient from the strings to the guitar body.

Consequently, this produces more harmonics in the mid and upper ranges. Tusq responds as close to bone as you can possibly get. Micarta is a synthetic material that is a substitute for bone. But is softer and cheaper, which you will find in entry-level guitars.

The die-cast plated chrome tuning machine heads feel good and hold tuning very well. We had no issues with tuning on the Big Baby and when required was obtained quite easily.

The Big Baby does not come loaded with any electronics, so make sure you are aware of this.

Sound Performance

So, now that you know a bit about the guitar, the question is, how does it sound? The Big Baby is slightly smaller than a dreadnought body. But that does not exclude it from being a trusty performer!

This little guitar packs a punch. It projects well and sounds great. Thanks to the spruce wood, and the experience of Taylor’s engineering. This model has a bold timbre with a good mid-range punch and articulate top end.

Every time I would strum the guitar somewhat aggressively, it opened up. The large tone really filled the room.

The Big Baby acoustic guitar is a lot of fun and very hard to put down! And thanks to the small size, you may never have to as you can virtually take it with you wherever you go!

Playability

But how does it feel? The smaller size comes up as a plus once again! First, it is light and tucks into your body so nicely that it feels natural.

The action on the guitar was great, which made it so easy to play that the comfort level was very high! The neck is perfect for people with smaller hands, especially younger players.

Intonation and tuning were robust. Playing up and down the fretboard was a great experience. The Big Baby acoustic just feels robust and the neck sturdy. It’s no wonder this guitar is popular for an entry-level!

Final Thoughts

The Taylor Big baby is one of those guitars that, while entry-level, it is very versatile and sounds good!

Because of its size, it is also great for younger players and people with smaller hands. This is an around-the-campfire kind of guitar. Also, a great business trip acoustic for experienced players. Those who already have some professional models.

Taylor is an acoustic manufacturing pioneer. And even in their entry-level guitars, the quality and sound are present!

We had fun with this guitar, its big balanced sound and small size make it very versatile, and it’s very hard to put down! The spruce top is an excellent contributor to the great sound! For a beginner, you won’t be disappointed with this guitar. Unless, of course, you own some more expensive Taylor acoustics!

FAQs

Is Taylor Big Baby guitar good?

Yes, the Taylor Big baby is a wonderful guitar that is perfect for beginners. Not only does it have a great sound, but the slightly smaller size also gives new players an easier shape to get used to. It doesn’t include any electronics. Which can also be good because beginners really don’t need them, and it keeps the price lower.

Is Big Baby Taylor good for beginners?

Yes, the Big Baby Taylor is probably one of the best beginner acoustic guitars you can buy. It has an attractive price, good sound and is the perfect size. Because they are of decent quality, they will also hold their value. So that if you feel the guitar is not for you, it’s possible to sell it.

Is the Big Baby Taylor Worth It?

The Big baby Taylor is worth it to those who are just getting started, or want a cheaper acoustic for gigs or travel. If you are an experienced player, you may want to look into something that has a full body and better quality.