Baby Taylor acoustic guitar review

The Baby Taylor acoustic guitar is a staple of the traveling guitar market, but the guitar promises an ideal acoustic guitar learning experience for children as well

With a price of around $350, we have set out to see if it’s really worth that amount of cash though, as you can buy cheaper guitars of this size.

We tested both versions of the Baby Taylor at GuitarCenter, here is what it was like.

Features and opinion of the Baby Taylor BT1 and BT2

The Baby Taylor comes in 2 versions:

• the BT1 with a solid Sitka Spruce top
• the BT2 with a Mahogany top

Both versions of the Baby Taylor cost the same, so it will come down to the look you like better, and the tone you are looking for. More on that later.

All other aspects of the 2 versions of the guitar are identical.

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Body and Neck

Fans of the Baby Tylor will be familiar with the body of the signature Taylor Swift guitar. Designed at a 3/4 scale, this dreadnought guitar is adorable to look at. If you’re looking for a children’s guitar, the feel is soft and gentle, perfect for the hands of your child.

The X-braced Stipka spruce (on the BT1 version) is combined with dark sapele backs and slides. Both are matte finished.

Interestingly, this guitar has a bolt-on neck, not customary on acoustic guitars. The bolts are at the 16th fret.

Made in Mexico, the neck is a dazzling display of handiwork and craftsmanship.

You can also get a Taylor Swift signature version of the Baby Taylor. The most striking part of the guitar is the artwork done by Love Love Love around the soundhole. The aesthetic appeal is finalized with Taylor’s signature around the bridge of the guitar.

Taylor Swift is a global music superstar with many accolades to her name, ten Grammys as the prime example. Many artists try to show the work behind their craft. Taylor uses a guitar to write songs with and has been creating mesmerizing music in that way since she was 16.

The guitar feels unique, much like Taylor’s music. Your child just won’t be able to wait to get their hands on the guitar and try to compose their own songs, like their hero Taylor Swift. This aspect makes it a very desirable guitar for older kids.

I’ve read several complaints online from various owners of the Baby Taylor that they were having manufacturing quality issues. All seem to be centered around the glued parts of the guitar coming apart. This should be covered by warranty though.

Hardware

A pure acoustic model through and through, with no electric parts at all, this guitar has soft and tender chrome tuners. The ease with which they can be used is only trumped by how responsive they are.

Cheaper guitars will settle with a plastic fretboard and bridge. This isn’t the case with the high-quality Baby Taylor, whose bridge is made out of ebony.

To rounds things up, its strings are Elixir NanoWebs, as durable as they are gentle to play with.

You will also receive a gig bag with padding for safe and easy transportation, a must-have for any children’s guitar or travel guitar.

You can get an amplified version as well, the BT1E, which uses ES-B electronics, but they are rare and cost +$100.

Sound

Let’s check how the sound it makes compares with its looks.

Due to its smaller size, the volume it can create is not as loud as a full body guitar. Too bad for the child, but lucky for the parents.

The sound comes through clean. The sapele, similar to mahogany gives woody, warm tones. Intonation was good. The only thing lacking (due to the small body) is the base.

The spruce top version (BT1) produces a more balanced sound spectrum, while the BT2’s Mahogany top gives a slightly darker, fuller sound.

Video review of the Baby Taylor

About Taylor Guitars

Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974. They are headquartered in California, USA, and employ 900 people. They have grown to become one of the biggest names in the acoustic guitar industry,

Taylor Guitars was a pioneer in using modern manufacturing methods, while keeping a craftman’s touch and attention to detail. They use ethically harvested wood for their guitars, which demonstrates their forward-thinking approach to their entire company.

Many popular artists play Taylor guitars, including Taylor Swift, Zac Brown, and Jason Mraz.

Other Baby Taylor reviews and recommendations

Both the BT1 and BT2 models of this 3/4 acoustic have been reviewed by several other sites as well. Here are 2 we found especially helpful

Reverb.com

Reverb calls this guitar one of the staples of the 3/4 guitar category. They say that it makes a great first guitar or a travel guitar. Micing it up produces a sound that won’t disappoint. Read more…

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Andertons.co.uk

Andertons reviewed the guitar for their shop, and they gave it 5 stars out of 5. They say the guitar belies its size with a full tone and versatility. They say Taylor guitars did not cut any corners when it comes to the quality of the guitar, and call it a perfect starter guitar. Read more…

What customers say about the 3/4 scale Taylor

The Baby Taylor is a very popular guitar with lots of customer reviews you can read here. Let’s have a look at a few of them:

One customer is very satisfied with the guitar, and is surprised by the volume with respect to its size. He also commends the comfort and playability of the Baby Taylor.

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An amazon customer says the guitar feels light for its size, and is surprised by its volume, but notes that it lacks slightly on the low end. He calls it a great buy for kids and adults alike.

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A female customer who is less than 5 foot tall loved the size of the guitar. She couldn’t put it down. However, she has tuning stability issues, as her guitar does not stay in tune well. Her guitar drops a pitch down after a few days of not playing. (EDITORS NOTE: this is probably a faulty unit, I have not heard or experienced this issue with the Baby Taylor)

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Another Amazon customer said the guitar is very pretty. He changed strings on the guitar, as the sound was too bright for him. He noted that the nek is very easy to play.

You can read more reviews here.

Final verdict

Buying presents for children can be tricky. They are prone to interest swings as rapid and sudden as their mood swings. Yes, a potential gift of a $300 guitar could be a waste of your finances, but you are getting a high quality instrument with good resale value.

The looks of the guitar will attract the child at first and, since it’s both easy to hold and play, will engage your child to practice more than you thought possible.

No matter if you are looking for a travel guitar or a child’s learning guitar, you will not be disappointed with the Baby Taylor.