Baby or Big Baby?

Okay.

Due to a few different variables (camping, trips, traveling, caroling(?), and TAS TAS TAS) I'm now thinking to supplement my guitar arsenal with a travel-sized guitar. While the Larrivee Parlour sounds great, I'm assuming that the solid woods will take it a bit out of my price range. Besides, getting a parlour wouldn't help my TAS condition anyway.

I remember trying a friend's Baby(M?) two years ago - Jan '00. I haven't played one since. I wasn't too impressed at the time. It easily went out of tune, sounded very thin and boxy. Have they changed at all since then? What's the general consensus for a traveling guitar? Baby? Big Baby? (is the big baby in its gig bag too big for air travel?)

I really want to have a guitar with me at home this christmas, and I'm starting to shy away from bringing the 714 and 'gate checking' it.

Anyway... opinions? I suppose the best thing for me to do would be to go to a shop and play some but I do value your opinions.

thanks in advance

Allan

[david_m]

Allan,

I have both a Big Baby and a Baby (along with a 714ce). I got the baby for air travel and the Big Baby for camping, car trips, etc.) I've never had any kind of tuning or playability problems with either guitar. In fact I'm stunned by how stable both instruments are. It is not uncommon for either instrument to go weeks between playings (since I have my 714 in my lap constantly), and they are almost always about 95% still in tune when I pick them up.

The Babys sound wonderful for a small body guitar, but they obviously will not match a full size Taylor in volume or tone. However, it is SOOO convenient to be able to carry on a guitar and easily slide it in to the overhead compartment. My Baby is in the hardshell case, and I've flown with it 5 or six times without any issues (although I have not flown since September).

I think the best answer is if you're going to travel primarily by car get the Big Baby, but if air travel is in your future get the Baby. (Of course you could do what I did and get them both).

[bnjp]

Does anyone have an electrified Baby? What pickup did you install?

[bjarock]

I have a standard Baby in which I had installed a Fishman Matrix by my local Taylor dealer. I have played it through a PA and it sounds reasonably good.

Any specific questions?

[rbachman]

I have a Baby M with Fishman installed at the factory. It sounds very nice. It is my main guitar while I wait for my Lefty 314CE Imbuia from the factory on Christmas day!!

The Baby M made me a Taylor guy. Iwish that I could justify a Big Baby too (my wife would not approve). She wants to know why I need another guitar after getting the Baby.

[ 11-27-2001: Message edited by: rbachman ]

I guess what i'm really asking is, those of you who have both, and were forced to go with one only, which would you keep?

is the big baby's sound that much better than the regular baby?

I guess it's all a function of how big they are. I'll have to go to the store to refresh my memory. (only problem with that, is that there's a whole wall of other taylors calling me... )

as always any insights are quite welcome.

Allan

[cpmusic]

Given the choice, I'd keep my Baby-M solely because of its size. It's perfect for traveling and the only guitar with which I can kick back in a comfy chair. If tone were the deciding factor, though, the Big Baby would win. (I don't have a Big Baby, but I'm keeping psychic room for it, if you know what I mean.)

My Baby-M, BTW, has a remarkable tone given its size, and it's incredibly stable, especially considering that it's almost never in its case.

[Matt McGriff]

I am looking for a nice but inexpensive guitar and went and played a baby, baby m, big baby, and for comparison's sake, a 310. I have to tell you that for sound the big baby is beyond comparison in its price range (you cannot get a Larrivee D-3 or a martin D-15 for less than $400). Many compare these two to the big baby, but they are twice as much. I like the Larrivee parlor, but I have to say it is ugly. People will say its the sound that counts, and I say only if you are recording. When I am sitting playing and looking constantly at my guitar it can't be unattractive, know what I mean? The baby m i played today was great except the top wood had some black checking and striping to it, not the one I would have chosen if I had the choice but it sounded great. And witht he pickguard, these look great. My 2 cents

[mgracing]

What CPmusis said. If tone is the major factor, Big Baby... Airplane travel, Baby.

BTW Matt, I had a Rosewood Parlor from Larrivee a while back. Didn't mind the looks but the neck was dissapointing. I bought a Baby Koa that has by far the worst selection of wood I have seen on any Taylor. Top, Back, and sides, have flaws and even some filler used on the top. It's not a looker but it's the best sounding Baby I've ever heard (played 11 of them at the particular sitting that I bought the KOA) and have played dozens of them in the past. Added ebony and pearl bridge pins, ebony tuner knobs and a pickguard and she's acceptably attractive now