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Post by Matt Milton on Jul 29, 2024 13:55:10 GMT
I normally like a guitar with a wide nut width and all my acoustics are around 1.75 inches. I grew up playing a classical guitar, so a wide string spacing is just what my fingers and and brain expect - it's what I'm used to and I almost always find that my fingers feel cramped and boxed-in if I'm playing a standard, smaller acoustic-guitar nut width.
I also tend to prefer chunkier necks - slim necks tend to just feel wrong to me.
But at the weekend I stayed at my parents and played my mum's Taylor Big Baby. Right from the get-go I found it really comfortable to play, despite the fact that ergonomically I ought to hate it with its slim neck and standard nut width. I tried my dad's Crafter guitar (similar nut width, similar neck) and it felt cramped and just not right.
I'm always very pleasantly surprised by how good that Big Baby sounds whenever I visit my parents - and I'm not usually a fan of Taylor guitars. To my mind it has much less of "the Taylor sound", and sounds a lot warmer and less bright.
Is there something psychological going on here - could it be that I just like the tone so much that my brain and fingers just fall into line, because I want to like the guitar? Is it comfortable to play simply because it sounds nice, so I'm determined to enjoy playing it? Or can other aspects of a guitar make it feel as if it has wider string spacing than it actually has?
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Post by Onechordtrick on Jul 29, 2024 17:06:23 GMT
Can’t really help much except I’ve found some guitars just fit naturally into my hands and are easy to play. I’m guessing but combination of body size and depth, neck profile and string spacing.
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Post by lavaman on Jul 30, 2024 10:48:29 GMT
I normally like a guitar with a wide nut width and all my acoustics are around 1.75 inches. I grew up playing a classical guitar, so a wide string spacing is just what my fingers and and brain expect - it's what I'm used to and I almost always find that my fingers feel cramped and boxed-in if I'm playing a standard, smaller acoustic-guitar nut width.
I also tend to prefer chunkier necks - slim necks tend to just feel wrong to me.
But at the weekend I stayed at my parents and played my mum's Taylor Big Baby. Right from the get-go I found it really comfortable to play, despite the fact that ergonomically I ought to hate it with its slim neck and standard nut width. I tried my dad's Crafter guitar (similar nut width, similar neck) and it felt cramped and just not right.
I'm always very pleasantly surprised by how good that Big Baby sounds whenever I visit my parents - and I'm not usually a fan of Taylor guitars. To my mind it has much less of "the Taylor sound", and sounds a lot warmer and less bright.
Is there something psychological going on here - could it be that I just like the tone so much that my brain and fingers just fall into line, because I want to like the guitar? Is it comfortable to play simply because it sounds nice, so I'm determined to enjoy playing it? Or can other aspects of a guitar make it feel as if it has wider string spacing than it actually has?
Wow, I could have written that. I am converted to the church of Taylor Big Baby. I wanted a travel guitar and bought a Furch Little Jane but I couldn't get on with it so I sold it. I tried nixsbee's Taylor Big Baby and there was the answer - easy to play and it sounded great. A couple of weeks later I bought one on facebook marketplace - 12 months old for £250. Spruce top and laminate walnut back & sides so it sounds a little brighter that the older mahogany ones. Like Matt, the neck size and string spacing are completely different to my other 'serious' guitars. The left side of my brain says 'you shouldn't like this guitar' but the right side says 'actually, I do'. It's weird. It's so easy to play and I've written a couple of songs on it just noodling around. It's a very bright trebly sound with very little bass. If you want a 2nd acoustic guitar on a recording - it's perfect. Have a listen to my song "Sun Shining Through" on the Plucky Duck, the rhythm guitar is a Big Baby. I put a Fishman rare earth humbucker pickup on and have used it at several open mics. If you haven't played one, check 'em out. You might be surprised Iain |
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juliant
C.O.G. 
Posts: 426
My main instrument is: Lowden L23
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Post by juliant on Jul 30, 2024 18:09:40 GMT
I'd be interested to try one. I once took a (very expensive) Taylor in part exchange for a Larrivee, and really didn't like it. The workmanship and feel was first class, but the sound was (as we used to say in RMMGA) thin and reedy to my ears. That rather put me off Taylor, but I'll definitely try a Big Baby if I get the chance.
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Post by delb0y on Aug 1, 2024 4:43:36 GMT
I feel like I ought to try a Taylor. I know some really fine finger-pickers who swear by them, and I recall one of my favourite ever acoustic tones was on a Dan Crary record, and I was so moved by the sound I dug around to find out what the guitar was and it turned out to be a Taylor. Leo Kottke got some fine tones out of them, too, I believe. Although I think he may use something else now. I'm told they're really easy to play, too - which is always a bonus.
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Post by NikGnashers on Aug 1, 2024 16:19:21 GMT
I recently watched a YT video about how shoddy the build quality was for Taylor guitars, but have not personally owned one so couldn't comment. They are popular though, but then again, so is McDonalds  |
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Post by fatfingerjohn on Aug 1, 2024 16:58:02 GMT
I recently watched a YT video about how shoddy the build quality was for Taylor guitars, but have not personally owned one so couldn't comment. They are popular though, but then again, so is McDonalds I've had my Taylor 310ce now for around 15 years and it's as good as new. The neck profile, nut width and string spacing are just right for me but of course that's a matter for individual taste. I wouldn't fault the build quality for 1 moment. Probably not my absolute favorite guitar now as I've treated myself to a couple of others, but still played most days and is a great workhorse. I think Taylors are probably overpriced in UK, probably driven up by the amount of marketing they do, and I find their hype about woods etc a bit OTT. But the build has easily passed the test of time for me. I tried a big baby and a GT mini some years back and really was surprised at how good it felt, even for a big bloke like me (slightly narrower nut but string spacing made it OK). FFJ |
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lifesalaugh
Strummer
Posts: 18 
My main instrument is: Kinkade Kingsdown/Gretsch parlour
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Post by lifesalaugh on Aug 1, 2024 20:29:28 GMT
Owned a Taylor 314 and a Big Baby, sold the 314 because I found the Big baby Taylor neck and action was so comfortable to play
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Post by NikGnashers on Aug 2, 2024 19:04:36 GMT
I recently watched a YT video about how shoddy the build quality was for Taylor guitars, but have not personally owned one so couldn't comment. They are popular though, but then again, so is McDonalds I've had my Taylor 310ce now for around 15 years and it's as good as new. The neck profile, nut width and string spacing are just right for me but of course that's a matter for individual taste. I wouldn't fault the build quality for 1 moment. Probably not my absolute favorite guitar now as I've treated myself to a couple of others, but still played most days and is a great workhorse. I think Taylors are probably overpriced in UK, probably driven up by the amount of marketing they do, and I find their hype about woods etc a bit OTT. But the build has easily passed the test of time for me. I tried a big baby and a GT mini some years back and really was surprised at how good it felt, even for a big bloke like me (slightly narrower nut but string spacing made it OK). FFJ The video I watched, showed belly bulge on the top plate near the bridge of several 5-10 year old Taylors, and then with a camera he showed the inadequate bracing inside, huge gaping slits where the top joins the sides (in all of the examples), and the poor quality neck blocks they use. I'm certainly not bashing them, as I have never owned one, but the video was eye opening for me. |
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Jo whoever he is.
