GS Mini vs Big Baby Taylor Guitar Comparison
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
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In this demonstration the baby appears louder but the gs mini has a much better tone and a much clearer and distinct sound.
GS Mini has a bump in the mids around 400-600 HZ that makes it have a nasal tone but the Big Baby sounds more tonally balanced across the entire frequency spectrum.
You just taught me how to recognise the mids. Thank you very much.
Played the big baby and the mini side by side today, the big baby sounds better imo
The BB has a huge sound, weighs so little, is easy to correct for environment during travel, has more tone and volume per dollar than any other acoustic guitar (value), and it is so easy to play. I've had mine since 2001.
i actually love the screws in the fret board. it makes it look cheap, and then you hear it and it is anything but cheap sounding. the contrast confuses people and i like that
Smaller size but big sounds . GSmini has been my own 'go to' acoustic guitar ever since I bought one.
Funny how people think the Baby is higher quality based on this video.
It sounds "better" because it is bigger, it resonates better. But the GS Mini is very precisely engineered, and is a finer instrument, the tone is superb.
It also has VERY low action. It is so low and precise that if you don't use the recommended gauge strings and try to go lighter, you will get fret buzz, which honestly seems to be the case with the one he is playing here. It was voiced for medium gauge elixer 80/20. And just changing one or two of those strings to a lighter gauge creates noticeable loss in tone and resonance. All in all, the GS mini is superior
i bought my 11 year old daughter a baby Taylor when they first came out, thats when they had a round body, and it sounded great i played it all day, and then i had my son who can play guitar play along with me on my Martin HD28, and they sounded great, playing at the same time.
The BB has more depth, it just sounds richer than the mini. I have both.
I have the BB
Big Baby was easy winner, hands down IMO. Much fuller and even sounding, better for strumming and "playing out."
The GS Mini sounded "boxy" IMO.
yeah it sounded darker.
well, i think anybody would agree i knew the answer before i heard anything. -kind of common sense. Bigger Guitar = Better tonality and sound that is if all parts ARE EQUAL.
I have both of these guitars (or my son has the GS Mini, rather). This video seems to make the GS mini sound better than it actually does. For me the GS Mini sounds like a toy guitar. It's probably not possible for a travel guitar to NOT sound like a toy. Also I've had a hard time keeping the GS mini in tune. The Big Baby sounds and feels awesome. Leave the GS Mini at the store.
the big baby has alot more depth and soul... I want one bad
Harry Harshimoto my friend used to have one. most comfortable neck and fretbord ive ever played on an acoustic. I loved his. he got it 10 years ago for 399$
+strocat25 indeed.
big baby ftw
I agree. First pluck of the strings made me smile. It does have a very sweet sound.
Can compete with other 3000$ Taylor Guitars..
I try both mini and bigbaby. I prefer big baby.
I have Big Baby and I'd like a GS as well, Taylor are awesome instruments
I've had one for years now, I like it better than $1200 acoustic models and I got it for $400. The chords are haunting and have such good expression on dynamics. Play it soft, play it hard, it has a haunting tone
Whoa, check out the fret buzz on the GS Mini's low E at 4:00!
Adjusting the truss rod's setting a little bit it will disappear..
I love my Big Baby. It's my first acoustic, and I fell in love with it in the store. A year later, I tried the GS Mini and loved that one too. I like the comfort (size) and feel of the Big Baby more though. I was thinking of purchasing a better guitar with a non-laminate body, but I'm instead getting a K&K pure mini installed with the ToneWood amp. Can't wait to hear what it sounds like when it's done!
I called Taylor Guitars customer support and talked to a technician. The Big Baby DOES HAVE scalloped bracing. I also took a mirror and a flashlight and looked down the innards of my Big Baby Taylor, and indeed I saw scalloped bracing. So, this comparison is nice, and he does a good job, however he was innaccurate about the bracing in the Big Baby Taylor. As far as comparing these two guitars goes, of course there are two different sonic tools, in terms of category. The BB is almost a full sized guitar with with a full scale length. The GS is a short scale guitar, with a short scale sound. It's a fancy travel guitar, basically. Comparing a short scale guitar and a full scale guitar, is like comparing apples and oranges. The longer scale means more harmonics, and a sharper tone. The design philosophy behind these is completely different, also. The BB was designed as an economy instrument, basically an add-on to the Baby Taylor line. It's built to an economy price point. The GS Mini was not designed as much for economy. It's not a bottom of the line instrument, price wise. So, it has a little higher end built quality and features. On this video when you are listening to the comparison, listen to the boominess of the GS Mini. The GS Mini has a great sound, but it is more boomy on the lower frequencies, and you may want to take that into consideration if you are going to use it for recording. The Big Baby has less coloration of the sound, and less boominess on certain lower frequency notes. I believe that the GS Mini has a bigger bass sound, and is not as flat on its total frequency response. The BB is more even across the frequency spectrum, to the ear. Now, I want to make it clear that I wrote about contacting Taylor about the scalloped bracing (which they verified that the BB DOES have scalloped bracing), however the rest of the things that I wrote here (other than about the bracing) are my opinions.
Makes sense to me, I've owned both and the BBT felt more cheap to me, don't get me wrong I loved it for its sound and playability, but the mini feels more solid construction wise, it just feels more solid in my hands, but again, they both sound great in different ways.
@@natalirivero1374same - had the GS and wanted the BB for the "better" sound - got it, and realized I liked the GS much more for a variety of reasons
I had a 310CE in my youth. I picked up the GS-Mini when it was first launched and haven't looked back. I think the baby & the big baby are good, I just love the feel of the GS-Mini, but I agree with a comment below, you can't go wrong with either.
Honestly, I think it mainly comes down to the tone you prefer. The BB has a bright, crispy tone while the Mini has a slightly muted, precise tone. I think I prefer the mini here but they both sound great.
I was actually looking for a gs mini but I scored a deal on a big baby. The action was really high. So after a little research I did a neck reset myself. the screws everyone talks so much smack about made it so easy. Plays amazing. I really enjoy it. I have my dads 1956 Martin it needs a neck reset among other things. Luthier gonna cost me 2500$. So the screws in the neck are far from a bad thing.
I own them both and the Big Baby is much warmer of the two. If I could have just one I would go with the Big baby.
Not having a tenon sounds cool, but those screws look so wrong.
In my Big Baby those screws proved to be a 'pivot' point for the neck. My intonation got to be off and the action got too high. Since it's my camping guitar and I don't play it much at home I decided to take the neck off and try to discern the problem. I ended up drilling and countersinking two more sheetrock screws two frets up the neck so that they were still in the neck block. I used shim stock to get the correct neck angle which is almost flat, tightened down all four screws, and put some stickers from the World Wildlife Fund over the screws so I don't have to look at them. It's worked perfectly for me for more than ten years now.
Yeah, I hear you. Seeing those screws going thru the fretboard is a real turn off for me. But after watching this video, I prefer the sound of the big baby over the gs mini. Oh well, back to Guitar Center!
GS Mini is a strong sound.. smooth and cool
i like GS Mini
Wow, very well done comparison. I have a Baby right now, but am recently enamored with the Mini, having played two of them at my LGS. Your video cemented my determination to get a Mini (although -- if I can get one lefty, I will be ordering a Ko one with a pickup, which kinda invalidates this particular comparison I guess). For some reason (probably that I'm primarily an electric guitar player) I like small-bodied acoustics, and the Mini is the "Goldilocks" solution for me.
Thanks for taking the time to put this review/comparison together!
I think i'd rather use the BBT if I was playing instrumental music or just guitar by itself, but I like the GS mini for accompanying vocals. I feel like the mini takes up less "space" as far as frequencies go. just personal preference.
Just listen to the end; the big baby is obviously higher quality.
Right up until the end I went back and forth between the two. Sometimes the Mini sounded better, then other times the BB sounded better. But in the last straight chords comparison the BB definitely sounded better.
Nice comparison. I've had a Taylor 710C for about 20 years, and in 2006 bought a Baby Taylor for travelling (the 710C in its case weighs 12 kg which is over half the luggage allowance for non-US flights). Now I use the little one for most everyday things (like teaching, house singalongs etc) where going anywhere is involved, so portable, and the hard case goes into the hand luggage lockers of all the planes I've encountered so far. I like the sound of the Big Baby better than the Mini here when strummed, brighter and more up front, though when finger picked they were both pretty close. There's a hint of understated "class" in the Mini being picked. My Baby Taylor does sound a little boxy compared to the Big Baby, I've often wondered about upgrading.
Maybe im 7 years late but can you do a comparison between seagull s6 original vs taylor big baby?
Thanks for the detailed comparison, this really helped make my decision. Pleasantly surprised that I prefer the tone of the cheaper Big Baby model.
Was just at the store trying guitars and was really impressed with the Big Baby, the feel of the neck, action and sound. Its so easy to play. It was more fun to play than most of the guitars I tried in the $1000 -$1500 range and cost only $600. The salesman was trying to sell me on another martin, with indian rosewood for $1600. It was a better guitar but to me it wasn't $1000 better and think I would be paying for the rosewood and pickups which I don't care about. I held off on buying the big baby because I wasn't sure of the durability but after reading reviews I think ill go get it
The BBT strumming sounds more full and low and the GS Mini picking has a brighter resonance. So I'm guess it's about how much you want to rock the house on which guitar you want to pick up.
Totally, I also favoured the BBT in some examples and the mini in others, pretty much align with your comment.
@@natalirivero1374 Yeah, my son has the BBT and he loves it.
i have a GS mini and i'll admit the big baby sounds a bit better especially on the cowboy chords but its also a lot uglier so im happy with my choice!
😂 now I feel
Bad for my big baby 😅
I've spent hours in the shop playing the two and the big baby wins for me. It's so much more full and lively! And I prefer the neck on both guitars because they fit so well on my stalky Angus Young hands.
I did the same with these guitars and went with the Big Baby! 👍🏼
i tried both. for me, i prefer the big baby.
Just got my hands on a used customized (greatly improved an already amazing guitar) big baby for 250, this thing is so much fun to play! Definitely recommend this guitar to people 100%!
I have a 20 year old Big Baby. With phosphor bronze 13’s tuned to Eb standard it sounds amazing!
Got a Big Baby a week ago for my nefew to use when he's down. Bluegrass and lots of flat picking almost non stop since I got it . I love this thing it sounds so good my jaw hurts from smiling lol.
BIG BAY wins all rounds~! I played both in there's no beating the BIG Baby. However, if size matters (as in smaller) the mini is a good instrument. Musically it can't compare with the Big Baby but it's a great smaller size guitar.
Good comparison as usual. I'm glad that you play the same songs, riffs, and chords on your reviews. This helps me to to focus better on hearing the similarities and differences.
I have a Taylor Big Baby and best value guitar in the world...plain and simple. In this demo the Big Baby beats the Mini with it's all-around richer sound.
big baby is a really great guitar: a brighter sound than the other, no problem
Hmm....I have bought both. But sold the Big Baby. Really regret doing that, it was such fun to play. It's hard to explain, but it's the guitar equivalent of your first car. I own some really nice guitars, but the Big Baby is just special.
The mini has an slight after 'ring' thats a little scruffy. I like the Big Baby. The sound is solid, clean and warm. "Aw, you little cutie. Come to Mama!"
This video was soooo helpful. Thank you.
Thanks a bunch for this comparison. You guys do great short explanations and have nice A/B samples.
for me the winner its big baby because of the brightness but the GS mini has a little bit of better lowes, but i got my big baby and install a fishman pickup it is the greatest traveling guitar to perform anywhere and big enough to sounf amazing amazing for the price
I owned the Big Baby from 2003-2008 and just got the GS Mini (which I had been dying to get for 2 years). Both have great tone and are an excellent bang for the buck. The BB played almost like an electric because of the light strings (I think it came stock with 11s). The GS Mini has medium strings and has great projection for such a small instrument; it also has the ES Go pickup (a screw in installation) designed for it. I used a Seymour Duncan Woodie on the BB. Love both guitars.
Which do you find yourself liking more and why? Which has more bang for the buck? I’m on the fence about which one to buy.
I’m wanting a premium “couch guitar” that has the quality of being able to be played on the go if I wanted to. I love Taylor guitars, I’m just torn on which one to get.
Thanks for any feedback.
The GS Mini however has mid size elixir strings, unlike the Big baby which has light elixir strings.
The low end is where the difference is found in the sound. BBT has a full sound in the low end. The GS mini is missing a lot there. Really just comes down to the physics of the bigger body to produce more low end sound.
I'll sign up for now, but I'll expect to see some PRS Acoustic reviews!!
I do like Gibson, Martin and Taylor guitars and you guys do awesome reviews by the way :)
The big baby has a bit more base response due to its bigger size, that really helps it with its fullness.
Played both in the store. Really preferred the Big Baby. Besides the fact that I wanted a dread, and am not comfortable with a full sized one. The Big Baby was the perfect answer... full scale, and slightly smaller sized dreadnaught body. Love it so much. Not for travel but for a ladies everyday it's perfect. Have other OM, OO, and O sized bodies, but nice to get a little more bass in not that much bigger a body size.
So I have itty bitty hands. I've been told that the neck of the Baby Taylors (which is where my problem is) is smaller and easier for a person with small hands. My hands are also slightly arthritic which makes some tasks more difficult on a full size guitar. Any thoughts on this? (The size of the frets/neck in relation to hand size)
I don't like the screws in the fretboard of the big baby.
unscrew them
siggnolove
Then you can throw away the guitar.
dont worry there securley fixed and your have no problem with neck
siggnolove dead xD
I dont even know what they are for
I have both. The BB has a much airier sound, while the GSM has a tighter sound. Both great to play, harmonics ring better on BB.
I bought the BBT already, sound and feel awesome, thanks :)
Big Baby HANDS DOWN! Holy crap, so much fuller sounding.
I've been looking to get a new acoustic. The big baby sounds so good. I would want the electric one though. Just for the tuner.
Bought the Big Baby and the GS Mini Mahogany and it was the best $850 bucks I ever spent. With those two guitars, there's no need for another acoustic.
I like the comparison of the guitars. I own a Big Baby and really like it. Just wished it had a larger nut. Tony says the Big Baby doesn't have scalloped bracing. Mine does. Both guitars are really good instruments.
It's very very important...
I've had a Big Baby for about ten years. From the video it was a much cleaner sounding guitar, especially in the highs and mids. I have had trouble with the neck because the two sheetrock screws that hold it on allowed it to pivot. I removed the neck and checked the neck set with a straight edge. After looking at the screw placement in the neck block I add two more screws two frets higher so the neck wouldn't pivot. I counter sunk them and did some adjustment with shims and now it works great.
depends on the actual guitar and set up.....both are great guitars for ANYONE...beginner to seasoned pro.....but this test clearly was dominated by the BB in this case.....but I have played minis that sounded unbelievable...and I have a BB that is set up primo and sounds fantastic....
Wow. Big baby is much richer. Your videos are really really awesome, informative, even eye-opening sometimes. BTW your persuasion of signing the letter convinced me, haha
awesome player! Could you teach us those songs you played in the first 4 rounds? Those were great - Suscribed!
I purchased a Big Baby just over six months ago. It's impossible to put down. Very, very comfortable to play, has a nice tone and sits so well against my body. The best thing I can say about it is that it always puts a smile on my face. Unless you're looking for a big boomy tone, you can't go wrong with these.
Does the big baby still project its sound considering it’s a slimmer body to a normal dreadnaught ? I’m thinking of getting it but I want people to clearly hear it when I play ?
@@user-pr7ix3dt7h Yes, I think it projects well. Articulate, upper mids stand out the most.
I own the Mini (with ES-T electronics) which is a great travel guitar. It comes with medium gauge strings while I understand that the Big Baby comes with lights. Your video doesn't mention this but did you use the same gauge strings on both?
Definitely the bb Sounds like a real guitar (my opinion) So natural
I have a Taylor Big Baby and it sounds better than a lot of pricier guitars that I have tried out. I LOVE it!
Dawn >
The big baby has a deeper, boomier sound (probably better for busking or carrying a band), but I feel like the GS mini has a little bit of a sweeter, more "balanced" sound.
really informative, thank you for a short and sweet video
Despite the scalloped neck bracing, patented relief route snd neck joint the big baby was still more resonant and responsive be it for strumming or picking
GS Mini is crisp, clear and the one to play on the settee. Big sound and fun to own. IMHO🙏
4:41 for the g chord
I don't like that the big baby has 2 screws in the fretboard.
also you can dismount the neck and fly it carry-on. it’s a big travel guitar if you think about it
Had to fix first review - Big baby has a fuller sound in both the tribble and base
The GS has a tinny sound in the higher notes but come close to the Big baby in the lower registers (base)
In short, they both are very good guitars but it really comes down to what the user’s ears reveal to the user, in other words it’s up to the users to decide. So, the Big baby come our ahead, in this comparison.
Sounds like with a full band, the GS Mini would cut through the mix much better, but for a solo performance or where the actual guitar is the main instrument in a song the Big Baby has a warmer, fuller sound
The big baby gets a lot of weird hate. The screws are hardly noticeable in person, and the sound is incredible. It has a very unique tone that's very pleasant to the ears. I love it's size, it's perfect for a camping trip or a road trip. It has the full scale neck which is much more enjoyable to play on than the mini's, my tiny hands feel cramped on the mini. The guitar looks beautiful in person and is a real joy to own. Bought mine for 200 usd on craigslist. Stay on the lookout for a used one, you can get a good deal, and it's worth owning, especially if your acoustic is for travel, couch playing. On the flip side, if you are traveling via plane, the mini is probably the safer bet, it's very easy to carry on, you can even shove a few other things in your bag to take as carry on. When I was in audit and out on the road other week the mini was a nice companion, along with my workmates of course.
Do you reckon you could take the big baby for small gigs ? Just concerned about the slimmer body but I also don’t want to spend £1000 on a good guitar.
the big baby take it!
both of them really good but the "big baby" have a great sound!!
I purchased a Big Baby Taylor about a year and a half ago and I absolutely love it!
I use it almost exclusively for fingerstyle playing and these days as my primary Celtic fingerstyle guitar, often tuned in DADGAD.
I also have a dreadnought and a concert style guitar and it definitely falls right in between in terms of liveliness and projection.
The one thing I especially love about it is that I can play it for long stretches of time since it doesn't put stress on my shoulders.
I can't imagine a nicer guitar in this price range that has that combination of playability, comfort, and great tone!
You can really hear in this video comparison how much more it projects than the GS Mini, which only makes sense (and my full sized dreadnought has about the same projection advantage over my Big Baby).
But that GS Mini is a sweet guitar for that size!
bought a Big Baby this afternoon and it plays superbly at the price i paid of under $400
the BBT is the cats ass off all guitars under 700.00 dollars every string you hit resonates perfectly. I have had many high end guitars like the 614 taylor and martin. Those who listen always prefer me playing the BBT.
Mini sounded better to me
big baby for me , just played it last night and it was fun to play.
Gs mini wins, hands down. It has a much deeper sound. I bought the Gs Mini limited edition with rosewood back and sides. Even if it's smaller, it's one of the best best guitar i've ever played!!! It is really comfortable to play and you get that colorful and rich tone that a full size Taylor can provide!!!
true true, forgot about that. maybe if they put mid size strings on the baby it might be a better comparison. but i do like both, but the baby i like more.
hate the screws? get a Martin mini. sounds and plays better. they have an acoustic electric option now, too, if you're into that.
I have owned them both and believe me, the neck on the BB will give you problems. The Mini is a perfect guitar and the one I own blows away the BB. The GS Mini is an all around amazing guitar!
I've had both and loved them, but I do think the GS mini feels more solid construction wise, are you with me? It just feels more solid in my hands.
The mini is tinny. Overpriced. Lots of better options on the market.
My fionces first guitar was a gs mini and that little guy is so fun to play. I dont have any experience with the big baby but I promise yiu wint be disappointed with the mini.
tell me you guys,
what do you think. of getting a Big Baby as my main guitar?. I have been playing guitar since 2014. with a classic guitar(nilon strings) and now I want to move to an acoustic guitar. can't afford any othet taylor guitar apart from bs mini, big baby or baby bt.
I don't know if loosing cualiy to get a standard sice guitar from another brand or get a smaller taylor like the big baby.
Taylor guitars are a great choice because they're a guitar you will keep forever. As far as choosing between the two it really comes down to playing both and choosing what feels best for you personally. Theres no right or wrong.
I've been looking for a review like this, thanks! I have a Big Baby and was considering trading it in for the GSmini, but after your review my ear is still drawn to the Big Baby. It would be nice to have an even smaller travel sized guitar that still sounds great though. The one thing I don't like about the Big Baby is that the neck is heavier than the body and doesn't feel balanced in my hands, especially when wearing a strap. How does the GSmini compare ?
I've had both, to me the GS Mini feels more solid construction wise, they both sound great though, in this comparison I favored the BB in some of the examples and the GS mini in others.
The BB always felt cheap to me but I still loved it because of the sound and how comfortable it was to play. Long story short, It was stolen, I have the mini now and love it, even more that my old BB just because it feels more solid in my hands, at leat to me. I use an strap too and play standing up sometimes, I think it is comfortable and balanced in weight.
test #6 is the one that you really can tell the difference in sound, Big Baby wins, no doubt...
Big baby has a fuller sound in both the tribble and base
The GS has a tiny sound in the higher notes but come close the Big baby in the lower registers (base)
In short, they both are very good guitars but it really comes down to what the user’s ears reveal the user. So, the Big baby come our ahead, in this comparison.
I’m curious to whether you think the big baby Taylor sounds richer than the grand auditorium with the layered rosewood? I know it’s technically a higher price point guitar but I just tried out a few grand auditorium 214 models and for some reason they seem pretty thin or even tinny to me
GS Mini bass sound is better than Big Baby. It is great for fingerpicking playing.
I like the gs mini for my style but the big baby has more gain, distortion is good💎
Thanks for the feedback! We just did an Acoustic Letter poll with the Acoustic Letter private email list asking for feedback on how we could make our videos better and more useful.
Out of the hundreds of responses, we didn't have anyone mention this as an annoyance. Actually, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
The folks who have signed up for the Acoustic Letter absolutely rave about how much they love it. Many have urged us not to change a thing:)
Perhaps you should sign up?
I wouldn't say it's necessarily better, but I think visible screw heads on the fretboard is tacky. Sound wise, I think they're both decent. The big baby has a bit more bottom end which is to be expected with the larger body size, but I would personally choose the mini if given the choice. Just a personal preference.
Thanks. Two very interesting guitars. I used to play electric guitar only (not amazingly well) but was after my first real acoustic (I had an awful thing when I first started playing but quickly went onto electrics and then passed the acoustic on). I have watched this and other channels frequently in the last month... I was after something that I could play comfortably so a smaller body size was of interest. Tone was a secondary thing but I also wanted it to sound reasonable both unplugged (e.g. at lessons) and when plugged in as I have ambitions of doing open mics. When I played a Big Baby and compared it to a full size dreadnaught it felt quite nice, more comfortable and the tone less harsh but when I played the GS Mini, Yamaha APX500 and the Big Baby the first two were much more my thing. Both were so much more relaxed and comfortable to play and I found that the small fret length of the GS Mini wasn't a handicap to me. I hardly noticed. It was a difficult decision to make to buy the GS Mini at twice the price but it is a thing of beauty and I love the tone. A nice bonus is it fits easily across my Ford Fiesta's boot (Even a Les Paul Type has to be squeezed in diagonally across the corners). The only thing I miss is a tuner (Yeah I know I am a wimp because I can't tune with confidence by ear:-) ).
What Mic / preamp did you use to record these with? They sound awesome!
The Mic is a Neumann KM-184. Not sure which preamp was used back then. I know that it's nothing special..... Our goal is to represent the guitar as accurately as possible without EQ or anything that will color it's tone.
I have both the Big Baby and the S6 Folk +. They are both great guitars but totally different. The Big Baby is easier to play because of the neck shape and size (at least for me) but the the Seagull has a C-shape, meatier neck which is wonderful for finger style playing. It seems that the Taylor has lower tension on the strings and a better high end and midrange but the Seagull overall is more balanced and full. I have had to remove the necks on both guitars and make adjustments. Not difficult.
Both sounded great I think
I made the mistake to trade my taylor 110 + cash for a larivee l03. Missed that Taylor since than!