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Taylor is famous for its supremely playable acoustic necks and this model is no exception; in fact, due to its virtually heel-less design, there's better access to the upper frets with any regular full-body acoustic.

A typical hybrid profile, giving a C-shape with a soft V influence, this bolt-on neck is desirably unbulky and shallow throughout its entire length while retaining enough width and string spacing to guarantee free range finger gymnastics. The sides of the fingerboard are not contoured into the neck profile, so they seem a bit square but, considering that it is unbound, the fret ends are consummately trim and the top edge is nice and smoothly bevelled for maximum comfort.

The playing surface has everything it needs: lustrously finished frets and a beautifully prepared stretch of flawless and even mottled ebony. Although this finish leaves a noticeably 'open grain' sensation, which some may find off-putting, it's actually butter-smooth to touch, and nowhere near as 'squeaky' as some matt finishes.

Needless to say, the setting of the neck is pot-on (and there's no excuse for it not to be), as are all other aspects of the set-up on this review model. But even if the set-up wasn't to you're taste, with the neck alignment correct, everything else can be much more accurately adjusted.

Long-life corrosion resistant light-gauge Elixir strings (the wound strings are coated with a very thing plastic film) come as standard, but they do have the habit of becoming furry as the coating wears off.

In short, however, this Baby plays like a dream, and when you feel this at home with a guitar you can play anything in any style. Obviously this guitar is not going to sound like a standard Taylor dreadnought; and in fact it's quite surprising to hear how unlike a dreadnought the Big Baby tone is.

Lighter, brighter and more articulate sounding, this model makes a surprisingly good medium for fingerpicking. Its minimalistic construction and finishing leads to a responsive instrument with excellent projection and clarity, requiring little effort to summon a fairly poky output.

While it might sound a bit thin on the highest top string notes and a tad lightweight in its bass registers, a satisfyingly growling mid-range combined with excitable top-end sparkle lends an almost Flamenco 'clunk' to the bottom strings, with notes shooting out in a highly kinetic fashion. Great fun.

Flat-picking predictably brings forth the edgier, harsher side of the Big Baby's tone, but if a brilliant sheen of sound is what you require then you're in luck. Get your fingernails on the job and you'll be rewarded with a sense that your mitts have been to elocution lessons.

Boys' Toys

With such incredibly mechanised, hi-tech production, it might seem surprising that the company hasn't already gone more budget-orientated, aiming to become the undisputed, world-dominating acoustic super-power. With the Baby already under its belt and now another excellent value, sure-fire seller on the production line, it must be tempting for Taylor to follow this lucrative path more aggressively.

It's obvious, however, that both the Big Baby and its predecessor are not merely relatively cheap guitars, but; more accurately, quality guitars designed and built with such cunning as to not cost so much. This approach is much more in keeping with Taylor's image and renowned high standards, and any other way would result in an unacceptable level of compromise; you just wouldn't get such a good guitar for your money. You could criticise this model for being plain, but, realistically, fancy trimmings are a luxury that a mid-price acoustic can ill afford.