While pop is not exactly the type of music that parlor guitars are often linked to, pop artists like Taylor Swift are helping rekindle the public’s interest on small body guitars. As such, Taylor Guitars have granted her a signature version of the popular Baby Taylor, following the same basic features but with a unique design that sets it apart.
It said that the TSBT, or the Taylor Swift Baby Taylor is inspired by how Taylor Swift wrote her songs on her own personal Baby Taylor. Now that I’ve crammed as many Taylor’s in one sentence, the bottomline of this parlor style guitar is simple, it is based on the company’s existing 3/4 scale parlor style acoustic with a miniaturized dreadnought shape.
What makes this parlor guitar really interesting is how the company was able to utilize affordable wood, and build a guitar with the same quality standards as their premium instruments. Reviews are consistent in saying that for the price, this is a fine instrument that’s worth every penny, something that cannot be said of Taylor’s more expensive acoustics.
There’s no use of any special tonewood on the body, rather it features basic sitka spruce for the top and laminate sapele for the back and sides. The company calls their laminate wood “layered” because they actually incorporate three layers of wood, it has a middle core of poplar with veneer on each side. Obviously these won’t sound as good as solid tonewoods, but they can look good while being more resilient to temperature and humidity changes than solid wood.
Giving it the Taylor Swift mark is a screen-printed rosette design that showcases the words “Love Love Love” following with a vine motif. Her signature and the title of her latest album also appear above the bridge to complete the signature look.
The neck of this guitar is crafted from sapele, with a 1-11/16″ nut width and a 3/4 scale length. It joins the body 14th fret following modern dreadnought designs, and features an ebony fretboard.
While Taylor Guitars actually target fans, beginners and young players, experienced guitarists have also been impressed by the quality of this instrument. The short scale design makes it easy to play while the mini-dreadnought shape produces good punch and bottom end for a small and affordable instrument. You don’t have to be a fan to appreciate this good quality instrument.
The TSBT2 is currently retailing for $449. You can find out more about it by visiting, Taylor Guitars.
