trouble keeping Baby Taylor in tune - Page 2

Aruthas · #16 01-07-2002, 01:29 PM

No need to kick yourself, taylorguitars4ed, it's a ligitimate question. As I see it, there are 2 factors in play:

1) The shorter scale means less tension for the same string to be in tune. Think "capo": putting a capo on the 2nd fret shifts your tuning up one step, without changing the tension of the string. So all things being equal, shorter scale guitar can handle thicker strings.

2) GA and GC guitars have thinner top and braces, letting them vibrate more easily. This means that they have a harder time handling the higher tension of the medium strings.

Feel free anybody to kick me if I got it wrong.

muzz76 · #17 01-07-2002, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bob taylor
If your baby is the newer one, the one without the curved brace inside, the mediums are fine, at E or F#. If it's an older one you can use mediums at E, but you may have to have it adjusted. I'm sure it will hold up.

I think you'll find it will tune better.

Now ya tell us

Matt McGriff · #18 01-07-2002, 09:35 PM

My Baby M is a nt neck design and it sounds fine if not a little twangy in E. (still have stock elixirs on it). But when I capo it on the second fret, it sounds very strange, sort of out of tune. especially on the A string. I compared the tones to a full size tacoma with my electronic tuner, and the same tone was produced, but it doesn't seem to fit in the chord (G) the same on the baby as it does on the tacoma. Can anybody help me figure this out? Thanks to all.
Matt

t58martin · #19 01-08-2002, 01:18 PM

How can I tell if I have a newer design Baby?
Is there a certain serial number they start at?

Can I tell by the bracing Bob mentioned? If so is there a picture to guide me where to look. I bought my baby within the last year
but it could have been sitting around(doubtful) some.

Medium strings you say, hmmmm

Aruthas · #20 01-08-2002, 01:29 PM

Look at this article from the Taylor web site describing the serial numbers: Dating your guitar. This will tell you exactly when your guitar was manufactured.

Acoustics4ed · #21 01-08-2002, 01:50 PM

That doesnt work on the Babies does it???

Aruthas · #22 01-08-2002, 02:19 PM

I cannot say for sure since I don't own a Baby, but they do mention it in the table describing the S/N timeline. My guess is that it would use a "0" in the series field of the S/N. A Baby owner will have to confirm.

Matt McGriff · #23 01-08-2002, 10:37 PM

Just look in your soundhole towards the neck joint. If you see a bow (bow and arrow) looking brace its old. A block is the new joint. mine is s/n 20010928316-1 (started on sept 28, 2001) and its a new neck. Hope this helps.

here is a link to an article

http://www.taylorguitars.com/news/products.html#prod4

JW · #24 01-11-2002, 10:12 PM

Ive got a Baby M made 11/2001 and it has the Bow as the one made in 10/2001 and the one made 8 /2001 as do the other ones I have. Are the baby Ms excluded. Plus if you put meds On you must modify the nut or you will get binding.

Bob T are you going to back that up on warranty issues and will the Big babys take med string stress? JW

slw · #25 01-21-2002, 07:02 AM

Well I gave the mediums a try on my baby (set of phos bronze) and I didn't really care for them much and have gone back to nano lights.

It was more a playability issue for me since I'm also used to lights on my 714ce. Can't say it really effected the tuning issue much for me either since I've more or less tackled that problem with a professional setup and understand the playing characteristics of the shorter scale length on the baby (i.e., how to fret chords properly/carefully, especially on the B string), see post above.

BTW, I called the customer service folks at Taylor and they still don't "recommend" meduims on the baby, just too much stress on the neck, more so than on the top. They said they will be getting with Bob T. to remind him of past issues and problems they've experienced with him again.

Doesn't matter to me anymore since I like my baby with lights better anyway.

Acoustics4ed · #26 01-21-2002, 07:24 AM

I put a set of medium GHS signature bronze in my Koa baby and although it sounds fuller on the bottom end, it still sounds like a baby..........go figure hahahahaha

they have been on it about 4 days and I sware the top is begining to raise between the bridge and base of the guitar forming a little hump so to speak. OR was the hump alwasy there and I just never noticed it before now?