Taylor Big Baby, worthwhile upgrades?

eppardgl · #1 06-18-2018, 11:04 PM

Hi everyone, I've lurked off and on here for a long time but this is my first post I think.

I've been mostly an electric player but with my work and location there are now very few opportunities to play with other people. I really do not enjoy playing electric at home at low volume by myself.

So, I bought a used Big Baby at a great price (for Dubai). It's not perfect but it feels great and plays so well that I thought it might be worth a few upgrades. It has the same elixirs on it from when I bought it back in January. They are showing wear and may be responsible for some of my complaints:

1. The low E does not seem to ring out quite as much as the other strings. It kind of "thuds" and disappears.
2. The high E has some buzz mainly on fretted notes. I think it buzzes a tiny bit even while open but it's hard to tell.
3. The G buzzes on fret 2 when I barre an A chord but its not consistent. Maybe that's due to inconsistent fretting on my part?
4. The high E and, to some extent the B, have a thin tone.

I've adjusted the truss to a tiny amount of relief. The action seems ok but I've not measured it. How much of my moaning could be mitigated by a new set of strings? Or by changing to a different kind of strings?

Also, would a new saddle and bridge pins be worth the effort? I don't have the greatest ear for nuance of tone but I am sensitive to intonation and buzzing.

Finally I am considering installing a JJB pickup for those times I might plug in, like school functions (I'm a teacher).

Thanks for reading and for any input!
Lee

lukeap69 · #2 06-19-2018, 02:44 AM

Hi Lee

Congrats on your new baby. I am not a technical expert but I do suggest you bring her to good technicians so they can check/adjust the setup for a fee. I had my Seagull S6 set up in Music Chamber in The One Mall. I also met a very good tech working at Melody House in Deira - he did helped the staff in Sadek when he was not getting what I wanted him to do with my Martin. Good luck and enjoy.

eppardgl · #3 06-19-2018, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukeap69

Hi Lee

Congrats on your new baby. I am not a technical expert but I do suggest you bring her to good technicians so they can check/adjust the setup for a fee. I had my Seagull S6 set up in Music Chamber in The One Mall. I also met a very good tech working at Melody House in Deira - he did helped the staff in Sadek when he was not getting what I wanted him to do with my Martin. Good luck and enjoy.

Hi, I take it that you live in Dubai too?

Thanks for the info, I'm hoping to DIY if I can but it's good to know where to go here.

Lee

lukeap69 · #4 06-19-2018, 04:20 AM

Yes, I do. Good luck.

Nick84 · #5 06-19-2018, 05:01 AM

Hi Lee,
I got a Taylor bone saddle and some Taylor Ebony bridge pins for my Big Baby. With a bit of a set up it made a world of difference for very little money. I put a JJB 330 pickup in mine also which cost very little in comparison to a lot of other pickups out there.
I play it all th time including gigging it. It’s just really comfortable and easy to play and I don’t have issues with feedback whilst getting a natural plugged in tone.

eppardgl · #6 06-19-2018, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

Hi Lee,
I got a Taylor bone saddle and some Taylor Ebony bridge pins for my Big Baby. With a bit of a set up it made a world of difference for very little money. I put a JJB 330 pickup in mine also which cost very little in comparison to a lot of other pickups out there.
I play it all th time including gigging it. It’s just really comfortable and easy to play and I don’t have issues with feedback whilst getting a natural plugged in tone.

Thanks for the reply. How does your big baby with JJB compare to your other Taylor with EST?

Nick84 · #7 06-20-2018, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eppardgl

Thanks for the reply. How does your big baby with JJB compare to your other Taylor with EST?

The JJB beats the ES-t hands down for me playing solo. I use the same Preamp with both (session DI) and the JJB sounds more natural and requires less EQ than the ES-t. The
If I was playing in a band I’d probably go with the ES-t as it will cut through better.

eppardgl · #8 06-21-2018, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

The JJB beats the ES-t hands down for me playing solo. I use the same Preamp with both (session DI) and the JJB sounds more natural and requires less EQ than the ES-t. The
If I was playing in a band I’d probably go with the ES-t as it will cut through better.

Thanks, that's good to know!