Whether you need a guitar for kids or just a highly portable smaller guitar, the Taylor BT2 Baby is an excellent option. This pint-size mini dreadnought is a great smaller starter size guitar, but don't be fooled by its size. The BT2 Baby is a legitimate musical companion for players of all ages and abilities. But before we jump into our Baby Taylor BT2 review, let's check out some pros and cons.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Smaller Guitar
Plenty of players seek out a small acoustic guitar for traveling or a guitar for kids. Here are some things to think about before purchasing yours:
Our Picks for Review
Guitar | Guitar | Model | Price | Full Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Main | Taylor | Baby BT2 | Cell | |
Alternative | Martin | Little Martin LX1 | ||
Alternative | Taylor | Baby Taylor BT1 | ||
Alternative | Taylor | GS Mini Mahogany | Cell |
baby taylor bT2
PRO's & CON's of baby taylor bT2
Before we dive into our review, let's look at some of the pros and cons of the baby taylor bt2:
Pros
Cons
Features and Benefits
Now, let's take a look at some of the most important features of the BT2 Baby Taylor.
Body Style And Bracing
This acoustic guitar is a 3/4-size dreadnought. Taylor doesn't specialize in dreadnoughts, but if you like the classic, bass-heavy sound of the mahogany dreadnought, the BT2 just might be the guitar for you. A smaller guitar like this one won't have the same bass response as a full-size dreadnought, but the dreadnought shape combined with classic X-bracing creates a tone that's very balanced across the bass, treble, and mid spectrum.
The scale length is 22.75 inches, which means that the string tension is lower than that of a full-size guitar. Shorter-scale guitars are ideal for embracing alternate tunings that add unique character to your music. These tunings can be used in all sorts of creative ways.
And if you're buying a starter guitar for a child, the shorter scale length means the BT2 won't be quite as hard on their fingers. If you want to take a closer look at the BT2, check out this video demo.
Tonewoods, Playability, and Sound Quality
The Baby Taylor mini dreadnought was originally designed with a spruce top, but the BT2 is a departure. The solid tropical American mahogany top is designed to yield a slightly darker tone, and it can add unique acoustic flavors to recordings. The neck is also made of tropical American mahogany.
This mahogany top edition of the Baby Taylor is also ideal for blues players. The midrange-focused, punchy sound of mahogany lends itself to blues tracks, and the smaller body of the BT2 Baby Taylor offers the right amount of projection.
The back and sides of Taylor BT2 are made of layered Sapele. This is a tonewood sometimes used by Taylor instead of mahogany. It's tonally similar to mahogany, but it has a little more treble presence.
The tone of this little acoustic guitar is surprisingly full -- it almost sounds like a full-sized guitar. If you want to take a closer look and hear it for yourself, check out this demo.
Playability-wise, BT2 is a dream. The slim-profile neck is easy for nearly everyone to play, and the naturally slick ebony fingerboard is highly comfortable. Thanks to its smaller size, the BT2 avoids the bulkiness issues that some players run into with full-size dreadnoughts.
Appointments and Finish
While the tonewoods are one of the most important things to consider when buying an acoustic guitar, the appointments often make a difference in its sound. This acoustic guitar is well-appointed despite being fairly affordable.
The ebony fingerboard and bridge contrast beautifully with the varnish-finished mahogany top, and the fretboard is inlaid with simple yet elegant Pearloid dots. The rosette is an understated laser-etched ring.
Taylor is known for paying attention to even the small details, and on the BT2, they've delivered -- it comes with a Tusq nut and micarta saddle, both of which support improved sustain, tone, and tuning stability. (If you want to hear about the impact these components have on sound, check out this interesting video from Taylor.)
The tuning machines are enclosed, die-cast, and chrome-plated. They hold tune exceptionally well, even with rough playing. This is a relative rarity when it comes to smaller-size guitars.
Notably, the BT2 does not have binding. This is a little unusual, but it creates a clean, understated look that seems to suit this little acoustic guitar.
And lastly, since the BT2 is a great travel guitar, it makes sense that it would come with something that makes it easy to transport. It comes with a sturdy gig bag for easy toting wherever you need to go.
More: Best Taylor Guitars
Social Proof of the Guitar
If you can't try out the Taylor BT2 Baby before making a purchase, the next best thing is to see what other guitarists think of it. On our search, we found almost universally positive reviews. Here are a few helpful ones:
This helpful review praises the tone of the Taylor BT2 Baby. We agree that, even though this is a very midrange-focused guitar, it still has the sparkling high end that Taylors are known for.
This helpful review outlines some of the benefits of this little acoustic guitar. It's small enough to travel with, and it's also a great size for songwriting.
The Taylor BT2 Baby is a great size guitar for kids, and it's also a musical companion for travelers. This review helps showcase just how versatile it is.
Alternatives to Baby Taylor BT2
Buying a little guitar like the Baby Taylor BT2 is a great idea, but as you may have discovered, there are plenty of guitars in this category. In order to help ensure you're making the right choice, here are a few alternatives:
Little Martin LX1
How it Compares to Baby Taylor BT2
Review
Martin's answer to the Baby Taylor is the Little Martin, a compact dreadnaught that makes a great travel or campfire guitar. The LX1, which is the version of the Little Martin that has no electronics, has a solid Sitka spruce top that offers top-quality tone. The back and sides are made of Martin's high-pressure laminate, a material that sounds considerably better than traditional laminate.
If you like the great sound of solid spruce with the durability of laminate, make sure you give this one a look!
Baby Taylor BT1
How it Compares to Baby Taylor BT2
Review
if you like the Taylor BT2 Baby but would prefer a solid Sitka spruce top, this guitar is a great option -- it's the BT2's spruce top sibling. The brightness of the spruce is balanced out by the earthiness of walnut, and the BT1 has the surprisingly big dreadnaught sound shared by all Baby Taylors.
If you like Baby Taylors but want a brighter one, make sure you give this one a look!
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany
How it Compares to Baby Taylor BT2
Review
If you like the sound of a small guitar with a mahogany top, then the GS Mini Mahogany just might be for you. This guitar is a scaled-down version of Taylor's Grand Symphony body shape, and it's ideal for fingerpicking. While the top is solid mahogany, the back and sides are layered Sapele, which adds a little brightness to mahogany's dark warmth.
If you'd prefer a more folk-friendly body shape, make sure you check this one out!
In Conclusion
The Baby Taylor line of guitars have been time-tested, and they've earned their popularity. The Taylor BT2 Baby is a great option whether you need a guitar for a child, are looking for a compact travel guitar that still sounds great, or just need something to play around the house. Its mahogany top delivers a rich, warm tone, and appointments like an ebony fingerboard make it a visual standout, too. Click here to check it out!
