will this guitar be good for a 30 yo beginner wanting to learn?

Question

For Sale: A barely used Taylor Big Baby Acoustic Guitar. This guitar is as good as new. There are no marks or scratches.

This is a 15/16-scale Dreadnought with a solid Sitka spruce top and sapele-laminate back and sides, boasts a surprisingly full voice, comes with a Taylor gig bag for easy portability, and makes a trusty companion wherever you go — even if it’s just to the couch.

Note: Taylor Embroidered Gig Bag INCLUDED.

Technical Description
Type/Shape: 6-String 15/16 Size Dreadnought
Back & Sides: Sapele Laminate
Top: Sitka Spruce
Soundhole Rosette: Laser-Etched
Neck: Tropical American Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Pearloid Dots
Headstock Overlay: Lexan
Bridge: Ebony
Nut & Saddle: Tusq
Tuning Machines: Enclosed, Die-Cast Chrome Plated
Scale Length: 25 1/2 Inches
Truss Rod: Adjustable
Neck Width at Nut: 1 11/16 Inches
Number of Frets: 20
Bracing: X-Brace
Finish: Varnish
Electronics: None
Body Width: 15 Inches
Body Dept

Answer 1

I'll disagree with KnowhereMan. If you want to play acoustic, learn on an acoustic. The feel and technique is significantly different enough to matter. Plus, from an electric you never learn how to project volume or develop tone from the strings and top of an acoustic.

One example - electric players tend to get their arms all over the top of the guitar, which doesn't really matter since the volume comes from the electronics. An acoustic player will learn to let the top "breathe" properly so that it projects well.

The electric is a bit easier to finger, but I'm one of those guys who thinks you ought to get about the business of building your callouses. If you learn to finger chords on an electric, you're going to have a mushy grip on an acoustic. If you get into it a few months and find you absolutely can't hack the physicality of bronze strings, switch to a set of flatwound ones for a while. It will kill the tone, but may help you build up to a proper technique.

A baby Taylor is definitely a nice practice guitar. They tend to use very light woods and almost nonexistant bracing, so it really cuts well. You will easily be heard above room din and the sound is snappy, responsive and clean. It's also small enough to easily manage sitting around the house. However, they don't have a great bass response, so it's not really the best choice for solo performance. Taylor's bracing and light finish also don't tend to grow into a sound like a Martin or other traditional acoustic, so your sound gradually goes from crisp and bright to dull over time instead of settling into a mature tone. That shouldn't be a concern to you over a first guitar - you will likely move on to another instrument before you become a performer. I have owned one, so this is the voice of experience.

You didn't ask, but my advice to beginning acoustic players is to learn a fingerstyle before using a plectrum. It goes a bit slower in the beginning, but you get a much stronger feedback about where the left hand needs to be and develop a much more expressive feel overall. And when that's easy for you, you can work in a pick in place of the thumb/forefinger. That's just IMHO.

Answer 2

Probably not... The best guitar to start on is an inexpensive electric ($200-300), a small amp with some effects built it (w/a line in f/CD player and headphone jacks ($125-300), and some extra light strings - all available at your local music store...
There's less tension on the strings, so you'll be able to play longer before your fingertips start hurting... After a month or so, you'll start building up callouses, then, you can play longer...

Don't expect too much too soon and you won't get as discouraged... It's a fine motor skill and after awhile, your fingers will learn where to go to form different chords... In the beginning, just try to make the chords sound clean... That is, after you've placed your fingers, you should be able to pick each string and hear a clean tone... Sometimes, your finger will touch another string and mute it... It takes practice and you should just practice switching from one clean chord to the next... Stick with it for at least a year, it gets much easier after the first 3 months or so... One VERY important thing: PLAY AT LEAST AN HOUR EVERY DAY! This helps your nerves learn quicker and improvement is more easily achieved...

Answer 3

That's a great looking guitar. Would do well for a beginner. I see on Taylors website that it sells for $568.00. The guitar I learned on cost less than $100.

Answer 4

Sounds very tempting. I would get it, but I think you should try it out and play a few notes before you buy it, hear if you like the sound.

Answer 5

Thats a nice guitar for any level

Answer 6

Taylor makes a great guitar......all of them!

Answer 7

Excellent for a beginner - and beyond...