Neck Reset on Big Baby???

[Joe M]

I just picked up a used Big Baby in great condition. Just eyeballing it, it sure looks like it could use a neck reset. The strings are way high, especially the farther up the neck you go. Saddle has some room to work with but not a lot. My question is...since it looks like all that's holding the neck on is the two screws where it meets the body. Is it as easy as removing the neck, shimming it up and reinstalling or am I missing something? If it matters, the guitar is an older, made in USA model.

Thanks for any insight.

[Tammany Tiger]

I am not that familiar with Big Babies, but if your guitar has an NT neck, it has been built with the specific idea of re-shimming the neck with standard size shims available through a Taylor authorized repair person. It is an easy and inexpensive fix that I have seen done while you wait. Taylor will also re-shim a neck gratis during a Road Show or fit event.

NT necks on Taylor's were introduced in 1999 and were standard on Taylor guitars by 2001. 

I would let a Taylor dealer take care of it.

[jalbert]

Baby Taylors have never had an NT neck, so they cannot be adjusted in the same manner as the 300+ series.

I would let a Taylor dealer take care of it.

So would I.

[Joe M]

The guitar is at my local Taylor guru now. He explained that the BB doesn't have an nt neck, as jalbert mentioned, but the neck on the BB is even easier to shim than the nt necks. I'm going out of town for a couple of weeks so I won't get it back till then.

[michaelw]

hi Joe,
true, the big Baby does not have a 'full' NT neck (no heel), but it does utilize a a shim to alter the pitch (angle) of the neck -
i believe it is quite similar, in concept, to the T-lock neck on the T5/T3 & SB models, which use bolts rather than screws &
your luthier can measure angle of the neck (& fretboard) in relation to the bridge to determine what adjustment/shim is needed

this link shows the procedure on a 04-06 354ce with a ('full') NT neck - the BBT has the fretboard screws & shim only
http://www.blueguitarmusic.com/TaylorNeckReset.pdf

other changes to the big Baby (BBT) that i've seen are the moving of production to tecate, addition of a truss rod cover,
different tuning machine styles (buttons), the scarfjoint headstock being phased in & the inlaid rosette of the 2012 models

[Satsuki]

Hold it closer to the computer I need to get a better look.

[Codytoonz]

The Big Baby has 2 screws on the fretboard that hold the neck on just like the Baby. Its nothing like an NT neck. I bought a Big Baby on ebay that needed a reset. I called Taylor and they sent me a couple of shims. Free. Popped of the neck after removing the 2 long screws. Put in 1 of the shims. Put it back together. Perfect. Took all of 10 minutes.

It took a couple of minutes to convince Taylor I was comfortable with doing it. I already had the neck off and had measured the shim. It was not a factory shim. Since the nearest authorized repair is 300 miles away they have also sent me shims for my T5 and the solidbody I used to have. I've since sold the Big Baby. Its a nice guitar and that can be found used for a reasonable price.