Taylor GS Mini
Me with the Taylor GS Mini
My Review Of The Taylor GS Mini
I love writing reviews on my favorite guitars and Taylor guitars have been one of my favorites for sometime now. I especially like the shape and sound of their acoustic-electrics. They make the finest instruments and have made quite a name for themselves. Especially after making guitars for Taylor Swift. So, I think it was about time I reviewed one of Taylor’s most popular guitars The Taylor GS Mini Acoustic. This little guitar has been a best seller for Taylor and I wondered how it compared to other Taylor guitars. So, here’s my thoughts after playing the Mini….
“Here’s Some Important Things To Look At When Purchasing An Acoustic Guitar”
- What Is The Top Of The Guitar Made Of?
- What Material Is The Body Of The Guitar Made Of?
- Do You Want A Gloss Or Satin Finish?
- Is The Neck Made Out Of Strong Reliable Wood?
- What Kind Of Wood Is The Bridge & Fingerboard Made Of?
They Taylor GS Mini Solid Spruce Top
“Having a solid top allows the guitar to age well and the sound will just get better over time.”
A solid top is the most desirable for the top of any acoustic guitar. The most popular being cedar and spruce wood. Having a solid top allows the guitar to age well and the sound will just get better over time. That’s why you start to see guitars get more expensive as they get older depending on the manufacture quality. Spruce and cedar resonate quite well and the harmonic content is extremely pleasing to the ear. Some of the cheaper made guitars will have what they call a laminate. It’s just basically plywood with a very thin piece of quality wood plied to the top to give a high quality look.
The Back & Sides Of The Taylor GS Mini Are Laminated Sepele
Sepele is a very strong wood out of Africa that is very close to mahogany. However, on the GS Mini it is only used as the top piece of a laminated wood. Solid wood as I’ve mentioned before is the most desirable in an acoustic guitar top. But, it’s not as necessary for the back and sides of the guitar since most of the sound comes from the resonating of the guitar top. So, I’m sure this is how Taylor keeps the cost down on this mini guitar by using laminated wood. Having the top piece of the laminate sepele really brings out the beauty of the guitar.
The Taylor GS Mini Comes With A Satin Finish
“It gives a very classic like wood feel”
There are basically two different types of finishes that you’ll find on acoustic guitars. Satin and Gloss. Satin is like a light sort of translucent finish that is slightly rough. It gives a very classic like wood feel. Some believe that this can affect the sound. However, I’ve played many guitars and It was tough for me to tell. A high gloss finish I believe holds up better and is easy to polish. However, high gloss will show every little finger print you put on it.
I really liked the satin finish on the Taylor GS Mini. I thought it looked beautiful and loved the feel.
The Taylor GS Mini Has A Sepele Wood Neck
“After all it’s where a lot of pressure is placed from the stretching of the strings”
Sepele is a very tough wood that comes out of Africa. It is mostly like mahogany without the hefty price tag. It’s very important that you purchase a guitar where the neck is made out of a strong wood. After all it’s where a lot of pressure is placed from the stretching of the strings. Plus, there is what they call a truss rod installed in the neck to adjust the string distance from the fretboard and to keep the neck from bowing. This is also very important to have a strong wood to be able to handle this resistance.
The Wood For The Bridge And Fingerboard Are Ebony On The Taylor GS Mini
“All I can say is Taylor didn’t skimp on this one!”
Most fingerboards and bridges on guitars are made out of rosewood. It is very popular because it is less expensive and holds up really well to wear and tear. This is something you really want in a fingerboard and bridge for obvious reasons. Your fingers wear on the fingerboard and the changing of strings wear on the bridge.
All I can say is Taylor didn’t skimp on this one! Ebony is a very expensive wood that holds up quite well to wear. It will last for years without showing any blemishes and is a very desirable wood on fingerboards. I was quite impressed that they didn’t try to cut costs in this area.
How Much Should You Expect To Pay & What’s Included?
The Taylor GS Mini retails for $678.00. However, I’ve seen it is most stores and online for under $500. The GS Mini does come with a hard shell gig bag that is pretty nice considering. However, I found a bundle on Amazon that doesn’t cost you any more that comes with guitar picks, a guitar stand and an extra set of strings called the Taylor Guitars GS Mini Reduced Scale Grand Symphony Acoustic Guitar with Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), D’Addario Strings & Ultra Stand. This was the best deal I could find.
What Others Are Saying….
“I have played guitar for over 50 years. This is one of the finest guitars I have played. For the money it’s the best. I love it.”
Rating: 
“I got my GS mini in the mail yesterday after a two month wait and let me tell you….VERY worth the wait. The sound is bold and beautiful out of this little gem.”
Rating:
“Incredible! I did not know what to expect. I just ordered it without trying it out. I’ve owned both the Baby and Big Baby. The GS Mini blows them away”
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Stars Based on 10 reviews
See More Reviews
“Here’s My Final Thoughts”
Sound
Just what you’d expect from Taylor. This little guitar packs a punch. I couldn’t believe the big sound I was getting. The best analogy I can use is, it’s kind of like a Bose System. Very small with a big sound. Very classy bell tones and mid range depth for bass. Just what you’d expect from a mini guitar. However, this one is quite different from any mini I’ve played. If you add in the Taylor pick up you get kind of a real crunchy electric guitar sound. If you’re looking for rich lows though? This guitar may not be for you. But, you really can’t expect much bass from a mini anyway.
Action
Beautiful action! I would say this is it’s biggest feature. It plays about as close to an electric as possible. I was really impressed with how soft to the touch it is. This one would be great for guitar players that are transitioning from and electric to an acoustic, or, great for people with small hands or kids. This is the only real acoustic guitar I’ve seen with such a perfect action!
Reliability
Just what you’d expect form Taylor. A extremely well crafted instrument of high quality. For the budding musician this one is for you! For the advanced guitar player… This ones for you also. It’s very easy to pack and it can easily fit behind your car seat. Plus, it’s rugged enough to even take camping.
Find The Best Price On The Taylor GS Mini Here
Hi David,
I agree with you. If I had extra cash that day I would have picked it up. I almost did. But, I think I would have been in trouble with my wife? Lol!
Thanks for pointing the grammatical error out for me. I’ll fix it.
I also love the GS Mini. I bought one in June 2011 and have not regretted it at all. I bought a Baby Taylor new(2000 model Rosewood Baby in hard shell case)but, as much as I like that little travel guitar, the GS Mini blows it away. I think it has a lot of bass for it’s size and especially has a LOT of volume.
P.S. you might want to re-read your last sentence? I believe you mean you “can’t” go wrong.