New Taylor GS Mini-e Rosewood Plus

[Rclompus]

I picked up a new GS Mini-e Rosewood Plus guitar today from the FretMill Guitar Shop in Roanoke, VA.  Its a great shop with experienced staff that make you feel at home and help you find the guitar that matches your needs.  I am very impressed with the workmanship and finish and even more so with the sound of this GS Mini.  I traded in a Koa GS Mini Plus guitar for this one.  I've had two Koa GS Mini Plus guitars over the past two years and just didn't fall in love with their sound.  You have to put a lot of effort into playing them with good sound but not outstanding. Its probably the limitation of my intermediate skills.

I have the newer Koa 724ce and it sets a high bar for a Koa wood guitar.  The Mini-e Rosewood plays louder with less effort and has a much deeper end that you would expect from a smaller body guitar.  The sound hole is huge. The Sitka Spruce top really vibrates when you strum with or without a pick. I have not compared this GS guitar with the standard GS Rosewood guitar.  The ES-2 is a far better system than the older ES-B set up. 

If you're thinking about getting a GS mini, I'd highly recommend you audition the Mini-e Rosewood Plus.  Perhaps this reflects Andy Powers efforts to tweak and evolve the GS series.  Its fairly priced for the workmanship and sound it creates.  It even makes me sound good and that's priceless!!

Be well,
Richard Clompus

[Rene Asologuitar]

Congratulations on the new GS Mini!!!
This is a very beautiful guitar, and the value is great.
I love the GS-Mini!!!
Rene

[TaylorGirl]

Congrats! Maybe you could post some pics for us. 
I love the GSM, it's a great guitar to have around.

[Edward]

Nice score, Richard!  I've always like the GSm, and long ago bought one for my daughter who still plays it.  I had no idea they transitioned to the ES2 on these guits, and am glad they ditched that ES-b, ugh!  Enjoy, sir!

Edward

[Skyman911]

I really enjoy my GS Mini Mahogany. I am also surprised at the sound I get out of this small guitar. I picked it up earlier this year during the Taylor Days promotion. Got a 314CE and the GS Mini. I'm just learning how to finger pick, and I thought this small guitar would be difficult. Turns out it seems to finger pick better than my Big Baby Taylor. The 314 however is a finger picking dream for me.

KR

[Toucan256]

I think I found a dealer near me that has one. I could also be trading in a GS mini Koa that I've had for the last 2 years and has never really "grabbed me".

[Guitarsan]

Interesting... some of what you're potentially hearing can be explained by a koa vs. sitka top, but the whole "big volume out of a little gs-mini guitar" has been a thing since their inception regardless of top wood employed. The Plus refers to upgraded case and electronics, all else is the same as ever for GS Minis. (Since they're layered/veneer, the sides and bottom wood make no difference in sound, model-to-model according to Bob Taylor, and my experience confirms that. Only differing top woods make a difference tonally)

Andy Powers has said several times he doubts he can improve on the GS Mini design and to date has not made any effort to, outside the electronics again, so will be interesting to see if he changes his mind in the future.

Enjoy it!

I picked up a new GS Mini-e Rosewood Plus guitar today from the FretMill Guitar Shop in Roanoke, VA.  Its a great shop with experienced staff that make you feel at home and help you find the guitar that matches your needs.  I am very impressed with the workmanship and finish and even more so with the sound of this GS Mini.  I traded in a Koa GS Mini Plus guitar for this one.  I've had two Koa GS Mini Plus guitars over the past two years and just didn't fall in love with their sound.  You have to put a lot of effort into playing them with good sound but not outstanding. Its probably the limitation of my intermediate skills.

I have the newer Koa 724ce and it sets a high bar for a Koa wood guitar.  The Mini-e Rosewood plays louder with less effort and has a much deeper end that you would expect from a smaller body guitar.  The sound hole is huge. The Sitka Spruce top really vibrates when you strum with or without a pick. I have not compared this GS guitar with the standard GS Rosewood guitar.  The ES-2 is a far better system than the older ES-B set up. 

If you're thinking about getting a GS mini, I'd highly recommend you audition the Mini-e Rosewood Plus.  Perhaps this reflects Andy Powers efforts to tweak and evolve the GS series.  Its fairly priced for the workmanship and sound it creates.  It even makes me sound good and that's priceless!!

Be well,
Richard Clompus

[Earl]

I never question anyone's qualitative assessment of tone, especially for their new baby.  Enjoy!!   

We've owned both the spruce and mahogany topped Mini models, but not recently.  I suspect that any tonal difference can be attributed to the specific top.  Taylor builds to a factory spec thickness and makes no effort to tap tune or optimize individual tops.  So if you were able to test drive a group of Mini's under fixed conditions, you will find one or two that really stands out.  There is always a bell curve of tone on factory built guitars -- for all brands, all models.  Most will be pretty good, a few stellar, some almost duds.  And my dud may be your winner, perfect for your style and ears.