GS Mini turns 10 - time to wholly solidify?

[Coco Kid]

If Eastman can pull off an all-solid GS Mini copy, why can't the Taylor do it?

https://www.eastmanguitars.com/acoustic_travel

Likewise, Martin can do an all-solid travel guitar:

https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/junior/

[TaylorGirl]

The GSM has been extremely successful in its design. They have expanded their offerings through quite a few wood choices. From what I've heard, I think they feel the price point is where they want it and making substantial changes, such  as going to solid woods, would push it beyond affordability for many. Taylor's guitar line is quite extensive compared to other manufacturers....they probably feel they have the choices there for most players. I also think for traveling, the laminate back and sides are more forgiving in the environments it's being exposed to. I've owned several GSM's over the years, and just love what they've provided to me, but I'm sure they can't please everyone.

[Frettingflyer]

I think the Mini is a fantastic travel guitar, does well with changes in climate etc.. and I put over a million air miles on my first one. I found do to my lack of ability that a longer scale length is helpful and I searched for more travel options which led me to carbon fiber guitars that are even better for travel. I have also travelled with both the 314ce and my now gone 414ce and both did well. I think all solid wood is okay for travel after it has settled in and the wood knows it is a guitar now, but I also take extremely good care of them and would not take them if I were to need to check them, then the CF is the go to for me.
Taylor gets so much great sound from the current instrument and has such nice wood options I don’t see the change being needed. Plus, I think all the Mexican made models are laminate, so they would have to retool and retrain a bit I would think.
Interesting topic though, I wonder if many mini owners would trade for a solid version, or if they like the extra light weight(no braces on laminate) with the solid top which provides most of the sound anyway?

[SDTaylorman]

First thought that comes to mind? If it ain't broke,  don't fix it.

[boneuphtoner]

First thought that comes to mind? If it ain't broke,  don't fix it.

Agree with this.

As a mostly fingerstyle player, the GS mini produces a wonderful airy tone (I have the mahogany top model) that bested an all-solid wood Eastman guitar I used to own - the difference in nut width doesn’t bother me in the least but the change in fret spacing does take some in transitioning back to full size when I have to stretch across the frets.  For my playing, it is only when I start strumming does it become obvious that this is not a full size instrument.

Taylor already makes all-solid instruments that are not too far removed from the GS mini in fingerstyle tone and body size - and I’m referring to the 12 fret Grand concerts.  And they have the benefit of having more normal fret spacing and the 1-3/4 inch nut.  In a recent taste test of a 322ce 12 fret and my GS mini hog, I thought there was a lot of common DNA that these shared when it came to tone- obviously the 322 had a slightly more rich tone with light fingerstyle, but it was subtle.  Yes you give up some compactness when you go up to the GC size, but I think the Fingerstyle tone is More similar than it is different.  To me this speaks to the GS mini punching well above its weight

[Edward]

You've got two viable alternatives that fulfill your desire for a guitar.  So why are you complaining about Taylor?  Their product, their business principles, their decision to do it their way.  If one doesn't like it, go elsewhere; so simple.  It's called the marketplace and the consumer has the ultimate vote: his wallet.

Edward

[Coco Kid]

These replies remind me of when I used to post about how the D-28 should follow in the post-2012 D-18's footsteps and have forward shifted scalloped bracing on the Martin guitar forum. There was ardent opposition and accusations of blasphemy, as well as your standard why fix something that's not broken line. Yet since Martin did the Reimagined Series and effectively gave the HD-28 the D-18 treatment, everyone praised the decision as genius and a great move.

If Taylor makes an all-solid GS Mini, I suppose you guys are going to be consistent and say things like why fix something that isn't broken instead of praising it as a good move.

[Frettingflyer]

Most of us don’t come here to argue, you asked why and some offered opinions. People grow and evolve and over time our desires, and yes opinions, change. You want people to predict their what opinion they will have in the future now? I predict Taylor, Martin and others will be making incredible instruments, and some in ways we haven’t even imagined yet, that will allow us to make the music we enjoy making, but I won’t predict my opinion on any particular guitar for the future.
In my family we all play the KOA mini some, and it is a great sounding little guitar. I don’t see that changing unless there is an accident(2 boys in the house....)

[TaylorGirl]

I agree with FF. There's no point in arguing. You would like a solid wood mini, and probably some others would too. Does it fit into the business plan at Taylor? Who knows, definitely none of us here. Would I upgrade my mini to a solid wood, no, but that's just me. It's kinda like the "Taylor should build ukes thing." 

[Edward]

These replies remind me of when I used to post about how the D-28 should follow in the post-2012 D-18's footsteps and have forward shifted scalloped bracing on the Martin guitar forum. There was ardent opposition and accusations of blasphemy, as well as your standard why fix something that's not broken line. Yet since Martin did the Reimagined Series and effectively gave the HD-28 the D-18 treatment, everyone praised the decision as genius and a great move.

If Taylor makes an all-solid GS Mini, I suppose you guys are going to be consistent and say things like why fix something that isn't broken instead of praising it as a good move.

Any reason why you're making this "a thing"??  Just wondering aloud...  Nevermind, I'll move on, thank you.

Edward

[Coco Kid]

These replies remind me of when I used to post about how the D-28 should follow in the post-2012 D-18's footsteps and have forward shifted scalloped bracing on the Martin guitar forum. There was ardent opposition and accusations of blasphemy, as well as your standard why fix something that's not broken line. Yet since Martin did the Reimagined Series and effectively gave the HD-28 the D-18 treatment, everyone praised the decision as genius and a great move.

If Taylor makes an all-solid GS Mini, I suppose you guys are going to be consistent and say things like why fix something that isn't broken instead of praising it as a good move.

Any reason why you're making this "a thing"??  Just wondering aloud...  Nevermind, I'll move on, thank you.

Edward

Because if it's made into a thing, then maybe Taylor will do it? See Justice League: Snyder Cut, as an example of a thing becoming reality.

[Earl]

Bear in mind that the GS Mini was designed to be a relatively inexpensive compact travel guitar, targeted at a specific price point.  The design included a laminated body and an arched back to minimize labor when building, and to improve durability.  Changing to a braced and joined solid wood back would make the guitar more vulnerable to humidity and damage while traveling and add labor cost.  If the GS Mini went all-solid there are implications:
1)  the price would rival the 312.  Is there real demand for that?
2)  dealers would have to stock yet another SKU... how many of each version to order?
3)  a whole new assembly process would have to be developed, essentially two different production streams
4)  would it really be markedly better (sound, feel, etc)?

People have been asking for solid GS Mini's and GS Mini's with a 1-3/4" nut width for almost as long as there have been Mini's and it hasn't happened yet.  Meanwhile you can always buy a 312 and get 90% of the way there in terms of specs.  Don't buy a pickup truck if you really want a sports car.  Make noise if you feel the need, but for several years now your "thing" has fallen on deaf ears at the factory.  Taylor has heard and are simply not interested, or it would have happened by now.  Sorry.

[boneuphtoner]

Bear in mind that the GS Mini was designed to be a relatively inexpensive compact travel guitar, targeted at a specific price point.  The design included a laminated body and an arched back to minimize labor when building, and to improve durability.  Changing to a braced and joined solid wood back would make the guitar more vulnerable to humidity and damage while traveling and add labor cost.  If the GS Mini went all-solid there are implications:
1)  the price would rival the 312.  Is there real demand for that?
2)  dealers would have to stock yet another SKU... how many of each version to order?
3)  a whole new assembly process would have to be developed, essentially two different production streams
4)  would it really be markedly better (sound, feel, etc)?

People have been asking for solid GS Mini's and GS Mini's with a 1-3/4" nut width for almost as long as there have been Mini's and it hasn't happened yet.  Meanwhile you can always buy a 312 and get 90% of the way there in terms of specs.  Don't buy a pickup truck if you really want a sports car.  Make noise if you feel the need, but for several years now your "thing" has fallen on deaf ears at the factory.  Taylor has heard and are simply not interested, or it would have happened by now.  Sorry.

Well said as always Earl!  Your point about the grand concerts and their comparison to the GS Minis is right on point - for my playing there are a LOT of similarities between them, with the all solid wood grand concerts having a slightly nicer tone - about the only trade off is you give up the ultra short scale on the mini - that may be bad for portability, but the grand concert's longer scale is positive for having more consistent fret spacing with your full sized instruments.

But as I've said many times, as much as I love the GS mini for being a great instrument in its own right, good luck trying to fit it in the overhead bin of a small regional jet - it ain't gonna happen - now my Martin backpacker will fit all of them even though its tone and performance are a shell of the Mini.

So if I wanted a guitar that was small and sounded alot like the Mini, I would either get the Eastman (didn't know about those until this thread) or get an El Cajon made Grand Concert

[Coco Kid]

Bear in mind that the GS Mini was designed to be a relatively inexpensive compact travel guitar, targeted at a specific price point.  The design included a laminated body and an arched back to minimize labor when building, and to improve durability.  Changing to a braced and joined solid wood back would make the guitar more vulnerable to humidity and damage while traveling and add labor cost.  If the GS Mini went all-solid there are implications:
1)  the price would rival the 312.  Is there real demand for that?
2)  dealers would have to stock yet another SKU... how many of each version to order?
3)  a whole new assembly process would have to be developed, essentially two different production streams
4)  would it really be markedly better (sound, feel, etc)?

People have been asking for solid GS Mini's and GS Mini's with a 1-3/4" nut width for almost as long as there have been Mini's and it hasn't happened yet.  Meanwhile you can always buy a 312 and get 90% of the way there in terms of specs.  Don't buy a pickup truck if you really want a sports car.  Make noise if you feel the need, but for several years now your "thing" has fallen on deaf ears at the factory.  Taylor has heard and are simply not interested, or it would have happened by now.  Sorry.

Well said as always Earl!  Your point about the grand concerts and their comparison to the GS Minis is right on point - for my playing there are a LOT of similarities between them, with the all solid wood grand concerts having a slightly nicer tone - about the only trade off is you give up the ultra short scale on the mini - that may be bad for portability, but the grand concert's longer scale is positive for having more consistent fret spacing with your full sized instruments.

But as I've said many times, as much as I love the GS mini for being a great instrument in its own right, good luck trying to fit it in the overhead bin of a small regional jet - it ain't gonna happen - now my Martin backpacker will fit all of them even though its tone and performance are a shell of the Mini.

So if I wanted a guitar that was small and sounded alot like the Mini, I would either get the Eastman (didn't know about those until this thread) or get an El Cajon made Grand Concert

Is it really that "well said!" if Martin already have an all-solid travel guitar in the Dreadnought Junior that sells for less than $500 new after discount, thus effectively disqualifying all four arguments made?