# The small guitar with a big sound



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

One of my morning rituals before making the 5 minute commute to the office is to grab one of my acoustics for a 5 to 10 minute strum. Usually I grab one of my Martin Authentic series but this morning I felt like playing my grand daughters Taylor GS Mini. I'm impressed with how good this little guitar sounds. Sustains nice and a big sound for a little guitar. Although my other acoustics are far above what this guitar is its really enjoyable to play.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

They are a blast. I thought I would end up with the rosewood model but took the martin route.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Agreed, the Mini is a sweet, great quality, little guitar. I've thought more than once about grabbing a used one.


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## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

I haven't tried one of the GS mini's but have heard similar comments. My 'small' guitar is an S&P Showcase folk rosewood and it's got a wonderful, resonant sound to it and is a joy to play. Currently have it in altered tuning as I'm learning an older finger style tune from Bruce Cockburn.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I'm seriously considering a small guitar for camping/travel. Normally I've taken whatever guitar I wanted in a hard case but the few extra inches allowed by a smaller guitar in a gigbag may be more desirable. It's got to sound good though.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm not a fan of small guitars. I love dreadnoughts. I've tried the smaller body route once with a Martin OM28 and it just didn't work for me. I bought this Taylor GS Mini for my 11 year old grand daughter, who hasn't taken much of an interest lately so it sits at my house. I guess I don't expect much from it but every time I picked it up I'm impressed with how great this inexpensive guitar feels and sounds. There is the odd time when I only have a short time to play and I'll pick this up instead of my Martins.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Mooh said:


> I'm seriously considering a small guitar for camping/travel. Normally I've taken whatever guitar I wanted in a hard case but the few extra inches allowed by a smaller guitar in a gigbag may be more desirable. It's got to sound good though.


Did this a few years ago. Ended up with a used Tanglewood cedar topped parlour which sounds amazing fingerpicked and is passable for strumming. The extra few inches makes a world of difference.

I've played a few GS Minis and Babys - great little guitars!


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Same experience here with the GS Mini. I wasn't expecting to like it that much when I got it, I''ve been playing it instead of my Martin 0015 which is another small guitar. I know a lot of people including guitar techs who have told me it's one of the things the Taylor did right.


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## JamesW1988 (Sep 18, 2020)

Totally agree. I like my GS Mini so much


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

I have the Spruce/Ovangkol (or is it walnut???? hmmmmm) version with the ES-B electronics. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar it punches way above it's class. Plugged in it competes with my 414ce.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I was enrolled in a group lesson for advanced jamming. I was the first one there so I took my GS-Mini out of the bag and stared playing to warm up. The instructor came out of the back room and wanted to know what the guitar was, She said it sounded so pretty she had to know. I've gotten similar reactions elsewhere as well. It is the perfect jam guitar. It's small and light. It has a decent gig bag that can carry all the extras you might need. It sounds good unplugged and it's loud enough to be heard even with several acoustics. It sounds good plugged into whatever is there to plug into to. It's not so expensive that you spend the jam worrying about your guitar.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Being that there are a few of us here who has a GS Mini, what pickups do you have on yours? I have the ES Go pick up and it hums a lot so I had the Universal Fused String Ground from Taylor and it still hums. I'm thinking of just replacing it with something else. Taylor is saying if the Fused String Ground doesn't fix it, there is a grounding problem with my sound system or electrical outlet. But its the only guitar I have that hums using my Loudbox Mini.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

What about an Alvarez AP (either 66 or 70) ?

P.S. I tried GS mini once and did not like it, though I do own some mid-range Taylors.


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## Buzz (May 15, 2008)

Theres a Sigma 000M -1st for sale here at a local store and I am tempted to get it. Its sounds good and is easy to play. I havent been playing my dreadnaught. They want $400 used but thats pretty much the new price.


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## kitkatjoe (Jan 16, 2017)

I’m so impressed with the Martin Dreadnought Junior that I had to buy four more. This is the original Junior not the later version. The Junior has the Martin big bass sound and is a very Loud guitar when you need for it to be.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

My wife bought me a GS Mini a few years ago.
I agree, it's a great little guitar with big sound acoustically, and it also sounds really good through an amp too.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm not a fan of small guitars. I love dreadnoughts. I've tried the smaller body route once with a Martin OM28 and it just didn't work for me. I bought this Taylor GS Mini for my 11 year old grand daughter, who hasn't taken much of an interest lately so it sits at my house. I guess I don't expect much from it but every time I picked it up I'm impressed with how great this inexpensive guitar feels and sounds. There is the odd time when I only have a short time to play and I'll pick this up instead of my Martins.


Man I wish I considered an $800 guitar an inexpensive guitar.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

My singer/saxopohone player/co-songwriter is getting a used one today. She liked my GS Mini so much, she decided to get one for herself.


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## Bluenose2 (May 29, 2019)

Have to agree with you on this. I got the GS mini as a “beater” so to avoid taking my Martin 000-18 out to parties or around the campfire. I always found Taylors to be a bit too “churchy “ but I am thoroughly impressed with the tone and volume and playability out of this little beast! 


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## Buck Corrigan (Nov 15, 2019)

I previously owned a Baby Taylor, it was great for it's size but sold it as my daughter grew up and needed something bigger. Moved on to the GS mini mahogany, also a nice small guitar but I wasn't really thrilled with the sound. That one was really well made though. I believe they're made in Mexico, but they are well made, action was good right out of the box, with intonation perfect! Sold that to help finance a Gibson for the daughter.
Recently purchased a Guild Jumbo Junior Maple with electronics on-board. For my money ( $475.00 US ) it's the best value in a low- priced small guitar. Good action, perfect intonation, and full sound for a guitar in this category.


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## Edd (Dec 28, 2020)

Buzz said:


> Theres a Sigma 000M -1st for sale here at a local store and I am tempted to get it. Its sounds good and is easy to play. I havent been playing my dreadnaught. They want $400 used but thats pretty much the new price.


I just ordered one from Steves Did you buy the Sigma? This one is supposed to have a rosewood fingerboard and not the Micarta. I hope it sounds like I am hearing in videos


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## Buzz (May 15, 2008)

Ya I did get it and I really like it, my favorite acoustic. Plays great and sounds sweet.


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## PeterLeyenaar (Nov 26, 2020)

Martin D-Jr 10E here , slightly larger than a GS-mini, solid woods, in sound very close to my son's Martin d-18, substantial base for a some what smaller guitar, onboard electronics, slightly more money than a GS-mini.


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## madhermit (Dec 31, 2017)

I enjoy strumming on this Larrivee P-03 I scored a year or so ago for $700 with a hardshell case. Hangs in the living room for easy access. A nice little guitar, and I love the detail in the binding and rosette. I am an unabashed Larrivee guy. I have 3 in total.


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## Larrivee (Nov 16, 2014)

I'm swimming upstream here but, having had a mahogany GS Mini, in the end I didn't like it enough to keep it. I had the ES Go pickup - no hum. Agree with the comment re the great gig bag. I liked it a lot originally but eventually it just never sounded as good as the Martin D18V, Gibson LG2 or Larrivee L05 (unfair comparisons, I know but those were its competition). So I moved it on - for $600 used, having paid $460 for it brand new at 12 Fret in Toronto. So, if nothing else, it was a dang good investment!


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