Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2 FG02016011001751084 Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus is an acoustic-electric guitar that offers big Taylor tone and playability in a compact, travel-friendly size. This Grand Symphony shaped mini guitar packs a sonic punch thanks to its solid Hawaiian koa top paired with layered koa back and sides. The sleek cutaway body provides easy upper fret access while the armrest and shorter 24.875" scale length enhance comfort. Onboard ES-B electronics with custom Taylor ES2 pickup provide natural amplified tones optimized for stage and studio. With its stunning looks and full voice, the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus delivers an impressive musical experience in a small package ideal for guitarists on the go.

Build Quality

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus features a solid koa wood top paired with layered koa back and sides, giving it a premium look and feel. Koa is a Hawaii native wood prized for its attractive grain patterns and balanced tone. The mini dreadnought body is made with quality workmanship you'd expect from a respected American guitar maker like Taylor.

The guitar has a smooth satin finish that lets the wood's beauty shine through. Inside, it uses Taylor's NT neck reinforced with carbon fiber for stability and durability. Overall, the materials and construction give it the level of refinement found in Taylor's full-size guitars, just in a more portable size. You can tell the care that went into choosing the tonewoods and crafting them into an instrument built to last.

The GS Mini-e Koa Plus also comes equipped with Taylor's Expression System 2 electronics for amplifying your sound. This gives you the flexibility to plug into an amp or PA system for live performances or recording. The ES2 system uses three uniquely positioned and calibrated pickup sensors to accurately capture the guitar's natural sound. The onboard preamp has simple but robust tone shaping controls, including a built-in tuner.

Overall, Taylor's attention to detail with the materials, construction, and electronics makes the GS Mini-e Koa Plus feel like a premium quality instrument. The koa wood body produces balanced, articulate tones that record well and project in live scenarios. The small body size makes it comfortable for travel or couch playing, while still delivering impressive volume and sustain. If you're looking for a high-end acoustic-electric travel guitar, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus is an excellent choice.

Another well-built acoustic-electric guitar to consider in this price range is the Yamaha FG800 VT. This model features solid Sitka spruce on top with mahogany back and sides. The smaller folk-style body is comfortable to hold and play while providing full, rich tones. Yamaha's SRT pickup system accurately conveys both the strings and body resonance when amplified. At around $300, the FG800 VT packs in quality tonewoods, electronics, and Yamaha's reliable build quality at an affordable price point. While not as premium overall as the Taylor, it's a great playing and sounding acoustic-electric for the money.

Sound Quality

The GS Mini-e Koa Plus produces a rich, warm tone thanks to its solid koa top. Koa is a premium Hawaiian tonewood that adds complexity and depth to the guitar's voice. The mini body shape allows the koa top to vibrate and project freely, resulting in impressive volume and dynamics for a small-bodied instrument.

Treble tones have a sweet, singing quality, nicely balanced by the koa's natural bass resonance. Strumming and fingerpicking styles are both well-served by the dynamic range and nuanced tones. Single coil and humbucker pickup combinations provide crystal clear amplified tones, retaining the koa's natural presence across the tonal spectrum. From softly picked passages to aggressive strumming, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus responds beautifully.

The all-solid wood construction allows the guitar to blossom from controlled fingerpicking to forceful strumming. Notes sustain evenly from high to low registers. Whether played acoustically or plugged in, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus delivers rich, nuanced sound in a remarkably portable package.

The warm, resonant tone of the GS Mini-e Koa Plus makes it a great choice for players looking for an acoustic-electric guitar that can cover diverse musical styles. Fingerstylists will appreciate the dynamic range and crisp note articulation while strummers will find the mini body shape comfortable and the amplified tones clear and balanced. With vintage aesthetics and modern playability, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus punches above its weight, tonally and structurally.

For players seeking an alternative mini acoustic-electric, check out the Fender CC-60SCE. This compact guitar also features a solid top and cutaway body design but opts for laminate mahogany back and sides. The tone is balanced and clear with enough low-end punch to handle light strumming or picking. The slim neck profile and low action facilitate intricate chord voicings and quick runs. For amplified tones, the Fishman pickup blends nicely with the natural acoustic voice.

While the GS Mini-e Koa Plus and CC-60SCE share some attributes like their diminutive size and cutaway body style, differences in tonewoods and electronics result in unique voices. The GS Mini-e Koa Plus leans into the warm, complex tones of Hawaiian koa while the CC-60SCE takes a more balanced approach. Choosing between the two comes down to tone preferences and playing style needs. The GS Mini-e Koa Plus flatters intricate fingerstyle while the CC-60SCE accommodates both picking and strumming. Players looking for an expressive mini acoustic-electric would do well to check out both models.

Playability

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus features a comfortable, slim neck profile that is extremely playable. The nut width is 1 11/16 inches, which provides ample room for fingering chords while still being manageable for players with smaller hands.

The mini body results in a shorter 24 7/8 inch scale length compared to a full size dreadnought. This shorter scale length reduces string tension, making bends easier without compromising tuning stability. The low action and slim neck make playing up and down the fretboard a breeze.

Despite its small size, the ergonomics of the GS Mini are well thought out. The compact body shape contours nicely against the player's body in seated or standing positions. The armrest bevel and rounded edges create a natural fit. Whether practicing for hours or playing live, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus offers outstanding comfort and playability.

Electronics

The Mini-e Koa Plus features Taylor's patented ES2 pickup system, which uses three strategically placed sensors to accurately capture the guitar's dynamic range, from aggressive strumming to fingerpicking.

The pickup captures the warm, rich tone of the koa top beautifully. The sound is very balanced across the tonal spectrum, with clear articulation from the bass to the treble strings. The midrange has a focused, vocal-like quality that makes the Mini-e an ideal accompaniment guitar.

The onboard preamp is Taylor's Expression System 2, streamlined with simple tone and volume controls. It allows you to easily dial in just the right amount of top-end shimmer or bass response for any occasion. The tone control has a mid contour feature that accentuates fingerstyle playing. There is also a built-in tuner, easily accessible by pulling up the volume knob.

The minimalist control layout makes the Mini-e easy for beginners to operate while still offering nuanced tone shaping capability. Between the ES2 sensors and Expression System 2 preamp, the Mini-e Koa Plus is equipped with pro-level electronics in a very accessible package.

Versatility

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus is an exceptionally versatile acoustic-electric guitar. Its compact body size belies its full, rich voice - this mini guitar can truly hold its own whether you're practicing at home or performing live on stage.

The solid koa top produces a balanced, focused sound with crystalline highs, warm mids, and tight low end. This tonal character works very well for fingerstyle playing, but also handles strumming and flatpicking nicely across various genres. The GS Mini-e Koa Plus excels at folk, rock, country, blues, and more. Its dynamic range allows you to play soft, subtle passages or dig in for more aggressive rhythms and leads.

Another advantage of the smaller body is comfort. The GS Mini-e Koa Plus feels great to play when seated for extended practice sessions at home. The compact size doesn't get in your way. But it also shines when standing on stage. The slim profile provides excellent freedom of movement and fret access even when strapped and played standing up.

Overall, the versatile GS Mini-e Koa Plus sounds, feels, and plays fantastic whether you're at home, in the studio, or on stage. Its premium solid koa top and full voice belie its miniature size.

Portability

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus is a super portable acoustic-electric guitar thanks to its compact size and lightweight build. Though it's scaled down compared to a full size dreadnought, the GS Mini-e still delivers impressive volume and tone.

At just under 20 inches long, the GS Mini-e has a very travel-friendly and gig-ready size. The small profile makes it easy to play while seated or standing. The scaled-down proportions don't detract from playability either.

Weighing around 4.7 pounds, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus is remarkably lightweight for an all-solid wood acoustic-electric. The combination of small size and low weight makes this guitar easy to transport and ideal for travel. Even with the onboard ES2 electronics, it maintains a very comfortable weight.

The thin neck profile and narrow 1-11/16" nut width enhance the Mini's portability and playability. Everything about its design caters to on-the-go playing. Just toss it in a gig bag or hard case and you're ready to go. Players of all levels will appreciate how easily this guitar goes wherever the music takes you.

Great Value For an All-Solidwood Acoustic-Electric

The Taylor GS Mini Koa Plus represents an excellent value in the acoustic-electric guitar market. Though not an inexpensive model, its use of premium tonewoods like solid koa, combined with high-end appointments like an ES2 pickup, make its price tag very reasonable.

When comparing it to other all-solidwood acoustic-electrics using similar tonewoods and electronics, the GS Mini Koa Plus is extremely competitive. Models from Martin, Larrivée, and other premium brands with solid wood construction and comparable electronics often cost $500-1000 more.

Given its exotic wood materials, expert Taylor craftsmanship, and ability to handle both acoustic and plugged-in playing, the GS Mini Koa Plus provides great value. While not cheap, it delivers professional performance and tone at a fair price point for its class of instrument.

Alternatives

Taylor makes other fine acoustic-electric guitars that may be worth considering as alternatives to the GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2, depending on your needs and budget:

• Taylor GS Mini Mahogany ES-N - This is the entry-level mahogany version of the GS Mini. It has laminate back and sides, giving it a slightly different tone at a lower price point. The mahogany body produces a balanced, warm sound.

• Taylor Big Baby Taylor ES-B - A step up in size from the GS Mini, the Big Baby also features layered koa back and sides. It produces Taylor's signature balanced tone in a compact, comfortable body shape. The electronics give it stage-ready versatility.

• Taylor Academy 12e Grand Concert - Moving up to Taylor's flagship Academy Series, this Grand Concert 12-string combines solid spruce and mahogany with an easy-playing neck. The ES2 electronics provide clear amplified tone.

• Taylor 214ce DLX - Taylor's 200 series offers all-solid wood construction. The 214ce DLX is an affordable way to get Taylor's signature playability and bright balanced tone in a full-size Grand Auditorium guitar.

Considering your musical needs and budget constraints can help determine which Taylor model might be the right fit as an alternative. But for a feature-packed compact acoustic-electric, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2 is hard to beat.

Summary

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2 is an exceptional acoustic-electric guitar that delivers impressive sound and versatility in a small, comfortable package.

Pros

• Beautiful figured Koa top and back produces rich, resonant tone
• Expression System 2 captures nuanced acoustic sound
• Comfortable small body and short 24-inch scale length
• Electronics allow plugging in without feedback
• Ideal for stage, studio, practice or travel

Cons

• Higher cost due to rare Koa wood and top-notch components
• Small body lacks very low end bass tones
• Electronics and preamp add cost over non-electric version

Overall, the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2 is a top-tier acoustic-electric guitar perfect for players prioritizing premium tone and portability. While the rare Koa wood and advanced ES2 electronics push up the price, the build quality, musicality and versatility make this a worthy investment for serious players. The comfortable short-scale design also makes this an excellent choice for new players, singer-songwriters, traveling musicians and small-handed guitarists. For those seeking a professional-grade acoustic-electric sound in a compact form, the GS Mini-e Koa Plus ES2 delivers impressively.