Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Taylor GS Mini is a popular line of compact acoustic guitars launched from Taylor Guitars in 2014. Featuring Taylor's patented ES2 pickup system and a short-scale neck, the GS Mini delivers impressive tone, playability, and portability.

The GS Mini Mahogany reviewed here features a layered Sapele body with a solid mahogany top. Mahogany is known for its warm, balanced sound that pairs nicely with the Mini's smaller body size. This all-mahogany GS Mini model produces a focused, mid-range heavy tone perfect for fingerstyle playing and recording.

Weighing under 4 pounds, the GS Mini Mahogany is Taylor's highest quality short-scale guitar. Its comfortable size and excellent acoustic voice make it a versatile choice for players of all levels.

Construction

The Taylor GS Mini Mahogany is constructed with a solid mahogany top and layered mahogany back and sides. Mahogany is a tonewood that provides a balanced, well-rounded sound with nice sustain. The mini body style makes the guitar very comfortable and easy to handle, while still projecting volume and maintain rich tones.

The all-mahogany construction gives this small guitar a surprisingly full voicing, with pleasing midrange focus. The mahogany back and sides offer a mellow warmth and resonance. Overall, the materials used in the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany lend themselves well to versatility - the guitar can provide lush full chords as well as articulate single-note runs.

In addition to the all-mahogany construction, the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany features a solid Sitka spruce top. Sitka spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops, prized for its balanced tone and good projection. The solid spruce top allows this small-bodied guitar to have impressive volume and dynamics.

The neck is also made from mahogany, with a West African ebony fingerboard and bridge. Ebony is known for its crisp attack and articulation. Combined with the mahogany neck, the ebony fingerboard provides excellent note definition.

Other features that contribute to the great playability and sound quality include a Tusq nut and saddle, chrome enclosed tuners, and Taylor's ES-B pickup system. The ES-B allows you to plug in for amplified performances while retaining the guitar's inherent acoustic tone.

In comparison, the Yamaha APXT2 BL is a thinline cutaway acoustic-electric guitar with a smaller concert-style body. It has a spruce top with meranti back and sides. The APXT2 produces a bright, focused tone well suited to live performance. It has a pickup system designed by Yamaha to capture the nuances of the acoustic sound.

While the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany and Yamaha APXT2 BL differ in body shapes and construction woods, they both deliver quality amplified acoustic tones in more compact, stage-friendly designs. The Taylor has an all-mahogany build for a balanced, mid-focused voice, while the Yamaha opts for spruce and meranti for added brightness. Choosing between them comes down to tonewood preferences and body size needs.

Tonewood

The Taylor GS Mini Mahogany features all solid wood construction with a solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. Mahogany is a popular tonewood choice for acoustic guitars, providing a warm, smooth, and mellow tone. The mahogany back and sides help give this mini guitar a rich, full sound that belies its small size. Mahogany tends to emphasize the midrange, offering a balanced tone across the frequency spectrum. It provides a nice blend of warmth, sweetness, and complexity. While not as bright as rosewood, mahogany still has enough crispness and definition to provide a pleasing tonal response. Overall, the mahogany body helps make this an excellent choice for various musical styles, from strumming chords to fingerstyle playing.

When choosing the right acoustic guitar, the tonewood used for the top, back and sides is an important consideration. The wood type impacts the sound quality and tonal characteristics. Mahogany is a popular choice that provides a balanced, well-rounded sound. The Taylor GS Mini is an example of a smaller-bodied guitar built with all solid mahogany back and sides. The mini size makes this model comfortable for travel or practice while still delivering impressive volume and sustain.

For guitarists looking for a different option, the Fender AUS-0961090006-COMBO-PLAY is an affordable full-size dreadnought model with laminate construction using basswood back and sides. Basswood is known for its clear, balanced tone with good note separation. It has a tighter low end compared to mahogany, with more emphasis on the treble and articulate highs. The laminate body makes this guitar lightweight and durable. While it won't sound as complex or responsive as a solid wood guitar, it provides great value and classic acoustic tone. This could be a good choice for a beginner looking for their first full-size acoustic on a budget.

When evaluating acoustic guitars, it's helpful to play the actual instrument you are considering buying. Even the same tonewood can sound slightly different depending on the specific guitar construction and bracing design. The finish used on the wood also impacts resonance and tone. Gloss finishes tend to enhance midrange frequencies while satin or matte finishes promote brighter, livelier treble notes. Testing different models in person allows you to find the best match for your personal playing style and musical needs.

In addition to the back and side wood, the soundboard material also significantly influences an acoustic guitar's voice. Spruce is the most common choice, prized for its balanced tone, dynamic range and crisp trebles. Cedar is also popular for its warm, sweet and mellow tones. Exotic tonewoods like rosewood and koa can also be used for soundboards, offering unique tonal flavors. The bracing underneath the soundboard should complement the top wood, allowing it to vibrate freely to produce the best resonance.

High quality tuning machines, bridge pins and bridge material like ebony also contribute to optimal energy transfer and responsiveness. Plastic parts and cheaper hardware can dampen vibrations, resulting in a guitar that doesn't project or sustain as well. Attention to design and construction details makes a noticeable difference in the tone and playability of the finished instrument. Testing out different models is the best way to discover your ideal acoustic guitar to match your playing style and musical needs.

Body Style

The GS Mini features Taylor's Grand Symphony body shape but in a reduced size, making it a comfortable fit for players of all sizes. The Grand Symphony shape provides a versatile mix of volume, articulation, and balance across the tonal spectrum. Though more compact than a full-size Grand Symphony, the mini still produces a surprisingly open and resonant sound. The scaled-down dimensions make the guitar extremely portable and easy to handle, without sacrificing rich tone. Whether used for songwriting, practice, or travel, the mini GS body strikes an ideal balance of playability and acoustic power.

Neck

The GS Mini Mahogany features a slim, fast-playing mahogany neck with a 20-fret ebony fingerboard and smallGS-style dot inlays. The neck is designed to feel like a full-size guitar while still being very comfortable and playable for smaller hands.

The African ebony fingerboard adds brightness and clarity to each note. Ebony is an extremely dense and hard tonewood that brings out the treble and adds definition to your playing. It's a great complement to the warm, mellow mahogany.

The narrow 1-11/16" nut width makes chords and intricate fingerpicking very comfortable. Fretwork is polished and smooth, allowing seamless movement up and down the neck. The neck has a 25-1/2" scale length which helps retain the same warm tone and tension as a full-size dreadnought in a smaller body.

Overall, the neck is slim, smooth and comfortable while still providing excellent playability. The ebony fingerboard adds crispness that pairs nicely with the mahogany warmth.

Hardware

The GS Mini Mahogany comes equipped with quality hardware that enhances its playability and sound. The guitar features chrome enclosed tuners that hold the strings in tune well. The tuners are smooth and accurate, making tuning easy.

The nut and saddle also contribute to the Mini's excellent intonation. The nut is made from Tusq, an artificial bone material known for transferring vibrations efficiently. This helps improve sustain and tuning stability. The Micarta saddle is dense and rigid, allowing the strings to vibrate freely. Together, the Tusq nut and Micarta saddle optimize the guitar's intonation across the fretboard.

The high-end hardware components on the GS Mini Mahogany allow it to stay in tune even during vigorous playing, while providing excellent intonation and sustain. The chrome tuners, Tusq nut, and Micarta saddle are ideal choices that complement the solid tonewood construction of this guitar.

Electronics

The Taylor GS Mini Mahogany comes equipped with Taylor's ES-B pickup system, featuring three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The sensors are designed to capture the guitar's true acoustic sound by picking up the vibrations of the top, back and strings. This allows for a balanced and natural amplified tone across all frequencies.

For those who want more advanced amplification options, Taylor offers the ES-Go pickup system as an add-on feature. The ES-Go builds upon the ES-B system with an acoustic engine, volume control knob, tone control knob, and built-in tuner. It gives you more control over your amplified sound with individual tone shaping, mid-scoop mode, feedback-fighting phase controls, and more robust gain before feedback. The ES-Go can be added to the GS Mini for improved live performance and amplification flexibility.

Sound

The GS Mini Mahogany produces a warm, balanced tone that belies its smaller body size. The mahogany top and back/sides help generate a focused low end with pleasant bass response. Trebles have brightness without being overly sharp or harsh.

The smaller, travel-friendly body doesn't diminish the guitar's full-bodied resonance or projection. This allows the GS Mini to fill a room with a rich, pleasing acoustic sound. Players note the impressive volume and sustain from the compact body.

The tone stays consistent up and down the neck. Chords have great definition across all six strings. Single note lines have a smooth, rounded quality. The sound works well for strumming full chords or intricate fingerpicking. From first-position open chords to higher soloing, the GS Mini Mahogany provides excellent tonal balance.

Playability

The GS Mini Mahogany is incredibly easy to play, making it ideal for players of all levels. Despite its smaller size, it has a full 24.75" scale length which allows for proper intonation. The slim neck profile is comfortable and fast. The shorter scale length reduces string tension, allowing for easier chord shapes and bends. The compact body size makes the GS Mini Mahogany extremely portable and well-suited for travel. It's lightweight at only 1.98 lbs, so it won't weigh you down when carrying it around. The durability of solid mahogany construction means the guitar can withstand the rigors of frequent transport without issue. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player looking for a great sounding, easy playing travel companion, the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany excels.

Summary

The Taylor GS Mini Mahogany acoustic guitar punches above its weight in both sound and portability. This small-bodied guitar produces a remarkably full, balanced tone with excellent sustain and resonance. The all-mahogany construction gives it a slightly warmer, darker voice compared to spruce top models, while still having impressive articulation and note separation.

The 23.5" scale mahogany neck is very playable and comfortable. The smaller body size makes the GS Mini Mahogany an excellent choice for travel, easier for younger players, and a convenient couch or songwriting guitar. The tradeoff is less projection and volume compared to a full-size dreadnought. However, the GS Mini holds its own unplugged and sounds fantastic amplified.

Overall, the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany is an extremely well-made, great sounding, and highly portable acoustic guitar. It's an excellent option for players prioritizing tone, comfort, and travel-friendly size over maximum volume and projection.