A Major Sound for the Major Leagues

Despite its name, the GS Mini is not actually a true miniature guitar in the sense that it’s larger than some kid-sized or three-quarter-scale guitars on the market. If you’re looking for something you might call a true miniature guitar, you might try the Baby Taylor, which is the smallest guitar we make at Taylor. 

Because the air chamber inside an acoustic guitar’s body is one of the main factors contributing to its sound, smaller-body guitars tend to produce less projection and volume than their larger counterparts. However, the innovative design of the GS Mini—from its unique interior bracing to its solid top to its full-size soundhole—helps compensate for its smaller size, allowing it to generate a rich acoustic voice with a more compact body. 

Guitars, like any musical instrument, are highly subjective when it comes to what’s the right model for each person. That said, we think the GS Mini guitar is a great choice for beginner players, for a few reasons.

First, the Taylor GS Mini features a compact body shape that offers a supremely accommodating experience that helps new players feel comfortable as they get used to holding and playing an acoustic guitar. Customers often comment on how easy the GS Mini guitar is to play, which is a result of both its scaled-down body, the slender Taylor neck profile, and the shorter string scale length, which means the frets are slightly closer together, making it less of a stretch for one’s fingers to form chords. The shape of our guitar neck offers a relaxed fretting experience that makes it easier for new players to hold down notes and play chords. Like all Taylor guitars, the GS Mini features low action straight from the factory, meaning the strings are set closer to the fingerboard, which also contributes to easier fretting. 

Second, we think the GS Mini is a great beginner guitar because of its bold sound. Many guitars that are considered “beginner” or “starter” guitars—particularly within the travel guitar or mini guitar category—sound boxy or thin, lacking resonance and power. However, all GS Mini guitars feature a solid wood top, which helps them produce a clear, punchy sound despite their smaller size. And because of Taylor’s build quality, the guitar stays in tune, which isn’t always the case with less expensive guitars.

Both of those factors, combined with the wide range of model options available, have made the GS Mini a best-seller in the guitar market. 

In short, no. Though the Taylor GS Mini is built with a shorter scale length and a smaller body, it can use the same strings as most other acoustic guitars. In fact, GS Mini guitars come with light-gauge strings that are easy to press and hold even for beginners. If you find that you still have difficulty fretting notes, you can swap them out for extra-light strings or ask your local guitar tech for an action adjustment.

Because the GS Mini is one of our best sellers, we’ve developed a wide range of model options to accommodate an array of sounds and aesthetic preferences. The standard GS Mini features layered sapele back and sides with a solid top of Sitka spruce. Other options include the GS Mini Mahogany (which features layered mahogany back and sides with a solid mahogany top) and the GS Mini Koa (layered Hawaiian koa back and sides/solid Hawaiian koa top).

Other options include acoustic-electric versions, which are marked with an “e” in the model name (e.g., “GS Mini-e Koa”). We also offer “Plus” models with upgraded features like a glossy finish and our ES2 electronics.

We also sometimes offer limited edition GS Mini models that boast special finishes or other features. These limited edition guitars are usually only available for a short period of time. Some may be part of our art-top GS Mini collection, which includes guitars that sport custom designs on the soundboard. 

Finally, players looking for a compact bass guitar should check out the GS Mini Bass. As the name suggests, it’s a scaled-down acoustic bass with four strings made of a proprietary nylon-core material that offers a soft, easy-playing feel. Despite its small size, the GS Mini Bass yields a rich bass sound with a punchy, snappy voice that can add a distinctive new element to your music. Though they produce a unique sound, standard acoustic bass guitars can be quite unwieldy, and the GS Mini Bass offers a portable alternative that travels just as well as its six-string counterpart. It’s also available in an acoustic-electric version called the GS Mini-e Bass.

Acoustic-electric guitars feature built-in electronics that allow you to plug in the guitar to an amp or PA system for recording purposes or live gigs. GS Mini guitars come with two different varieties of electronics. Most models feature the ES-B, which includes an onboard digital tuner as well as intuitive volume and tone controls. “Plus” models feature our ES2 pickup and preamp pairing, which is also found in our full-size guitars, including high-end models.

Yes. Like all Taylor guitars, the GS Mini includes either a sturdy structured gig bag or our proprietary AeroCase, which blends the protection and durability of a hardshell guitar case with the light weight and portability of a gig bag. Standard models include the structured gig bag, while Plus models include the AeroCase.

We recommend a few key items with every guitar purchase (assuming you don’t already have them at home).

First, you’ll want some guitar picks. Every player has their favorite guitar pick, so we recommend grabbing a variety pack with a range of shapes, gauges and materials so that you can find the pick that suits your style.

Next, you should always have an extra pack of guitar strings on hand in case you break a string or need to replace the whole set after they’ve started to wear out. We also recommend a case humidifier to prevent the wood from drying out, and a guitar strap is always a good accessory to have on hand if you like to play standing.

Like all Taylor guitars, the GS Mini is highly versatile and can perform across many playing styles and musical genres. The GS Mini is popular with players who prefer strumming, flatpicking and fingerstyle, and it sounds great in genres like rock, country, folk and even acoustic blues or classical. 

In fact, the GS Mini is very much like other Taylor guitars in that its voice is easy to adapt to different types of music. For instance, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift got her start playing Taylor acoustic guitars, leading us to produce the Taylor Swift Baby Taylor (TSBT), but we have also built guitars for musicians such as Prince, FINNEAS, Zac Brown and many more, demonstrating the versatility of the Taylor lineup.