Taylor GS Mini Review: Small Body, Adult Guitar

A short scale guitar that adults keep, which is why it outlives every 3/4 size beginner instrument.

The verdict: The GS Mini is the small guitar that is not a compromise: a properly built Taylor with a short scale and a small body that adults buy as a sofa guitar and never sell. Buy it for a teenager or adult who wants a guitar they will keep, or for a smaller player who would otherwise be handed a toy. Skip it for a young child, because it is still an adult instrument and a genuine 3/4 size guitar costs a quarter as much.

Specifications

Specifications above come from Taylor's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• A short scale means less string tension, so chords are physically easier to fret. That matters enormously in the first six months, when sore fingertips end more guitar careers than boredom does.
• It is a real Taylor with a genuine setup out of the box, and playability from the factory is the single biggest predictor of whether a beginner sticks with a guitar.
• The small body makes it a guitar people pick up. Instruments that live on a stand within reach get played, and full dreadnoughts tend to live in cases.
• It holds its value in a way no beginner guitar does, so if the player stops it is not a write off.

Where it falls short

• Six hundred dollars is far more than a first guitar needs to cost, and a Yamaha FG800J at a quarter of the price is a genuinely good beginner instrument.
• A mahogany top is warmer and less bright than spruce, which suits fingerstyle and is not what everyone imagines an acoustic guitar sounding like.
• The small body means less bass and less volume than a dreadnought, which matters if the player wants to be heard alongside others.
• It is not a child's guitar. For a small child a proper 3/4 or 1/2 size instrument is the correct answer regardless of budget.

What owners report

Published owner reports are unusually consistent and unusually enthusiastic, and the recurring theme is that the GS Mini becomes the guitar people actually play rather than the one they keep for best. Playability out of the box draws specific praise.

The criticism that recurs is the price relative to what a beginner needs, and the comparison with far cheaper guitars that also play well. Reports from parents of younger children note that it is an adult instrument in a small body rather than a child's guitar, which is the most important distinction on this page.

Who it suits

• Teenagers and adults who want a guitar comfortable enough to pick up daily.
• Players with smaller hands who find a full dreadnought a stretch.
• Anyone who travels and wants a real guitar that fits in an overhead locker.

Who should skip it

• Young children, who need a properly sized 3/4 or 1/2 guitar.
• Beginners on a budget, where the Yamaha FG800J is a genuinely good instrument for a quarter of the money.
• Players who want a big projecting dreadnought sound.

Alternatives worth considering

Keep reading

• 3/4 vs full size guitar
• Acoustic vs electric guitar
• Instrument size chart by age
• Yamaha FG800J review
• Squier Affinity Strat HSS pack review
• Best guitar tuners

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.