Scored a GS Mini

guitargeak99 · #1 01-23-2017, 06:31 PM

Ok, I jumped on the bandwagon and grabbed a Taylor GS Mini.
.........just like I recently jumped on the Pono bandwagon.

I got the Spruce top / lam rosewood B/S.
My 17 yr old daughter just recently decided to take up guitar. We have a number of nice full size acoustics, but she grabbed the 00 Pono mainly because it's size & set up makes it so comfortable to play..
I'm not a big guy and wanted another smaller guitar for myself.
Did a side by side with a few Martin Jr dreads and a few GS Minis - a Spruce and a mahogany.
I'm a Martin guy, but this GS won out easily.
I made a slight adjustment to the nut slots, and threw some lights on it just to see. They are able to drive that little top, so I'm leaving them on. The lighter tension lowered the action by 1/64 - plays very easily.
The only thing I want to do is take the cheap pick guard off.
Anyone ever do that? I would assume warm air hair dryer and some naphtha will do?

kcnbys · #2 01-23-2017, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitargeak99

The only thing I want to do is take the cheap pick guard off.
Anyone ever do that? I would assume warm air hair dryer and some naphtha will do?

I have removed a number of pickguards using a hair dryer and Naphtha. That'll do it!

fnesnor · #3 01-23-2017, 08:24 PM

How does lighter tension lower the action?

guitargeak99 · #4 01-23-2017, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnesnor

How does lighter tension lower the action?

The lower tension caused the relief in the neck to lessen slightly.
I was concerned about that, so I measured action at the 12th before and after.
Low E is now 5/64, and the high E is 3/64.

InTune · #5 01-24-2017, 08:39 PM

I found a gs mini mahogany on my local Craigslist a couple months ago and am really impressed with it. Last weekend I made it to a Schmidts music and played a couple d jrs, one sapele and on spruce, and found that I preferred the mini which surprised me. I was prepared to trade it against the cost of a new one. The d jr is a nice little guitar though. And... I know it could have been the strings but my mini had dead strings too and it still won for me.

guitargeak99 · #6 01-24-2017, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTune

I found a gs mini mahogany on my local Craigslist a couple months ago and am really impressed with it. Last weekend I made it to a Schmidts music and played a couple d jrs, one sapele and on spruce, and found that I preferred the mini which surprised me. I was prepared to trade it against the cost of a new one. The d jr is a nice little guitar though. And... I know it could have been the strings but my mini had dead strings too and it still won for me.

I agree with you. The D Jr's seem pretty nice.
The sound on both of the spruces just sounded muffled to me. Not overly bassy, just muffled. Maybe there are some that like that kind of sound and it lines up with their style of music.
The Mini was more clear and balanced, and surprising loud when strummed hard.