Taylor GS Mini-e - Koa

[Puerto Player]

I had a Koa Mini for a while. Fun to play. Tone is marginal compared to anything full size. Mine had the ES2 system and that was fantastic. Plugged in the guitar just rocked, but unplugged, eh. My Emeralds are about the same size and sound about 50x better. Yea, they're much more expensive, but they sound as big as a jumbo unplugged. I wouldn't "mini" again. Had a Koa and a Rosewood. eh.

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by Gary1953

I though it was mahogany when I got it but my luthier recently told me that it was koa. It's an older GS Mini and the top reverses the light and dark areas depending on the angle of light. I've never seen mahogany do that.

Although I was going to call it as a Mahogany guitar, grain of the top looks a lot like Koa as well, so I may be wrong. There are lots of owners who add a Taylor or 3rd party pick guard to their Koa minis too, so there’s that. If you bought it used, that’s a possibility.

[ifret]

Originally Posted by Gary1953

I though it was mahogany when I got it but my luthier recently told me that it was koa. It's an older GS Mini and the top reverses the light and dark areas depending on the angle of light. I've never seen mahogany do that.

Call Taylor Customer Service with your serial number and they will be able to tell you what the woods are. The sapele b/s on a mahogany GS mini is very distinct. That should be a clue as to whether or not the top is mahogany. I looks like mahogany to me. Plus, the koa mini's have the electronics. Yours doesn't. Mahogany does have the light/dark shading as you described.

[SoCalSurf]

I'd put my money on it being mahogany!

[Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by SoCalSurf

I'd put my money on it being mahogany!

Me too. The koas had knobs for the electronics that would be visible in the pic if they were there. They don't as of summer 2017, when they switched to ESB and barn doors, but the owner said the guitar is a few years old.

The hog tops are mostly pure acoustics.

[Matt McGriff]

I’ve owned 4 GS Minis-two spruce tops and two hog tops at different times. They were cool, but seeing that I have sold them all, they ultimately left me disappointed. They are great but the 1 11/16” nut and short scale left me wanting. I ended up getting a Martin D Jr and like it a lot better for a small travel size guitar. I did just get a Taylor Academy 12e which I feel is pretty similar to a GS Mini but with a slightly longer scale, and really like it as the neck isn’t as cramped as the GS Mini.

[Gary1953]

Originally Posted by troystory92

Looks like a Hog top to me. The koas do not come with pick guards.

You were right and my luthier was wrong!

Just got off the phone with Taylor guitars. I gave them my serial number. Mine is a solid mahogany top, sapele back and sides, manufactured in 2014.

[Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by Gary1953

You were right and my luthier was wrong!

Just got off the phone with Taylor guitars. I gave them my serial number. Mine is a solid mahogany top, sapele back and sides, manufactured in 2014.

The hog top was my favorite of the lot of them

[bogeywon]

Went to my local GC and played some acoustics. I’d rather put the $800 toward something else in the future. The guitar didn’t do it for me. Now the Gibson J45 on the other hand

[sstaylor58]

Originally Posted by troystory92

Looks like a Hog top to me. The koas do not come with pick guards.

They do if you add one like I did..😀 I put a black pg on my Koa mini and it looks great...plays pretty darn well too - though I will admit the hog top one I had before sounded even better to my ears.

[Guitarsan]

Originally Posted by Gary1953

I have a GS Mini Koa. I'm not sure it would be great as an outdoor, campfire guitar as it does not have a lot of volume for singing with a large group.

What?!? Try strumming yours harder - not only can you not overdrive that smaller top, it can get very loud!

Mine: