The Second Official GS Mini Upgrades / Mods / Customizations Thread

[nolegsfngrpickn]

Mods, I hope it's ok I started this because the other one was closed (for getting too long?).

I'm curious if anyone has replaced the stock nut with a bone nut from Colosi or elsewhere and noticed a change in tone. I had a Colosi saddle put in but thought it might be too consuming and pointless from a tone perspective to change the nut.

Also curious about the headstock overlay. Anyone swap that out for an inlayed one?

What about any custom fretboard inlays?

I know this is getting into more expensive upgrades, but I love my GS Mini (soon to be Minis) and would consider this stuff.

[Tnfiddler]

I've wanted to do some work on mine, but I'm going to let my son start using it for lessons in January. He's eight, so I'd probably be better off leaving it like it is.

[Shortfinger]

What's a GS Mini?

[fazool]

I love custom truss rod covers. Bill Nichols makes amazing inlaid truss rod covers. I had a Taylor-esque inlay put on a TRC and installed it on my Taylor and it looks like it was from the factory.

I replaced the plastic fret markers in mine with abalone ones which was a fun and easy DIY project.

[magirus]

I'll be happy if anyone can point me to a set of nice little ebony tuner buttons that will fit the tuners that come on the Mini, it'll save on the cost of fitting Gotohs. I've already changed the bridge pins for Taylor ebonys, the TRC for an inlaid ebony, and altered an ebony end pin to become a strap button.

[Ludere]

Nice mods!

Not sure about the mini tuner buttons on the GS mini, but Charis Acoustic ...

https://www.charisacoustic.com

... just made me a custom set of buttons and pins for my 314ce (Ebony and Sapele) and Bill did a beautiful job.

Very nice and responsive folks, I would ask them for sure.

~ Paul

...

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by nolegsfngrpickn

Mods, I hope it's ok I started this because the other one was closed (for getting too long?).

Yes, the first one was closed when it went over 300 posts. That's our standard practice to avoid dragging down the server. Thanks for starting a new one! Counting down to 300 again...

[guitargeak99]

I had my luthier install a Colosi bone saddle and set-up for my GS, then was able to A/B it against a friends GS - same exact model (spruce top) with new Elixer light strings on both. I was able to close my eyes and pick mine out every time, but barely. The sound from the bone saddle was just a tad brighter. In hind sight I’m not sure if it was worth the money.
I also installed ebony tuner knobs and abalone bridge pins, and a wooden truss rod cover that I got from a member over on the Taylor forum.
I’ll post pics later.

[Tnfiddler]

I forgot a mod I did to mine. I replaced the cheap plastic bridge pins with ebony ones and it was a great change in tone for me.

[phavriluk]

Did the person who claimed that a bone saddle was related to 'a tad brighter' sound compared to another GS Mini with an OEM saddle, make a comparison of the two guitars before swapping one of the guitars to a bone saddle? Perhaps the instrument that got the new saddle was always 'a tad brighter'?

[nolegsfngrpickn]

Originally Posted by fazool

I love custom truss rod covers. Bill Nichols makes amazing inlaid truss rod covers. I had a Taylor-esque inlay put on a TRC and installed it on my Taylor and it looks like it was from the factory.

I replaced the plastic fret markers in mine with abalone ones which was a fun and easy DIY project.

Yea, I'm going to be ordering a koa truss rod cover with my dad's signature who passed away inlayed on it.

How much were those abalone fret markers? Can you link me to that? I was thinking of more elaborate markers, but that would require serious luthier work I'm guessing.

Originally Posted by magirus

I'll be happy if anyone can point me to a set of nice little ebony tuner buttons that will fit the tuners that come on the Mini, it'll save on the cost of fitting Gotohs. I've already changed the bridge pins for Taylor ebonys, the TRC for an inlaid ebony, and altered an ebony end pin to become a strap button.

Don't have anything, but I highly recommend the Hipshot locking tuners. I have a gold set on my first GS Mini, just ordered a second set for my other incoming Koa. They're my first set of locking tuners and I love them; 18:1 too. Here's an Amazon link but you can find them cheaper elsewhere: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003H8XAO0


So no one's replaced the nut. Is the overall consensus is it's too much work for potentially no benefit?

Anyone wondering about the ebony bridge pins, you can buy the official Taylor ones with abalone inlay on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF8VGWE

[fazool]

Originally Posted by nolegsfngrpickn

...How much were those abalone fret markers? Can you link me to that? I was thinking of more elaborate markers, but that would require serious luthier work I'm guessing.
...

I can't remember - I got them online. They were super inexpensive, like $10 for a bag of them I think.

They are simple core-drilled round ones so very inexpensive.

The only trick is to make a nice clean round hole for them. The old hole will have plastic and glue residue in it and need clean-up. And you don't want to use a standard point drill bit.

I used a cheap core drill like this, then cleaned up the center of the hole.

[guitargeak99]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

Did the person who claimed that a bone saddle was related to 'a tad brighter' sound compared to another GS Mini with an OEM saddle, make a comparison of the two guitars before swapping one of the guitars to a bone saddle? Perhaps the instrument that got the new saddle was always 'a tad brighter'?

Yes I did. A friend at work bought a GS Spruce top a few years back and I kind of rolled my eyes......until I played it. Sounded good for it’s size. I went right out and bought one just like it. We played them at work and I couldn’t tell them apart. My luthier talked me out of a bone nut, said it wouldn’t be worth the money. He loved the guitar, though. The bone saddle added just a bit of clarity, which is probably a better word than “bright”.
I got the bridge pins from MF.
The fret markers are just stickers. But they look good in person.

[nolegsfngrpickn]

Originally Posted by guitargeak99

My luthier talked me out of a bone nut, said it wouldn’t be worth the money. He loved the guitar, though. The bone saddle added just a bit of clarity, which is probably a better word than “bright”.
I got the bridge pins from MF.

The fret markers are just stickers. But they look good in person.

Yea, my luthier said the same thing about the nut, but put in the Colosi saddle. I don't have any legitimate recording equipment any longer, but maybe I can find something and do a crude recording when I get my new GS Mini and then do another once the saddle is replaced. I'm thinking of doing the vintage looking saddle this next time, to give it a different look. Then again that might look weird without a matching nut.

I've thought about those fret stickers, but thought it would look cheap. Do they look pretty legitimate? No issues with them when you play? Where'd you buy those?

[Cool555]

Only added ebony bridge pins to my koa...and bone pins with abalone to my Spruce/Sapele.