GS Mini Owners’ Club

[vintage40s]

Cool555, I see you have two Taylor GS Minis and a Yamaha CSF3M.
I have had a new Yamaha CSF3M for two weeks now, and have also been playing a GSM Koa off the wall at the local Guitar Center. The GS Mini has lower action and a richer sound, and I like it better.
I am thinking of either paying to lower the action on the CSF3M, or returning it while I can and buying a GS Mini for hundreds more.
What do you think of your CSF3M compared to your Mini GSs? Why do you keep the CSF3M?

[joshua89]

Originally Posted by Rpt50

I already own and love a mini (walnut/spruce) and I'm trying to avoid buying another version. This thread is not helping...

The walnut spruce combination is the best combination. I love my hog but sometimes I'd like a little bit more of the headroom of spruce when strumming. The walnut seems to strike a balance between the hog and rosewood versions

[jazzguy]

I have almost pulled the trigger on a GS Mini many times but can't get around the 1 11/16 nut width. Anyone had any success replacing the nut and slightly widening the string slots?

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by jazzguy

... on a GS Mini... the 1 11/16 nut width. Anyone had any success replacing the nut and slightly widening the string slots?

I think it would make it too easy to push the outer strings off the neck.
The Mini is 1.6875 = 1-22/32.
My CSF3M is 1.6920 = 1-22/32, essentially the same as the .0045 difference does not calculate to a reasonable fraction.
Its 6th string is already very close to the end of the nut and the edge of the fretboard. Relocating the weak 1st string outward would make it too easy to bend it off the board, and the extra spacing across the nut would be imperceptible.

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

Cool555, I see you have two Taylor GS Minis and a Yamaha CSF3M.
I have had a new Yamaha CSF3M for two weeks now, and have also been playing a GSM Koa off the wall at the local Guitar Center. The GS Mini has lower action and a richer sound, and I like it better.
I am thinking of either paying to lower the action on the CSF3M, or returning it while I can and buying a GS Mini for hundreds more.
What do you think of your CSF3M compared to your Mini GSs? Why do you keep the CSF3M?

I guess this answers my question:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...8&postcount=10
I decided to keep my CSF3M and left it at the luthier. He said the action was OK but could be lowered if I didn't need to play it too hard.

[boneuphtoner]

I'm officially a member of the GS Mini owner's club as of yesterday and I remained stunned at how great it is at fingerstyle. What amazes is me is how it retains tonal richness and decent volume with such a small body size. To be fair, it isn't as nice as other guitars when it comes to strumming, etc. but overall to say this is just a travel guitar is selling it way short, IMHO.

[Atomnimity]

Welcome Bone! Lot of fun here....

(I posted this on an older Straight Up Strings thread yesterday and figured I would add it here)

With my long term string test going for my 3 new guitars I ordered 3 sets of lights and 3 sets of medium Straight Up stings.

I have been unhappy with the strings I had on my GS Mini and had all but stopped playing it. It was fine when I put the recommended Elixirs on when I first got it. So, I decided to pull out the Straight Up mediums and give them a try.

WOW! Action got easier and they sound great. My GS Mini is back in business. The GS Mini is what got me back into playing so Im glad I feel like I can grab it again in the rotation. Its still a Mini and a Hog and nothing close to the other two but it is fun again.

I ordered these off the Siminoff site.

http://siminoff.net/straight-up-strings/

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

I guess this answers my question:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...8&postcount=10

I decided to keep my CSF3M and left it at the luthier. He said the action was OK but could be lowered if I didn't need to play it too hard.

Hi Vintage40s. My apologies for not replying sooner as I was on tour and visiting Israel. Good choice to keep your CSF3M. Very resourceful of you to search out my previous post on comparing the 2 guitars. Actually you won’t go wrong with either choices, both are great guitars and have their own pluses. It is a great idea to send it to a luthier to lower the action as I also find it a little high although I’ve adjusted the neck as straight as it can go without buzzing.

Enjoy your CSF3M!

[Rpt50]

Originally Posted by Lilfolksinger

Thank you so much! Let me try this again!

Here is my GS Mini Mahogany:

Wow! I've been looking for a reason to add a hog mini. I would buy that one on the spot because of it's uniqueness.

[Rpt50]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

Cool555, I see you have two Taylor GS Minis and a Yamaha CSF3M.
I have had a new Yamaha CSF3M for two weeks now, and have also been playing a GSM Koa off the wall at the local Guitar Center. The GS Mini has lower action and a richer sound, and I like it better.
I am thinking of either paying to lower the action on the CSF3M, or returning it while I can and buying a GS Mini for hundreds more.
What do you think of your CSF3M compared to your Mini GSs? Why do you keep the CSF3M?

I too struggled with the choice, and went with the mini. Have you tried the mahogany version? The Koa looks cool, but I find the sound to be the least pleasant of the 3 mini versions.

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by Rpt50

I too struggled with the choice, and went with the mini. Have you tried the mahogany version? The Koa looks cool, but I find the sound to be the least pleasant of the 3 mini versions.

I decided to keep the Yamaha CSF3M and it is at the luthier to have its action lowered. The Koa at GC is sold, but whenever I go there again I will be playing more Minis just for comparison.

[boneuphtoner]

Originally Posted by Rpt50

I too struggled with the choice, and went with the mini. Have you tried the mahogany version? The Koa looks cool, but I find the sound to be the least pleasant of the 3 mini versions.

Since I already loved the sound of mahogany topped guitars (I already had a Taylor 324 and an OM mahogany topped Ibanez), as a recent buyer, the mahogany Mini was a no-brainer. My local sales guy, whose opinion I do trust, told me that out of the box mahogany has the best tone. But I've heard on youtube from Chris at Alamo that the Koa develops a sweetness overtime that the others can't match. There may be a Koa mini in my future.

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by boneuphtoner

Since I already loved the sound of mahogany topped guitars (I already had a Taylor 324 and an OM mahogany topped Ibanez), as a recent buyer, the mahogany Mini was a no-brainer. My local sales guy, whose opinion I do trust, told me that out of the box mahogany has the best tone. But I've heard on youtube from Chris at Alamo that the Koa develops a sweetness overtime that the others can't match. There may be a Koa mini in my future.

Yes. I hope my Mini Koa will sound sweeter as it ages. Sometimes its difficult to hear the changes as it ages. Because the guitar is with you through time. Much like those who have grown up children will experience. One day you look at him/her and wonder how they have grown so quickly...where is the little kid you once knew...

Anyway, mine is 1 year 4 mths old. Still a lot of “growing up” to do.

[boneuphtoner]

Originally Posted by Cool555

Yes. I hope my Mini Koa will sound sweeter as it ages. Sometimes its difficult to hear the changes as it ages. Because the guitar is with you through time. Much like those who have grown up children will experience. One day you look at him/her and wonder how they have grown so quickly...where is the little kid you once knew...

Anyway, mine is 1 year 4 mths old. Still a lot of “growing up” to do.

I think you chose well with the Koa - just heard this yesterday, and notice that she has a full size Taylor in the background yet she chose the Koa mini. I’m convinced one of those will join my Hog Mini soon

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9hM6-DQDAeQ

[ScottDownSouth]

I just put a deposit on this one today, cant wait to get it.

Cheers, Scott.