GS Mini Hog sounds dead on low E

[BayAreaUser]

Just bought a new one last week and while I'm impressed by the tone I'm not so impressed by a few other things.

Neck feels a bit cramped, fingers slipping off the sides etc. The main thing though is that the low E string seems to have no sustain. It's much deader than the other strings.

Has anyone else had this issue on a Mini?

Thanks in advance.

[BoneDigger]

I have a Mini mahogany and don't have that issue. I recommend a new set of strings.

As for the hand being cramped, etc. I don't have that issue.

Todd

[bynapkinart]

Couple of quick things:

Mahogany is a hardwood, and thus takes longer to "open up" than spruce or cedar. I bought mine knowing that the tone I heard in the shop wasn't what it would sound like after a month of hard playing. That being said, I think we grow into the tone of a guitar as much as the guitar opens up for us, so it's a symbiotic thing and if you don't like it you might not ever be convinced otherwise.

Secondly, TUSC is a good saddle material but I think that in order to really drive the hardwood soundboard you really do need bone. You might consider getting a bone saddle.

BUT: I bought a bone saddle and shaped it to fit the day that I got my Mini, and HATED the sound. It was brash, tinny, absolutely horrible in every single way. Took out the bone saddle and replaced the TUSC saddle and was very, very happy for a few months. The tinkerer in me spent a little more time after about 3 months meticulously shaping the bone saddle, to the point where I'm sure it's the best-shaped saddle I've ever worked on, and then installed it with the ebony pins I put on the Mini about a month prior. BOOM, there was the tone I was looking for, it is beautifully balanced with a strong midrange but clear highs and lows as well. The bone saddle combined with "playing-in" the harder top really made a world of difference, and it's my number 1 go to guitar for recording (it's such a great recording guitar) and most smaller gigs or jams.

Here's what it sounds like (guitar is bare, no effects...vocals have lots of reverb): https://soundcloud.com/ben-young-nap...aid-not-scared

Here's a photo of the saddle, sorry for the crappy phone picture (HTC One...never again)

[fceltia63]

I had the same issues with the spruce sapelle model. It took a little getting use to the neck but after a few weeks I adjusted. The low e was dead after a couple weeks on EJ17 strings so I swapped them for Elixir 80/20 mediums. Sounds great now

[DesertTwang]

Hmm. My Mini has awesome sustain anywhere. Cramped neck and sliding off? Yes. But my Mini has only one duty: be my trusty companion when traveling or camping. Therefore, I don't ask too much else of it.