Talk me out of a GS Mini?

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

Found a mint GS Mini E Mahogany for £400 locally....someone tell me I’m making a mistake and I don’t want one?!

Seriously though, any reason not to? Seems a good deal, just had a setup and looks immaculate - £200 off new prices.

Fuengi · November 2017

Buy it if you can afford to. You'll sell it for that in the new year if you don't want to keep it.

m_c · November 2017

Do you seriously think anybody on this forum will talk you out of buying something so well priced?

TimmyO · November 2017

Small guitars sound small.

That's why all their marketing is aimed at talking about how *this* one doesn't sound small.

Were you in the market for a small-sounding guitar before you saw this offer?

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

TimmyO said:

Small guitars sound small.

That's why all their marketing is aimed at talking about how *this* one doesn't sound small.

Were you in the market for a small-sounding guitar before you saw this offer?

I bought a little James Neligan parlour guitar from a chap on here but I don’t love it - mainly down to the 12 fret join which I thought I could live with but it annoys me! I’m happy enough with the sound and from memory the GS Mini I played a year or so ago was good; and punched well above it’s size sound wise.

I only play at home, in a small room, so I don’t need enormous sound....and I have small hands and so the more comfortable to play the better. Lots of ticks in the GS Mini box!

jellyroll · November 2017

Depends whether you like GS Minis. I know many players like them. I had one and hated it. Put me off acoustic guitar for quite a while - as I thought that's what acoustic guitars sounded like. The neck was beautiful, the top sounded like it was made of cardboard. My opinion, YMMV, etc.

smigeon · November 2017

I have the spruce one, which I like a lot. It's bright and authoritative and sounds great amplified at open mic things. When I bought it I tried a mahogany one as well - which was OK but (contrary to my expectations) but not as good as the spruce one to my ears. The mahogany one was less bright, as expected, but sounded dull and subdued next to the one I bought.

That probably doesn't help at all!

jakzek · November 2017

I think I’m going to pull the trigger on one too this week.

Tried both the standard and the Koa last week and they are so fun to play and sound great for the size. I’m not an acoustic player really but I don’t have one anymore so this would be perfect to just grab and go when I feel like playing.

The koa sounded better in my opinion, only reason I didn’t buy is because I wanted to compare it to the mahogany but they didn’t have any in stock unfortunately.

m_c · November 2017

@jellyroll that's probably a valid comment. I've got a Koa top Mini, and with the stock elixir strings, I do find it a bit dull/lacking treble sounding unless I really attack the strings with a pick. The stock action is a bit high, so when I do get around to restringing it, I'll knock a bit of the bridge, and try some different strings.

However, as it is, it's a nice guitar to sit and noodle on and hone technique.

enjo · November 2017

I find a full size acoustic difficult to play as a smaller guy and the GS mini gave me the love for acoustic sounds again. I love mine but only payed £260 for it just over a year ago so there is some food for thought at least.

enjo · November 2017

(non E version, hog)

Whitecat · November 2017

Good price and IMO the mahogany version is the second-best sounding - I prefer the koa just a little bit but there's not a tonne in it. Really expected to hate these little guitars and then the experience was quite the opposite - they are fun and easy to play and they sound remarkably bigger than they are.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

Thanks all for your input. Much appreciated. I’m going to pull the trigger as an eBay search suggests I’m not going to lose money should I want to move it on.

Sparky · November 2017

You can have mine for £360-currently on the sales page. Depending on where you live, I'll happily meet you half way as work means I travel a lot.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

Thanks @Sparky I did see yours but assumed it was without the pickup - I’m after the electro version!

Sparky · November 2017

BRISTOL86 said:

Thanks @Sparky I did see yours but assumed it was without the pickup - I’m after the electro version!

Gotcha, no worries. Mine is the non electric one. Good luck with your purchase!

BigLicks67 · November 2017

It's my understanding that the GS mini is marketed as a Travel guitar or guitar of convenience and therefore I'd see no good reason why you would have this as a number one choice for playing at home, for that there are better options in this price range. My only experience of Travel guitars was a Baby Taylor and TBH that was fit only for firewood.

TimmyO · November 2017

You see a lot for sale secondhand

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

Sparky said:

BRISTOL86 said:

Thanks @Sparky I did see yours but assumed it was without the pickup - I’m after the electro version!

Gotcha, no worries. Mine is the non electric one. Good luck with your purchase!

Thanks, GLWTS!

jellyroll · November 2017

TimmyO said:

You see a lot for sale secondhand

Or, to re-phrase, the bag is better than the guitar.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

BigLicks67 said:

It's my understanding that the GS mini is marketed as a Travel guitar or guitar of convenience and therefore I'd see no good reason why you would have this as a number one choice for playing at home, for that there are better options in this price range. My only experience of Travel guitars was a Baby Taylor and TBH that was fit only for firewood.

My main reason for considering it as an only guitar is comfort. I have small, child like hands and wrists, and can find full sized acoustics a challenge from a strength perspective. When I played a GS mini a year or so ago I was very taken with the playability, felt like I was playing an electric but with a very impressive sound for the size. Sure - if you’re expecting it to sound like a dread you’re going to be disappointed - but I kept my expectations in line with the specification.

Another aspect is that where I only play at home in a small room, a full body acoustic can actually be far too loud at times.

Internet reviews are in the main very favourable (especially of the Mahogany and Koa models) and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

TimmyO · November 2017

BRISTOL86 said:

and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

this will prove to be an important factor

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

TimmyO said:

BRISTOL86 said:

and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

this will prove to be an important factor

Have you had one? I’m picking up a somewhat negative vibe

BigLicks67 · November 2017

BRISTOL86 said:

BigLicks67 said:

It's my understanding that the GS mini is marketed as a Travel guitar or guitar of convenience and therefore I'd see no good reason why you would have this as a number one choice for playing at home, for that there are better options in this price range. My only experience of Travel guitars was a Baby Taylor and TBH that was fit only for firewood.

My main reason for considering it as an only guitar is comfort. I have small, child like hands and wrists, and can find full sized acoustics a challenge from a strength perspective. When I played a GS mini a year or so ago I was very taken with the playability, felt like I was playing an electric but with a very impressive sound for the size. Sure - if you’re expecting it to sound like a dread you’re going to be disappointed - but I kept my expectations in line with the specification.

Another aspect is that where I only play at home in a small room, a full body acoustic can actually be far too loud at times.

Internet reviews are in the main very favourable (especially of the Mahogany and Koa models) and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

OM and OOO guitars are smaller and more comfortable if that is an issue. As for hand size that has no correlation with actual strength, that just comes with time.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

BigLicks67 said:

BRISTOL86 said:

BigLicks67 said:

It's my understanding that the GS mini is marketed as a Travel guitar or guitar of convenience and therefore I'd see no good reason why you would have this as a number one choice for playing at home, for that there are better options in this price range. My only experience of Travel guitars was a Baby Taylor and TBH that was fit only for firewood.

My main reason for considering it as an only guitar is comfort. I have small, child like hands and wrists, and can find full sized acoustics a challenge from a strength perspective. When I played a GS mini a year or so ago I was very taken with the playability, felt like I was playing an electric but with a very impressive sound for the size. Sure - if you’re expecting it to sound like a dread you’re going to be disappointed - but I kept my expectations in line with the specification.

Another aspect is that where I only play at home in a small room, a full body acoustic can actually be far too loud at times.

Internet reviews are in the main very favourable (especially of the Mahogany and Koa models) and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

OM and OOO guitars are smaller and more comfortable if that is an issue. As for hand size that has no correlation with actual strength, that just comes with time.

Unfortunately arthritis does - we have a family plagued by arthritis and my hand strength is some way below that of your average adult male....I’ve owned several acoustics from parlour size to GA sized and unfortunately I still struggle a little with the acoustic in that regard.

The parlour I acquired recently is very playable from that perspective, almost an electric feel to the neck - like the GS mini, from memory - I just don’t like the guitar that much....

BigLicks67 · November 2017

@Bristol86 have you tried a nylon string, as there is a lot less tension in the strings compared to steel string acoustics.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

I thought about it but don’t particularly like the sound. The smallest of the acoustics I’ve owned (the parlour) was much better from a tension point of view (strung with 12s) than the full scale guitars I’ve had.

west · November 2017

They are great for what they are a travel/holiday chuck in the car without worrying about theft etc , i played them all at git git a month ago the mahogany one is the best for me , the pickups are rubbish to me both of em , i would use a kk mini , im on the look out myself at the right money , some of the tops look so much better than others plenty about i cant wait to pick one up , i might even buy new for anothe 200 to get a really nice top ...

jellyroll · November 2017

BRISTOL86 said:

TimmyO said:

BRISTOL86 said:

and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

this will prove to be an important factor

Have you had one? I’m picking up a somewhat negative vibe

Well, you did call the thread "Talk me out of a GS mini"

Whitecat · November 2017

You'll love the Mini, seriously. I have big hands and I love it - they may market it as a travel guitar but it sounds excellent and those smaller bodies record really well too. One thing to note - if you intend on plugging it in, hopefully you are getting the ES-2 pickup system and not the ES-B... the latter is a bit crap and prone to failure.

The arched back design on them means that they can project though.

BRISTOL86 · November 2017

jellyroll said:

BRISTOL86 said:

TimmyO said:

BRISTOL86 said:

and they seem to hold a good second hand value.

this will prove to be an important factor

Have you had one? I’m picking up a somewhat negative vibe

Well, you did call the thread "Talk me out of a GS mini"

This is true! To be fair I like hearing any negative comments just as much as positive!

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Talk me out of a GS Mini?

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