“A ravishing instrument… from the softest pluck to the hardest strum, the GS Mini never loses its cool”: Taylor 50th Anniversary GS Mini-E Rosewood review

Taylor’s GS Mini is one of few guitars that can stake a claim as a modern classic. As of its 10th anniversary in 2020, it had sold over 350,000 units and has undoubtedly added significantly to that tally since then. With Taylor celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, it was a no-brainer that the GS Mini would get the gold treatment.

The GS Mini came about as an evolution of the Baby Taylor, which proved popular with guitar players thanks to its small size. Bob Taylor recognized the need for small but full-sounding acoustic guitars, so Taylor opted to shrink down their ultra-popular Grand Symphony format, whilst aiming to retain its tonality.

The size and scale length were made smaller, but the body depth stayed similar, and Taylor’s neck design and full-sized neck heel remained.

Pulling the 50th Anniversary GS Mini out of the box, we were immediately struck by the Vintage Sunburst finish. It’s very matte, and there’s an almost purple/pink hue to the colour gradient. It’s not what we were expecting, and although admittedly unsure at first, it ended up growing on us.

There are several 50th Anniversary-specific appointments, too, the most stunning of which is the ‘firestripe’ fretboard marked with diamond inlays. Gold tuning machines and ebony bridge pins with gold dots complete the rest of the GS Mini’s makeover.

Sitting down to play with it gives us an instant reminder of why this guitar is so popular. It sounds exquisite, and the balance across the tonal spectrum is superb. Whether striking chords or picking arpeggios, every note rings out true with no single string dominating the sound.

That balance will make it a brilliant recording guitar, and from the softest pluck to the hardest strum, the GS Mini never loses its cool.

Out of the box, the setup is fantastic as you’d expect from Taylor, but it is a rather cramped feeling on the fretboard. We’d consider ourselves to have average-sized hands, but still found certain chord shapes higher up the neck a touch difficult, requiring an adjustment from our usual playing style.

The 23.5” scale length is certainly comfortable for bigger stretches, but if you’re the kind of player with spades for hands, you’re going to find it tough in places.

Showing they know how to celebrate in style, the 50th Anniversary GS Mini is Taylor’s party piece. A ravishing instrument, it’s an all-round honouring of the GS Mini from the unique visual touches to the core of this guitar’s ultimate appeal in its super-balanced sound. We can see little reason the GS Mini won’t be around to add to the next 50 years of Taylor’s history.

Specs

• PRICE: $899 / £1,079
• BODY: Layered Indian rosewood back and sides, torrefied Spruce top
• NECK: Neo-tropical mahogany
• SCALE LENGTH: 23.5”
• NECK SHAPE: Taylor Standard Carve
• NUT WIDTH: 1.6875”
• FINGERBOARD: West African Crelicam ebony, 50th Anniversary diamond inlays, 15” radius
• FRETS: 20
• BRIDGE: West African Crelicam ebony
• TUNING MACHINES: Taylor Standard
• ELECTRONICS: Taylor ES-2
• FINISH: Vintage Sunburst, Matte
• CONTACT: Taylor Guitars