Talk me out of a GS Mini?

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  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    BRISTOL86 said:

     and they seem to hold a good second hand value. 
    this will prove to be an important factor 
    Red ones are better. 
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    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 ;)
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  • BRISTOL86 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. 



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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    BRISTOL86 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.... 
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  • @Bristol86 have you tried a nylon string, as there is a lot less tension in the strings compared to steel string acoustics.
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    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. 
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  • westwest Frets: 994
    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 ...
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    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" :)
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  • WhitecatWhitecat Frets: 5378
    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.
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    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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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    edited November 2017

    Whitecat said:
    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.
    Thanks for that. Yes it’s the ES2. I’d use it unplugged 99% of the time but I like having a pickup for making easy recordings 
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    @BRISTOL86 my sympathies with arthritis, I'm sure it's not fun. If you go ahead with the purchase (or get something else) please let us know whether the new guitar helps. Do you anticipate that the assistance will come from the physically shorter fret distances (ie less hand stretching) or the reduced string tension that comes with a shorter scale length? 
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  • westwest Frets: 994
    Go light with strings and detune ive done this and its great a lot less painfull , it does spoil you though ....
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    jellyroll said:
    @BRISTOL86 my sympathies with arthritis, I'm sure it's not fun. If you go ahead with the purchase (or get something else) please let us know whether the new guitar helps. Do you anticipate that the assistance will come from the physically shorter fret distances (ie less hand stretching) or the reduced string tension that comes with a shorter scale length? 
    Thanks. It’s manageable now but I can’t  imagine it’ll be much fun in another 10/20 years....

    I have no problem with stretches, it’s a strength/resistance thing. I noticed a big difference in the shorter scale of the parlour guitar compared to a GA sized guitar for example which I guess comes from the slight reduction in tension.

    I suppose lighter strings on a larger bodied guitar could also work but I like small bodied guitars anyhow from a comfort perspective. 
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    BRISTOL86 said:
    jellyroll said:
    @BRISTOL86 my sympathies with arthritis, I'm sure it's not fun. If you go ahead with the purchase (or get something else) please let us know whether the new guitar helps. Do you anticipate that the assistance will come from the physically shorter fret distances (ie less hand stretching) or the reduced string tension that comes with a shorter scale length? 
    Thanks. It’s manageable now but I can’t  imagine it’ll be much fun in another 10/20 years....

    I have no problem with stretches, it’s a strength/resistance thing. I noticed a big difference in the shorter scale of the parlour guitar compared to a GA sized guitar for example which I guess comes from the slight reduction in tension.

    I suppose lighter strings on a larger bodied guitar could also work but I like small bodied guitars anyhow from a comfort perspective. 
    Wishing you all the best. I guess you're familiar with tuning down a semi-tone or two and then using a capo on the first or second fret (or just playing in a lower key without a capo). Not always ideal, I know...
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    jellyroll said:
    BRISTOL86 said:
    jellyroll said:
    @BRISTOL86 my sympathies with arthritis, I'm sure it's not fun. If you go ahead with the purchase (or get something else) please let us know whether the new guitar helps. Do you anticipate that the assistance will come from the physically shorter fret distances (ie less hand stretching) or the reduced string tension that comes with a shorter scale length? 
    Thanks. It’s manageable now but I can’t  imagine it’ll be much fun in another 10/20 years....

    I have no problem with stretches, it’s a strength/resistance thing. I noticed a big difference in the shorter scale of the parlour guitar compared to a GA sized guitar for example which I guess comes from the slight reduction in tension.

    I suppose lighter strings on a larger bodied guitar could also work but I like small bodied guitars anyhow from a comfort perspective. 
    Wishing you all the best. I guess you're familiar with tuning down a semi-tone or two and then using a capo on the first or second fret (or just playing in a lower key without a capo). Not always ideal, I know...
    Yeah I’ve tried a few things - the shorter scale definitely made the biggest difference though. I play my electric more than acoustic so it’s not a huge deal, but as a home player I happily sacrifice a little tone/volume in exchange for a big comfort boost. 
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  • Have you tried Newtone Low Tension strings? I'm using them on my acoustic and I like them a lot.
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    Have you tried Newtone Low Tension strings? I'm using them on my acoustic and I like them a lot.
    Not familiar with those, will check them out thanks. 
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  • TimmyO said:
    You see a lot for sale secondhand 
    Nuff said.......
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