$899/£899, taylorguitars.com

The Taylor Guitars fiftieth Anniversary GS Mini-e Rosewood SB is an acoustic guitar that’s smaller than its title. Okay probably not, however this newest anniversary version to commemorate 5 many years of Taylor definitely is a mouthful. It’s additionally an attention-grabbing guitar that displays the attention-grabbing strategy that Taylor has taken to its anniversary devices – quite than launch one unobtanium-level fancy dan commemorative mannequin, the model has created a whole vary of limited-run devices that run the gamut from Builder’s Version devices and high-end classics by to reasonably priced guitars made in Tecate, Mexico. The GS Mini is certainly one of Taylor’s hottest and reasonably priced devices, and so it’s a logical option to get in on the get together.

What’s the distinction between a fiftieth Anniversary GS Mini and the common guitar?

The perfect small-bodied journey guitars are those that make you overlook they’re a small guitar in any respect, and as anybody who’s performed a GS Mini through the years will let you know, that’s actually the place the enjoyable begins right here.

All that’s in fact current and proper with the LTD mannequin, but it surely differs from the common mannequin by sporting a torrefied (successfully baking the wooden to take away moisture and make it sound ‘older’) Sitka spruce prime with layered Indian rosewood again and sides. Visually, torrefaction tends to color the wooden so one other putting distinction between an everyday GS Mini and this one is the applying of a beautiful Classic Sunburst end on the highest – it makes it look extra like a guitar that was handed down by your loved ones for generations – so don’t muck it up!

Different beauty updates for the massive 5-0 embody diamond fretboard inlays, gold tuners, firestripe (which seems like ‘indignant tortoiseshell’) pickguard, gold aspect dots (that match the tuners), ebony bridge pins and a Particular commemorative label contained in the physique.

How does the GS Mini fiftieth Anniversary play and sound?

My first impression when the fiftieth Anniversary GS Mini-e arrives is how a lot I desire the extra structured gigbag Taylor is offering with these guitars now. It feels and appears extra substantial and protecting to safe your instrument. Opening up the case and the classic sunburst end jogs my memory of a 50s guitar, however with modern-day sensibilities – very good certainly.

Whether or not you’re strumming it acoustic or plugged in by way of the included ES2 electronics, one of the best praise I may give this guitar is that it appears like a full-sized instrument. A part of that is due to the curved again of the guitar, which supplies a bigger field for the acoustic tone to venture from.

The largest concern whenever you’re coping with such a small-bodied instrument is the bass, and whereas this isn’t a dreadnought by any stretch of the creativeness, it has sufficient to get you by, but it surely nonetheless pushes the center frequency envelope. Definitely in comparison with many parlor-size guitars, this can be a way more rounded instrument.

What’s Crelicam? The unconventional new fingerboard wooden on the Taylor GS Mini

Taylor has turn into broadly famend for its sustainability work and the trouble the model places into sourcing and cultivating sustainable wooden. It’s no shock that this can be a recurring theme all through the fiftieth Anniversary vary, and right here we now have a fingerboard of a wooden I’ve not encountered earlier than, and certain neither have you ever – West African Crelicam ebony.

Taylor sources this wooden from Yaounde, Cameroon (the place Taylor co-owns the Crelicam sawmill) they usually’ve labored with the mill to create a brand new technique of milling 50 per cent extra usable wooden from every tree. They even convert their sawdust and yard mulch into particle board, and the bigger items of wooden are donated to a woodworking affiliation in Tijuana, Mexico the place toys are created for orphans. That’s simply how dedicated Taylor is to lowering waste. The wooden itself feels and appears like common ebony – I can’t see any compromises or variations on account of this new manufacturing course of.

Is the fiftieth Anniversary GS Mini value it?

The primary variations between this guitar and an everyday GS Mini are primarily beauty, however that shouldn’t be discounted – this doesn’t appear to be a newbie guitar, and the upgrades definitely elevated my notion of the instrument. I wouldn’t really feel dangerous about taking this to a songwriter spherical or a gig.

The trick may be getting maintain of 1 – simply 1,974 of those guitars are being created, they usually’ll solely be bought on this anniversary 12 months. In the event you can monitor one down although, relaxation assured that the gives undoubtable worth for cash

In the event you’re an skilled participant on the lookout for a guitar to tackle trip or to espresso store gigs, that is about one of the best 900 bucks you’ll be able to spend, and if you happen to’re an intermediate participant on the lookout for a critical instrument, it will hold you firm for years to return. What’s extra, if you happen to’re residing in a small residence, or just don’t have room for an additional guitar in your present residing house, the GS Mini-e will match simply beneath a mattress or in a closet.

The bass response may be somewhat missing, however with classic vibes and a implausible general tone – each plugged in and acoustic – that is one guitar that’s value celebrating.

Taylor GS Mini fiftieth Anniversary options

If you’d like one thing somewhat totally different on the wooden entrance, the GS Mini-e Koa ($999/£969) is an all-koa various. On the Martin aspect of issues, the LX1E ($549/£525) is a tried and true various – and initially favoured by Ed Sheeran. In the event you don’t thoughts one thing somewhat bigger, the 23 5/8”-scale all-solid (Sitka spruce and mahogany) Yamaha CSF3M includes a passive undersaddle pickup and is obtainable in Classic Pure and Tobacco Brown Sunburst ($619.99/£814).