I'd love to get a Taylor Gt but...

[CodyToonz]

I love my Eastman E20P parlor too much.
When I first started reading this forum, there was a lot of buzz regarding small, parlor guitars. A&L Ami, Alvarez APs. Recording King and especially the Taylor GS Mini.

Thanks to my aging body and hands. Smaller guitars work for me and I've had a few, including a couple GS Minis where I just couldn't make friends the short neck.

I haven't seen much buzz over the Taylor GT. Having owned several Taylors over the years I know that Taylor has a good handle on what they do. There are many models of the GT from the basic to all koa, maple, and mahogany at prices ranging from $1500 to over $3K.

So why not the love for the GT? Its bigger than the GS Mini with a scale length that is far more acceptable than the Mini and all solid wood.

I think what folks really want to rave about are inexpensive, small guitars. The GT breaks the barrier at $1500+

My Eastman ticks all the boxes for a small guitar for me and its sound and playability will rival that of many of the more expensive guitars I've played.

Oh yeah--Its less than $1500

[Toucan]

Good question. I recently purchased a GT Urban Ash (no electronics), and for a older player, with shoulder issues,it's a welcome addition. I believe it punches way beyond it's size.
Some believe that the series is over priced because it's not a lot bigger than the GS mini (I have a Koa model that I love). But it's all solid wood and made in the US,and comes with the new Aero case, which is unbelievable. I would be interested in hearing from other GT owners about what they think.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by CodyToonz

I love my Eastman E20P parlor too much.
When I first started reading this forum, there was a lot of buzz regarding small, parlor guitars. A&L Ami, Alvarez APs. Recording King and especially the Taylor GS Mini.

Thanks to my aging body and hands. Smaller guitars work for me and I've had a few, including a couple GS Minis where I just couldn't make friends the short neck.

I haven't seen much buzz over the Taylor GT. Having owned several Taylors over the years I know that Taylor has a good handle on what they do. There are many models of the GT from the basic to all koa, maple, and mahogany at prices ranging from $1500 to over $3K.

So why not the love for the GT? Its bigger than the GS Mini with a scale length that is far more acceptable than the Mini and all solid wood.

I think what folks really want to rave about are inexpensive, small guitars. The GT breaks the barrier at $1500+

My Eastman ticks all the boxes for a small guitar for me and its sound and playability will rival that of many of the more expensive guitars I've played.

Oh yeah--Its less than $1500

You could pick up 2 Academy series for that and have a bunch of money left over.

[Cool555]

It seems like the Taylor GT doesn’t get much love in AGF. I’ve seen a few NGD on Taylor GT’s, Ashwood b/s, Rosewood b/s or All-Koa. The responses (posts) seem lukewarm.

IMO, I think it is the pricing and people’s perception. People still see the GT as an upgrade from the GS Mini. Maybe if the GT’s were made in Mexico instead and sold cheaper (like the Martin’s Road Series), they may be more popular here. But then again, it’s just speculation on my part. We’ll never know since Taylor GT’s are US-made and the price is reflective of it.

[Cuki79]

People have been asking for a solid wood GS mini for years. Most asked for solid woods and a slightly bigger size.

I remember reading in Wood & Steel, Bob Taylor saying that it would not be easy because of the arched back and huge price increase.

... Now Taylor delivered a high pricde bigger solid wood GS mini and many are disappointed because ...it sounds like a GS mini.

I guess people wanted it to sound closer to a 314ce... But it does not. It does have the signature sound of the GS mini. (What people asked for in the first place)

I read somewhere that Bob Taylor said when he built the GS mini he started from the baby Taylor and increased the size until the sound did not improve enough. I guess what was true then is still true now.

Maybe Andy Powers came first with a magnificent sounding prototype and the marketing department told him:"Neeyyy... does not sound like a GS mini! Start again Andy, people WANT a GS mini!!! just bigger... please add some bracings, tame that beast"

my 2 cents,
Cuki

[A.Wilder1]

I can’t speak to the Taylor GT line but I had an Eastman E10P and it was such a great guitar! It’s one of the very few I’ve regretted selling.

Don’t sell yours!

[ribsareyummy]

They get so little buzz around here that I have been really curious as to how they are selling. There are so many different GT models now, though, that either they are actually selling pretty well, or maybe they're experimenting to see which price points they sell at.

I did strum the base model exactly once in a shop and thought it wasn't for me. Maybe I need to give it a more genuine shot.

[srbell]

I bought a GTe Urban Ash last summer and I think it's fantastic. I really don't understand the lack of reception from many. Maybe I just got a good one??? Who knows. I wasn't even looking to buy another guitar when I bought it. I simply took it off the wall to try out some preamps. It sounded and felt so perfect that I ended up buying it along with the preamp I selected. That should tell you what I think of it. It's the perfect addition to fill that gap between my GS Mini and 814ce DLX. It's a great smaller-sized guitar with a comfortable scale length, made in USA of all solid wood, and sounds fantastic both unplugged and plugged in. The price is quite fair for an all solid wood USA built guitar. What's not to love?

[CodyToonz]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

You could pick up 2 Academy series for that and have a bunch of money left over.

I have an Academy 12. Great guitar for the money but its larger than the GT in all ways, not solid, and not USA made.

Thanks for the positive replies. Its still on my list should GAS strike as it often does.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by CodyToonz

I have an Academy 12. Great guitar for the money but its larger than the GT in all ways, not solid, and not USA made.

Thanks for the positive replies. Its still on my list should GAS strike as it often does.

If you're looking for a parlor-esque size guitar that still sounds great then Taylor's GS Mini is as close as you'll come, which you already know.

I owned a hog top GS Mini and it was a nice guitar; Taylor uses some intereting tricks to make the GS Mini a very responsive guitar considering its size and scale length.

I often recommend the Academy 12 for players looking for a great "starter guitar" that's closer to a full sized instrument. I think Taylor is actually marketing the Academy series guitars as "gateway guitars" to pull unsuspecting players into the Taylor family. They know that players who purchase these probably won't stray far from the fold once they realize what a great value this guitar is.

I currently own a Taylor 322 (Grand Concert...) and it's a fine guitar if someone is looking for a full size instrument.

It sounds like you're looking to find a parlor that has a much better sound than most of the available choices, and that's a difficult thing to find, particularly if you're looking to not spend a lot.

I also was looking for that, and did not find anything that checked off all the boxes for me. In my case (I know not an option for most) I put together a list of everything I wanted and went the DIY route.

I truly wish everyone who is on the great search could end up being as pleased with their final choice as I am.

[waterlooz]

I often hear/read that it "bridges the gap....." I understand what that means size wise, but I have never understood what that practically means? I mean, do you use a GS Mini for a love seat but then break out the GT when you are on a full size Lazyboy? IMHO, Taylor was looking at the trend people wanting/buying smaller bodied guitars and seeing how they could gain more market share beyond the success of the GS Mini and arrived at the GT. To me the GT is the Labradoodle of guitars. Not 1 11/16, not 1 3/4, not grand concert, not mini, not this, not that. Therein lies the mystery of the GT. Just who are you???? : )

Even though I did not purchase, I just see it as another solid (get it) option for a smaller bodied guitar and that's great. Just another build from a large manufacturer trying to innovate and grow. Instead of dissing the GT, I am enjoying the journey of watching the builder try new things and ideas.

[gmel555]

GT vs mini is simple for me. The mini gives me everything I want in a travel guitar. There's just no reason to go to a larger, more expensive guitar that, for my ears, doesn't sound as good. I'm sure some prefer the GT which is, of course, their choice as it should be.

[dnf777]

I jumped at the Urban Ash GTe early on. If not for my Martin Dred-jr, I might love it, but as it stands, the Dred-jr is EVERY bit the guitar the GTe is, and one third the cost. If the GT was mexican made for 600, I just might love it. Not sayin' its a bad guitar at all, just not a 1500+ guitar. And if you played both with your eyes closed, you can believe the Dred jr is almost a full size guitar in terms of sound and feel. not so much with the GTe. You know its pint-sized.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by waterlooz

I often hear/read that it "bridges the gap....." I understand what that means size wise, but I have never understood what that practically means? I mean, do you use a GS Mini for a love seat but then break out the GT when you are on a full size Lazyboy? IMHO, Taylor was looking at the trend people wanting/buying smaller bodied guitars and seeing how they could gain more market share beyond the success of the GS Mini and arrived at the GT. To me the GT is the Labradoodle of guitars. Not 1 11/16, not 1 3/4, not grand concert, not mini, not this, not that. Therein lies the mystery of the GT. Just who are you???? : )

Even though I did not purchase, I just see it as another solid (get it) option for a smaller bodied guitar and that's great. Just another build from a large manufacturer trying to innovate and grow. Instead of dissing the GT, I am enjoying the journey of watching the builder try new things and ideas.

A lot of solid logic here.

I think the concept of "in between" is a good way to look at it. The Andy Powers / Bob Taylor video explaining the GT concept does a good job of explaining his reasoning behind the GT series.



The larger elephant in the room is price. When a guitar gets into that $1000+ area then purchaser expectations follow suit.

That's the appeal of the Academy series; close to full size Taylors with many of the qualities that contribute to a larger sound while still priced much lower to attract new prospective Taylor purchasers. I think the Academy series is a tremendous value for folks who don't have the expendable income to purchase their higher-level offerings.

If for no other reason, Taylor's innovations in guitar design have served the community well by providing good sounding, robust, and easily set up instruments. They utilized some of the GS Mini's design tricks like braceless back plate and unbound body to do that. It's great that they also realized that the unbound body permitted them to throw in the arm bevel as an added benefit at almost no increase in the production cost that would be passed on to the consumer.

[srbell]

Originally Posted by waterlooz

I often hear/read that it "bridges the gap....." I understand what that means size wise, but I have never understood what that practically means?

For me "Bridging the gap" means it's the most comfortable guitar for me to play. The GS Mini is a great guitar for it's purpose (travel, campfire, etc.) but it's a bit tight for me due to it's scale length. My 814 is the best sounding guitar I have, but it's larger body and longer scale length make it less comfortable for me to play. Don't get me wrong, it's a keeper and I love it, but the GT is that almost perfect fit for me. There is another aspect to this for me as well. If I'm playing out I don't necessarily want to take my 814 and risk damage or theft. The GS Mini, being so small, isn't really the most comfortable, so the GT is the go-to. It's the right size, with the right sound, and at a price that I'd shed far less tears if it were damaged or stolen. So for size, comfort, and price (i.e., piece of mind when playing out) it's that "bridges the gap" instrument. Granted, I could probably be happy with another smaller body instrument with a 24.75" scale length in the under 2K price range too, but the GT is the one I tried quite by accident and liked.