Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Bass - Natural Reviews
The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Bass is a fun-to-play acoustic-electric bass. Its compact, small-scale design is lightweight, comfortable, and easy on your hands. Enjoy a direct, punchy tone with plenty of vibrancy, courtesy of the GS Mini-e Koa Bass’s solid Hawaiian koa top and layered koa back and sides. Custom nylon-core D’Addario strings optimize this bass’s sound. And its level of projection is astonishing when you consider its size. Taylor’s ES-B pickup ensures top-notch sound when you plug the GS Mini-e into a PA or your favorite amplifier. The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Bass is a great acoustic-electric bass for writing, recording, and performing.
Earn $50 back in Bonus Bucks† OR pay $21/month with 48 month financing*
$50 Earn $50.00 back in Bonus Bucks† on this purchase when you use your Sweetwater Credit Card without financing. Select your offer in checkout. Terms
As low as $21/month
with 48 month financing*
See all payment options
(Hurry, limited quantity available)
Customer Reviews
Customer Added Media
Share Your Thoughts
Help other music gear aficionados by sharing your opinions of gear you've purchased.
Questions about the GSMiniEKBass?
Or call us at (800) 222-4700
Sweetwater's Sales Engineers are regarded as the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the music industry, with extensive music backgrounds and intense training on the latest products and technologies. They are available to offer you personalized product advice any time you need it.
Highest Rated Reviews
Fun way to practice
This is a fun couch bass. It sounds great and is very easy to play.
The one caveat is…. This is not a loud bass. It would not hold up when playing with others.
Can't put it down
I'm primarily a guitar player, but I have been looking for an acoustic bass and trying to figure out which one to buy for several years now. I felt like this was the best option because it's fret spacing is very similar to that of a guitar, though compared to a normal acoustic guitar it is quite small. The sound is way larger than the instrument looks. The back panel is arched, which was quite surprising to me so I reached out to August, the sales engineer, and he assured me that it's by design. I can see now that it helps with projection and resonance. The strings take a bit of getting used to, but they are very nice once you do. Absolutely beautiful instrument, very pleased. As per usual Sweetwater did an incredible job.
Gorgeous Bass
Great finish to look at and touch, good tone, arrived in great shape. This bass will be fun to play. Way less intimidating than electric, and easy to carry around.
A real. bass
I've had this now for two days. When it first comes out of the bag, it feels like a toy. Once you become used to the tiny body and scale length, it no longer seems at all like a toy. It is a BASS. The sound that comes out of this little thing is amazing. Deep, rich, loud - it sounds exactly how you'd imagine an old tree would sound if it could speak. Incredible sustain and warmth, and it booms the instant you dig in. The koa never allows that big sound to become mushy. The guitar itself is beautiful, unless you are looking for a high gloss finish. I love matte lacquer guitars, and this fits perfectly into that mold. This guitar is unique, and I would absolutely buy it again.
Get it.
I'm primarily a rhythm guitar player and singer, but I find myself playing bass quite often. At 68 with mild rheumatoid arthritis, I'm getting away from those long finger stretches of a 34" scale bass. The Taylor GS-Mini bass is a little powerhouse.
If you're wondering if you can gig with this bass, be assured you can. I play it with a configuration of 3 acoustic guitars, a cajon, and a guitar/keyboard player. We all run directly through the board, and my little Taylor hangs right in there.
Highly portable, this little bass works. And yes, it can gig.
It’s a blast!
After reading reviews and watching as many YouTube videos I could stand, I decided to pull the trigger on this little gem. I love to doodle around on my bass while I watch TV and often times don't because of the need to plug into an amp. This acoustic bass gives me the pleasure of just sitting and playing without the hassle of amplification.
It is also a fantastic tool to work out bass parts. The sound projects well and has a great tone. I have yet to jam with an acoustic guitar but that is definitely in the plan!
Overall a fantastic, fun, and inspiring instrument to play!
As always, Dave Snow, my sales engineer, is not only helpful but on top of things for me. I can't be happier with the service I get from him and Sweetwater.
A useful weapon for the arsenal !
Hi folks,
I'm a stroke survivor. I bought my Taylor Koa GS Mini Bass because I'm still trying to re-learn to play guitar of any kind. I've played for over 40 years then had a stroke and lost the use of my left hand and leg. This little bass is easy to hold on to for me and the playability is incredible. The shorter scale makes it much easier for someone with hand functionality issues to attempt to play and stay close to in time with other players. I'm not a good bass player by any stretch of the imagination but I try to regain something close to being a musician again. I called Sweetwater and spoke with Ryan Haines.
He hooked me up with the coolest Koa Bass you could ever hope for. It fits like a glove. All my friends who have played Bass have fallen in love with it to the point that I have to wait for ever to play it my self! I've never bought a Guitar on line before in my life, I like hearing, feeling, and actually seeing what I am buying. This little guitar surpassed all of my expectations to the point I would not hesitate to make another purchase in the future. It arrived on the day Ryan said it would and was even still in tune after bouncing all the way from Indiana in a Fedex truck! It arrived double boxed with the Taylor box, packed inside a outer box for added protection. I was impressed to say the least! How many times have you ordered something only to have the item arrive in a mangled box damaged or with parts missing. Not from Sweetwater! I am continuing to attempt to improve on both my Bass playing and my six string playing. I'm tired of only being able to look at my instruments and not play them clearly. I'm getting closer but not there yet, but I'm still trying and still having fun doing it, even though I get frustrated a lot with myself. Sweetwater and the Taylor Koa GS Mini Bass are the best! Bob in Maryland.
So Happy With This Purchase!
I've had it for a month or two now, and this bass is now my favorite instrument.
First, it sounds great, plugged in or unplugged. It may be a little quiet when played acoustically, especially compared to a regular acoustic guitar, but compared with other acoustic bass guitars I've messed with it's way louder. And it's plenty loud enough to jam with friends who bring their guitars as long as they don't really dig in to the strings. The tone is rich and the low end cuts through just fine; if I'm being picky the E string may be slightly less loud than the other three but not enough to bother me. Then, if you plug it in, none of this matters. It sounds incredible and consistent through my bass amp. The single tone knob is more than enough to dial in a tone that I can finish shaping with the amp controls, and the acoustic nature of the sound is still apparent through the amp.
Second, it is so much fun to play. The frets are much smaller than a traditional bass, closer to the size of a guitar's, and it gives you a reach that you wouldn't normally have. Also, the D and G strings sound so clear that you can actually play chords using them with a bass note on the E or A string and it really sounds rich and full (with no tone adjustments necessary), and not at all muddy like it would on a traditional electric bass. The strings are also super slinky, which took some getting used to, to avoid making a clicking sound against the frets when I pluck, but now that I am used to it I really enjoy the ability to put some fun vibrato on notes or even purposely add some percussion to plucks by making that clicking sound when I want it. After a month of messing around with it I've had a lot of fun finding new and creative ways to play that wouldn't be possible with a traditional bass.
So in all, if you're interested in buying this but wonder if it's just a weird gimmick, it's not. It's a fully playable and respectable bass that is actually very flexible too.
Great Mini Bass
Caveat is that I am a beginner. However it is hard to have my large electric bass out in a city apt. all the time. And a lot of times I just want to work on a riff. Late at night, early morning. The instrument is a beauty. Size perfect to pick up and play on the couch. Not loud which again in an apt. with family is great. Works well with my 40 watt Fender Rumble. It was pricey but I love it.
Smooth, But Punchy
A beautiful acoustic bass guitar.
Pros:
Looks amazing
Sounds amazing
The small build and shorter scale length makes playing jazz chords and doing walking bass lines easier, especially for someone transitioning from guitar.
Cons:
Isn't very loud. It's great for practicing, and you can perform for a small group of friends, but even at a small venue, you will want to plug it in.
Tips:
Try tuning it to Drop-E (E, B, E, A). This gives the strings a greater tension and allows you to produce a little more volume. (Don't worry, they won't break)
And as always, the candy is a big plus :)
Great mini bass
I've played more than a dozen acoustic gigs with this. Nylon core strings are very easy to play. Intonation not a problem.
I don't love the EQ or tuner. I use the tuner mostly as a mute switch.
Access to upper register is hampered by the body and the short scale, but that is expected.
The large body will be an issue for people who are looking at this for better ergonomics.
Nice to pick up and play around the house.
E string always sounds flat and dull compared to the ADG.
Taylor sent a new string but no improvement in tone. Hard to adjust back and forth fingering from my P bass.
Very light and great to tool around with. Bought mine a month ago before the $100 price increase. Still have slight feelings of buyers remorse for the cost for the type of usage.
Guitar is great… the case was disappointing.
You're not going to find any better short scale acoustics than the GS Mini's - they sound great, are lightweight, and are fun to play. I've owned the 6-string version for about a year now and liked it so much I got the bass. I'm not sure I'll ever go back to full scale acoustics after these guys.
My only gripe with this purchase was the gig bag it came with. I also bought a GS Mini 6-string a year ago that came with the "same" gig bag, and it's clear that at some point between now and then they've changed manufacturers, or that manufacturer has cheapened their materials. The gig bag the bass came in felt cheap, flimsy and a completely different level of build quality than the one that came with my other GS Mini.
Sounds really nice!
This is my first acoustic bass and glad I selected it. Being I'm more of an electric bass/guitar player I wanted something to play around the campfire. Price was on point with the sounds and resonates this bass produces. Its loud enough with deep quality wood of KOA. The only concern is the strings being specifically made for it. The tuner is a little weak, but I really don't need it or use it. I'm very happy with my purchase of Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Bass.
GS Mini Bass, Koa, is an unusual but great instrument
This is my fourth Taylor, and the third from Sweetwater. Others are the k-14ce, the mini-e-koa six string, the 652ce 12 string and now this GS mini-Koa e-bass.
I've played a little bass before but don't consider myself a bass player. The custom strings on this thing are so loose and slinky that I found myself way over-plucking them but the problem is that the guitar isn't as responsive as it should be in terms of volume and nuance if you back way off on the strings. So I am getting used to this and hope I'll figure it out.
The overall tone and resonance as well as sustain is really quite good. The built-in tuner is accurate. The electronics are ok, but I would have preferred the ES2 system at this price.
This is a small, feather-light bass that I can see playing all around the house. Unamplified, the acoustic nature of this provides enough projection to satisfy you unplugged, so it is very versatile playing along with your favorite songs. You are paying a pretty penny for this, so I suggest you find a way to audition it before you buy. But I would definitely recommend it to acoustic players who want to add bass to their skillsets.
