Swap
Swap
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Taylor GTe Blacktop
VS
Playability
82
Sound
84
Build
72
Value
84
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
82
Sound
86
Build
82
Value
83
Score
83
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa vs GTe Blacktop

Reasons to Get
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa over GTe Blacktop

Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.71'' (43.4mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Grand Symphony Mini vs Grand Theater
Compact Grand Symphony for comfortability
Scale Length
23.5'' (596.9mm) vs 24.125'' (612.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
84 vs 83
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Taylor GTe Blacktop over GS Mini-e Koa

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2022 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.71'' (43.4mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Grand Theater vs Grand Symphony Mini
Slightly smaller than a Grand Concert with a shorter scale
Scale Length
24.125'' (612.8mm) vs 23.5'' (596.9mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa vs GTe Blacktop

Back Material
Koa vs Walnut
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Koa vs Walnut
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
West African Crelicam Ebony vs Eucalyptus
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Koa vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Sapele vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Eucalyptus
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
NuBone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa vs GTe Blacktop

Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Taylor GTe Blacktop Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Taylor GTe Blacktop is probably the better product overall with its final score of 83 compared to the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa's 79 score, although not by a lot.

The Taylor GTe Blacktop wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Taylor GTe Blacktop
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Overview

  • From Taylor's 2014 GS Mini series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 23.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Hawaiian Koa top
  • Layered Koa back
  • Layered Koa sides
  • Sapele neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ES-B Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Taylor Chrome tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Taylor GTe Blacktop Overview

  • From Taylor's 2022 GT series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.125"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Walnut back
  • Solid Walnut sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • Eucalyptus fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • Eucalyptus bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Taylor Nickel Mini tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa

Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
Sapele
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Koa wood pattern used for guitar building
Koa

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

It's a type of wood native to the Hawaiian Islands, where it's pretty common. Its musical properties make it a great wood for making guitars, but it's especially popular for building Ukuleles. Find out more about Koa.

Woods Used in the Taylor GTe Blacktop

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Eucalyptus wood pattern used for guitar building
Eucalyptus
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Eucalyptus is not a common tonewood, but it's becoming more popular recently. There are many species around the world, each with its own characteristic, so it's hard to describe the tone it produces without knowing the exact species.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Taylor GTe Blacktop
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa compares to the Taylor GTe Blacktop.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa is built in Mexico while the Taylor GTe Blacktop is made in United States.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Taylor GTe Blacktop

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa has a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Taylor GTe Blacktop comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa's are Taylor Chrome while the Taylor GTe Blacktop's are Taylor Nickel Mini

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor GTe Blacktop
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Electronics
  • Ivory Tusq Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 72
Taylor GTe Blacktop
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 82

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Nut Width
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Nut Width
Taylor GTe Blacktop Nut Width
Taylor GTe Blacktop Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Taylor GTe Blacktop has the wider nut with 43.4mm (1.71'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.5mm (0.022'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Taylor GTe Blacktop, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa's Scale Length
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa's Scale Length
Taylor GTe Blacktop's Scale Length
Taylor GTe Blacktop's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Taylor GTe Blacktop has the longest scale: 24.125". The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa is only 23.5" long. This is a 0.625'' (15.9mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa and the Taylor GTe Blacktop have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa and the Taylor GTe Blacktop have the same fretboard radius of 15". This radius y closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still comfortable for playing chords without muting strings.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Taylor GTe Blacktop:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa and Taylor GTe Blacktop Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Taylor GTe Blacktop
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Taylor GS Mini-e Koa vs GTe Blacktop
General Taylor GS Mini-e Koa GTe Blacktop
Brand: Taylor Taylor
Year: 2014 2022
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: GS Mini GT
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Hawaiian Koa Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Koa Walnut
Back Material: Koa Walnut
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony Eucalyptus
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Taylor Chrome Taylor Nickel Mini
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony Eucalyptus
Neck Material: Sapele Tropical Mahogany
Decoration: 4mm Dot Italian Acrylic 4mm Dot Italian Acrylic
Scale Size: 23.5" 24.125"
Shape: Acoustic Taylor Standard Acoustic Taylor Standard
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15" 15"
Nut: NuBone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43.4mm (1.71'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: ES-B Electronics (Preamp / Active) Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp / Active)