I think these guitars have been out long enough to know the answer. The Mahogany sounds richer and warmer but the koa does have a little better look. But personally I’d rather go with the sound. So I bought a mahogany I have loved it ever since.
I like the warmth and bass of the mahogany. The rich sound and volume from the koa is pretty hard to argue with. I think each has their place based on song selection. Both!
Thank you for posting. I went and bought a Mahogany today when I heard the sound. I have been eyeing the Koa with ES2 but I couldn't justify spending $600 more.
The koa sounds like a giant bass ukulele, the Mahogany sounds like a rich full throated full sized guitar. Each has it's nich to fill. And they do it wonderfully.💕 I'm partial to the Mahogany. It just fills my hearing with yummm
Thank you for doing this video. To my ears, the koa top has a super sweet mid-range, but the mahogany has better clarity and a slight edge in the bass.
Got the koa right before COVID-19 then had to return it after I got laid off. As fate would have it we were reunited with the help of stimulus checks. Love everything about it.
Played both of these today in my local music store. The koa was definitely a bit more on the mellow side when playing chords but seemed to lack sustain when playing melodies with a medium pick or when finger picking. Mahogany was better overall in my opinion. Chords sounded full and melodies sounded nice both finger picking and playing with a medium pick. Sustain was noticeably better with the hog. I actually went in the store fully expecting to walk out with the koa but after playing the hog, I think I'm leaning towards grabbing it and saving the $250.
I swapped my bridge pins from ebony to bone on my GS mini Koa and I’m never looking back! Made it sound so much better. If I ever have to take her in for work I’ll have the luthier replace the nut and saddle with bone as well
Both guitars are great choices. Overall I slightly prefer the mahogany because in general it sounds more clean and has more bass. The koa is exceptionally bright and I think that especially works very well with finger picking. Last year I purchased the GS Mini Mahogany. Primarily because that's the only option offered without electronics.
Mahogany was a bit "warmer" and had a bit more bass. Koa was more defined and had a clearer voice. I think in a live situation with vocals or with a band, the Koa would cut through the mix a bit better. Both sounded great, though.
I bought a like new GSe mini Mahogany for £300 Best 3/4 guitar ive played.. its my number 1 travel guitar Get the Mahogany... its Taylors best selling mini model for a reason..
Mahogany has that typical good guitar sound, and Koa has a kind of unique sound of its own. The Koa would be good to mix things up, but the Mahogany would be the staple sound.
Nice comparison performance!! I own favorite GS mini koa and I use it plugged in on the street. Koa is fat tone especially playing single note. If I got another GS mini, I would take mahogany because of low end, full of mids and less expensive.
Pick up a Taylor 314 Ce-K DLX and get back to me. Stunning koa sound for around $1700. On the other hand, I played both the GS mini K and the GS Mini hog version and on that model I would give the nod to the mahogany.
Bass strings sound better on Koa, but the Mahogany has some magical tone in the treble strings that I've never heard another guitar match, and I played like 40-50 different Acoustic guitars before finally deciding to buy one. Which was a Mahogany GS Mini lol
this just confirmed my already sure choice - my Koa arrives on Tuesday!!! so excited 💖 what a stunning, unique sound ☺ ps. you are a beautiful guitar player!
Purely personal preference but I thought overall the Mahogany sounded better. That’s not to say that I didn’t like the Koa I really enjoyed your playing style too. Thanks for a very good comparison
If you are performing than Koa is a definite yes but if you are using it for fun/practice or just want to owned a great guitar than Mahogany is the way to go. Because there is a price gap difference between this two equally beautiful sound guitars.
I did not do any additional set up to mine when I changed strings to the 12's. The only thing you might do is a slight adjustment to the truss rod (really easy on a Taylor) and that would only be if the action changed over time due to the very slight lower string tension. On mine was not needed. After all you are talking 1 mm diff in string guage.
Thanks. I just bought a mahogany version on eBay (yesterday) and the guy had put on new light strings, which was nice but I was concerned because I'd read that changing from the recommended mediums to lights degraded the sound. He's had a lot of guitars and seems to know what he's doing and he said the guitar sounded great and played better with the light strings. I'll see/listen when it arrives. He double checked the neck and tweaked it slightly. I assume that if I switch back to mediums all I'll need to do is tweak the truss rod a bit. When going up in gauge would I expect to have to turn the wrench clockwise or counterclockwise? (I'm thinking it would be counterclockwise to release some tension since there'd be more tension from the higher gauge strings.)
Brought home a GS-Mini Koa last week. Was able to select from two available at the music store. Although they both sounded the same, the wood on one was just so much more attractive, that's the one that came home. As I pointed out on another of these Koa videos, initially, the one I purchased did not play very well. The shop has a full time luthier employed, so he took the guitar right then and there, worked on it for about 20 minutes and brought it back to me. He said "I think you'll find this to be a little closer to Taylor specs now." The difference was incredible. He did a little truss rod adjustment, lowered the action and let it sit for a few minutes before he handed it back to me. Moral of story? These guitars come from Taylor pretty well set up, but they are wooden instruments and they really benefit from a professional setup. So if you buy one, if you can even find one, allow a luthier to work with you initially. It is well worth the time. Oh and BTW, I took time away from the guitar to write this! I have not put it down since it arrived. It even sits on a stand next to the bed. This instrument indeed makes a joyful noise!
@GIGI Oh yes, of course! We have a bunch of musical instruments in our home, the guitars being the most vulnerable. Ideally I suppose, you would keep it in it's case with a dampit. We keep two acoustic guitars out on stands, this one and a 1943 Gretsch Hawaiian. There are lots of sponge style humidifiers available. We use MusicNomad MN300s in these while they are out and we check them often. One quirk with this small scale guitar we find is getting the humidifier to stay put. The D'Addario ones pop right back out when you put them between the strings and only on this guitar! No idea why. We don't have that problem with the MusicNomad product. Again, the D'Addario is a fine product and we use them for other instruments. You shouldn't have too much trouble keeping it hydrated. The harder ones are the archtop jazz boxes like the 175 or the Guild Starfire. We use Dampits for those and they definitely stay in their hard shell cases when not being played. Hope this helps. You're going to love this guitar!
@GIGI Great. Last thing in the world I hope to do is to disparage anything D'Addario does and I sincerely hope if anyone from that company reads this, they will give me a bit of a pass. We own and regularly use their products and have nothing but good things to say about them. My intent was to share with you a particular quirk we encountered with the GS-Mini and that particular humidifier. To be fair, I went back and tried putting that product between the e and b strings instead of centrally and it stayed, so maybe try that before you just assume it won't work based on my experience. Their stuff is terrific and my intent was not to demean them in any way. That said, my only other suggestion would again be to work with your luthier or guitar tech to match your playing style to this incredibly nice little instrument. You will not regret your purchase! Enjoy.
I fell in love with my Koa gs mini. Koa sounds great in person, but I traded in my gs mini to my 224 ce Koa deluxe🤪 if you like finger style, you will love Koa for clarity note by note.
The Mahogany has a much sweeter, well defined, and fuller tone. The Koa sounds thin and slightly undefined or covered as compared to the Mahogany. I've had both of these guitars before but I gave away my Koa to a friend because it just wasn't for me. Recently, I got a small GS Mini style bass (not a Taylor) in all solid wood Mahogany but it came in weather damaged with a warped top and the only thing that they have currently to exchange it for in stock right now is a Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides and an all Koa model for $100 more. After watching this video I am 100% certain that I do not want the Koa model; it's a beautiful wood but I very much do not like the sound of it. I think that I will just wait it out until they get more Mahogany models in. By they way, if you are very selective and patient, you can find a Mahogany guitar that looks as good or even better than any Koa model I've seen. I got really luck and found an amazing looking one right away. My GS Mini is very exotic looking; the top looks like zero-G flames that are sprawling across a ceiling or something. But, even though most Mahogany guitars are fairly bland looking, I would still highly recommend one over most other tone-woods. Especially if amazing tone is what you are after.
I think mahogany has a great sound. This is what they use on violins. This is my first mahogany guitar. I would recognize many sounds but the GS mini that is made of mahogany I got to say it beats all of them. For $600 you got a guitar that sounds like a expensive guitar It was just put together so perfect I am so impressed I can't quit talking about it
@@jamesceraso4972 I totally agree with you. I’ve had my gs mini-e mahogany for one month now and it’s really hard to put down. I play it every chance I get. I was thinking about the Koa but just couldn’t pull the trigger over the mahogany. This thing sounds amazing to me and I’m very happy with it. I think it’s the best of the bunch as well. But they are all great guitars in my opinion. Just pick which one sounds the best to you. Although it is hard to judge from youtube videos so play them in person if possible. I had koa in mind but pretty much knew I liked the mahogany sound more even though the koa is beautiful looking. Going for sound over looks I went with mahogany. Just my 2 cents Enjoy whatever guitar you choose
Mahogany is the winner for me, especially when you played Stairway to Heaven, such a sound separation of each string, very beautiful tone. The sound of the second guitar is too blended. I have played spruce as well - too bright, not for me.
When you can't decide ( both sound good / different) ....you just have to buy both ! :-) We have the Koa . Liked the sound, & had the nice built in electronics with tuner. Sounds great acoustic and thru amp/PA ( never cared for the standard 3 button Taylor electronics). But that's just me. Prefer Fishman Matrix Electronics. Works, no feedback or funky noises.
Just bought the mahogany, and it's pretty awesome. Compared to my other guitars, Ibanez Dove 1977, Gibson Hummingbird 2007 and Maton TE1 2016, it's up to the standard I demand from a six-string acoustic.
Wow, thanks for doing this! There are so few comparisons between the two. I have been in the market for a koa for ages, but they're currently out of stock in my country. I have been going back and forth between the mahogany and the koa recently, so I'm happy to find a more focused video. The koa one just sounds sweeter and richer to my ear (possibly a little warmer). Definitely brings across some of that island vibe. However, that doesn't necessarily make it a great all-rounder. I think the mahogany is the more balanced of the two (cleaner, while maintaining that gorgeous warmth), making it better for switching between dark and light contexts. Then again, the richness of the koa wins me over every time regardless. Even in a darker context, its sweetness can possibly increase the emotional impact. So, the koa has me hooked, it seems. I'll need to do more comparisons to nail down the exact strengths of koa vs spruce and mahogany, but its uniqueness and overall appeal are just so difficult to ignore. I recently found a video of an all-koa Martin 000-28. What a beauty! Almost all koa guitars are incredibly expensive, which is why this GS Mini is really top shelf stuff in a more affordable package.
TheLhino Thanks! My preference is for the koa. To my ear a better more balanced richer tonal pallet. I also think it projects slightly better and of course you have to love the grain in the wood. Each one a piece of art.
TheLhino have not heard anything about bridge lift. Biggest concern is humidity. Has to be maintained between 40 and 60%. I have in room humidity monitor and in case I use the DiAddario humidipack.
I finally got one! It is unbelievably gorgeous, both in terms of looks and tone. I may have gotten lucky with this particular model in regards to its sound (it was better sounding than all of the Taylors there, even in comparison to another koa model that shipped with it. My country only got 4 of them this year, so I was fortunate to have pre-ordered one). Its top doesn't quite have the colour complexity of yours, but it has some incredible hues with that lovely white strip down the bottom that isn't too overpowering like some of the sapwood ones I've seen. That sweetness it adds to every note is incredible. I also like the compression on the bass side. It's far more balanced than I expected. I would be happy just playing nonsense on it all day, purely because of how it sounds. Thank you for your assistance! Needless to say, I am completely in love with it. In regards to your string gauge, I see you're using 12s here. I don't mind the 13s at all, but if the 12s are substantially more comfortable with little loss in tone/volume, then I might jump aboard that train. Was any additional setup needed? If not, it may be worth throwing 12s on to give it a try.
Koa is more warm, boxy and a little bit hawaian spirit. Mahogany is shiny and treble, great amplitude of sound, but it has little bass and mid frequencies. IMHO, I like Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with Spruce top. The same amplitude and treble of Mahogany, but more bass and mid frequencies bringing balance to EQ. The best!
Hmm...interesting. I hear almost the exact opposite. The Koa has more top end chime and less boxy sound. The Mahogany sound is compressed and mostly mid-range and less treble and a little less bass which makes it great for recording. I have a couple of engineer friends that would attest to this. I also have the hog GS mini and a Spruce top 114 with Indian Rosewood back and sides which is way more thin and bright sounding with a scooped mid-range even as a much larger guitar. More articulate and more overtones for sure but not the most balanced EQ for recording but may work great if you are a singer. Taylor has a chart on their web site that does a good job of a general description of EQ curve for tonewoods but of course not everyone hears things the same way.
I was thinking the same while reading the comment , it was like "yeah, but the exact opposite", and then just went to the reply section to see if anyone felt the same haha.
Koa has more depth and note resolution, its sound is fuller and richer, mahogany is more woody, not so long sustain. Both materials are very close, it is just a matter of taste which is better.
Second comparison I have heard between the GS Mini Mahogany and Koa. Better tone definition in the Koa both times. If you are playing by yourself in a coffee shop it probably doesn't make a difference. If you are trying to cut through with a group, the Koa might be a better choice. If you are recording and guitar is going to star at some point, definitely the Koa.
Thanks for the video. I have ordered the Koa version for me. I should get it in the next day or so. I thought the Koa was brighter and cleaner overall. the mahogany sounded a little deeper and a little more dull. ??!
Agree. The mahogany is nicer than the spruce mini, IMO, but the hog sounded a little compressed/dull compared to the koa. And I'd heard a comparison of the 3 done by someone from Australia and I had the same impression. It's a subtle difference between the hog and the koa. (The difference between the hog and the spruce is not subtle and I found the spruce grated on my nerves with its shrill sound, although some people love it.). If I didn't hear the hog next to the koa I'm sure I wouldn't dislike it like I do the spruce. It's just that the koa is cleaner/more "honest" sounding.
I personally don't like too heavy a bass sound, having started with ukuleles. Plus I really like resonance and sustain. So I really preferred the koa. Nice!
So are the frets actually spaced closer together? How about the neck thickness? I have wrist problems and I’m really wanting to order the Koa but I’m worried I will receive it and it’ll be the same thickness of neck as my full size
I currently have a Yamaha fg700s. Played the koa at guitar center and fell in love with look, sound, and feel. I have slightly fatter fingers, think it would be a big deal? Or would you recommend something else in that price range
Sean Armao if you liked the way it played in the store I don’t see it as a problem. As long as you didn’t have any problems making the chords or hitting the notes you wanted. I’m not very familiar w other guitars in the price range so won’t be any help there sorry.
Mahogany sounds better but the difference is so small that it doesn't really matter. Koa looks way better so if I wasn't on a budget I'd buy the Koa. But since I am on a budget I just ordered the Mahogany lol
Mahogany. Maybe just a bit better in tone. And just a little more volume. I own a mahogany and spruce top. Mahogany.has such a rich. Tone its hard to beat unless your playing say,,blue grass. Or a hard driving song,,,,,
I like the mahogany (which is good because I just bought one yesterday) but to my ear the koa has a more honest, open, airy, clean sound, with plenty of bass and warmth. Comparing the two the hog sounded just a bit tubby/compressed. It could be the RU-vid compression factor though. I'll have to wait to hear my Mini when it arrives. But the koa sounded better to me. (Given the price difference however I'm not sure it sounded twice as good.) NOTE: Having said all of that...in the sample that started around 7:00 I preferred the hog. And the S.T.H. was a draw -- I like both of them about the same. Go figure.
Gostei do vídeo ,meu sonho é ter um violão desse Mini mogno mas não tenho condições infelizmente . Moro no Brasil sou fã desta marca americana sonho em ter um algum dia quem sabe. Parabéns pelo vídeo só de ver já me contento.
100% Just got the 000 15 M. Incredible instrument. Smells good too. : ) The only minor issue is the fact that I have played 24 1/2 - 25 scale length for over 22 years and that 25 1/2 with the Martin is a bit of getting used to in addition to some finger pain which I have not felt in quite a while.
They have the same mid range punch. Very hard to distinguish the two. If you’re looking for a beach, campfire guitar the mahogany would do fine. With the es2 electronics the koa would be better for gigs. They’re both attractive guitars, the koa more so.
I've heard quite a few different things regarding how a guitar ages in sound. Laminated guitars supposedly don't change in tone, while solid ones do, etc. Are solid tops enough to make a difference in tone over time?
@@calebramos7902 Yes, after a deep dive (over the last few months) into tonal woods I have found this to be the case. You can find a lot of videos on the tube talking about this. Top, most important, what type of wood and if its solid or laminate. Yes any solid wood will age and sound better over time. Back/sides kind of a "equalizer" diff woods can tweak/modify slightly to add to the highs, mid, or lows. Then neck and fretboard last. Type tonal woods for guitars in google, or duck duck go (even better) to find out what wood does what. Best of luck, -Cheers
You should have stuck with the 13 strings rather than 12, to get a true comparison. The mahogany sounds better with 13 strings, that's why they ship it with 13s.
Thanks - that's what I would have guessed - seems everyone who has played both leans towards the Koa. The hog seems to win people over when played over the laptops....the Koa in person.
@@jbrownco that's really interesting! After hearing all these demos, I'm leaning more towards the mahogany, but I guess I'll have to try them out myself.
