Every travel guitar on this site trades some size for portability. The Washburn Comfort G-Mini 55 Koa trades less than most. It’s a 7/8-size “Mini” Grand Auditorium body, not a 3/4 or half-size mini, and it’s the only guitar on this site finished in koa rather than spruce, mahogany or sapele. It sells on Amazon UK for £349, through a marketplace seller called Manns Music rather than Amazon itself, and it’s worth knowing about right now for a specific reason: it fills a gap our own Taylor GS Mini review left open.
That review already covers the “closer to full-size sound in a smaller body” idea properly, and the GS Mini remains the better-known name. But it also had to record something less useful to a reader trying to actually buy one: every Amazon UK listing for the GS Mini, across five variants we checked, came back genuinely unavailable. The Washburn doesn’t have Taylor’s reputation, but it’s a real, live, working alternative that solves the same problem, a small-bodied acoustic that still sounds and feels like a proper guitar rather than a shrunk-down toy.
How it compares to the Taylor GS Mini
One Amazon reviewer who owns a Taylor GS Mini alongside this Washburn put it plainly: the two are close in size, but the GS Mini has the fuller, more refined sound and the Washburn costs a lot less. That’s a fair summary of where this guitar sits. It isn’t a Taylor-beater. It’s a genuine, comparably sized alternative for roughly two-thirds of the price, and one you can actually buy on Amazon UK today rather than chase down at a specialist retailer.
The size comparison matters more than it might sound. Most of the “mini” or “3/4” guitars we’ve reviewed on this site are built around being small first and sounding good second. The G-Mini 55’s 7/8 Grand Auditorium body is a different proposition, a real reduction from full-size rather than a token one, which is exactly why buyers keep reaching for the GS Mini as the natural comparison rather than a headless travel electric or a collapsible-neck design.
What the “Comfort” body actually does
Washburn’s Comfort Series isn’t just a marketing name on this model. The body has a rounded-over “Binding Relief” under the player’s forearm, so the top edge doesn’t dig in the way a square-edged body does after twenty minutes of playing, and a “Comfort Carve-Away” cut into the upper shoulder that gives your fretting hand better access to the higher frets without needing a full cutaway. Neither feature affects how portable the guitar is. Both affect how it feels to actually sit and play for a while, which is the detail an Amazon listing’s bullet points don’t capture.
Specs that matter
- Body: koa top, back and sides, quarter-sawn scalloped Sitka spruce bracing, walnut binding
- Body size: 7/8-size “Mini” Grand Auditorium, 23-1/4in scale length, 1-11/16in nut width
- Neck: mahogany, ebony fingerboard with dot inlays
- Bridge and headstock overlay: ebony, with a GraphTech black NuBone nut and saddle
- Tuners: 18:1 gold die-cast machines with ebonite buttons
- Rosette: maple and mahogany parquet, 3-ring
- Finish: satin
- Electronics: none, acoustic only
- Case: gig bag included
- Price: £349 on Amazon UK, sold by marketplace seller Manns Music rather than Amazon directly, checked live 10 August 2026
- Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 from 41 ratings at the time of checking
The real downside
A few things are worth knowing before you buy.
First, a genuine inconsistency on Amazon’s own listing, not a defect in the guitar: one of the bullet points describes a “solid spruce top, and mahogany back and sides”, which contradicts both the listing’s own title and Washburn’s official product page, both of which confirm koa on the top, back and sides, with spruce used only for the internal bracing. That bullet looks like reused copy from elsewhere in Washburn’s Comfort range rather than an accurate description of this specific model. Worth knowing so you’re not confused reading the Amazon page itself.
Second, a real playing-condition downside from a verified UK buyer: they found the finish near the soundhole showed wear after regular use and thought a pickguard would have helped protect it, since this guitar doesn’t come with one fitted. If you play with a pick and strum hard near the soundhole, a clear pickguard is a cheap, sensible addition. A few other reviewers separately note the tone can turn boxy under a heavy strumming attack, which tracks with any smaller-bodied acoustic and isn’t a flaw unique to this one.
Third, it’s sold through a marketplace seller, Manns Music, not shipped and sold by Amazon directly. Check the seller’s own returns terms on the listing before you buy rather than assuming Amazon’s standard policy applies automatically.
FAQ
Is the Washburn Comfort G-Mini 55 Koa actually a travel guitar?
It’s sold and marketed as part of Washburn’s travel-friendly Comfort range, and its 7/8-size body is genuinely more compact and lighter than a full dreadnought. It’s not as small as the headless or collapsible-neck designs elsewhere on this site, so it suits someone who wants a real reduction in size without giving up as much tone, rather than someone who needs the smallest possible case.
Does the Comfort G-Mini 55 Koa have a pickup?
No. This is an acoustic-only instrument with no built-in electronics. If you need to plug in, our Yamaha APXT2 review covers a similarly sized acoustic-electric alternative.
What wood is the body actually made from?
Koa on the top, back and sides, confirmed against Washburn’s own product page. One bullet point on the Amazon listing itself incorrectly describes a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, which appears to be reused copy from elsewhere in the range rather than an accurate spec for this model.
How does it compare to the Taylor GS Mini?
The GS Mini has the fuller, more refined sound according to buyers who’ve played both, and it’s the better-known name. This Washburn is a genuinely comparable size for a lower price, and unlike the GS Mini, it’s actually available on Amazon UK right now.
Does it come with a case?
Yes, a gig bag is included. If you want a hard case instead, our guide to travel guitar cases covers the options.
Will it fit as hand luggage on a flight?
Its 7/8-size body gives it a reasonable chance, but no guitar has guaranteed cabin space on every airline. Check our guide to flying with a guitar in the UK before assuming it’ll fit.
Washburn Comfort G-Mini 55 Koa or Taylor GS Mini, which should I buy?
If the GS Mini is genuinely in stock somewhere you trust and the price gap doesn’t bother you, buy that first, it’s the more accomplished instrument by most accounts. If you want a comparably sized guitar you can buy on Amazon UK today for meaningfully less money, the Washburn is a legitimate alternative, not a consolation prize.
Where to buy it
It’s in stock on Amazon UK for £349, sold through marketplace seller Manns Music. Buy the Washburn Comfort G-Mini 55 Koa on Amazon UK.
