#1
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Taylor 510e sound tweaks
I traded my 412ce-R for a Taylor 2016 (the slotted headstock version) 510e. I am very happy with the trade, but am trying to get just a little more volume and presence from the guitar. It's on the warm side. It's got a sweet tone but it's not very loud either.
I tried the recommended elixir strings, and didn't care for them at all. but I am not an elixir fan. I put on some DR Rare lights, and it was better. Should I go heavier, go brass 80/20, or should I try replacing the tusq with bone? Does the Tusq darken these guitars up a little bit? Is bone a little brighter with more sustain? Any advice from Taylor dread owners (or people who've played with them) would be appreciated, thanks!
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Some guitars I currently own: 2018 Martin D41 2013 Alejandro Cervantes "Rodriguez Concert Classical" 2015 Martin HD28E Retro 2015 Gretsch 6128 Power Jet 2003 Amalio Burguet F1 concert flamenco 2010 Langejans R-cb classical 2019 Gibson 1958 true historic 2012 PRS Stripped '58 with 5708 pickups 1992 PRS CE24 (all original) Many including Gretsch, Tokai, Yamaha, and Fender. |
#2
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Did you have meidiums on it before put on the lights? Taylor dreads need medium gauge strings to drive the top and come from the factory with .13's.
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Taylor- DN8, GS Mini, XXX- KE Gibson - Gospel Reissue Takamine- GB7C |
#3
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Ouch. I am not a huge fan of 13 strings, funny my full length dreadnought doesn't need 13s, sounds great. Is this due to the shorter scale?
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Some guitars I currently own: 2018 Martin D41 2013 Alejandro Cervantes "Rodriguez Concert Classical" 2015 Martin HD28E Retro 2015 Gretsch 6128 Power Jet 2003 Amalio Burguet F1 concert flamenco 2010 Langejans R-cb classical 2019 Gibson 1958 true historic 2012 PRS Stripped '58 with 5708 pickups 1992 PRS CE24 (all original) Many including Gretsch, Tokai, Yamaha, and Fender. |
#4
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I just checked and I have an unopened pack of Martin SP 13-56, but they're 80/20 bronze, not the phosphor bronze.
But I'll at least give them a try. Thanks!
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Some guitars I currently own: 2018 Martin D41 2013 Alejandro Cervantes "Rodriguez Concert Classical" 2015 Martin HD28E Retro 2015 Gretsch 6128 Power Jet 2003 Amalio Burguet F1 concert flamenco 2010 Langejans R-cb classical 2019 Gibson 1958 true historic 2012 PRS Stripped '58 with 5708 pickups 1992 PRS CE24 (all original) Many including Gretsch, Tokai, Yamaha, and Fender. |
#5
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Mickey
try all the strings you can, that guitar may just prefer a certain blend/brand/size to do its best. I would mention trying the "new Mediums" from John Pearse, they are a mix of light gauge and med gauge, and tend to feel about the same in tension as lights overall. I have no scientific experiments to back this, just the feel of my hands, but pearse strings to me seem to feel less tense than other brands. they make them in 80/20 bronze, and phos bronze. let us know how you get along with it d |
#6
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Throw some D'Addario Nickel Bronze in the mix - I like them for their tone and volume - they also have some interesting new 'Balanced Tension' gauge sets.
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#7
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My 510e likes medium monels. https://spark.adobe.com/page/Vc3YMIWf6cLVi/
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#8
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Quote:
In terms of your question regarding saddles, if I'm not mistaken Tusq is brighter than bone and more consistent.
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Assuming is not knowing. Knowing is NOT the same as understanding. There is a difference between compassion and wisdom, however compassion cannot supplant wisdom, and wisdom can not occur without understanding. facts don't care about your feelings and FEELINGS ALONE MAKE FOR TERRIBLE, often irreversible DECISIONS |
#9
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Throw mediums on and tune down a half step. It will be awesome! I find Taylor's too stiff with medium and tuned normally.
Bone is not as loud as tusq in my experience. I have expiremented with many saddle types, and the micarta Taylor saddles are a good 20% louder than bone. Have yet to compare micarta with tusq but a tusq saddle is on the way so I'll know in a few days. Edit: I should say, I have yet to compare tusq and micarta on the same guitar. Last edited by ii Cybershot ii; 07-17-2017 at 08:45 PM. |
#10
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Well, first off...
The 13-56 Martin SP 80/20 set sounds amazing on the guitar. The play-ability has gone down substantially however. Maybe a neck tweak would fix it? Suddenly it's all there - it's big, it's loud, and has articulation, but still has the sweet sound I first liked in the guitar. It's not as loud as a martin dread, but it's got a very sweet tone. Must be the lutz spruce. I'll see if a neck adjust will help. I'm going to have to try some of the strings listed above. Maybe I can get the same kind of sound but with less tension? I had some Martin FX phosphor-bronze .0125-55 on a custom shop D-28 for a long time, they were great strings. But they are no longer made. The DR sunbeams sound like they're worth trying as well as the monels. Thanks for the advice!
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Some guitars I currently own: 2018 Martin D41 2013 Alejandro Cervantes "Rodriguez Concert Classical" 2015 Martin HD28E Retro 2015 Gretsch 6128 Power Jet 2003 Amalio Burguet F1 concert flamenco 2010 Langejans R-cb classical 2019 Gibson 1958 true historic 2012 PRS Stripped '58 with 5708 pickups 1992 PRS CE24 (all original) Many including Gretsch, Tokai, Yamaha, and Fender. |
#11
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If you aren't used to mediums it'll take a week or so, maybe sooner for your hands to adapt to the heavier strings.
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Barry Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}: My SoundCloud page Some steel strings, some nylon. |
#12
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Like Barry said, give the mediums about a week to
see if you can adjust to them. If not, maybe try some of 12.5 gauges in different brands. The Martin TonyRice Monels have a medium Gauges on the E strings and are a little lighter with less tension on the other strings. I isn't realize the new 510's were short scale. It's going to be a little less Powerful, but maybe a little sweeter than a long scale of the same model.
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Taylor- DN8, GS Mini, XXX- KE Gibson - Gospel Reissue Takamine- GB7C |
#13
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But it doesn't feel like 13's now, it's like just a little heavier feeling than my 25.5" dread with 12s. I think the shorter scale makes it feel lighter. The sound is a big improvement. I ordered a bunch of strings online, so I'll try some different ones, but I agree the key was the 13s. Maybe the short scale just needs the bigger strings to get the top moving?
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Some guitars I currently own: 2018 Martin D41 2013 Alejandro Cervantes "Rodriguez Concert Classical" 2015 Martin HD28E Retro 2015 Gretsch 6128 Power Jet 2003 Amalio Burguet F1 concert flamenco 2010 Langejans R-cb classical 2019 Gibson 1958 true historic 2012 PRS Stripped '58 with 5708 pickups 1992 PRS CE24 (all original) Many including Gretsch, Tokai, Yamaha, and Fender. |
#14
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Interesting post regarding the 510. I just bought a 2016 310ce and I also was surprised that it wasn't louder. I thought maybe the strings were just dead so I put some new DR Sunbeam 12-54's on it and it still wasn't very loud. The tone and sustain were excellent, it just didn't seem as loud as I expected... especially compared to my Blueridge which is a cannon.
I'd replaced the saddle in the Blueridge with one from Bob Colosi and it had helped a lot with the volume on that so I decided to try the same thing with this one. The stock micarta saddle didn't fit super snug, but then again it didn't fall out on it's own either, but there was a slight amount of play length-wise so I had Bob make it a tad bit thicker and about 1/32" longer. While I was waiting for it I read, as the OP did, where Taylor sends the dreads out with mediums so I bought some D-Addario EJ17 13-56's. I don't know if it was the strings or the saddle, or a combination of both, but it helped a lot but it's still not as loud as I expected. What I did notice though is that if I point the sound hole more upwards towards my face and strum it's actually pretty darn loud. So I don't know....maybe these project outwards a lot better than upwards? I love the guitar, and I know I'm getting a little hard of hearing, but I'm still surprised it's not louder than it is.
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1978 Guild D-55 Taylor 114E Alvarez MD60 Herringbone Guild GAD-50 Last edited by dragon1952; 07-18-2017 at 12:41 AM. |
#15
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When I played the most recent Taylor 510 a while back, my first impression was that it was essentially a bigger and deeper version of the sound that I've heard from their 12-fret mahogany guitars -- and the words such as 'warm' or 'sweet' sound about right to what I heard from the guitar. Another comparison I thought of when playing was that it almost had more of an OM sound, particularly if you were to compare it to sounds and shapes from other brands.
I think between the scale length, the slotted headstock, and the slightly shallower depth that Taylor gives all their dreadnoughts, the guitar's sonic profile is just going to be a little more mellow and a little warmer and a little more balanced than your typical standard-scale mahogany dreadnought. |