New Taylor 812ce pickup

[jsanfilippo5]

I just bought a Taylor 812ce 12 fret - I am pretty impressed with the pickup- Just did a little recording from the guitar direct into a Zoom H4N.

Check it out here: https://soundcloud.com/joesanphoto/2...s2-pickup-test

This is one of the first times I am playing this song to memory - so excuse the mistakes

[jonfields45]

Sounds great! Jon

[SpruceTop]

Fine Playing! Congratulations on your new Taylor 12-Fret. It Sounds Mighty Fine! The new ES2 renders a really nice, no-fuss, no-muss amplified tone but, then again, I'm a user and believer!

Regards,

SpruceTop

[jsanfilippo5]

Thanks! So far I am liking the amplified sound and the overall playability but Im still on the fence about the un-amplified sound - just not used to it I guess.

Amplified though - Im really impressed. only other pickup that I was ever impressed with was the Trance Amulet.

[guitaniac]

Thanks for the excellent demo, Joe. If you're making "mistakes", it certainly doesn't detract much from the overall effectiveness of your playing.

[GSMC Bob]

Nice playing and the sound of the ES2 is really nice. Did you do some post-production on your recording? It sounds like reverb is in the mix - or is that the natural ambiance of the ES2?? I know it's not from the room since it is a direct input recording.

[jsanfilippo5]

Thasnk all -

I added a little reverb to it. I should post one without verb..

[Groberts]

That sounds Outstanding! I perceived a nice sense of air, dimension, very natural acoustic quality. I was a little surprised by the depth and low end girth of the guitar. Sounds almost deep like a dread on the recording.

What issues do you have with the acoustic guitar? Is it overall volume, projection, tone, too bright, too <fill in the blank> or not enough <fill in the blank>?

Also curious if you happened to play a non-12 fret 812ce and how that compared with the 12-fret model?

GREAT playing! Very nice. Wish I could play fingerstyle that well!

[jsanfilippo5]

Thanks!

Acoustically - I feel its lacking something - cant really put my finger on it yet - When I bought my other guitars, i couldnt wait to come home form work and just play them for hours. This one.. I havent had that feeling unfortuantely.. I think my ears are just so used to other things... Its definitely an awesome guitar and I would not have laid out 3k for it if it wasnt. I think part of it is a feel thing too - I am not used to such a small guitar and short neck..

I did compare it with some 14 fret 812, and they were both similar, the 14 fretter had a little more high end sparkle to it. Al in all If they didnt have a 12 fretter for me to compare it with, I probably would have went with the 14 fret. The 12 fretter seem to be a little bit more balanced to my ear.

[SpruceTop]

The reasons I bought my 2014 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret are two:

First, I wanted a guitar that would be easier to play given the advancing numbness in the fingertips of both hands (this is my first-ever, small-guitar purchase). Secondly, I wanted a small, short-scale, easily-playable guitar in which the tone didn't disappear when flatpicking it! This is the only small guitar that I've played that has these two qualities, along with being a cutaway. The other guitar that's come close is a Huss & Dalton T0014--I've played two of these--but its tone flattened some when flatpicked, i.e., became more boxy and shallow-sounding than the 2014 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret (the Huss & Dalton is a 14-fret guitar). I've only played one 2014 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret, and I bought it that day!

Compared to a 2014 Taylor 818e or any Taylor series rendition of this GO body-shape (IMHO, the Grand Orchestra (GO) is a new tone-king when physical size doesn't matter), the 2014 812ce Taylor 12-Fret will be lacking something but I feel, given its size, it holds up quite well to various playing styles.

Regards,

SpruceTop

P.S. +1 Trance Audio Amulet Systems!

[jsanfilippo5]

Here is the same track without any reverb added.

https://soundcloud.com/joesanphoto/taylor-812-no-reverb

[GSMC Bob]

Thanks for posting that. I still think the ES2 sounds very nice!!

[Vancebo]

I know what's missing: Piezo quack, harshness and that fingernail on the blackboard kind of sound. That is very acoustic sounding.

[aallanso]

Amazing playing! Sounds beautiful. So you think it is a versatile guitar? I'm asking because I really want one! I've played a 522 12 fret, which I loved, and some of Taylor's new 800 series, which I REALLY loved, but never the 812ce 12 fret. I play finger style and flat pick. Some feedback is much appreciated.

[guitaniac]

The pickup sounds very good, with or without the verb. Then again, I'd still enjoy your playing if you'd recorded through a $50 soundhole mag. Nice demo!