Taylor es2

[Bernieman]

Have You used the Taylor ES2 ?
I have read or heard from the guys at Taylor that it is a genuine improvement compared to other piezo systems, and to ES1 as well I guess...But still wonders if that is to make us feel like getting one, or more serious...
Didn't get a chance to hear one for sure, and haven't found any thread about it within first six pages of this forum...
I'm new here so, any idea..?

[Slim]

Hey Bernieman,

Welcome to the AGF!

You'll love it here. Lots of super-knowledgeable and friendly members.

I don't have any experience with ES2 but I can help you with searching the AGF. Use the Google search bar below. It's awesome. I received loads of threads using your phrase "Taylor ES2".

Hope this helps!

Tim

[Audie]

I have played both and own an ES 2 equipped Taylor. They are very, very, good. The ES 1 was not all that bad, it required a balanced signal to get the most from it. When that was done the ES 1 held its own. The ES 2 does not require a balanced signal and is a well thought out innovation in the approach to acoustic amplification. Very much worth your time to check it out.

[kcnbys]

Welcome to the AGF!

I don't have any of the ES versions in my Taylor, but I used to have Taylor's with the ES1.1 and 1.2, and have played guitars in the store with the ES2. I personally think the ES2 is an improvement and prefer it to any of the ES1's. I would have no qualms buying a Taylor with it.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by Bernieman

Have You used the Taylor ES2 ?
I have read or heard from the guys at Taylor that it is a genuine improvement compared to other piezo systems, and to ES1 as well I guess...But still wonders if that is to make us feel like getting one, or more serious...
Didn't get a chance to hear one for sure, and haven't found any thread about it within first six pages of this forum...
I'm new here so, any idea..?

The ES2 is a nice system and it's definitely a new way of amplifying an acoustic guitar. My Taylor had the original ES system and I far prefer the ES2. The original ES was metallic sounding and in recordings, my guitar sounded like an electric hollow body, especially when I would play lead lines higher up the neck.

Here's the thing with the ES2, it's very natural and mic-like but I don't think it's the most versatile system out there. I am actually surprised that Taylor switched so quickly over to the ES2 as their main system. If you play in acoustic settings without drums, the ES2 will sound great. However, I think it would get a little lost in a full band setting. I don't want to make it sound like it's prone to feedback, it just really sounds like a SBT to me. It's a bit mid range heavy and lacks that nice high end.

On a more personal note, I am a big Taylor 600 and 800 series fan but it's so frustrating that they put their ES system in 90% of the guitars that they ship out. As good as the ES2 is, I don't want it in my Taylor. I have heard people say that you can order models without the ES2 system but that's not a comforting feeling as I like to try the guitar first.

[SalFromChatham]

I had a Taylor 214CE made a few months ago. It had the es2. It sounded great plugged in.

[cyclistbrian]

My gigging guitar has es2. Zero quackiness and very natural sounding. Even an semi competent sound person (me) can dial in a natural tone for live use. I have had no complaints with it at all whether performing solo or with my band which has among other things, drums and horns.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Bernieman

Have You used the Taylor ES2 ?
I have read or heard from the guys at Taylor that it is a genuine improvement compared to other piezo systems, and to ES1 as well I guess...But still wonders if that is to make us feel like getting one, or more serious...
Didn't get a chance to hear one for sure, and haven't found any thread about it within first six pages of this forum...
I'm new here so, any idea..?

Check my signature. I love my ES2-equipped Taylors. By the way, I've owned many ES1-equipped Taylors over the years and much prefer the new ES2 system. Want to cut through the mix in a band situation? Simple: reduce the guitar's Bass control and turn up the guitar's Treble control, both as needed, and adjust volume accordingly. Need a bit more control? Fool around with the mixer or amp's EQ controls. No degree in Rocket Science needed.

[Bernieman]

Thanks very much for all comments : very interesting...I will come back to them others a bit later...
For now Sprucetop, how do you compare say the 814ce with ES2 and the HD28 with this other system you use with it ?
Same question about the Rainsong & Fishman prefix (with & without the Aura preamp) though less important...
I have a Martin guitar too, and I'd like some really good thing for stage work with it ...
Two Rainsongs with a same system, I bet you must use alternate tunings... These guitars for no wood being used I think, must sound pretty much (if not exactly) the same...
Cheers...

Bernie .

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Bernieman

Thanks very much for all comments : very interesting...I will come back to them others a bit later...
For now Sprucetop, how do you compare say the 814ce with ES2 and the HD28 with this other system you use with it ?
Same question about the Rainsong & Fishman prefix (with & without the Aura preamp) though less important...
I have a Martin guitar too, and I'd like some really good thing for stage work with it ...
Two Rainsongs with a same system, I bet you must use alternate tunings... These guitars for no wood being used I think, must sound pretty much (if not exactly) the same...
Cheers...

Bernie .

In a RainSong, the UST-based Fishman Prefix+T system works almost like a cross between a UST and an SBT because carbon fiber conducts vibration so well that the Matrix UST picks up vibration from the top, sides and back along with the string component of the sound. The result is a nice resonant tone not generally heard with a UST pickup. You don't get this pronounced overall vibrational pickup in a wooden guitar with a Matrix installed. You can still get that UST quack if striking the strings hard but running the output through a Fishman Aura pedal takes care of that annoyance. One of the RainSongs, I gave to my daughter. Other than dropped-D, I haven't used alternate tunings and play mostly in regular tuning. The other night, I experimented with DADGAD for the first time but I sounded too much like Pierre Bensusan so I won't do that again because there's already one of him.

Regarding the Taylor ES2-equipped guitars and the Martin with the Trance Audio Amulet M Dual Mono system, I regard these pickup/preamp systems as the best available because they yield very good amplified tone without resorting to a lot of fuss. A player should be able to get very good amplified tone without extra outboard preamp/EQ gear when using these systems. The Trance system is capable of achieving good gain-before-feedback in a Martin HD-28. I've also had the Trance M Dual Mono in a 2012 Martin D-18 and a 2012 Larrivee D-04 with similar great tonal results and low tendency for feedback.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

TThe original ES was metallic sounding and in recordings, my guitar sounded like an electric hollow body, especially when I would play lead lines higher up the neck.

....snip

THIS! I agree with Pettty1818. The ES1 has a bizarre metallic sound. It imparts an strange tone that doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar, but rather sounds processed to my ears. I am not a fan of the tone of the ES1 not even a little.

I have a 2014 Taylor 814CE with ES2. The tonality is very natural and I love it. But I will admit that I do find it is a bit more prone to feedback and there is more fingerboard/string squeak. Trade offs I gladly make versus the ES1.

I have tried using a Feedback buster soundhole ring and it helps at times, but it is not a magic bullet against feedback. I also use the Notch filter on my Fishman Loudbox Performer. But I find that when I notch out the offending frequency, the fullness of sound also suffers.

here is a youtube clip I made at one of my gigs (ES2)

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

TThe original ES was metallic sounding and in recordings, my guitar sounded like an electric hollow body, especially when I would play lead lines higher up the neck.

....snip

THIS! I agree with Pettty1818. The ES1 has a bizarre metallic sound. It imparts an strange tone that doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar, but rather sounds processed to my ears. I am not a fan of the tone of the ES1 not even a little.

I have a 2014 Taylor 814CE with ES2. The tonality is very natural and I love it. But I will admit that I do find it is a bit more prone to feedback and there is more fingerboard/string squeak. Trade offs I gladly make versus the ES1.

I have tried using a Feedback buster soundhole ring and it helps at times, but it is not a magic bullet against feedback. I also use the Notch filter on my Fishman Loudbox Performer. But I find that when I notch out the offending frequency, the fullness of sound also suffers.

here are a a few clips from my recent gigs with Taylor 814CE /ES2 PU through Fishman Loudbox Performer. Cell phone was HTC One M8.

[SpruceTop]

Gary,

Mighty Fine Playing and your Taylor 814ce ES2 sounds pretty much as good as amplified acoustic guitars can get given your playing surroundings and cell-phone recording medium. Plug-and-play, right? Thanks!

[Br1ck]

Is not the ES a dual mag/ SBT system?

I have a friend who views his Taylor, both as an acoustic instrument and the ES system, as a guitar that is pretty good at everything, but not the best at any one thing. The ES is going to do fine plugged into pretty much anything, whereas just a piezo alone needs to see the proper impedance or it will sound harsh.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Gary,

Mighty Fine Playing and your Taylor 814ce ES2 sounds pretty much as good as amplified acoustic guitars can get given your playing surroundings and cell-phone recording medium. Plug-and-play, right? Thanks!

Thank you Kindly. I thought they were decent indications of what the ES2 is capable of in a real-world gigging environment through a decent acoustic amp. Sounds just as good or better through my QSC K10's, but most gigs, I just use the Fisman Loudbox performer. The Last recording I posted however (in the sunshine) was both the Fishman Loudbox Performer on one side and a K10 on the ground on the other side. (Used the DI out from the Fishman Loudbox to send the signal to the QSC.