The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-09-2006, 01:05 PM
Tod Tod is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Nevada City, California
Posts: 1,082
Question GS (sans ES) after-market pickups???

For those who own a Taylor GS guitar without the ES, which after-market pickup did you go with in your guitar?
__________________
Tod

2009 Taylor XXXV Baritone
2007 Taylor GS5e-12 String (Spruce and Mahogany)
2006 R. Taylor "MARS" (Redwood and Cocobolo)
2006 Breedlove ABJ250 SM4 (Acoustic Bass)
1997 Taylor 514c (w/ Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend)



2 Turntables and a Microphone
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-09-2006, 02:35 PM
wthurman's Avatar
wthurman wthurman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Posts: 10,620
Default

I use the K&K Pure Western Mini. I got many positive comments on the sound at Monroestock, and a lot of those people reside here...
__________________
Wade


Worry less about the guitars you want. Play the guitar you have more.
The answer will come, and it will not be what you expect.

A guitar is a tool, and a friend. But it is not the answer.

It is the beginning.


Current Guitars:


Taylor 716C Modified
Voyage-Air VAOM-04

CD: The Bayleys: From The Inside
CDBaby
Amazon
Also available from iTunes



Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-09-2006, 03:18 PM
GRW3 GRW3 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,103
Default

If you want on-board control, try looking at the Fishman Ellipse. Martin is using them in some of their guitars, particulary the ones you do not want to cut on.

The control section is a semi circle that velcros under the sound board around the sound hole. I've played a couple of Martins with this system and it sound good - no cutting other than making a bigger end pin on a Martin and none at all on a Taylor since they come with a big end pin already.
__________________
George Wilson
Weber Bighorn
Martin D-18 Del McCoury
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-09-2006, 03:47 PM
Tod Tod is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Nevada City, California
Posts: 1,082
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GRW3 View Post
If you want on-board control, try looking at the Fishman Ellipse. Martin is using them in some of their guitars, particulary the ones you do not want to cut on.

The control section is a semi circle that velcros under the sound board around the sound hole. I've played a couple of Martins with this system and it sound good - no cutting other than making a bigger end pin on a Martin and none at all on a Taylor since they come with a big end pin already.
If you'll note in my signature area, I actually have one of those systems on my 514c. I also bought one for my GS, but I have not yet installed it because it looks like it may not fit in the GS.

I like that system very much with my 514 and had hoped to continue using it on the GS. But I note that the bracing on the new GS guitars is a little different than that of the 514, making the semi-circular "Ellipse Blend" unit a very tight fit with the X brace. Also, there appears to be another thin plate under the front portion of the sound board (under the fretboard extending over the top) that extends almost to the sound hole. The Blend unit doesn't attach with Velcro, it actually uses a two-sided tape on a detachable mounting plate (using magnets to hold the Blend unit to the plate). Ideally, the plastic mounting plate should mount flush with the under side of the soundboard (top).

I may be able to modify the mounting plate to accommodate the thin plate under the fretboard, but I am not so sure the Ellipse Blend will fit up against the X brace and remain "hidden" from view. So I am at a crossroad where I need to decide whether to return the Fishman and try something else, or keep the unit and start making some modifications.

I guess, in a perfect scenario, I'd hear from someone else who was successful at making the Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend work with their GS.
__________________
Tod

2009 Taylor XXXV Baritone
2007 Taylor GS5e-12 String (Spruce and Mahogany)
2006 R. Taylor "MARS" (Redwood and Cocobolo)
2006 Breedlove ABJ250 SM4 (Acoustic Bass)
1997 Taylor 514c (w/ Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend)



2 Turntables and a Microphone
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-09-2006, 03:54 PM
yukonkornelius yukonkornelius is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 3,848
Default

Second vote for the K&K mini. I had one in my Kronbauer and it sounded great!!!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-09-2006, 04:00 PM
James Willer James Willer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Posts: 3,529
Default

My choice was a D-Tar wavelength pickup and they're mamabear preamp.
__________________
[COLOR="DarkOrchid"]2007 R Taylor style1 Indian Rosewood, Swiss Alpine Spruce
2014 Taylor 456ce SLTD 12 string Ovangkol , sitka spruce
2019 214CE SB DLX Rosewood/Sitka
2021 224CE K DLX Koa
/COLOR]


Guitars, you only get out of it what you put into it

Member #885
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-09-2006, 08:02 PM
JungWoo JungWoo is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 235
Default

3 of my friends have GSRS's, and they all went with the L.R. Baggs iMix. Sounds great to me.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-11-2006, 10:11 PM
KyCabnetMkr KyCabnetMkr is offline
O'Dadgad rules.
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: lexington ky
Posts: 577
Default

The Ellipse Blend system will not work on Taylors with NT necks. It did work on the '97 514c listed previously because i'm nearly certain that NT was just a dream back then
__________________
Ira Duncan
Ps. 150: 4 -- Praise the Lord with strings!
www.myspace.com/iralovesguitars
The Family
The Les Paul I built

My live rig:
Mogami Gold TRS
Rane AP13
Ultrasound AG-50DS2, Fishman Loudbox
Boss RC-50
PP2+
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-11-2006, 10:27 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

LR Baggs M1 active, but I like recording with two condensor mics xy'd
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-12-2006, 08:35 AM
stratokatsu's Avatar
stratokatsu stratokatsu is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Miami, Florida
Posts: 8,526
Default

This thread is coming at the perfect time. I got my GS a few weeks ago and was just thinking about emailing some people I know to ask what they used to electrify it.

These and previous comments are leading me in the direction of the K&K.
__________________


Last edited by stratokatsu; 11-12-2006 at 12:34 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-12-2006, 12:04 PM
dberch dberch is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,147
Default

All the pickups mentioned so far are really good, and you won't go wrong with any of them.

I currenty have both K&K mini and the D-Tar Wavelength on seperate guitars. Both are wonderful pickups. My take on the differnce is this: K&K wins by a tad for most natural tone (think iBeam-like with more feedback resistance), but the Wavelength gets extra points for most usable in very loud situations.

And both are WONDERFUL!
__________________
Piedmont finger picking infused Folk, Blues, Gospel, Roots, Rags, and Originals
www.davidberchtold.com
David on iTunes
David's CDs
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-12-2006, 12:16 PM
Dadmac Dadmac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: France
Posts: 148
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by stratokatsu View Post
This thread is coming at the perfet time. I got my GS a few weeks ago and was just thinking about emailing some people I know to ask what they used to electrify it.....K&K.
So do I.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-12-2006, 12:33 PM
wthurman's Avatar
wthurman wthurman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Posts: 10,620
Default

My favorite thing about the K&K outside of tone? No battery. And if In am in a situation loud enough for feedback problems, I'll get a soundhole cover since I'll be listening to monitors anyway.
__________________
Wade


Worry less about the guitars you want. Play the guitar you have more.
The answer will come, and it will not be what you expect.

A guitar is a tool, and a friend. But it is not the answer.

It is the beginning.


Current Guitars:


Taylor 716C Modified
Voyage-Air VAOM-04

CD: The Bayleys: From The Inside
CDBaby
Amazon
Also available from iTunes



Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-12-2006, 12:43 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 6,951
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod View Post
For those who own a Taylor GS guitar without the ES, which after-market pickup did you go with in your guitar?
I could mention what pickups I use, but that's not really going to help you much. There are simply too many factors involved, many of which are subjective.

The best thing you can do for now if to spend an hour or so at Doug Young's picku comparison site:

Pickup Comparisons

That should narrow down your choices.

Next, let us know how you plan on using your amplified gutiar - in a band? solo? in a bar? for recording? etc.

Then we can help.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-13-2006, 01:24 PM
Tod Tod is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Nevada City, California
Posts: 1,082
Default

Thanks everyone for the input. As I mentioned earlier, I had already ordered a pickup for my GS and did notice that the fit was going to be difficult because of the NT neck. But then again, I like a challenge.

Last night I went ahead and proceeded with mounting the Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend into my GS. I separated the mounting plate and took some measurements (using some dial calipers and some eyeballing). I then took the mounting plate out to the garage and introduced it to the bench grinder! With some careful work, I was able to custom-fit the mounting plate with the various countours of the bracing under the top. The mounting plate now fits flush with the underside, and remains "hidden" from the outside.

For most folks, I would not recommend doing this. But since I already made the investment, and since I had all the tools, I went ahead and made it work. Hopefully, the Wittman tuner will arrive tomorrow (it was back-ordered) and I'll have that mounted in there as well. My GS will then have both a pickup/microphone inside along with an on-board tuner - both mounted inside the soundhole. I picked up the gold endpin nut so it'll match with the tuners on the GS and everything will look nice.
__________________
Tod

2009 Taylor XXXV Baritone
2007 Taylor GS5e-12 String (Spruce and Mahogany)
2006 R. Taylor "MARS" (Redwood and Cocobolo)
2006 Breedlove ABJ250 SM4 (Acoustic Bass)
1997 Taylor 514c (w/ Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend)



2 Turntables and a Microphone
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=