Taylor Expression high pitch frequency

[joesuspense]

I recently took my Taylor 214CE in to have the AA battery compartment replaced, due to corrosion (which is a common problem I've heard). While it was in the shop, they said one of the sensors was also dead and that they would all need to be replaced since the part comes as a "harness". At this point, the repairs came to around $200 with labor. For another $100 I could have had Taylor upgrade the expression system, but didn't mention this to the shop.

After getting it back, I plugged it in at the shop and immediately heard a super high frequency come from the amp. It seemed most prevalent when boosting the treble. I tried another amp and heard the same thing. My son heard it, other people in the shop and the girl that works there heard it. She brought it back to their senior tech who plugged it in back in the shop and said he didn't hear it. I brought it back out and demonstrated it for him, but he claimed to not hear it. Not too surprising since he was probably in his mid-to-late sixties and he has probably lost some hearing in this range. He then explained to me how the treble control will boost the frequencies +12db and tried to convince me that Taylor never meant for the controls to be used to boost, only cut frequencies. I asked what the point of active electronics were if they weren't intended to boost frequencies or volume. He didn't have a response, but agreed to replace the preamp anyways. Unfortunately, they didn't have the preamp in stock, so he made me pay for the repairs and promised to call when they get the parts and that they would replace the preamp at no charge.

While waiting for the preamp, I got the guiltar home and plugged it into my amp and immediately heard the same frequency, as well as a pronounced buzzing. I'm figuring that the replacement preamp will fix the problem, but to me it sounds like a lifted ground or a short somewhere. Does anybody have any ideas or ever had a problem like this with the Taylor ES (or any other system)? I'm not sure I trust the tech at the shop to actually fix the problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Slim]

Originally Posted by joesuspense

...For another $100 I could have had Taylor upgrade the expression system...

This is what I would do.

The ES has evolved at least twice since the AA.

[Just a Fan]

Originally Posted by Slim

This is what I would do.

The ES has evolved at least twice since the AA.

But this isn't the full blown ES, right? Not in a 214.

[Joe F]

If it has the Expression System in it, it has to be at least a 314ce. Are you sure about the model? A 214ce has an undersaddle UST system called the ES-T. No sensors, just the UST pickup element.

Assuming you got the model wrong and it is the full blown Expression System, I had a similar problem with my 2003 814ce with a high pitched low level noise along with a 60 cycle buzz. It was a defective power supply unit. The part you just had replaced. Either your repalcement is defective or he's got something hooked up wrong. Taylor replaced mine under warranty and the high pitched sound/buzz dissapeared completely. Since you did not have the problem before having this part replaced, that would be a good starting point..

I hope this guy is an authorized Taylor service rep! He's off the tracks on the claim that the tone controls are not meant to be used to boost. Say what??

And for another 100 bucks, you definitely should have gone for the ES upgrade. After playing the Gen-3 9V ES, I would never be able to go back to the Gen-1 version..

[Slim]

Originally Posted by Just a Fan

But this isn't the full blown ES, right? Not in a 214.

I can't say, sorry.