#31
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Here is my experience with the ES2. I am intrigued, probably more than most, when a new system gets released. I went out and tried a bunch of the new ES2 equipped guitars I could. At one point in my guitar playing journey, this is what I called fun. I noticed that some of the guitars had a horrible screechy, ice pick sound and accentuated the squeak of the strings. Others did not have that quality. The ones that didn't have that characteristic sounded quite good. Eventually Taylor changed their saddle material. Of the few I played since, I have not heard that that same problem. One of the guitar players at church has one of the original ES2 guitars, an 814. His guitar has that problem. I have to listen to it every time he plays. I wish their was a fix for that.
Otherwise, you have to appreciate what Taylor brings to the table in terms of plug and play systems. I am trading in my GS Mini for a new GT. It doesn't have the ES2. I am going with my Dazzo and Sunnaudio combo as usual.
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Vancebo Husband of One, Father of Two Worship Leader, Music Teacher Oregon Duck Fan Guitars by: Collings, Bourgeois, Taylor Pickups by: Dazzo Preamps by: Sunnaudio Amps by: Bose (S1) Grateful |
#32
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I experimented with a bone saddle on my grand pacific with ES2 and found that it really sounded pleasing to my ear. I feel like the string noise decreased substantially. I had no string balance issues either using bone.
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Gibson Advanced Jumbo Gibson J-15 Walnut Burst PRS Custom 24 S2 |
#33
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I've replaced all three of my Micarta saddles with bone saddles from MacNichol (ordered through Amazon, with wave compensation). Just required a tiny amount of sanding to fit the same. I may have been lucky, but all three MacNichol saddles installed almost plug-and-play in terms of ES2 response. Bone can vary greatly in density, which is why I think Taylor went with Micarta, which is much more consistent (and presumably cheaper).
If one ever does have string balance issues, it's pretty easy to adjust the individual pickups with a .050" hex wrench. The instructions to do so are included with your Taylor guitar, and also on their website. https://www.taylorguitars.com/sites/...Sheet-2014.pdf
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Santa Cruz | Huss & Dalton | Lakewood Fan (and customer) of: -Charmed Life Picks -Organic Sounds Select Guitars -Down Home Guitars |
#34
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I use macNichol as well. Great quality bone saddles. I do find that bone saddles do not make a noticeable difference in my 314 and actually make the string balance off. But it may be that particular piece of bone. So I stuck with the micarta in the 314 and it works great. Bone in the 317 does make a huge difference acoustically and plugged in.
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Gibson Advanced Jumbo Gibson J-15 Walnut Burst PRS Custom 24 S2 |
#35
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Just a side note... The MacNichol folks are awesome. I ordered a wave compensated bone saddle through Amazon for one of my acoustics and found it was too loose. It was my first time replacing a saddle and I wasn't sure of what I was doing. I contacted MacNichol and they immediately sent me a replacement plus one more (just to make sure I got a fit). Great customer service.
Dan
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Got some guitars, some keyboards, some melodicas, some skills and a little talent. |
#36
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I’m glad we agree on most of what I said. Totally could have overstated but I see a lot of “ready set go” Taylors played in churches. Totally fine if you disagree. I’m sure just as many are played in bars or weekend shows. Just speaking about the world I know. In more secular settings, I feel like people take guitars a little more seriously and more inclined to play something other than a Taylor. What people like about Taylors with ES is how they are plug and play which wreaks havoc on a multi-instrument sound set up.
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Taylor 912 (2019) |
#37
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I really like it. The only thing that I'm not a big fan is that I need a "bigger" tone for a band setting and the ES2 doesn't deliver as good, at least for me, compared to my other guitars.
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#38
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This is one of those threads that makes me giggle from sooooo many perspectives, I just wouldnt know where to begin.
I've had 4 Taylor's lifetime. 02 614ce Barndoor Fishman...liked it a lot 12 914CE ES 1.3 Liked it a lot 12 816CE ES 2 Love it 19 614CE ES 2 Sane answer Various Radial DI applications No pedal board or other toys gadgets. Now PA, Different story. Over 30k currently in PA / Lighting. Have run systems as simple as my Amp direct out to 2 JBL Eon G2s, have run PA systems that work 10-20k watts live sound systems, club systems for both Dj's live sound. I think some get a bit wound, judgmental and a bit critical of Taylor and their systems. Ive heard some amazing musicians playing through very simple pa, guitars, settings, mic'd etc. For the constant critics...let me know when you come up with a better plug and play system, get hired by Taylor or Martin and let me know when you're sold out acoustic show gets rolling. Understand I'm writing this with a bit of tongue and cheek sarcasm. I'll get the popcorn started!!
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The current New Lefty's: https://images2.imgbox.com/96/10/6F6KBwdB_o.jpg 2019 Taylor 614CE NAMM Special Edition https://images2.imgbox.com/fa/77/cBleTW2l_o.jpeg https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/e3/50/Mmhxidw9_t.jpg Last edited by DjFuzzyMcPickle; 02-16-2021 at 07:59 AM. |
#39
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There is also a kit available that will cover the holes if you chose to remove the ES-2 system. |
#40
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You can remove the Taylor ES-2 system and then use this kit to plug the holes left behind.
It would be cool if LR Baggs had a Lyric or Anthem pickup system that would work with the knobs of the Taylor system. The Taylor ES-2 gets the job done on in my Taylor 810e but I wish it had a LRBaggs System. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Acou....m46890.l49292 Last edited by otis66; 03-03-2021 at 08:56 PM. |
#41
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Taylor 914ce Taylor 914ce Charcoal |
#42
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Taylor 914ce Taylor 914ce Charcoal |
#43
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As for Taylor’s being used in church? Lol? Is that bad? I see them at dream Theater and Paul McCartney (muh Texan, he’s got Martin and Taylor too my friends)Taylor Swift and blah blah blah too. Taylor is incredibly popular and I’d expect to see them all over any place where music is played. Church included considering its a nice place and nice instruments fit right in. ES2 is a good nearly universal ‘plug and play’ system. It works across the line. It has 2 powerful Active EQ knobs, which automatically should tell you that you are supposed to be adjusting them subtly not big quarter turns. If you understand this you can see it’s a super easy to use and adjust system that gets you a good sound for live in an amateur setting all the way up the ladder. I really don’t think you’ll ever find a ‘natural’ sounding pickup and I think some of you think you have one are perhaps a bit biased towards the thing you spent money on. A studio is going to mic the guitar, a live setting isn’t a good place to mic a guitar. Hence the ES2 being what it is. I have heard mostly worse sounding systems and the only better systems are involving a mic and piezo blend and they still recommend a preamp. Thankfully the ES2 has the easy to find and change controls and no gisnt plastic square. Those were horrid. I’d rather have no pick up at all personally, but I’d take the easy ESII over any other system on cost and functionality alone. I do like the Gibson system but you won’t be adjusting that nearly as easy if you have to. This page just seems to have a lot of irrational distaste for Taylor. |
#44
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I like the ES2 for pretty much all the reasons you mentioned. In fact, I replied earlier that I am not an ES2 basher - I upgraded my 414ce twice from ES1.1 via ES1.3 to ES2. It is as you say one of the easiest plug and play systems out there. I think the three knob solution is very elegant and way preferable to barn door preamps. Most of our acoustics have K&K Pure Minis that go through a floor preamp (Tonebone Pz-Pre) and then into a digital mixer (usually Mackie DL1608) but if I’m doing a gig where I don’t know what I’ll be plugging into ultimately then I take the Taylor. I get that it isn’t to everyone’s liking but I usually recommend a tweaking of the sensor pressure - that’s why there are 3 Allen-screws in the bridge and it is worth checking them every now and then to get the best tonal response. Too much bass, back off the bass-end sensor; too much scoop, maybe a little more pressure on the middle sensor etc. Climate and humidity will make the materials swell and shrink, it isn’t surprising that small adjustments need to be made from time to time. It’s a price worth paying for a pickup that is piezo-based but not squashed under a bridge saddle.
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV; Ex-pat Brit in Sweden
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