Does anyone hate Taylor ES System?

[Rinaz]

Let me know your opinion, they put the system on most of their guitar and I hate it...

[SpruceTop]

I Love The ES2!

[leinad]

not me - got 3 taylors with that system

[MrYelnats]

I have a "bought new" 2016 Taylor 614ce with ES2. I couldn't stand the finger noise and the tone in general of the plugged in sound. I called Taylor, and they sent me an ES-T circuit board assembly with replacement sensors. The sound is much better and more natural through my Marshall AS50 now.

What do you hate about it?

[29er]

This has always been a polarizing topic. My 2015 614ce sounds fine, IMO. I briefly owned a 2019 312e and although it sounded great unplugged the plugged in sound was not good, IMO, you could not dial out enough high end to make it sound pleasant through an amp. You will get opinions from all over the map.

[Rinaz]

Originally Posted by MrYelnats

I have a "bought new" 2016 Taylor 614ce with ES2. I couldn't stand the finger noise and the tone in general of the plugged in sound. I called Taylor, and they sent me an ES-T circuit board assembly with replacement sensors. The sound is much better and more natural through my Marshall AS50 now.

What do you hate about it?

Because I'm not using it for now because I play at home. I don't want holes on the wood of my new guitar. Plus pickups sound terrible not just the ES system. I bought the very last 2014 810e so if I choose no E option I dont know what what they're gonna do to fill the holes. It may affect the guitar sound ( I'm not sure about this). What did you say to them? Did they give you for free?

[LakewoodM32Fan]

I recently traded in my 914ce v-class, but this was my experience with ES2. Bought it about a year and a half ago, thought the 914ce was the best sounding acoustic I'd tried at the time, and then got home and used it almost exclusively for about six months. When I plugged in the ES2, I thought it sounded fine. Good. Not mind blowing.

Then, as NGS wore off I began to dust off my '03 Lakewood M32, which had an aftermarket B-Band 2.2 (AST+UST transducers) installed into it back around 2004. To my great surprise, not only was the ES2 not clearly superior to it in tone, as I would have expected from something 15+ years newer, especially from a company that developed the system to work exclusively with its guitars (as opposed to B-Band which I believe has zero connection to Lakewood). I actually found that I preferred the tone of the M32/A2.2 over the 914ce/ES2.

So much so that only one guitar is with me now, and the other was traded in for the SCGC OM.

I didn't hate the ES2. I just found it to be a decent but not great pickup. Which, on a $5K guitar like the 9xx series, presentation series, builders editions, etc. might be perceived as underperforming. I think an ES2 on a $2K Taylor matches expectations at that price range.

[mischultz]

It's fine in all its iterations. Like anything, it takes a little dialing in, especially the ES2 with the three pressure screws or whatever they're calling them.

My only frustration is that I have an intermittent wiring rattle that I haven't quite isolated and put to bed with an ES1.3 system.

But every system's a compromise, even a bespoke one like the ES designed entirely around a single voicing/construction concept. I was actually glad, in a way, that my Taylor already had a system installed so I wouldn't get bent entirely out of shape chasing a "best compromise" scenario which really only guarantees that you'll wind up exhausted and mildly dissatisfied.

[s2y]

Not sure. I have yet to get an acoustic amp. I mostly go to acoustic jams and record with a mic.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

This actually reminds me of another recent thread where I think most of us agreed that the more inexpensive guitars that were "made for amplification" (think the affordable Ovations and Takamines) perhaps punched above their weight in terms of amplified quality sound. We also agreed that as pure acoustics, they obviously weren't going to make anyone give up their boutique brands, let alone the big players like Taylor or Martin.

My days of "running around amplified" are pretty much over, but if I ever do have the need, my M32 will fill that niche.

For "critical" amplification of my nicer acoustics (primarily recording, I would think) I'll likely invest in some good condenser mics and record that way, versus installing a pickup in either my SCGC or my H&D.

[AZLiberty]

Hate it.

Sounds metallic, like an electric guitar. Really hate the look of the knobs sticking out of the upper bout as well.

My Taylor has a Fishman in it.

[Rogerblair]

My 510e sounds very good with the stock system. And, I’ve had guitars with many different systems. The adjustment of the sensors is a bit fussy, but one it’s dialed in, sounds great. Note: I was pre-conditioned to not like it, but am pleased with it.

PS...I was also pre-disposed to not like Taylors, but this 510 is a wonderful guitar.

Rb

[Akousticplyr]

Mixed emotions.
I love the flexibility that my 1999 710’s Fishman prefix blender gives me. I think I get better tones room to room with that. But the simplicity of the ES2 with a decent preamp gets nice results too.

Taylor recommends kicking the bass and treble just right of the notch for a smoother eq sound.

Edit- found it:

Tip for midrange control: Turning both the bass and treble up past the center detent will automatically create a dipped midrange. Turning both the bass and treble down and increasing the volume control will boost the midrange.

[srbell]

In my opinion it's the best thing available. I get compliments on ouw good the tone is from it. I haven't heard anything better, other than a microphone.

[CarlE]

I think it sounds good, but not great. Good enough to play in a bar with my acoustic duo, but I wouldn't record with it. I prefer the three low profile control knobs to a big ugly barn door panel and I hardly notice the three contact screws located in the bridge unless I am looking for them. Mine is one of the newer ES2 iterations in a 2019 214ce.

I have found it to be pretty much plug and play for those occasions when I am not playing though my Fishstick, so I am pretty happy with it for how I use it. I think it sounds about as good as my K&K equipped Martin, which I need some kind of preamp or buffer if I am going straight into a PA. YMMV.