Pick-Up for Taylor 412: K&K or Baggs Lyric?

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

See at the end of this link
Expression System 2® Upgrade or Install:
https://www.taylorguitars.com/support/service-packages

Thanks much!

[badtoneno]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Ed, I think the cost was in the neighborhood of $300, plus shipping each way, for Taylor to install the ES2. So, you'd be in for $400, plus a few weeks. In my opinion, that too much to spend on a $1800 guitar, unless it is a very special guitar for gigs. If you wanted too of the Line, the Trance Amulet would also be a good choice. But, if I were in your shoes, I might just do the K&K and call it a day. However, if you can purchase a used Lyric, or get one from a retailer that takes returns, it might be worrying the investment of a few hours to experiment with it. Otherwise, super glue away and move on. :-)


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+1 on the Trance Amulet. You won't have to mess with a lot of EQ. I can plug straight into the board, roll off a little low end hang with a fairly loud rock/modern country band.

[Petty1818]

I would make sure that you really love the ES2 before going ahead with the installation. The 414 isn't a super high end guitar (still great) so it's not as scary to get the procedure done but you may regret it. I think the ES2 is very nice but it's not good enough to make me want to retrofit my current Taylor with it, even considering the fact that I already have the original ES holes.

My Taylor came with the original ES, which I ripped out a year later after struggling with it. At the time there was no real solution for simply using the endpin jack so I had to have a luthier make another hole for a new jack/pickup. I was able to take all the electronics out and fill in the holes with the tru-plug system recently but it made me regret buying a guitar with eq holes and a large output jack/battery compartment. We are all different but technology changes so frequently that I would rather have a pickup that only requires a small output jack and that can easily be removed then to have something so visible.

[MrErikJ]

The K&K is probably the most popular pickup on this forum and for good reason: it sounds pretty good and is very usable. Personally, I find it to sound tubby/boxy without the proper preamp, but many don't seem to think so. I've also observed that it complements a good magnetic pickup really well. Personally, I don't like that it has to be glued in permanently and once you do so, even if you remove it safely, you can't adhere another sensor in that same spot. I find the Pickup the World #54 to have a more natural & clear timbre that picks up all sides of the guitar, but it does cost more and the passive output is so low that you will need a preamp, but it isn't as "permanent" in its installation and is very light so the acoustic impact is nearly none. They offer MiSI endpin & 9-volt preamps, but it would also work nicely with any 10 megaohm belt-clip preamp. I blend mine w/a Baggs LB6 via the Baggs Mixpro, but they've also told me that the Para DI works really well with their pickups.

If it's K&K vs the Lyric, I would pick K&K. However, if you like K&K I always encourage people to try PUTW too.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

...snip... But, if I were in your shoes, I might just do the K&K and call it a day. ...snip...

Better the devil you know,
Than the devil you don't.
I went with the K & K,
And called it a day.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Better the devil you know,

Than the devil you don't.

I went with the K & K,

And called it a day.

Yup! That was my take.


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