Anthem SL Install in a Taylor "V" Braced Guitar

[btaylor]

Question for anyone that has installed an Anthem SL in a Taylor V Brace guitar.

When drilling the small hole for the UST, the Baggs instructions say to drill at a 45 degree angle. The V bracing is right at the ends of the saddle slot, causing me to be concerned at drilling at that angle and possibly hitting a top brace. I spoke with a rep from Taylor and he told me to drill at a steeper angle, more like 30 degrees. Has anyone installed this pickup in their V-brace and did you drill at a steeper angle? What was your experience? The Taylor rep said it would not hurt to "nick" the brace, just didn't need it to drill through the middle of it.

Thank you for your input.

[GuitarLuva]

Well I don't own a Taylor but I installed an Anthem SL in a Gibson years ago that had a 90deg hole for a Fishman Matrix UST. Ran it like that for years with no issues. I still have that guitar but I removed the Anthem as it's just not my cup of tea. Can't see it being a problem as long as the edges of the hole you drill aren't sharp. I suggest after you drill (whatever angle you decide) to gently ream the hole with a file or small piece of sandpaper and you'll be fine.

[btaylor]

For anyone who might ever try to research this....I drilled the hole at a 30 degree angle and missed the top brace with room to spare.

[4wheeljive]

Can anyone share any insight about installing an Anthem or Anthem SL in a Taylor guitar with V bracing? I want to replace the ES2 system on my 314ce with one of the Anthem options. It wasn’t immediately clear to the luthier where/how he’d mount the preamp given that the bracing is very close to the sound hole pretty much all around. I’d love to know what solutions others have come up with. Thanks!

[ritchie1]

Originally Posted by btaylor

For anyone who might ever try to research this....I drilled the hole at a 30 degree angle and missed the top brace with room to spare.

Hi btaylor, I resurrect this old thread ‘cause I’m waiting for a custom Taylor 814c sunburst v-class without electronics (I really don’t like the sound of es2).
My plan is to install a fishman infinity piezo on it (or maybe a baggs element), so I’ll have to drill a 90 degree hole for its undersaddle transducer (not at 30 degree as needed for the baggs Element transducer), can you confirm that there’s enough room on the v-class bridgeplate for that hole without hitting the braces?
Thanks in advance!

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by ritchie1

Hi btaylor, I resurrect this old thread ‘cause I’m waiting for a custom Taylor 814c sunburst v-class without electronics (I really don’t like the sound of es2).
My plan is to install a fishman infinity piezo on it (or maybe a baggs element), so I’ll have to drill a 90 degree hole for its undersaddle transducer (not at 30 degree as needed for the baggs Element transducer), can you confirm that there’s enough room on the v-class bridgeplate for that hole without hitting the braces?
Thanks in advance!

For the record, a Baggs transducer will work fine with the 30 degree angle or even a 90 degree hole straight through the bridge. The UST is a thin braded ribbon of wire and won't have a problem with the angle. If you have room for a 30 or 45 degree angle it's best, but you can still install it with a 90 degree hole.

[ritchie1]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

For the record, a Baggs transducer will work fine with the 30 degree angle or even a 90 degree hole straight through the bridge. The UST is a thin braded ribbon of wire and won't have a problem with the angle. If you have room for a 30 or 45 degree angle it's best, but you can still install it with a 90 degree hole.

Thanks goat mick!
Yep, I know, Gibson acoustics install the element at 90 degree without problem.

[fiveoneseven]

Originally Posted by 4wheeljive

Can anyone share any insight about installing an Anthem or Anthem SL in a Taylor guitar with V bracing? I want to replace the ES2 system on my 314ce with one of the Anthem options. It wasn’t immediately clear to the luthier where/how he’d mount the preamp given that the bracing is very close to the sound hole pretty much all around. I’d love to know what solutions others have come up with. Thanks!

Did you ever find an answer or idea on this? More so with the full Anthem. Trying to fit it on my 2019 517, but the V bracing is all around the sound hole...so the Anthem doesn't sit properly.

[DM3MD]

I encountered this problem in a Gibson guitar. I sat there thinking and racking my brain about how to perfectly calculate the exact angle on the bass side of the saddle slot. I angled the drill in practice mode up and down and feeling my way around the inside of the guitar trying to avoid a brace. It was impossible.

In an extremely rare moment of desperate intelligence, it dawned on me: DRILL ON THE HIGH E SIDE OF THE SADDLE SLOT AND NOT THE BASS SIDE.

Problem solved. UST installed.