Taylor…Worst to Best

[rokdog49]

For all you Taylor owners out there, I’m curious to know which stock pick up system you consider the worst and which you consider the best in terms of amplified sound?

[rmp]

I had a 2000 314CE with a Fishman Prefix, that was decent

my nylon has the NS pickup, it's "meh"...

my 814CE V DLX has the ES2 again "meh" it's ok thru my tonedexter (sure ok what isnt)

my 2006 grand symphony came with no pickup, now that one has a fishman infinity -> Winner!

my buddy had an 800 series 12 string that had the ES1 every time he tried to use it as I recall the AA batteries were toast.

I've said this a few times before in this forum

I wish taylor would continue to focus on building great guitars, leave it to someone else for the "stock" pickup systems

sorry I'm not much help here

[Petty1818]

Are we only talking about their own pickups or are we including systems from other brands that they used before the Expression System?

[Rudy4]

I have never appreciated the Taylor stock amplified tone.

I had a GS Mini and now have a 322, both with K&K Pure Minis installed. Love the tone from both of these guitars.

[KenL]

It ain't easy, but the trick is to find a Taylor without an "E" and put what you like in it.

My 516 has a K&K and sounds fabulous.

My 512CE has the ES2. It sounds fine, but I doubt that I'll ever play out with it. It is a great couch guitar.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Are we only talking about their own pickups or are we including systems from other brands that they used before the Expression System?

Their own.

[jjbigfly]

The ES2 is actually one of the better systems that I have used. I have a Takamine with the inline internal system (pale-ath-thetic?. Trying to sound it out) that may be the best tone ever, but with no user controls (well, there is, but you need to remove the transducer to change it) it means a trip to the mixer to EQ, but the tone is easily the best….

[jjbigfly]

The worst? The ones that I never bothered to understand coupled with not knowing what I was doing are always the worst.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Their own.

It's a short ranking then. There's the original ES and the ES2. Yes, there were three versions of the ES1, but they were all pretty identical tonally. I would say Expression System V1 as being far inferior to the ES2.

[Cuki79]

I think it really depends on what tone you are looking for.

Neither ES1 or ES2 sounds like an acoustic guitar.

I have own both

ES1 sounds like a magnetic pickup. Not the best. It benefits from the extra sensor(s) and suffers much from the position of the main single coil pickup under the fretboard. This makes it sound even more magnetic. I struggled a lot eith it. Bought the expansive K4 preamp and various other brand preamp... and eventually gave up. However it does its job and in a band configuration with a drummer I am sure nobody would care.

ES2 is controversial. I made a lots of IR for ES2 Taylors... and I think it is a pretty decent piezo pickup. However, I believe it is probably the number one pickup in terms of IR request... It says everything.

I don't mind the ES2, I mind more about the V bracing. If money and availability was no issue, I would buy a X braced 522ce 12th frets with ES2 any day... but I believe they were produced only a year or two before everything turned to V bracing.

What I don't understand why Taylor, which is an innovative company neither developped a dual source (think Maton and Cole Clark) or an IR based pickup.

... and don't tell me it is because of the patents. I am sure There is room for improvement over the existing patented solutions.

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I have never appreciated the Taylor stock amplified tone.

I had a GS Mini and now have a 322, both with K&K Pure Minis installed. Love the tone from both of these guitars.

Rudy, that 322 is a sweet sounding guitar, isn't it? I've got a 322 and 522e, and both of them sound great. The all-hog build replaces the typical Taylor brightness with a beautiful mellow warmth.

[SpruceTop]

The Expression System 2 (ES2) is the best as far as sounding the most like an acoustic guitar. The ES1.3 is best at feedback resistance but it sounds electric-guitar-like, especially when hitting the strings a bit aggressively.

[Petty1818]

I don’t agree that the ES2 doesn’t sound like an acoustic. I believe it’s an odd design in that it can range tonally from guitar to guitar based on how tight or loose the screws are. However, when I hear it, it sounds quite acoustic.

In terms of Taylor using IR’s, not many companies take that approach. Other than Martin (Aura tech) and Yamaha on certain models, I can’t think of any other companies using onboard IR based systems.

With all that said, Taylor is an odd company in that they put all their trust into pickups they design that are really not all that good. That’s why I will never buy a Taylor again. I still have my 310 from 2005 that now has the ES ripped out and the knob holes plugged. It’s just a lot to spend $3000+ to have a guitar with a pickup that in ten years will either break or be obsolete.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

It’s just a lot to spend $3000+ to have a guitar with a pickup that in ten years will either break or be obsolete.

"Obsolete" is a relative term for acoustic pickups. How old are The Fishman Matrix, the Baggs element or the K&K pickups?

I believe Fishman Matrix is 30 years old... and still alive.
K&K twin spot was introduced in 1990.

Taylor marketing is aimed to promote novelty and thus dooms older products to obsolescence.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

"Obsolete" is a relative term for acoustic pickups. How old are The Fishman Matrix, the Baggs element or the K&K pickups?

I believe Fishman Matrix is 30 years old... and still alive.
K&K twin spot was introduced in 1990.

Taylor marketing is aimed to promote novelty and thus dooms older products to obsolescence.

Yes I have the Matrix in my 1999 Taylor 810 ce still going strong and perhaps because is sing as well it never really bothered me if it did not sound exactly like and acoustic with no amplification --but that is just me