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  #1  
Old 12-17-2008, 11:09 AM
$ongWriter $ongWriter is online now
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Default Love/Hate ES system...fix??

As you can see by my sig that I own more than one Taylor with the ES. It's a love/hate thing. Is it possible to switch the ES to another system, say a baggs one and use the 3 ES buttons??...if so who could do it and how much if that can be said on the forum??...thanks..
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Old 12-17-2008, 11:17 AM
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I think there's a B-Band system that will retrofit into the same area...
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Old 12-17-2008, 11:33 AM
MikeTX MikeTX is offline
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Yes, I have the B-Band undersaddle and pre-amp in my two Taylors.

Sounds very good, but the ribbon is sensitive and gets off-track, making different strings louder and softer than each other - bummer.

I am looking for another solution...

Mike
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Old 12-17-2008, 01:26 PM
mcphersonnut mcphersonnut is offline
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Dont know my self just here to say how much i dis like Taylors ES system !!! I do like the old system they used at one time the fishman blender. best of luck to you.
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Old 12-17-2008, 01:50 PM
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I must be the oddball here, because I love the ES, especially the new 9V system. I just had my '02 814ceLTD upgraded from Fishman to ES, am having it installed in a new RTaylor, and having a 614ceL1 upgraded to the 9V.

It always works and sounds great for me.
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Old 12-17-2008, 02:35 PM
mcphersonnut mcphersonnut is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rejoice Music View Post
I must be the oddball here, because I love the ES, especially the new 9V system. I just had my '02 814ceLTD upgraded from Fishman to ES, am having it installed in a new RTaylor, and having a 614ceL1 upgraded to the 9V.

It always works and sounds great for me.
You oddball !!!! just kidding....
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Old 12-17-2008, 02:41 PM
SuperB23 SuperB23 is offline
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I'm with Rejoice Music. I love the ES as well. It always seemed effortless to get great plugged in sound through any PA with it. No hassels just great natural sound that actually sounds like my specific guitar. I wish I could get it on all my guitars but they will only install it on Taylors.
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Old 12-17-2008, 06:00 PM
jaskofall jaskofall is offline
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Hi,
The B Band A11 will retro fit into the 3 holes that will be left after the removal of the ES.
I have personally removed the ES from both my Taylors that had it, I am not a fan of it at all.
Sometimes i think that people are reluctant to admit that they dont like the ES because its "meant" to sound awesome.
Personally its too much work to try and EQ it on stage and i just dont like the sound of it.
I have other dual source systems that work a lot better than the ES, they sound awesome and are so easy to set up and EQ on stage
If you dont like it rip it out and replace it with something better
Regards
Jask
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Old 12-17-2008, 10:07 PM
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The fix is two letters long. K4
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Old 12-18-2008, 05:59 AM
Brackett Instruments Brackett Instruments is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeTX View Post
Yes, I have the B-Band undersaddle and pre-amp in my two Taylors.

Sounds very good, but the ribbon is sensitive and gets off-track, making different strings louder and softer than each other - bummer.

I am looking for another solution...

Mike
It sounds like your saddle doesn't fit exactly right. A little too tight or loose will cause string balance problems. If the fit is almost right but not quite perfect sometimes string balance problems will come and go with weather changes. The saddle should fit snug enough to stay in with the strings removed and the guitar held upside down, but loose enough to easily remove with your fingers. Binding on the ends or tighter on one side than the other can cause problems too. Waxing the sides of the saddle will help too.

Disclaimer. I'm not an ES fan because of problems I had with an early system. I have no experience, or opinion with the new 9 volt systems or even the later AA systems. I'm just trying to help Mike with his B band.
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  #11  
Old 12-18-2008, 09:16 AM
MikeTX MikeTX is offline
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Default Correct!

Absolutely right Woody - I'm sure it's spacing in the saddle - it was perfect at first, but the guitar "settled in" over time, and needs to be re-set. as my luthier who installed it predicted. He's great, but a full-time PRS rep now, and highly unavailable. He'll probably be around and take care of it over the holidays.

Thanks for the good advice.

I hate being a detractor, but the ES is just horrible for me, and the K4 made it worse - just more of the same bad medicine. For those who like it, fine and bless your hearts, but it is the LEAST natural sounding amplification I ever tried to use - just a brittle, harsh, middy, mettallic sound. READING about it, it SEEMS like it should be the best thing ever, ES and K4, but I couldn't get the ES replaced and K4 sold fast enough, and I'll never go back.

Thanks again Woody... Mike
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Old 12-21-2008, 03:50 PM
BULLSPRIG BULLSPRIG is offline
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I'm with you, Mike. You summed it up to a "T." A very tinny, brassy, overly sensitive high-pitched mike system. I came home from work one day and plugged in. My shirt sleeve button would glance against the guitar and the ES made it sound like a mouse was running loose inside the guitar. Just a little too hot for my taste.
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Old 12-21-2008, 04:06 PM
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I was at the NAMM show Taylor party a few years ago and all the Taylors were ES equipped except Doyle's. They were all running K4s and it was really AMAZING sounding. Then Doyle played and it really pointed out just how lacking the non-ES system was. The ES stuff sounded perfectly mic'd and natural, just louder.

Trick is, you can't twist knobs with your eyes and conventional wisdom when using the ES. If you can dial it in, it is really sweet.
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Old 12-21-2008, 04:08 PM
Herb Hunter Herb Hunter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rejoice Music View Post
I must be the oddball here, because I love the ES, especially the new 9V system. I just had my '02 814ceLTD upgraded from Fishman to ES, am having it installed in a new RTaylor, and having a 614ceL1 upgraded to the 9V.

It always works and sounds great for me.
Given that Taylor won the 2008 PLAYERS' CHOICE AWARD Gold Medal for its Acoustic-Electric guitars by the readers of Acoustic Guitar Magazine, it would seem that you are not an oddball for your Expression System preference by any stretch of the imagination. Martin won the Silver Medal while Ovation and Takamine tied for the Bronze Medal.
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  #15  
Old 12-21-2008, 09:07 PM
$ongWriter $ongWriter is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rejoice Music View Post
I must be the oddball here, because I love the ES, especially the new 9V system. I just had my '02 814ceLTD upgraded from Fishman to ES, am having it installed in a new RTaylor, and having a 614ceL1 upgraded to the 9V.

It always works and sounds great for me.
Can you tell a big difference in the 9 volt sound verses the older system..?
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