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ES Alternative?
Anybody know of a viable alternative for the ES? I'm just sick of how quirky it is and I find myself messing with it and more than playing now. I'm actually thinking of replacing it with a Sunrise PU but don't know how to negotiate all the holes and such. I've heard of a guy in California who's got a system for replacing it, any body heard of this? I think his name is Butch Boswell? Heard about him from a friend. Any ideas?
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#2
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Not trying to be jerky here, but there are only three knobs. I don't see how one could spend more time messing with the ES than actually playing the guitar into which it is installed. My ES equipped guitar sounds pretty darn amazing with dials flat, straight into a house PA.
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2022 Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 VTS 2019 Guild F-512E 2016 Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 VTS 2015 Gibson J-45 Vintage 2007 Gibson SJ-200 True Vintage |
#3
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#4
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Steve 2003 Taylor 814cES 2000 Taylor K14c 2011 James Tyler Variax JTV-69, Lake Placid Blue JR Beck SHC-908 (ES 135 copy) Crate Powerblock and JDesign custom cabinet http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevefeinstein, The Tim and Bob Show buy our CD at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/timandbob http://www.feintuned.com |
#5
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They say it uses an L.R. Baggs undersaddle pickup, with their brand of preamp...so I'd assume the tone sounds essentially like a Baggs UST! Be careful that that's actually something you'd want...
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#6
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Oops! Never mind...
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Gloria & Bob Music ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Yamaha, Guild... Last edited by GSMC Bob; 07-07-2011 at 08:22 AM. Reason: My own stupidity!! |
#7
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- Glenn |
#8
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I agree w/ a previous poster..buy another guitar w/ no pickup in it...and then stick a K&K Mini in there!!!!
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'17 Waterloo Scissortail '17 David Newton 00 Rosewood '11 Homemade Strat Ibanez AS73 w/ Lollar P90s |
#9
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I second the idea of selling your ES equipped guitar and buying a Taylor with no electronics. Taylor has excellent customer service, they're more than willing to accommodate. I hope that never changes, because while I don't like their pickup system, I absolutely love their guitars.
Fortunately I was able to do this shortly after buying a 614 with the ES. The dealer I bought it from took it back and ordered me a 614c with no electronics. It's pretty easy to order a Taylor without the ES through a local Taylor dealer, or Guitar Rodeo.
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2022 Taylor AD27e Flametop 2022 Taylor GS Mini-e Koa 2016 Taylor 514ce Fall LTD Former: 1999 Taylor 314ce 2010 Taylor 614c 2004 Taylor 714 2009 Taylor GA5 2011 Taylor GA7 2021 Taylor 114e |
#10
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I have contemplated this option many times...I'm nervous though that in the end, the aura wouldn't fix all the things I hate about UST tone, and I'd be out a whole lot of cash, needing to replace the UST.
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#11
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I was playing this with my old Taylor 514CE with a Fishman Prefix system installed -- nothing fancy. I didn't hear any negatives at all and the result sounds nothing like a piezo pickup. I use 100% Aura sound with no piezo sound in the mix. I hate the sound of a piezo pickup, so I do not want to be reminded that it's even in the mix. Regards, Glenn |
#12
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We see lots of posts regarding the ES system and replacing it. I searched but couldn't find a poll here regarding those that have replaced it with something else that they prefer. I know that the 2010 system is an improvement over previous incarnations, but it still makes me wonder how many shy away from it and opt for something else.
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#13
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I guess I don't see how the ES is any more "quirky" than any other system, but to each his own. I agree with the suggestion of running the guitar through a Taylor K-4. I find that gives me incredible capability to shape the sound of both ES and non-ES Taylors (or other guitars as well).
I guess I would differ with some of the other comments in that if you don't like the sound of a Taylor ES and if you find you don't like the sound even after shaping it with a K-4, then I would conclude you really don't like the sound of a Taylor. In such a case, it would be foolish to strip the ES; just sell the Taylor and get something else.
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GGJ Taylor 810 (1993) Taylor 855 (1993) Taylor GAKC (1996) Taylor 710CE (1998) Taylor W-10 (1999) (Retrofit Expression system added 6/2011) Taylor Kottke-12 (2002) Taylor T-5 (2005) Taylor GS-7E (2007) Taylor Baritone-8CE (2011) Gibson Arch Top F-hole (1940s?) (needs major work) Gibson B-45-12 (1968)(sunburst finish) Guild Mahogany (1988) |
#14
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Did any of the built-in presets sound good with your 514CE, or did you have to download the correct images? I ask because I might be able to find a Spectrum Aura in a local store, but would only be able to audition the factory-loaded images. |
#15
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Hi MBE,
I think auditioning the Fishman Spectrum Aura DI in a store with your guitar along with a set of headphones would be exactly the right thing to do to make sure you are satisfied with the sound. We all play differently and hear things differently, too. So you may not like what I like (or what my wife likes). I used the images that came in the software with the preamp and did not go to any special trouble. I was drawn to the James Taylor signature Olson sound (I wonder why?). I actually did not care for the Taylor images that were available as they were too bright for me. I used no EQ whatsoever, everything was flat. The Fishman people say you shouldn't expect your guitar to sound like a different guitar just because you use a different image, but I thought my 514CE sounded an awful lot more like an Olson than a Taylor -- and to me, that is a good thing. I don't insist on dead accurate reproduction, I just want a sound that sounds like a real acoustic guitar. - Glenn Last edited by Glennwillow; 07-07-2011 at 02:21 PM. |