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  #1  
Old 12-16-2012, 06:32 PM
lur3nj14 lur3nj14 is offline
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Default Miniflex in Taylor with ES

I was wondering if anyone have done, or knows anything about adding Miniflex 2Mic into a Taylor with the ES plastic endpin+battery compartment?
Is there anyway to savage the Taylor balanced TRS jack and add the pickup signal to it? Or is my best option to drill a second jack on the guitar?
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'05 Taylor 514ce
cedar/mahogany
2011 ES + Miniflex 2Mic Model 1, bone nut&saddle
13s 80/20
D standard, CGCFAC

guitar -> MXR 10-band EQ -> Sonic Research ST-200 -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. -> VFE Blueprint -> Hardwire RV-7

Duesenberg Starplayer TV
neck: Domino P-90
bridge: Grand Vintage Humbucker


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  #2  
Old 12-16-2012, 10:02 PM
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open-road-matt open-road-matt is offline
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There are a few posts and the end of this thread about adding a MiniFlex to a Taylor with the ES:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=274577

I am going to add one to my Taylor (514ce-n, nylon with the ES-N pickup) this week when my MiniFlex arrives. I ordered the Model 1 and I am going to add a second jack. Ken at MiniFlex confirmed that there is plenty of room for the second jack.

I did not investigate trying to wire a MiniFlex into the ES at all.

Hope that helps a bit.

Matt
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Old 12-17-2012, 02:29 AM
lur3nj14 lur3nj14 is offline
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Funny I have a 514 as well, and I'm waiting for the Model 1 to arrive, too.

Where are you drilling the 2nd hole?
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'05 Taylor 514ce
cedar/mahogany
2011 ES + Miniflex 2Mic Model 1, bone nut&saddle
13s 80/20
D standard, CGCFAC

guitar -> MXR 10-band EQ -> Sonic Research ST-200 -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. -> VFE Blueprint -> Hardwire RV-7

Duesenberg Starplayer TV
neck: Domino P-90
bridge: Grand Vintage Humbucker


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Old 12-17-2012, 04:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lur3nj14 View Post
Funny I have a 514 as well, and I'm waiting for the Model 1 to arrive, too.

Where are you drilling the 2nd hole?
I think I'm going to put it between the plastic piece for the ES system and the top of the guitar. Like this:



Visually, I think this is a cleaner look than having it off to the side of the plastic piece. Plus I have a Calton for the guitar which has a little notch for an end pin jack. If I put the jack anywhere else I might have trouble getting the guitar in the case!

Matt
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Old 12-17-2012, 09:06 AM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
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Matt,

The cylindrical shaft will extend a good ways into the guitar, so be sure that the jack is installed far enough away from the top that the shaft won't hit any of the top bracing.
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Old 12-17-2012, 09:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guitaniac View Post
Matt,

The cylindrical shaft will extend a good ways into the guitar, so be sure that the jack is installed far enough away from the top that the shaft won't hit any of the top bracing.
Thanks Gary!
That's a good thought. Ken at MiniFlex said there was room if I put the jack above the current system. I'll do some investigating to make sure there isn't any trouble with the braces before drilling.

In looking at my Calton though, I don't know that I can put a second jack anywhere else and still get the guitar in the case!

Matt
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Old 12-17-2012, 08:23 PM
lur3nj14 lur3nj14 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Donnell View Post
Just want to mention that whenever a 2d end pin jack is installed, it is possible to put the outer lip of the jack almost flush with the rib (side) of the guitar. There is no need to install the strap button nut on this 2d jack. This will help to have a lower profile for the 2d (or 3d) jack.
From reading the manual for Model 1, looks like if you can not install the strap button nut so you won't have anything protruding out of the guitar body to fit in your case...
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'05 Taylor 514ce
cedar/mahogany
2011 ES + Miniflex 2Mic Model 1, bone nut&saddle
13s 80/20
D standard, CGCFAC

guitar -> MXR 10-band EQ -> Sonic Research ST-200 -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. -> VFE Blueprint -> Hardwire RV-7

Duesenberg Starplayer TV
neck: Domino P-90
bridge: Grand Vintage Humbucker


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  #8  
Old 12-17-2012, 11:02 PM
Ken Donnell Ken Donnell is offline
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Default 2d jack in taylor

Quote:
Originally Posted by open-road-matt View Post
I think I'm going to put it between the plastic piece for the ES system and the top of the guitar. Like this:



Visually, I think this is a cleaner look than having it off to the side of the plastic piece. Plus I have a Calton for the guitar which has a little notch for an end pin jack. If I put the jack anywhere else I might have trouble getting the guitar in the case!

Matt
If a MiniFlex end pin model is installed in this type of Taylor (Model 1, 4, 5, or 7), I recommend that the center point of the 2d hole be a minimum of 1 inch from either the top or the back. This guarantees clearance from any top of back braces. For the Model 1, it will be necessary to arrange the batteries parallel to the soundboard, or back. No problem to do this, but one will need to pay attention to this during installation.

Yes, the 2d jack can be mounted almost flush with the side of the guitar. There is no need for the strap button nut on a 2d jack. I highly recommend installing a 2d jack flush. (But there is no problem with a strap nut on the 2d jack if this is preferred.)
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  #9  
Old 12-18-2012, 03:43 PM
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open-road-matt open-road-matt is offline
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Default MiniFlex is In!



Got the MiniFlex Model 1 last night in the mail, got the hole drilled today and installed the MiniFlex this afternoon!

I took the guitar to a shop to have the hole drilled. The fellow who did the work said that the bracing wasn't much of a concern at all with the nylon string guitar so that was good.

My strap fits on there just great, cable management is easy and the guitar fits just perfectly in the Calton. So for me this is a good spot for the second jack.

The sound is great! I'd like to have some more time to monkey with the mic position just to see how things change. I went into my Bose T1 and with the Nylon String w/condenser EQ preset I was getting a very nice representation of the guitar.

As a dual source, wow! What a difference the MiniFlex makes. It really opens up the plugged in tone and adds another dimension to the sound when combined with the ES-N in the guitar.

Hopefully I'll have some more time to tinker as the week goes on.

Thanks Ken for all your help!

Matt
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Old 12-18-2012, 04:54 PM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
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That's great news, Matt. Thanks for the follow up!
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Old 12-18-2012, 06:46 PM
lur3nj14 lur3nj14 is offline
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Matt, was it not possible for to instill the miniflex jack flush with the body? I really like where the Taylor strap button sits. Do you know the bracing would be different for my steel string...?
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'05 Taylor 514ce
cedar/mahogany
2011 ES + Miniflex 2Mic Model 1, bone nut&saddle
13s 80/20
D standard, CGCFAC

guitar -> MXR 10-band EQ -> Sonic Research ST-200 -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. -> VFE Blueprint -> Hardwire RV-7

Duesenberg Starplayer TV
neck: Domino P-90
bridge: Grand Vintage Humbucker


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  #12  
Old 12-18-2012, 10:40 PM
Ken Donnell Ken Donnell is offline
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Default 2Mic installation

Quote:
Originally Posted by lur3nj14 View Post
Matt, was it not possible for to instill the miniflex jack flush with the body? I really like where the Taylor strap button sits. Do you know the bracing would be different for my steel string...?
There would be no problem to mount the jack flush. Which is my recommendation.

But what Matt did works great. I'm just thrilled he is happy with the 2Mic performance.
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  #13  
Old 12-18-2012, 11:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lur3nj14 View Post
Matt, was it not possible for to instill the miniflex jack flush with the body? I really like where the Taylor strap button sits. Do you know the bracing would be different for my steel string...?
As Ken said, there is/was nothing keeping me from installing the MiniFlex flush with the body. I'm just so used to plugging and unplugging guitar cables from pickups with the strap knob on there. Anything else to me would look and feel so odd. I know the strap knob isn't really doing anything to keep the jack in the body of the guitar but without it, I'd feel like something was "wrong" if that makes any sense.

As for the braces in your steel string, I really don't know. The fellow that drilled the hole for me said that the braces in a steel string would be thicker and of more concern. I still went with the 1" minimum from the top that Ken recommended in a previous post just in case. I would have the guitar examined before any drilling happens!

Matt

Last edited by open-road-matt; 12-20-2012 at 04:38 AM.
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  #14  
Old 12-19-2012, 11:12 PM
Ken Donnell Ken Donnell is offline
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Default 2d jack in a taylor

One inch is the absolute minimum distance from the top of back or soundboard to the center point of the new output jack. As I have mentioned before, my recommended location is at the 4 o'clock position (using an analog clock reference, with the center of original output jack being the same as the center of the clock's hands, the soundboard as 12, and the back as 6). I recommend having the center of the 2d jack be 1-1/4"(one and one quarter inch) from the back. And to have the center line of the 2d jack be one inch away from the center line of the original jack. The Taylor has a 3 inch wide tail block, so there is plenty of room to do this, and this places the 2d jack away from any contact with a strap. Using the strap button or mounting flush is a personal choice. I have a photo I can email to anyone who requests at [email protected]
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  #15  
Old 12-26-2012, 02:33 AM
lur3nj14 lur3nj14 is offline
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Matt, do you have any tips for mic placement? I can't seem to find much information about it...
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'05 Taylor 514ce
cedar/mahogany
2011 ES + Miniflex 2Mic Model 1, bone nut&saddle
13s 80/20
D standard, CGCFAC

guitar -> MXR 10-band EQ -> Sonic Research ST-200 -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. -> VFE Blueprint -> Hardwire RV-7

Duesenberg Starplayer TV
neck: Domino P-90
bridge: Grand Vintage Humbucker


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