Those Big Cutouts for Pickup Controls

[Brent Hahn]

Didja ever wonder about, say 20 or 30 years down the road, what you'd do if and when the factory preamp for your piezo pickup died? I saw my first one last night. Fella came in for a live internet radio show, had a Taylor with some miles on it. The pre-eq had crapped out so he replaced the whole thing with a magnetic Baggs and threw away the old module. It left a huge rectangular and surprisingly jaggedy hole.

A sad sight that will become more and more common, I'm sure.

[fuman]

Just tape a setlist/ Sign proclaiming "This machine kills fascists" sign et Voila!

[djeffcoat]

That hole becomes a soundport!

[vindibona1]

Maybe the guy just left it open so he'd have a side sound port?

I never liked the look of those barn door preamps. While I am not fond of Taylor's ES1/ES2 systems, I do like the way they've minimized the controls (more great Taylor marketing, giving you less for more). I think if the internals ever died in my Taylors I'd probably find a way to secure the knobs in position, even though they'd no longer have any function.

[Eric_M]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

A sad sight that will become more and more common, I'm sure.

What's sad about it? If he wanted to do something about it he's got options. He could've simply gotten a new Fishman preamp (or Baggs, though I don't think that would be an exact retrofit). He could get someone to patch it. I also like Fuman's suggestion.

Now, a barndoor hole in a prewar Martin might be a different story. That Taylor was built to be an acoustic-electric; if he didn't want to repair to factory specs that's his prerogative.

[fitness1]

There are replacements out there, but for the price, I'd pass...

http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/2422...8aAkLwEALw_wcB

The hole would be too big for an effective port - I'd bend and stain a piece of hardwood to contrast the back and side wood and cut a smaller port in it.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Eric_M

What's sad about it?

The inevitability, the planned obsolescence. Not something you want to see in the kind of top-brand instrument you might someday pass down to a grandchild.

If he wanted to do something about it he's got options.

Yes, just like good health insurance is available to everyone. This is a young guy eking out a living with his guitar and his songs and an elderly Toyota. Judging by the look of his clothes and his 4-Runner, I'd say he has to prioritize.

[HodgdonExtreme]

It extends well beyond guitars...

I feel the same way about cars. With all the doodads and gizmos on cars these days, there is no way they'll be around and fully functional the same way cars from the past are today.

It's a key reason that gun owners reject the notion of "smart guns" that have electronic bio-metric interlocks.

There is a timeless beauty in something purely mechanical.

[zhunter]

The guitars I have with cutouts are working instruments. I like the convenience and functionality of having controls there. If I need to replace the preamp I will. If it doesn't quite fit I'll enlarge the hole as needed of get a thin piece of wood to overlay the hole and mount the new preamp.

Sad sight? Not for everyone.

hunter

[chitz]

Make it a cup holder.

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by djeffcoat

That hole becomes a soundport!

My thoughts exactly! Get some duct tape and shape the hole to the perfect size for a sound port.

[Eric_M]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

The inevitability, the planned obsolescence. Not something you want to see in the kind of top-brand instrument you might someday pass down to a grandchild.



Yes, just like good health insurance is available to everyone. This is a young guy eking out a living with his guitar and his songs and an elderly Toyota. Judging by the look of his clothes and his 4-Runner, I'd say he has to prioritize.

Right, and it seems he's chosen a guitar with little regard to how its aesthetics might bother others or how his grandchild might feel about it. Smart guy.

The world is full of guitars without onboard electronics. Being "sad" about a guitar being something it was never meant to be is futile.

[slowesthand]

Originally Posted by chitz

Make it a cup holder.

gotta like that idea!

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Eric_M

Right, and it seems he's chosen a guitar with little regard to how its aesthetics might bother others or how his grandchild might feel about it. Smart guy.

The world is full of guitars without onboard electronics. Being "sad" about a guitar being something it was never meant to be is futile.

If your goal is to shut me up on this topic, you've succeeded.

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by Eric_M

Right, and it seems he's chosen a guitar with little regard to how its aesthetics might bother others or how his grandchild might feel about it. Smart guy.

The world is full of guitars without onboard electronics. Being "sad" about a guitar being something it was never meant to be is futile.

Wait, so are we mad at this guy?