Taylor ES change?

[jjbigfly]

Anyone here change out the ES system? I have the old AA battery model. Thinking about going to the K&K pick up and then the Fishman Spectrum Aura. Not sold on any particular system as yet. Just do not care for the sound I have now. I have had the later ES and it was fine.....
Wanted to go to the new ES system, but $300 plus shipping both ways ($150) and at least 30 days wait.....That does not sound good either

Any one have any experience with this? Free advice?

[jjbigfly]

Oops! or any experience with the older ES system thru the Fishman Aura Spectrum?

[jjbigfly]

Oh, come on now...some one has got to have some info about this :-)

[The Growler]

A friend of mine had his older ES upgraded by Taylor to the new ES2 back in January. He loves it and it sounds great. I have an ES 2 equipped Taylor and it sounds amazing. Nice pickup.

[pieterh]

I did the upgrade from ES1.1 (the AA battery version you have) to ES1.3 (the 9v version with revoiced preamp and only one body sensor). It was a clear improvement over the original but frankly, I have a love-hate relationship with the ES1. The mids are still over-represented, especially if, like me, you play anywere above the 5th fret. Clearly the notch filters in the preamp can only do so much to compensate for the pickup's positioning (under the neck).

My feeling is that the majority of the vibrations that get amplified in the body of the guitar arrive there via the bridge saddle and that is where the pickup should have been. Having said that, a bridge mag pickup may have may have given a signal that was too bright and lacking in essential low and mid frequencies.

I am considering installing the Pure pickup, haven't decided if I will go TruPlug or just drill a new hole for the K&K output jack. I have the Pure in two other guitars and normally have my Pz-pre with me for gigs so lack of onboard electronics is not an issue. If I were you though, I would be wary of matching the K&K to an Aura system, it isn't really designed to work well with SBTs - but you may find it's fine.

[xtremekustomz]

Originally Posted by pieterh

I did the upgrade from ES1.1 (the AA battery version you have) to ES1.3 (the 9v version with revoiced preamp and only one body sensor). It was a clear improvement over the original but frankly, I have a love-hate relationship with the ES1. The mids are still over-represented, especially if, like me, you play anywere above the 5th fret. Clearly the notch filters in the preamp can only do so much to compensate for the pickup's positioning (under the neck).

My feeling is that the majority of the vibrations that get amplified in the body of the guitar arrive there via the bridge saddle and that is where the pickup should have been. Having said that, a bridge mag pickup may have may have given a signal that was too bright and lacking in essential low and mid frequencies.

I am considering installing the Pure pickup, haven't decided if I will go TruPlug or just drill a new hole for the K&K output jack. I have the Pure in two other guitars and normally have my Pz-pre with me for gigs so lack of onboard electronics is not an issue. If I were you though, I would be wary of matching the K&K to an Aura system, it isn't really designed to work well with SBTs - but you may find it's fine.

I installed a k&k in my 2013 616ce. If you plan on just using the k&k and not the es1 you have an option without having to drill into the wood. If you try to sell it like that most people probably won't want a hole in it. I bought a new plastic batter pack and drilled a hole to hold the plug. I then unscrewed and pulled the plastic battery holder out and cut a hole in the plastic large enough for the k&k plug to fit in. I secured the k&k plug to the battery holder and snapped it in place. You will probably need to space the plug out with some washers so the battery pack will lock back in place. If you ever decide to sell the guitar as original just take the k&k out and put the old battery holder back in. That way the only "damage" to the guitar is on a plastic piece inside that cant be seen. Mine was a 9v system.

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by xtremekustomz

I installed a k&k in my 2013 616ce. If you plan on just using the k&k and not the es1 you have an option without having to drill into the wood. If you try to sell it like that most people probably won't want a hole in it. I bought a new plastic batter pack and drilled a hole to hold the plug. I then unscrewed and pulled the plastic battery holder out and cut a hole in the plastic large enough for the k&k plug to fit in. I secured the k&k plug to the battery holder and snapped it in place. You will probably need to space the plug out with some washers so the battery pack will lock back in place. If you ever decide to sell the guitar as original just take the k&k out and put the old battery holder back in. That way the only "damage" to the guitar is on a plastic piece inside that cant be seen. Mine was a 9v system.

Sounds like it worked for you!

If I decide to just use K&K Pure then I will probably get one of these:

http://www.truplugusa.com

I will use the end block section and just leave the existing preamp and controls there. It's not as if any one else cares how I use my guitar and although the control knob plug is a nice solution for now I am mainly interested in getting the SBT in the guitar and the signal out without too much trouble.

Hopefully the OP will find an option that works for him too.

[xtremekustomz]

Originally Posted by pieterh

Sounds like it worked for you!

If I decide to just use K&K Pure then I will probably get one of these:

http://www.truplugusa.com

I will use the end block section and just leave the existing preamp and controls there. It's not as if any one else cares how I use my guitar and although the control knob plug is a nice solution for now I am mainly interested in getting the SBT in the guitar and the signal out without too much trouble.

Hopefully the OP will find an option that works for him too.

I can't remember for sure by I think you will have to desolder something inside and a few other things to actually remove the end pin. It has electronics connected to it.

[Troisnoir]

When the ES system (AA batteries) in my 2006 GS8 died, I took the opportunity to change out the system.

I completely gutted the ES system (including removing the neck pickup), plugged the control holes and changed out the jackplate.

I installed a Fishman Ellipse Aura, and like it for the most part. I will warn you, though, the Ellipse doesn't fit properly inside the GS. I was able to modify the installation a little and got it to mount, but the control panel shows in the soundhole, slightly. The bracing isn't back far enough from the soundhole opening to locate the Ellipse properly. It does sound good, though.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

Oops! or any experience with the older ES system thru the Fishman Aura Spectrum?

I tried the ES1.3 system through my Fishman Aura Spectrum DI and didn't notice any beneficial results. I'm sold on the new Taylor ES2 system!

[jjbigfly]

Really appreciate the replies. Wrestling with this issue...trying to make up my mind and this info helps.....
If I change the ES system I will post the results.

[jazzd]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

Really appreciate the replies. Wrestling with this issue...trying to make up my mind and this info helps.....
If I change the ES system I will post the results.

I'd def. pull the ES1, but replacing it w/ the K&K means adding your own preamp too.

So the installed cost could come out to about the same (or in extreme cases more, w/ an elite pre) as just having Taylor do the ES2 upgrade for you, which is a darn fantastic system in its own right.

More reliable when done by the pros too, but if you're skilled at doing the work yourself, you may save a *little $ w/ the K&K.

And again, if you want a good preamp... unless you want to lay the groundwork for upgrading to a full Trinity system someday... I haven't heard any noise from any ES2, ever. That pre is cold silent.

ES2 is also much more ergonomic/user-friendly as a system. Depends on your priorities:

K & K may give you slightly better sound. May not. ES2 is reliable and super user-friendly. Cost should be about equal for either.

[jjbigfly]

As so often happens in life, I started one direction and ended up going another.

I found a Taylor K 4 pre used for a fair price and it has really helped the sound.
The dvd that came with the unit was a real eye opener as to how to adjust the sound by understanding what the knobs actually do.
I do think that the real difficulty is the early ES system and what I wanted it to sound like. It won't and I can't......but seems the K4 can.
Problem solved and now I can go back to figuring out how to play.

[$ongWriter]

Originally Posted by pieterh

I did the upgrade from ES1.1 (the AA battery version you have) to ES1.3 (the 9v version with revoiced preamp and only one body sensor). It was a clear improvement over the original but frankly, I have a love-hate relationship with the ES1. The mids are still over-represented, especially if, like me, you play anywere above the 5th fret. Clearly the notch filters in the preamp can only do so much to compensate for the pickup's positioning (under the neck).

My feeling is that the majority of the vibrations that get amplified in the body of the guitar arrive there via the bridge saddle and that is where the pickup should have been. Having said that, a bridge mag pickup may have may have given a signal that was too bright and lacking in essential low and mid frequencies.

I am considering installing the Pure pickup, haven't decided if I will go TruPlug or just drill a new hole for the K&K output jack. I have the Pure in two other guitars and normally have my Pz-pre with me for gigs so lack of onboard electronics is not an issue. If I were you though, I would be wary of matching the K&K to an Aura system, it isn't really designed to work well with SBTs - but you may find it's fine.

AT one time I owned 6 Taylors...now, none...I will admit I'd love to have one of the NEW 616's or 614's...they knocked it out of the park there. But, I begged them, sent e mails, to put a mid cut sleeve on the outside of the bass button. I think that would have vastly improved the ES. But the did not listen to me.

[pieterh]

The mid cut is definitely what is needed!