Taming The Taylor ES-2 Pickup System | How to EQ Your Guitar Properly
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- čas přidán 17. 06. 2022
- Many of our visitors in the store and online ask about their acoustic guitar pickups-- often times, they're experiencing feedback, a "tinny" treble sound, or just an overall lack of understanding on how to get the most out of their pre-amp/pickup system. Today, using the Taylor ES-2, Chris is going to give you some real pro tips on how to tame and EQ your pickup properly for the best possible live sound.
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I bought my first Taylor 2 weeks ago and turned to this video because I was very unimpressed with the ES-2 system (though the guitar is great). I thought there would be some discussion about adjusting the 3 Allen screws behind the saddle and I was really surprised that it wasn't mentioned. The Alamo channel is my trusted 'go to' for all musical matters so I thought this was strange. Perhaps a revisit to the subject is needed!!
Check the guitar spa channel by mr. Jarvis. Reach him, he ever mentioned it and explain it
Agreed! Being too close to the manufacturer may alter your objectivity?
Great video. Easy to follow, informative and delivered in a concise manner.
Been a follower of yours and The Store vids for quite a few years.....thanks for explaining the reason for a DI Box and the turning down treble instead of cranking up the bass first. Thanks again from Bill in Florida 👍🏻
Super helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge, experience, and expertise
Great stuff explaining signal path and what impacts it. Thanks!
That was so helpful! I was doing everything wrong and hated my live sound. Now I have some experiments to perform.
WOW Thank You Chris for this detailed run down of the Taylor Expression system. I have a Taylor 214CE KOA and the D string feedback was so annoying when plugged into an old Crate acoustic amp. The amp really sounds great but not with that guitar in particular. I have Yamaha and Alvarez guitars that seem to not have this issue through the same amp. Your adjustment of the phase switch on the preamp board solved the problem. There is no phase option on the amp in this case. You saved this guitar from the trade in pile for me. I love all the videos you and your store do. Very informative and love the playing too. Thanks sooooo much.
Best discussion of the Taylor system I’ve ever heard. Very useful, thanks!
super helpful info, especially direct box content
Great tips here Chris!
Wow, I’ve had my Taylor 816 for seven months and never liked playing it plugged in, I’m half way through this video and tried turning down base and treble all the way and I love the sound
I read your comment a couple of days ago and it stayed in my mind. I have struggled to find the “right sound” for me playing a Taylor 317e through a Fishman artist, anyway I turned down the base and treble to max and likewise have a great sound with picking and especially noticeable with strumming.
Hey Chris I appreciate your informative video on Taylor guitars.
Excellent! Very informative video. Thanks!
Thank you, Chris!! This is an excellent video!!!
Thanks for the insight!! Lots of good info here. Appreciate it!!
Very informative, excellent explanations!
Awesome explanation! Thank you for this.
I have a soft spot for the piezo "quack" because it's the sound of the 90s. The Dave Matthews Band, MTV Unplugged, every rock band's token acoustic song: it was all that piezo sound. I grew to love it.
Agree, Pearl Jam's unplugged and Tesla's 5 Man Acoustical Jam are also excellent examples.
Same
Great video! Very useful!
Excellent information. Will work on subtracting with the EQ. Thank you!
It made wonders on the amplified sound of our 322 through a Stagepas.
Perfect!! Great video!!
Nicely done. Nice to get a comprehensive view, well articulated. TX!
I'm glad you answered that question... ; )
Excellent video
And that guitar is an AD17e BLK I got from Alamo. Planning to be in SA July 12-15 and planning to stop by the downtown store a couple blocks from where I'm staying. Thanks.
Thanks for a great explanation of the signal chain, and how the instrument (or vocal) hits the PA. monitor, and recording mixes. Yes, it's more than a three-ring circus of mixes on Sunday mornings, and the all-volunteer tech team and praise band (choir's off for the summer) is sometimes prone to calling for "more gain" in the stage monitor mixes, rather than "more volume," which confuses both the operator(s) and the outputs to the mixes. Presentations like this are a great help, especially as we'll likely add additional monitor mixes on the board to separate the chain of stage monitor speakers. We're more aware of the lively acoustics in the 1905 church space (adding a ground circuit took care of the 60 cycle hum from the knob-and-tube wiring system; single hot wires from the attic through an appliance to the actual ground), with all the sound sources feeding energy into the room (PA from the stage outward, monitors from stage front hitting the back wall reverberating outward, singers holding the mic farther away and picking up the horn player...) I concur with centering the controls first. Next, let your sound engineer adjust the mix(es). Johnny Guitar, leader of the Moon Doggies band of Valdez, AK, mixed sound at the first Salmon Jam music festival in Cordova and told me when he was taking a short break between groups that, "Every band will tell you they need their own adjustments." Not a problem, as I was observing and setting things up on stage, so when the next group set up, I was told they needed to make some adjustments. The engineer will be back shortly, I can take a note. They went back to the stage, and we never heard anything about making changes. Yep, centering everything is a good place to be, less likely to get bucked off when balanced. I'm sending out the link to this! 🤗Thanks, Chris, and Gabe O'Brien, too!
so true, too may ways to adjust sound quality, too many sources, causes a lot of confusion and bad sounds.
That was very helpful. I never knew some of this stuff and made a lot of mistakes.
I think that the demo of the LR Baggs acoustic pedals made the AD Flametop sound very realistic and the best sound from a Taylor that I have ever heard. (About 2 months ago)
THANK YOU! I got a 110e, sounded nice unplugged, but when I plugged it into the acoustic amp I got really disappointed. I actually thought there was a condenser mic (like the presys blend 301) hidden somethere because it would produce some feedback on some certain notes and a shitty sound overall, but after some exploration I found a blue pickup under the saddle (This one doesn´t have the 3 dots behind the saddle). I changed the position of the white phase switch and the sound became what i was expecting from this guitar. This video REALLY helped, excellent explanation about sound and EQ, Thanks again big time.
Thanks so much for this. You really helped me understand the ES 2 on my K24 CE. I will remember.....subtract first!
Excellent info ! THank You !
Very helpful. Thanks!
I often watch the Alamo Music Center videos even when I am not interested in the subject just because listening to these guys is comforting like listening to the British shipping forecast
Great presentation and thanks! Just got a 618e and this really helped. Chris is very good at explanations!
Thank you so much for this video, Chris! Perfect timing. I bought a used Marshall AS100D amp several years ago and most times had the feedback issues you described with adding bass and internal effects etc. All I really want is amplified acoustic and most times it sounded like crap through the amp. I made adjustments you suggested and guess what? No feedback and sounds good with my Taylors and Gibson. I'd like a little chorus dialed in. Any other suggestions? Just subbed by the way.
Thank you. Perfect knowledge for my Taylor 214ce Jumbo and my Fishman Loudbox Artist. 👍👍💯💥
Great video, Chris. Thanks to your years of experience, the simple explanations of phase, feedback and impedance make it easy to understand. 214 CE-K owner here. Love the natural sound of the ES-2. I have a Fishman LoudBox Mini, and have also played through Godin amps and Bose PA systems.
I also have a 214 CE - K, it was built in 2014. I assume it has the ES-1 system because it does not have the three dots on the saddle, am I assuming correctly?
When your going through Bose do you use a pre amp with the 214cek?
@@leedouglasmusic the Taylor ES-2 consists of a pre-amp in the body of the guitar and under-saddle pickup. So no need for another pre-amp, you just plug right into the Bose PA. The on board pre-amp is powered by a 9 volt battery. It's good to carry a spare so you're not caught short. Taylor says the battery is good for 40 hours plugged in - even if you're not playing. Unplug after playing to get more useable battery time.
Amazing. Thank you so much!
Clear and engaging. Thanks.
I bought my K-62ce mostly for its plugged-in sound. The ES-2 sounds just fine.
It's interesting that you don't get into adjusting those 3 screws. No doubt we could get into a world of trouble messing with those.
Very informative thanks
Good job! 👍👍
Fantastic!!! Thank you for clarifying. I learned tons!!!! This made me subscribe to your channel even though I have watched you for a couple of years!
great basic info about how to get you signal set-up from the guitar through to the p.a./mixer...
A big thank you!!!
Thanks for sharing
Very good & thorough explanation not shying away from the acoustic complexities. Thank you.
excellent . well presented and very clear. I would have appreciated hearing the difference between es2 and older under saddle piezo. Do you have that video elsewhere?
I just bought a new 214 CE plus. But compared to my gs mini ESB and my ovation the output is about 60% of those guitars running straight into an amp. Also running into a direct box into a Behringer S16 to an X32 compact the signal is very low. Switching from the ovation to the Taylor in that system, the sound tech had to up the gain from 16 to 34 just to get a similar volume level. Is there something wrong?
This is the best guitar channel on the internet today. Nothing else is close.
Have a dumb question. Why do you not see maple fretboards on Acoustics?
@@douglasboyd8475I think Ebony is a much better choice for fretboards. It is more dense and less prone to warping under climate changes.
I'm not certain if it's just my ear but I set my taylor at 3 o'clock on the bass,and 9 on treble.
Love taylor but they seem overly bright on the highs.
Not impressed with their pick ups,but they all have their issues.
Great video
Just bought a 214 ce. I have it running into a Fender SFX 2, which is a great amp. I've found keeping the bass on the guitar at around 1:00, which is actually turned down from the center position keeps the sounmd balanced with no feedback. This is great pickup system. Way better than my LR Baggs M1A soundhole pickup. Very small adjustments will get you where you want to be.
Well I just plugged mine in first time and it seems like its not so great.... Also did your 214 come in drastic need of a set up?
@@easilyoffended7772I’ve got a 214ce and I made small adjustments to the three allen keys. I just followed the Taylor instructions that came with the guitar. Worked great. I sold the rest of my acoustic guitars and just use the taylor. You should be able to find the instructions on the website. You could also just take it to a Taylor tech.
Thanks Chris. I've been wondering about this. I have 2 Taylor's and a fender 40w acoustic Amp and I've tried everything to get a realistic sound.
Same here! I have been very frustrated with the amp, now I will go back armed with new knowledge!
@@EddyfyingArt so guys, did it work well with you?
Chris, Thank you so much for the excellent explanation of the ES system. I bought a used 2014 114e I bought last year and this really helped. Much appreciated!
Great content! By running the eq flat do you mean keeping them at 12 o clock or do you mean rolling them down all the way? Thanks for the help!
Generally, “flat” eq means setting your knobs at the halfway point, neither cutting or boosting any frequencies
@@erichscheel873 thank you so much! Very helpful.
Great video. I always like it when you talk about amplification. I have a much better understanding of the Taylor pickup system, and how it differs from under saddle transducers. To me, it seems very similar to the K & K Pure Mini, which has three transducers attached to the bridge plate.
Very similar to k&k because it also is piezo tech without the pressure of being under saddle. The benefit the ES2 has is the adjustability but they are both great.
Volume control is what I’m curious about. Turn the amp down and have the guitar at 10 or turn the amp up and have the volume at 5. Will either one give me more sustain or compression?
Thank you
From the original PDF.
Connections
The Taylor ES is designed to be plugged-in using a standard quarter-inch guitar cable, which will work in every circumstance: with an acoustic guitar ampli- fier, a standard direct box, or any other guitar-ready application. The ES also is designed to be “Pro Ready,” which means it can be plugged directly into a “bal- anced line level input” such as an input on a mixer using a TRS to XLR cable. The result is a higher signal level, which translates into the ability to drive long cable distances without any frequency loss, due to the low impedance of the system. With this application, you can plug directly into a stage snake or recording/ mixing console without the use of a direct box.
Which is it. TRS recommended or not?
It explains it right there in the literature.
A ¼” connection will work no matter what. However, a balanced signal chain is almost always the recommended and preferred method in the world of pro audio.
I was really hoping this would have advice on how to get a full clear tone out of these guitars rather than the boxy tone you get with the unaltered direct sound.
Thank you, very helpful. A guy in a local guitar shop said that the Taylor pickup system is not that great, I should geht a Martin. Trouble is, I like the Taylor sound so bad... any tips for me?
Should you “adjust down” on the guitar before plugging into an acoustic amp or mixer? I use a Loudbox Artist and go through a Taylor K4 equalizer. Maybe I just have too many options. I used to get a great sound using the K4 into a 1994 Roland Blues Cube 310 but I don’t notice as much difference with the Loudbox. I may be switching to a Sire A4, Thanks Chris for sharing your knowledge with us.
Great question, I have a Fender Acoustic Jr. But despite I find sound I like, is more through trial and error playing with the dials, and still wonder if I should max out the guitar and play with the AMP, viceversa, both or none of the above 🙄
It’s best to start with the guitar EQ flat.
I use the Loudbox Artist too. I could see how the K4 would be useful into a Blues Cube, but the amps are made with different styles of playing in mind, so the Fishman wouldn't have the same context issues (for lack of better term) that the K4 attempts to solve.
I'd be interested in knowing how the K4 into a Blues Cube compares to running directly into your Fishman. Which do you prefer?
What PA system are you using in your Quality Control department as your reference for setting the proper equalization.?
Like the channel but not sure what they are not mentioning the fact that Taylor has reduced the ES2 output level for guitars built beyond 2019 to the point that you need to add an external pre-amp before plugging into a Mix Table. Have had a very bad live session experience due to that with a very weak and poor guitar sound on a 914CE V-Bracing 2019!
Moving forward, I'll be using my TC VoiceLive2 as the guitar pre-amp.
Thanks for the great video. The part when you were talking about DI and effects is still unclear to me. I own a Taylor 214 ce-K DLX and BOSS GT1000Core effect processor and wonder if I can run it without any DI directly to a LINE input on a PA mixer.
What did you recommend having the settings at if using LR Baggs voiceprint DI I have a 214 CE
So when you speak of the gain level on the PA board being the same as the knob on the guitar -are you talking the Master volume level or the line level or both? I use a a Boss Acoustic Singer Box that feeds 2 XLR inputs into my PA board..
I've never been able to goe past 1 or so on the master level volume on my PA board
Oh my good when you say the nature of the pickup being not under pressure makes it very sensitive, you can say that again. You can not touch the strings on my 816 with a pick without getting a scratching sound. Also the string noise is so difficult to avoid. So sensitive. Should I look into adjusting the pressure in the crystals?
Thank you for this video :).
Question, specifically, how to do we adjust the string volume now that we have that option on the ES2? Taylor is very weak on explaining this. Which is odd, considering that they have now built that in the ES2.
Hi Chris, I have a beautiful 2012 GS custom built for the 2012 Taylor Road Show that I ended up purchasing in 2014 at a discounted price. It is a beautiful looking and sounding guitar....until I plug it in. It has the ES1 system. When I plug it into our church sound board with the cable that has the 1/4 inch on one end and xlr on the other, it sounds thin and bad. The only time it sounds good plugged in with that cable is when I plug it into my nice little Fishman Loudbox mini amp. I bought an LR Baggs Session DI that I plug it into when I lead at our church which really helps. Yesterday, I played with a group at a Christian school and though my guitar was plugged into my Fishman, they wanted me to plug into a monitor so we plugged into the back of my Fishman output to their amp and the sound coming out was thin and bad...again! Should I just get an ES2 system installed in it? I really like my Taylor but now I`m wondering if I should have bought a Martin D18 for that lush, warm sound that I`m looking for. Thanks so much for posting.
Ron
My 2022 Taylor 314e sounded great at the store going directly into a Fishman LoudBox. Took it to band practice and got the most shrill sound I've ever heard. We have Mackie 1402VLZ4 14-channel Mixer. Wether going straight into the mixer or using my Zoom AC-2, it just sounded awful. Any suggestions? The was set up by a Taylor tech, so let's assume we don't need to address the issue with the guitar. Any pedal or settings on the guitar or mixer that could help?
Thank you for such an interesting and very nicely presented video. I recently bought a 814 ce from an unhappy home. It sounds amazing acoustically, but at my first open-mic with it last night it was unbelievably shrill through the PA, and we had to mic it up instead. I’m so disappointed! It had sounded OK (I thought) through my small guitar amp at home. Anyway, just watched this vid, and have a lot of things to try. Thank you so much!!
Did you gst a chance to try some different settings? How’d you go?
@@darrenreeves8159 yes thanks Darren. I decided to take it to the big dealership. The salesman (bearing in mind we’d never met) was excellent. I had spoken to the tech on the phone the previous day, and was expecting to book it in. But the salesman simply launched into a whirlwind of activity, and had it fixed in 10 mins. He said it would have taken him that long to book it in anyway!
It was only a matter of correcting the tension in the three pots. I think I had them backed off too far. But anyway, after he’d finished it sounded great. He grabbed a similar guitar off the wall, and compared with mine on his amp. Well, I couldn’t tell the difference. He got it right first time. 😃
It feels slightly out of my league at the moment, so I’m not going near the tools again! 🙄
I’m so pleased. Everyone loved the sound at the last open mic, (despite my playing!), and I can finally relax and properly enjoy my investment!!
Thanks for your thoughtfulness, and very best wishes to you!
Oh that’s great to hear. Thanks for the reply.
Sorry, did I miss the part about sorting out the tinny sound? Is that the thin and quacky(?) sound you’re referring to?
Thanks really
So, I was shopping for Taylor 814ce 2017, x brassing, mainly to play in the church. Then I came through all the negative comments about he ES2 systems. I’ve Boss AD10 fir acoustic, will that help guys? Cause I’m still interest to get the 814ce. Kindly advise.
I recently bought 414ce vclass and have had issues with it being so bright particularly with high e and b strings (like ear piercing) and low mid to low. How would you recommend taming this? Do you ever back off bridge hex keys?
Did you buy it new or used?
@@Dakota.Covers I bought new
@@bradnoel3746 Got it. I only ask because I had an earlier version of an ES2 pick up on a previous guitar and it was very hot and harsh. They tweaked the design in future ES2 models which improved the sound. This may not be the case for you since it is a brand new guitar. What I would do first is call Taylor guitar customer service and get their thoughts. On the guitar that I had issues with, I did back off the tiny screws next to the bridge but that did not help the issue for me. If you do adjust the screws, it only takes a very small amount of turning to make huge changes. You may also want to try to keep track of how far you turn each screw in case you want to get it back to where it was. I can’t remember but I believe that there are some instructions that come with the new guitars which explains how to approach these adjustments. Not sure. Again, I would start by calling Taylor Guitars customer service.
God bless you
gracias
Just bought a builder's edition 324ce and my first gig is tonight. This was very helpful!
Question for anyone: should my guitar be going into a DI before or after my pedalboard? I use loops, reverb, delay, wah, and overdrive when I'm playing acoustic.
after your pedal board
I have a GS mini E rosewood with the es-B system. I can not get a good sound with it, I have tried low signal from the guitar and high to higher etc, signal from the guitar. I have had two 514-CE's one with fishman system and one with the balanced system with body sensor. I have owned a Martin 00016C gtre with the Fishman system and never had these problems. I think I am going to have to take that system out and put something else in it. I have tried adjusting the string sensors in the bridge from very low tension and up. This particular system in this particular guitar is awful.
I have put under saddle systems in two baby taylors and a Yamaha nylon string guitar and never had these issues. A friend at Church as a Taylor 324 with the lr baggs system and it sounds very good.
So if I keep playing with a patch chord under 25’ then I can ignore all of those fancy gadgets you explained? Thanks
at 3:39: "If you know of guitars that come equiped with a balanced output that uses a trs or xlr connection leave them in the comments below". Very pleased to say I have a Taylor 814ce (with the ES2) but I also own a Wechter NV-5413ce. Wechter have since gone out of business (a shame since they made really good guitars) but at the time this acoustic model was (and probably remains) the ONLY mass-produced purpose-built Nashville tuned guitar. It has a Fishman Presys+ but the connections are the normal unbalanced AND an XLR! When I'm tracking with the Wechter I run the XLR cable straight into my Presonus StudioLive 24-track desk, results are excellent.
On my Taylor 110e (which looks just like the guitar you are holding here), when i plug into my electronic tuner everything works as it should until i try to tune the g string and then the tuner goes crazy and will not stop until i go to a different string. What could be causing that? I can use a regular unplugged acoustic tuner and it works fine. I tune all 25 of my other guitars with the electronic tuner and they all work fine. Weird.
How close is the pickup sound to the acoustic sound of the taylors? The way the pickup works makes me think that you get a "generic" acoustic sound that has nothing to do with the tone wood and shape of the guitar. Am I right?
Not necessarily correct, the tone wood and everything still comes through a piezo, but to try and truly get a good acoustic tone you need to blend the piezo and a mic, or an IR of a mic and you can dial in a tone that really sounds like your sitting on the living room
The pickup system in my 324ce is very quiet compared to my 110e pickup system and they're supposedly the same systems. New batteries in both guitars so idk what's wrong with my 324ce
Depending which year they likely have different preamps with different output.
What about the LR Baggs Venue DI with the Taylor 812ce run thru a sound board/mixer at church, being more than 25ft. away from me? The LR Baggs Venue DI box would be the same as the DI box you are showing here?
So how do we EQ the ES-2 system? Like ... specifics. Roll off 250, 800, 1K. Boost 8K?
Thanks for doing this video. Question. On the phase switch, is the default position up or down? Thanks.
Down
Thanks for the info. I still don’t like the es2 system I’ll stick with my takamine pro series guitars best preamps for me so far.
Man ive tried them all! Fishman Prefix and LR Baggs Element are way better than the es. Want a good affordable preamp? BBE Acoustimax. The ES system sounds like a coffee can full of pennies and angry bees rolling around in the back seat of a 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass in a state fair demolition derby.
Chris I plat a Ibanez acoustic with Fishman equipment what cable and Amp?
Ibanez AW417CE has balanced output thru XLR
What is a "notch" on a preamp system on an electric acoustic guitar.
When you say flat are you referring to the controls being at the detent or rolled all the way down?
At the detent. From there you can cut or boost.
Can I add a Transacoustic Double OS1 to my Taylor and play with both?
I have a takamine and it is a bit bright just need to tame it down a bit ? Help please 😊
Man, ain't nobody doing a video on the bridge pickup hex adjustments
How do wireless transmiters figure in....still hi impedence?
It does not really become clear from your video or other manuals in what position the phase shift should be in case you want it to be turned off (or on of course). Can you tell me that?
Piezo quack is the bane of my existence lol
how do you know if the phase switch is on or off?
On most preamps, it is neither on, nor off… it is just a matter of inverting when you get feedback. Probably the ES2 is the same. Interestingly, every PA / board/ amp will be a little different. So, even without feedback, I will invert the phase on my LR Baggs Stagepro Anthem, just to see which sounds the best..
I’ve owned several tailors and each one I battled it being trebly in the mix and it’s really hard to get it out