Is it just me or do Taylor guitars sound like SHIT when you

[MaveDatthews]

plug them in? Dont get me wrong they have a great feel to them and sound nice and bright when not amped. But every Taylor I've heard including mine has this really cheap, electronic, artificial crappy sound when amped. Does anyone agree? I used to have a sweet Martin & Co, but i sold it for a Taylor 812CE, the martin sounded amazing when i plugged it in, nice and natural, bassy and bright. Is this just me? The Taylor was much more expensive than the martin. I'd rather have the martin...

[DT]

i dont know, ive always loved martins and taylors, a 714ce is one of my dream guitars and I think it sounds great plugged in.

[Coldchillin]

Expression system...are you deaf? Unless it does't have the ES.

[MaveDatthews]

Yes, 300 series and up has the ESystem, mine is 812CE and thats what im talking about, the expression system sounds like trash to me. Sometimes i feel they are way overrated.
The thing i really, really like about my Taylor is how it sounds and plays when it ISNT plugged in. When its amped, it just isnt that great at all and I definately have an ear for good sound.
Is that a tattoo?


EDIT: No, you are just seeing things.






j/k I did, I realized it was cool and just asked.

[Coldchillin]

ES sounds awesome and yeah it is a tattoo.

EDIT: Did you originally type "I hope that isn't a tattoo"?

[Willin]

You have to check what year your Taylor is. The initial installations of the expression system were plagued with problems and many of them died out. They've finally started getting it right with the ones that have recently been assembled. You'll have to do some more research on this.

I know that I played a brand new 910ce about five months ago and it was an amazing experience.

Try starting here and do a search on the following forums:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php

[helixbaseballstud]

if you can put fishman pick-ups in the taylor, and it should sound phenomenal.

[juineaux]

Are you playing it through an amp or through a P.A. system?

[GuitarGuy305]

The ones I've heard with the ES in them sound alright, but any Taylor without it, I agree sounds tinny and crappy.

There's a local artist here that plays a Taylor. She plugs it in, and goes buckwild on a few songs. It is like nails on a chalkboard because all of the treble is just like sawing at your eardrums.


I'm a Martin man.



Adam

[Tranman66]

plug them in? Dont get me wrong they have a great feel to them and sound nice and bright when not amped. But every Taylor I've heard including mine has this really cheap, electronic, artificial crappy sound when amped. Does anyone agree? I used to have a sweet Martin & Co, but i sold it for a Taylor 812CE, the martin sounded amazing when i plugged it in, nice and natural, bassy and bright. Is this just me? The Taylor was much more expensive than the martin. I'd rather have the martin...

uh... its really funny. If you didnt like the sound, why did you buy it? Cant assume every guitar is the same. I am sure you have tested it out before buying it, but.. then if it doesnt fit your personal reference... no reason to buy it..

[sacdeez]

you might not like the sound because your playing a guitar that was originally meant for finger picking and not hard strumming. i dont know what you play but if your really getting down on it that could be one thing. i have an ES taylor and once you dial it in its unbelievable and i've gotten many compliments on how "acoustic" it sounds versus the fishman "quack" sound that you get with those. I have a taylor with both and i like the fishman but the ES sounds much much better.

[sunglassesatnight]

It's just you.

[MrMister612]

The ones I've heard with the ES in them sound alright, but any Taylor without it, I agree sounds tinny and crappy.

There's a local artist here that plays a Taylor. She plugs it in, and goes buckwild on a few songs. It is like nails on a chalkboard because all of the treble is just like sawing at your eardrums.


I'm a Martin man.



Adam

Yeah Martin's...

Taylors have that brighter sound that more guitars have (ex. Larivee), but no other guitar I've heard sounds like a Martin. Martin has something about them, and every guitar has that sound, even the cheaper ones. I've got a DC-16GTE w/ the fishman electronics and it sounds great plugged in through a Roland.

[trippinants13]

Maybe your amp is shitty. I have a 714ce w/ a peavey ecoustic 110 and the guitar sounds the same plugged in as unplugged.

[T714]

If its the ES system it's a piece of garbage...but i wont get into that again....

Taylors are known for their balance of highs and lows, and particular, what Bob Taylor likes to refer to as "sparkling highs".

I'm a dread kinda guy, so I like and appreciate the boominess of the low end. The only Taylors I've ever played that have boomed are an 810, 910 and a PS10. Taylor likes to dabble with exotic woods, such as Imbuia, maple, cocobolo, sapele, zirocote, and several forms of mohogany. Rosewood has the best bass response, IMO...Tinny sounding guitars will amplify like crap, and give you more racket than amplified tone...

And in your situation, the sound you want depends on your guitar and your amplification. A good amp, such as an SWR California Blonde, an Ultrasound or a Trace Elliot TA100 for example, are great amps that accurately amplify the subtle characteristics and voicings of acoustic instruments. Trace Elliot are the best quality, and if you look at Boyd's set up on stage, thats what he runs through.

In short, you also need to take into consideration of why you are amplifying your guitar. Full band settings require good amps and guitars such as the Chet Atkins SST (please dont buy the Epiphone, if you want plywood go to Home Depot). If you are a soloist or coffee-shop folkist, then consider getting an L.R. Baggs Paracoustic D.I. for your tone shaping needs.