Body Sensor Switch

[Go Navy]

Taylor included a number of tech sheets with my 812ce.  One of them (all available on the website for those who are interested) deals with the Expression System.  I didn't know, but learned from reading the tech sheet, that there is a switch on the edge of the preamp circuit board that allows you to turn the body sensor on and off.  When off, only the neck pickup is operating.  In other words, the neck pickup is always "live" when a cable is plugged into the guitar thus powering up the ES, regardless of the switch position.

Does neck pickup only typically produce a mellower, less bright tone?  Yes, I will experiment, but I wonder what the general consensus experience is with this option. 

[mgap]

I believe that  does tone down the brightness, also helps to eliminate backfeed, which is it's main purpose.  This what I have been told, but would not stake but reputation on it.

[dcopper]

The body sensor picks up vibrations from the top which adds to the "acoustic" flavor of the guitar. In most situations, I turn off the body sensor because IMHO, the guitar sounds more natural without the body sensor. Taylor, has gone from two body sensors to one. I always thought that the two body sensors had real problems with competing frequencies or at least with mixing the frequencies from the top vibrations, and IMHO (again) they sounded less than desirable. The single body sensor works much better and if you play any kind of concussive style, the body sensor helps bring that out.
davidc

[Go Navy]

Well, dig this, everyone (regarding my 812ce/cedar top):

Today I switched off the body sensor (in my sublime ignorance, I didn't know Taylors had this switch until after my guitar was delivered).  I jacked the Taylor into the amp's input A (which is a combo XLR input but I'm using a 1/4 inch mono jack currently), switched that input to "Low", cranked the amp's input gain way up, just short of max, set everything at neutral on the amp and guitar, and wait a minute....... "Mama Mia"..... it sounded really great! I use a fairly heavy (1.5mm---Gravity Axis) pick most of the time.  The standard factory strings are on the guitar.  I don't know what gauge they are.

(Note:  on some amps with dual inputs, the EQ on the combo input (A in this case) is sometimes engineered for vocal mics....I don't know if that is the case with mine.  On others, the EQ acts the same for both inputs.  This amp has separate EQ controls for each input. )

I practiced a chord melody arrangement a few times, and then noodled around with a few melody lines, getting around the fretboard.  After awhile, I rolled off the treble just a tad, edged up the guitar's volume knob, and it just got sweeter.

The sustain and clarity of this guitar almost everywhere on the fretboard is surprisingly good (except the low E by comparison----it's merely "normal").  I think it has more natural sustain than my Ibanez jazz guitar, even when you're holding a chord and letting it ring.  Reverb?  Who needs it?  The natural reverb on the Taylor is all you need unless you want to sound like an empty high school gym. Feedback?  None yet, but I haven't cranked everything to the max. using this 100 watt amp.  This setup could sound very sexy with a little chorus, maybe.  I can see myself possibly shopping for a really quiet chorus pedal.