So whats all the hub bub over the GS mini

[dougboy1970]

Just got off the phone with Taylor and the phone tech said that the GS Mini is NOT setup for a balanced cable.  Though I still find it odd that I can play through mine, which I think surprised him that such was the case.  When i do, I definitely find the tone to be less tinny sounding than when I use my regular monster acoustic cable, but there is definitely less volume, which I have to compensate for on the PA.  I'm still curious about why the connecting cable coming directly out of the pickup appears to be TRS (see pic above), and I'm also curious as to why the TRS cable still works on mine, though with less decibels.  I again want to apologize to captain Jim for leading him to buy one when TRS isn't meant for the mini or the 1 and 2 series guitars, only for the full-fledged pre-amped ES's in the 3 series and above, and again offer to purchase it from him, though I know he wants to keep it in his "bag of tricks" for future use.  I hope you all will forgive my zeal for TRS cables with Taylor products...got a little ahead of myself when discovering the difference it can make for a regular ES system. 

[Edward]

Hey there doughbough,

The whole concept of balanced signal (or low-impedance) is not "native" to most ...it's kind of a "geeky thing" that gearheads get into.  So don't feel too bad about it

FWIW (and simply FYI if you're interested), it's no surprise the balanced cable works.  The "TRS" is the tip-ring-sleeve of the 1/4 phono plug that corrolates to the 1,2, and ground of the XLR end (can't remember if that's the exact pinouts, but you get the idea).  The "ring" part is of no consequence to the ES-Go (as well as the ES-T of the 100/200 guitars) ...it is connected literally to nothing.  So the guitar's unbalanced "hot" signal (from the ES-Go/ES-T) simply goes through the "tip," and the ground through the sleeve, and ends up in the right places on the XLR end (again, with zero signal from the unused "ring" to pin).  So whatever you're plugging that XLR into, be it a PA or mixing console, it will "see" this "hot/ground" signal as regular ol' high impedence ...exactly as if you were using a regular guitar cable; no difference whatsoever, despite the cable ends being different.  Hope that makes better sense of it. 

Edward

EDIT: BTW, I just now saw the pic you included.  Who knows how that 1/8" jack is wired to the output jack!!  Is the "ring" even being used?  Or is it serving a specific function when it goes into the endpin jack (in which there may be circuitry in there).  One can't make the assumption that the "TRS" on that 1/8" plug directly corrolates to the output of the enpin jack.  Remember that hi-impedance is the norm with pickup systems; low-impedance is a higher-end perk that offers the user an additional mode of plugging in.  So if it's not touted/marketed explicitly as a benefit, it's safe to assume it's a regular high-impedance (unbalanced) system.  FWIW, Taylor speaks of it in ther ES-equipped guits (300 series on up), and many acoustic-guitar amps likewise advertise low-impedance inputs as an extra feature to their wares.

[dougboy1970]

Hey there doughbough,

The whole concept of balanced signal (or low-impedance) is not "native" to most ...it's kind of a "geeky thing" that gearheads get into.  So don't feel too bad about it

FWIW (and simply FYI if you're interested), it's no surprise the balanced cable works.  The "TRS" is the tip-ring-sleeve of the 1/4 phono plug that corrolates to the 1,2, and ground of the XLR end (can't remember if that's the exact pinouts, but you get the idea).  The "ring" part is of no consequence to the ES-Go (as well as the ES-T of the 100/200 guitars) ...it is connected literally to nothing.  So the guitar's unbalanced "hot" signal (from the ES-Go/ES-T) simply goes through the "tip," and the ground through the sleeve, and ends up in the right places on the XLR end (again, with zero signal from the unused "ring" to pin).  So whatever you're plugging that XLR into, be it a PA or mixing console, it will "see" this "hot/ground" signal as regular ol' high impedence ...exactly as if you were using a regular guitar cable; no difference whatsoever, despite the cable ends being different.  Hope that makes better sense of it. 

Edward

EDIT: BTW, I just now saw the pic you included.  Who knows how that 1/8" jack is wired to the output jack!!  Is the "ring" even being used?  Or is it serving a specific function when it goes into the endpin jack (in which there may be circuitry in there).  One can't make the assumption that the "TRS" on that 1/8" plug directly corrolates to the output of the enpin jack.  Remember that hi-impedance is the norm with pickup systems; low-impedance is a higher-end perk that offers the user an additional mode of plugging in.  So if it's not touted/marketed explicitly as a benefit, it's safe to assume it's a regular high-impedance (unbalanced) system.  FWIW, Taylor speaks of it in ther ES-equipped guits (300 series on up), and many acoustic-guitar amps likewise advertise low-impedance inputs as an extra feature to their wares.

Thanks, Edward, you have taught me much.  I too get into all the geeky "how things work" and enjoy this kind of talk.  And though I'm not particularly overweight, Doughbough will now stick with me forever.

[Captain Jim]

I just gotta say, I am enjoying the heck out of my GSmini.  It doesn't play as well or sound as good (kind of a back-handed compliment, huh?) as my 114ce, but I pick up the Mini first these days.  Maybe it's because we're about to head out for a summer on the boat and the Mini is what I'll be taking along... or maybe it's because it weighs next to nothing... or maybe it's because it sounds better with the ES-Go through the small Roland Cube ST that will go with us on the boat?

I did get some buzz with the ES-Go when run through a TC Helicon G-xt.  One can say it's because of a grounding issue, but there was no buzz with the 114ce, same cables, same wall outlet.     I installed the pickup grounding cable and the buzz went away.  Sounds good, couldn't be easier.

I would think it would be smart for Taylor to sell the GSmini as a package: with the grounding cable on the ES-Go AND a V-cable.  Really, that V-cable is slick!

Captain Jim