Tone issues on my 618

[Guitar Cowboy]

This is  the guitar that I have recently replaced the tuning machines with Gotoh 510s. You may recall I ran into trouble when the last of the six Gotoh screws  broke when I was attempting to screw it in. I previously reported that  the repair and installation of the Gotoh tuning head has been successfully completed. ... but now unfortunately  I have a new problem...

In addition to installing the  Gotohs.  I added a striped ebony TRC  to match my pick guard  and died bone bridge pins  from Bob Colosi ( my third set - the K26 and GS mini already have them) . I strung the guitar up with new Elixir PB Mediums  which is what  they had on them before.

The problem ... the guitar sounds terrible... not at all what the big,bold, bassy,  Grand Orchestra sounded like before ...
So its either the pins or the strings... cant be anything else , right?
I would not think that the bone pins would have that noticeable impact. ..effectively turning my GO into  the largest Ukelele ever made.. OK that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it is very light and tinny sounding

So, my plan is to first change back to the factory bridge pins. Can I do that by loosening the strings only partially or do I have to take them all the way off.?I think I heard of someone here doing that- keeping the strings attached at the tuner, loosening them as much as needed, swapping out the pin and tightening the string back up  .
 
Could it possibly a bad set of strings? Maybe they weren't actually mediums.

Any words of wisdom out there?
Thanks

[Marco Polo]

Hi Steve,

I agree - Strings or pins.

Yes, you can loosen the strings enough (without removal from the tuners) to remove the bridge pins.  I've done this several times.  Before actually pulling the pins, get a capo so the strings don't go everywhere while the pins are out.  You can do one string at a time.  Putting the ebony pins back in is an easy test to get back to baseline.

If you're still unhappy with the ebony pins, replace the strings.  I had a (bad) set of brand-new Elixirs last July (purchased online from Musician's Friend) that made my PS56ce sound dead/waterlogged.  After a week, I changed them to coated D'addario which resurrected the guitar (nice Easter reference there ).  There is a noticeable difference in volume between my PS56ce (light gauge) and my 816ce (medium gauge).

Good luck!

[Guitar Cowboy]

Thanks for mentioning the capo. I might not have thought of that until it was too late.
When I first got my 816ce ( btw looks like we have the same guitar , mine is prior to the rejoicing. Yours?),  I switched out the mediums for lights because  my fingers  couldn't handle it. I am back to the mediums now as my fingers have toughen up . I much  prefer the sound of the medium gauge on my 816 , 618 and K26. Maybe I'll try a different string brand , but I was fine with the previous set of Elixirs.

Thanks again!

[Marco Polo]

Hi Steve,

Yes, my 2013 816ce is prior to the revoicing.  I took it to a road-show to A/B against the new 816s a couple years ago.  There was nothing substantial to make me trade it in, and I prefer the aesthetics of the curly maple bindings.

It is a canon and I love it...just not as much as the cocobolo guitar.

[Guitar Cowboy]

I agree those curly maple bindings rock. One of my favorite aesthetic features  of my 816ce. I played a  revoiced 816 at a recent road show  and I didn't hear anything that would make me consider trading mine.

 Thanks again  for the advice on the 618

[Marco Polo]

Hi Steve,

Agreed that re-voiced guitars are not necessarily better, just different.  Kudos to Taylor for continually putting something new to market.

Any news on the bridge pins or strings?

[Guitar Cowboy]

haven't had time to mess with it , but I will let you know