Taylor T5 knob detent

[ericjungemann]

Hi all,
I have one of the knobs on my Taylor T5-12 where the center detent can't be felt but a very slight 'bump' is felt in cycling open and closed but in different positions.  Not as firm as the other two knobs.

A really awesome guitar, btw.

Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Eric

[Earl]

I've noticed a similar thing on almost all my guitars with the ES system knobs.  Some click in to the detent nicely, where others have almost no perceptible detent.  Wish they were more consistent, but electronic components do vary.  I want the bass and treble to be positive, but I can live with less detent on the volume pot.

[guitarsrsoawesome]

The ones without much detent are called their "baby bump" controls.

Sorry, couldn't resist. 

I've only had two Taylors with the ES and all six knobs seemed to respond the same.

[timfitz63]

I've encountered several ES guitars with 'weak' detents; most of them have been T5's.  Don't know why they sometimes seem to turn out that way, though...

[Edward]

Hi Eric,

A few years back I bought a 2010 preamp/harness to do an ES upgrade ...and found the volume pot had no detent.  Thinking I may have gotten a dud, I called the mothership and they told me that's what they got; so be it.  I ended up doing another ES upgrade on a diff guitar a bit later and, low and behold, the vol pot had the detent back.  Perhaps the parts supplier got it "right," or the factory made a stink and got them to change back? ...who knows.  Perhaps your T5 is of that era?

Edward

[Earl]

While we are on this topic, I would find it useful to have the volume knob slightly different in look and feel to the tone pots.  It is understandable why Taylor would not do this - more part numbers to stock and deal with, and not everyone would like a different look.  But on stage, I can use all the help I can get, and a different volume control can be a good thing. 

I have not yet removed one button and taken it to the local electronic parts warehouse to find something else that would fit the post, but one day......

[guitarsrsoawesome]

It's funny, but I saw a video way back about the ES and on it the guy said that the Bass control is the one closest to your Belly, using the B's as the reference point.  For some reason that stuck with me and has helped me to remember that the volume is the one farthest away...

[ronmcc4]

It's funny, but I saw a video way back about the ES and on it the guy said that the Bass control is the one closest to your Belly, using the B's as the reference point.  For some reason that stuck with me and has helped me to remember that the volume is the one farthest away...

Ahh - that ws helpful. Kinda like lefty loosey righty tighty.

[timfitz63]

A few years back I bought a 2010 preamp/harness to do an ES upgrade ...and found the volume pot had no detent.  Thinking I may have gotten a dud, I called the mothership and they told me that's what they got; so be it.  I ended up doing another ES upgrade on a diff guitar a bit later and, low and behold, the vol pot had the detent back.  Perhaps the parts supplier got it "right," or the factory made a stink and got them to change back? ...who knows.  Perhaps your T5 is of that era?

When I encountered this with a T5-C1 I was considering for purchase, I spoke with Taylor Customer Service and they told me that there was a brief period when one of the pots (and I believe it was volume) was sans detent.  The CS Rep said that Taylor reasoned there was no particular benefit in having a detent on the volume pot, so they eliminated it for a brief period; he never elaborated on the rationale for including it again, but I imagine it may have just been in response to customer inquiries/requests.

However, he did mention that the T5's have always had a detent on all three pots...

[Earl]

When they first came out with the balanced output ES system, the idea was that with the volume set at the detent, it was a 1:1 pass through - no gain, no cut.  The tone knobs are set up the same way too.  So it makes sense to have a detent on the volume knob.  In practical terms it doesn't really matter much, since you are either happy as it is set, or you change it according to the playing conditions.