AA ES vs. 9V ES - When did Taylor Guitars make the change?

[Bill Evans]

Does anyone know the month and the year that Taylor Guitars moved from the AA ES to the 9V ES?
And, can anyone provide details of each system showing the differences?

Thanks.    Bill

[Edward]

Hi Bill,

At a loss for the month.  But Taylor went to the 9v system in the 2007 model year.  This 9v preamp not only offered markedly better battery life, but it was also revoiced.  Bottom line is less mids, less "metallic" electric-guitar sounding, and simply better acoustic tone.  It is a significant difference, IMHO.

In 2010, Taylor went to their 3rd-generation ES system, revising the 2-body sensor to a single-body sensor, and the preamp was also reworked.  The guts went to "discrete" components, and it was revoiced again for less mids and better, more "natural" acoustic timbre.  I agree wholeheartedly. 

While I personally think the tonal improvement from the AA system to the first 9v system was more substantial, this latest-generation ES simply sounds more like an acoustic guitar when plugged in.  Having owned all incarnations, I personally found myself having to do less "drastic" EQ-ing with each ES version.  This current version really can go straight to the board/PA and sound like a good acoustic, and though I still choose to EQ a little (with a Baggs Venue), it is merely mild tonal shaping just to "sweeten" the tone up a bit. 

Not only have I owned guitars with each ES generation, I've gone through upgrading from the 3v. to the 1st-gen 9v, as well as going from the 9v to the current 3rd gen. ES.   So for anyone with a pre-2010 ES who is interested in going up the the current system, I'd highly recommend it.  Just IMHO, of course, but the tonal benefits of the upgrade are obvious and significant, and well worth the modest cost (buy the sytstem from Taylor and have a local authorized Taylor tech do the installation, otherwise the factory wants big bills+shipping).  If you are looking at new Taylors, then this doesn't apply to you of course, but I thought I'd add that bit o' info for anyone who may be curious.  Hope that helps you a bit

Edward

[Bill Evans]

Thanks Edward.

Very helpful thanks. I have a 412CE Fall 2011 Ltd., so that will be a 3rd generation system. But, I am now buying an 814CE (S/N 1110280106) and was wondering what generation of ES that might have? When in 2010 did Taylor move from their 2nd generation ES to the latest 3rd generation? Is it easy to tell? I guess I would need a mirror maybe to check inside the body?

Thanks again. Cheers. Bill

[Saxacat]

Thanks Edward.

 When in 2010 did Taylor move from their 2nd generation ES to the latest 3rd generation? Is it easy to tell? I guess I would need a mirror maybe to check inside the body?

Thanks again. Cheers. Bill

Bill,

My GA-Ke only has one body sensor, so I believe (although I'm not an expert here) that I have a 3rd generation system.
The serial number decodes for the 19 Jan 2010.


Eddie

[e8n]

You can always call Taylor with the serial # and they should be able to tell you which one you have.

-Dave

[DennisG]

Thanks Edward.

Very helpful thanks. I have a 412CE Fall 2011 Ltd., so that will be a 3rd generation system. But, I am now buying an 814CE (S/N 1110280106) and was wondering what generation of ES that might have? When in 2010 did Taylor move from their 2nd generation ES to the latest 3rd generation? Is it easy to tell? I guess I would need a mirror maybe to check inside the body?

Thanks again. Cheers. Bill

I called Taylor to find out if my 814 had the 3rd gen ES.  I read the person the serial number and was told that, yes, it's 3rd gen.  After reading a thread on AGF about how to self-diagnose the ES, I discovered that my ES has two switches in it, and therefore it's a 2nd gen, not 3rd.

Bill, just look through the soundhole at the circuit board.  If you see only one little switch on it, it's 3rd gen; two switches, 2nd gen.

[Edward]

Beat me to it: number of switches, exactly.

FWIW, whenever I consider a used Taylor, I personally figure in what system it has in it (or is lacking).  That has to figure into the price, IMHO.

Edward

[Bill Evans]

Hi Guys,

You've all been very helpful. Much obliged to you all.   Bill

[Bill Evans]

Thanks Edward.

Very helpful thanks. I have a 412CE Fall 2011 Ltd., so that will be a 3rd generation system. But, I am now buying an 814CE (S/N 1110280106) and was wondering what generation of ES that might have? When in 2010 did Taylor move from their 2nd generation ES to the latest 3rd generation? Is it easy to tell? I guess I would need a mirror maybe to check inside the body?

Thanks again. Cheers. Bill

I called Taylor to find out if my 814 had the 3rd gen ES.  I read the person the serial number and was told that, yes, it's 3rd gen.  After reading a thread on AGF about how to self-diagnose the ES, I discovered that my ES has two switches in it, and therefore it's a 2nd gen, not 3rd.

Bill, just look through the soundhole at the circuit board.  If you see only one little switch on it, it's 3rd gen; two switches, 2nd gen.

Confirmed! It is a 3rd gen ES. One body sensor. Thanks again for all your help.

Bill

[Bill Evans]

See this:

.

One body sensor right? But, what is the flat sensor near the pre-amp?

Thanks.  Bill

[Herb Hunter]

One body sensor right? But, what is the flat sensor near the pre-amp?

Thanks.  Bill

That is the hum bucking coil.

[Gutch]

Hum canceling dummy load for the magnetic pickup under the 20th fret.

[Bill Evans]

Hum canceling dummy load for the magnetic pickup under the 20th fret.

Ah. OK. Got that. Thanks.   Bill