Nylon Question

[Cooperro]

Easy question. I'm getting excited about the new nylons - 214ce-N and 512ce-N. I know their differences, but would like to know if they'll sound that much different through a PA or amp? Yes, I figure unamplified will be sonically different, but do they all start to lose their character and start sounding the same once amplified using the ES nylon system?

Any insight would be appreciated...

Thanks,
Bob in South Florida

[jjrpilot-admin]

I'm not sure...but have a free bump to the top.  I'm sure someone knowledgeable will chime in. 

[Edward]

Hi Bob,

Sorry I can't speak to the specific issue of an ES with nylon strings, but having used a number of diff Taylors into a system, I'd say there is a definite difference in timbre because of the woods, and that the ES does a good job of "translating" the wood choice when amp'd.  For example, mahog b/s translates differently in the house than rw, and again maple ...as does a cedar top vs spruce.  You can hear it; it's pretty obvious that each different wood combo is coming through the house system. 

That said, I think there is a markedly smaller difference in body shape/size that translates through to the house tone.  So if one were deciding between, say, spruce/rw among the GC, GA, and GS bodies, that is a much smaller (almost negligible, IMHO) tonal difference through the ES-into-house than comparing those guitars to a cedar/rw.  Well, IMHO anyway.  Sorry, but looks like you're going to have to buy the guitar that sounds better to your naked ears. 
Hope that helps you.

Edward

[Cooperro]

Thanks Edward. That was a very coherent and helpful answer.

Bob :-)

[gdeleo]

I am kind of in the same boat.  The difference between the 214 and 314 is $XXX.  Is it worth that much for a solid wood guitar vs. a laminated one??  Are there any opions out there that can help?

[DennisG]

I am kind of in the same boat.  The difference between the 214 and 314 is $XXX.  Is it worth that much for a solid wood guitar vs. a laminated one??  Are there any opions out there that can help?

Gary,

Not to be evasive, but whether or not the difference between the two guitars is worth $600 is entirely up to you.  Everyone's ears are different and everyone has different tone preferences. Apparently there are groups of people on both sides of the issue, since both guitars sell well.  The only sane advice I can offer is to go audition both of them and see for yourself.

[Cooperro]

And that's gonna be the problem right there. I doubt I'll find any store down here with both a 214ce-N and a 512ce-N at the same time. Nylons aren't usually stocked - I've seen the NS214 at various times, and a NS74 just once, but never two different models in the same store.

Of course, South Florida is devoid of culture, so that says a lot right there.

Bob

[michaelw]

if i'm interpreting this correctly, looking at Taylor's shows the electronics for all of the -N series
(200-900) as being the ES-N, which is an active UST with a pre-amp voiced for the Nylons

without a body sensor, the only input source for the electronics is the UST, which would
be similar  in concept to using the older fishman prefix pro on the NS3/4Xce, although the
5, 6 & 7 series had the pro blend with SBT & both systems were also voiced for Nylons

whether it will sound the same through a PA or amp, i believe it would have to be physically compared, as the 512ce-N is
cedar/mahogany, the 11 fall NS24ce would be closer as the LTD has a cedar top, whereas the 214ce-N has a sitka top  -
i can try out an 11 fall NS24ce, but i don't have access to a 300/up -N to compare the two plugged-in though

hope this helps a little, anyways