Modding a Taylor ES harness for a baggs Ibeam or Element in Pos 1

[dustybottoms]

Crazy question. Has anyone ever tried to unhook the ES body sensor, put a Taylor harness on an lr baggs ibeam, or element and use it with position 1? Reason I ask it because I have these 2 pickups laying around and can buy the Taylor harness for $30. I'd have to splice the harness onto the bags pickup but it seems like it should work in theory. This way the guitar could be easily switched back to stock if needed. ...but if it works, it could be awesome?

[dustybottoms]

Not much activity on here? 

[Edward]

You're asking a pretty specific/narrow question that's pretty much off the reservation so no surprise you've got no replies.

It "seems" like "it should work" but physically splicing a different pickup into a harness designed for a specific pickup ignores the impedance differences and DC resistance between the stock body sensors and the IBeam.  With passive pups, as in most electrics, one can swap pups with abandon, and one gets a wide range of tonal differences.  With an active-preamp system as the ES, the likelihood of "swap and it'll work" decreases ...but not to say it wont work.  BTW, there is an active and a passive IBeam system, so there's another variable to account for.

You also mention that you're trying to switch out of the ES body sensors.  You can also try switching out of the ES fingerboard pickup as that is another option for you.

Your answer is to try it for yourself, and then report your findings here.

Edward

[dustybottoms]

You're asking a pretty specific/narrow question that's pretty much off the reservation so no surprise you've got no replies.

It "seems" like "it should work" but physically splicing a different pickup into a harness designed for a specific pickup ignores the impedance differences and DC resistance between the stock body sensors and the IBeam.  With passive pups, as in most electrics, one can swap pups with abandon, and one gets a wide range of tonal differences.  With an active-preamp system as the ES, the likelihood of "swap and it'll work" decreases ...but not to say it wont work.  BTW, there is an active and a passive IBeam system, so there's another variable to account for.

You also mention that you're trying to switch out of the ES body sensors.  You can also try switching out of the ES fingerboard pickup as that is another option for you.

Your answer is to try it for yourself, and then report your findings here.

Edward

Edward!  Thanks for the response.  I appreciate you responding with an open mind.  I know that doing things like this (or even asking the question) to some is downright blasphemous.  I have people almost mad at me for asking questions that are outside of the box.  I can't help myself.  I love tying new things and experimenting for sake of curiosity.  I have actually stumbled upon some pretty great things this way.  In theory, I would not be modifying the guitar in any way other than unhooking the body sensor harness.  (I will leave it inside the guitar still in case the experiment goes awry, i can simply plug it back in to stock).  The beam i have comes from an old Imix onboard (barn door) system.  The pickup itself should be passive correct?  It doesn't really become active until it is engaged into the preamp right?  In theory, (assuming the harness surgery goes well and the impedance etc all jives) its essentially the same thing.   Just a pickup swap. 

Also, in reference to the neck pickup,  I'm actually pretty ok with the stock neck pickup.  In fact, I have been gigging on position 2.  I've been using position 2 into a Bodyrez setting on my voicelive 3 and its pretty nice.  I could probably even live with it.  If I have any luck with the ibeam, I may have 2 usable positions on the guitar. 

[dustybottoms]

I just realized that I never even specified I'm using a T5.  Details. 😊

[Edward]

When you said "position 1" I gathered you were talking T5

If you perform the surgery, let us know what you find

Edward