Taylor Baritone 6-String, Руководство пользователя

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Our commitment to great acous-
tic tone doesn’t end with the guitar. It
includes the realm of amplified sound
for players who want to plug in and
convey all the great acoustic nuanc-
es they love about their Taylors. A
guitar’s shape, its wood pairings, and
the technique of the player together
create a unique tonal character, and
we think that voice deserves to be
heard when the guitar is plugged-
in. After all, many gigging acoustic
players stake their livelihood on their
live sound, and they want a pickup
that sounds natural, is reliable, and is
easy to use.
We decided to develop our own
acoustic pickup, the Expression
System
®
(ES), because other after-
market pickups like a traditional piezo
transducer had never managed to
produce a true acoustic sound. We
started by studying how a guitar
resonates. We worked closely with
legendary pro audio designer Mr.
Rupert Neve. Ultimately, our product
development group designed a high-
fidelity acoustic pickup and preamp
that are fully integrated into the
guitar. We’ve been installing it in our
guitars since 2003, and some of the
biggest names in music, from John
Fogerty to George Strait, rely on it
for a great acoustic sound on stage.
The ES incorporates a network
of magnetic sensors that work like a
microphone to capture the acoustic
detail coming from the guitar’s body
and neck as they resonate. Two body
sensors affixed to the underside of
the guitar’s soundboard (top) cap-
ture all the sonic detail of its move-
ment, while the neck sensor picks up
string and neck vibration. A pro audio
grade preamp cleanly boosts the sig-
nal and eliminates noise that might
otherwise distort or muddy the tone.
The result is amplified acoustic tone
that sounds like you and your guitar,
with all the richness, articulation and
dynamic range you could ask for. It’s
also highly feedback resistant.
Another goal of the ES design
was to offer easy-to-use tone con-
trols without intruding on the beauti-
ful aesthetic of a Taylor. With three
soft-touch roller knobs elegantly
embedded in the upper bout of the
guitar, you can adjust your volume,
bass, midrange and treble frequen-
cies, allowing you to dial in your
sound to suit the performance space.
The latest version of the ES (updated
in 2007) allows players to turn off
one or both body sensors with a
switch on the preamp board inside
the soundhole, features a battery
indicator LED, and includes a fused
string ground to protect players who
play at venues that may not have
proper electrical ground.
Although the ES was originally
designed with performance in mind,
the sound quality is good enough
that many players and recording
engineers also use the ES signal for
recording.
In the end, the ES will satisfy
the most demanding pro player, yet
makes it simple enough for anyone
to plug in and get a great live tone.
Even if you’re not quite ready for that
open mic night, with the ES, your
guitar will be ready to go when you
are.
The ES comes standard on
acoustic/electric models from the
300 Series up and is optional on
models in our acoustic line.
ES-T under-Saddle
Transducer / 100 & 200
Series
Inspired by our Expression
System technology and installed on
our 100 and 200 Series, the ES-T
®
is a single-source, under-saddle
transducer with individual elements
for each string. The ES-T has an
onboard preamp and the same
active controls found on the full ES.
Featuring a custom-voiced EQ and
dynamic response, the system is
powered by a 9-volt battery, with a
battery life LED power indicator
(which is lit when the battery is being
used). The pickup also has a Phase
switch for feedback control, which is
located on the preamp board inside
the soundhole.
ES-N / Nylon Series
New for 2010, the ES-N applies
our ES pickup technology to our
Nylon Series. It’s similar to the ES-T,
but the preamp design and tone
controls were customized to comple-
ment the nylon-string voice. Our
standard ES control knobs replace
the Fishman EQ control unit formerly
installed in the guitar’s upper bout,
adding more tone-shaping control
and preserving the natural design
aesthetic.
ES Installation and
Retrofits
Whatever model of acoustic gui-
tar you own, whether an older Taylor
with pre-ES electronics, a model
without electronics, or even another
brand of acoustic, our Factory
Service Center can install or retrofit
the Expression System. A retrofit
for “classic” Taylor necks (featuring
a one-piece, pre-NT neck design)
incorporates the same type of a
neck/string sensor used on the stan-
dard ES, only the pickup housing is
mounted in the soundhole. The Baby
and Big Baby can be equipped with
an active under-saddle transducer
($150).
• The ES install adds the ES to a
Taylor that doesn’t currently have
electronics, or a guitar that has
other electronics inside the body
of the guitar and won’t present an
obstruction to the installation
process. NT neck design only.
($500)
•
The ES retrofit
is used on a Taylor
that has the Fishman Onboard
Blender, Fishman Prefix or the
L.R. Baggs pickup used on the
Doyle Dykes Signature Model.
Side-mounted controls fill the
existing preamp hole in the guitar.
($500)
•
The ES upgrade
will modify your
ES-equipped Taylor guitar from
the former AA battery power
source to the 9v system currently
used. The latest version of the ES
also includes a fused string
ground, battery indicator LED, and
switches that allow you to turn off
the body sensors.
($300)
• The ES-NC (no controls) is an
option for customers who want
the ES electronics but also want
to preserve the pure acoustic
aesthetic of their guitar. This
version features the ES sensors
and preamp, but has no volume or
tone controls. The pickup installa-
tion also features a standard
endpin jack along the tail line
instead of the ES battery carriage.
(The 9v battery is housed inside
the soundhole.) ($500)
ES installation includes our
Refresh service package. For more
information, see our service pack-
age listings on page 53, or feel free
to call Taylor’s Customer Service
Department at (800) 943-6782.
The performance-ready expression
System faithfully reproduces your
Taylor’s natural voice
The K4
Another Taylor tone-
shaping product that we feel
deserves a place in any seri-
ous musician’s toolbox is the
K4 Preamp and Equalizer. Like
the ES, it incorporates the
ultra-musical analog circuitry of
Mr. Rupert Neve and expands
the degree of tone control
of the ES, allowing you to
precisely shape your guitar’s
tone by honing in on the notes
or frequencies of your choice
and then cutting or boost-
ing them to taste. It’s perfect
for studio or home recording
and live performance. Among
the K4’s features are a tuner
output, phase reverse switch,
headphone jack, and an effects
loop, which allows you to use
reverb, a stomp box, a volume
pedal or other effects and
maintain a balanced signal
chain. Multiple, transformer-
coupled balanced outputs give
you routing flexibility, enabling
you to drive an amp, PA or
both. The K4 is also handy for
enhancing the amplified sound
of other types of acoustic/
electric guitars. If you like to
detail your tone, the K4 is an
essential piece of gear.
Tip: Because of its flexible,
smooth EQ section, the K4
can come in handy in a mixing
session. Try using the K4 as a
channel insert on your mixing
console the next time you do
a mix.
electronics
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