TAY L O R G U I TA R S T E C H S H E E T / P A G E 1
O f
2
Understanding the Taylor Expression System
®
continued on page 2
© 2007 Taylor Guitars. All Rights Reserved. Patents Pending. Taylor Expression System and Taylor ES are registered trademarks of Taylor Guitars.
active EQ (tone controls). In that instance,
finding a neutral tone spot can be a bit more
challenging but is not impossible. Setting all
the tone controls on the same number is a
good place to start.
4) Slowly raise the mixer or amplifier volume
level to a comfortable level, then adjust the
tone controls on your guitar to suit your
personal taste.
Battery Usage
The 2007 ES requires one 9-volt battery. Taylor
uses and recommends Duracell® for optimal perfor-
mance and long life. A new battery will provide 40-
50 hours of plugged-in use. The ES conserves bat-
tery life using a standard, automatic on/off system.
The ES is in an “off” state until a cable is inserted,
which activates the preamp. Removing the cable will
return the system to the “off” mode and conserve
battery life. An LED battery life indicator is located
inside the soundhole on the preamp circuit board.
(If your amplified tone begins to sound distorted,
the battery most likely needs to be replaced.)
To change the battery, release the clip on the bat-
tery carriage (located along the tail line) by pushing
it toward the input jack. Remove the battery and
replace with a new one, paying close attention to
the positive/negative orientation shown inside the
carriage.
TIP: Batteries can leak if left unused for long peri-
ods of time. When you replace the battery, write the
date on it with a permanent marker to track how long
the battery has been in the guitar.
be “Pro Ready,” which means
it can be plugged directly into
a “balanced line level input”
such as an input on a mixer
using a TRS to XLR cable.
The result is a higher signal
level, which translates into
the ability to drive long cable
distances without any fre-
quency loss, due to the low
impedance of the system.
With this application, you
can plug directly into a stage
snake or recording/mixing
console without the use of a
direct box.
Tone Controls
Three knobs allow for
simple, accurate control of
your guitar’s amplified tone.
Using the knobs to adjust
the bass, treble and volume
will give you the ability to
shape your tone considerably.
We encourage you to experi-
ment with different control
settings.
Control Arrangement
Volume: closest to front of guitar
Treble: center position
Bass: closest to back of guitar
All three controls on the ES are designed to indicate
a center position, commonly know as a detent. By
rotating each knob back and forth, you should feel
a small “bump” at the center marker. For bass and
treble, the center position indicates the “off” or “flat”
mode. The center point of the volume knob indicates
half of the highest volume output.
Plugging In
Follow these simple steps to set the proper volume
and tone levels for your Taylor ES:
1) Start Position: Turn all three controls on the
guitar to the center detent position. In this
position the Bass and Treble are flat and the
Volume is at the midway point.
2) Turn the volume knob on your amplifier or
mixer all the way down. Plug in the guitar.
3) Set the tone controls on your amplifier or
mixer to flat or a neutral position.
NOTE:
Some acoustic guitar amplifiers
do not
have
Volume
Treble
Bass
Y
our new Taylor guitar features the Taylor Expression
System® (ES) — a groundbreaking concept in acous-
tic guitar amplification. It combines a state-of-the-art
pickup system with a “professional audio”-quality
preamp. Taylor Guitars developed proprietary sensing
technology for the ES, utilizing the guitar’s entire sound-
board to create a network of magnetic, surface-sens-
ing microphones. Two strategically-placed Dynamic
Body Sensors™ capture vibrations in the top of the
guitar. A patented Dynamic String Sensor™ mounted
beneath the fretboard measures string vibrations and
converts them into an electronic signal. The advanced
design is seamlessly integrated into your guitar, allow-
ing for total control with three unobtrusive, side-
mounted knobs. Your guitar’s natural tone will sing
loud, clear and true.
Read on to learn more about the ES, recommend-
ed connections, control settings, and battery usage.
Connections
The 2007 Taylor ES is designed to be plugged-in
using a standard quarter-inch guitar cable, which
will work in every circumstance: with an acoustic
guitar amplifier, a standard direct box, or any other
guitar-ready application. The ES also is designed to
L-R: Standard quarter-inch TRS cords (straight and
right angle); XLR (male) connector.
