Taylor acoustic into an Axe-Fx III

Maddface

Maddface

Inspired
Really enjoying the axe fx 3! It’s a very inspirational tool. Being new to fractal I’ve only played through the presets and downloaded some patches, which is super easy to do. I’ve searched a little about running an acoustic through the axe. Seen Some YouTube videos that have some great tones but there’s many conflicting ways to do it. Some say use irs and some say don’t. Some say tube amp some say no amps. What’s the best way to run it? Thanks!
 
Maddface said:
Some say use irs and some say don’t. Some say tube amp some say no amps. What’s the best way to run it? Thanks!
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as you've discovered, there is no "best way." it's whatever you prefer. i personally don't use an amp block at all - just compression, eq and whatever effects i want. some use the Amp block and the Tube Preamp type for a bunch of EQ options. some use an IR to change the fundamental tone of the acoustic.

try them. decide what you prefer.
 
chris said:
as you've discovered, there is no "best way." it's whatever you prefer. i personally don't use an amp block at all - just compression, eq and whatever effects i want. some use the Amp block and the Tube Preamp type for a bunch of EQ options. some use an IR to change the fundamental tone of the acoustic.

try them. decide what you prefer.
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Chris, are you using anything special to boost the input signal? Taylor recommends a balanced signal into whatever device for best sound. Using a unbalanced signal into the axe drops input almost half I believe. What are your recommendations?
 
No AMP block here for acoustics, either. But a little Tape Drive from the DRV block can be nice. As can some Mic Preamp from the CAB block which you can get with the NULL IR in the block.

You can boost a quiet input with a FIL block set for flat and just using it to jack the level into the rest of the chain.
 
Maddface said:
Chris, are you using anything special to boost the input signal? Taylor recommends a balanced signal into whatever device for best sound. Using a unbalanced signal into the axe drops input almost half I believe. What are your recommendations?
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a guitar sends an unbalanced signal. the Axe-Fx is designed for guitars. i don't understand why Taylor would recommend a balanced signal. can you point me to where it says that?

if needed, i just increase the level of a block that i use. if you use the Amp block, you have a lot of level available (various gain and volume controls). i wouldn't worry about the balanced thing. electric guitars produce even LESS level and those work great.
 
If you have a good sounding acoustic there is no need for IR's or amp's. Unless you are going for a certain sound. I have two Taylors, a K26ce and 756ce. They sound great on their own and I plug them directly into the instrument jack on the front.
 
chris said:
a guitar sends an unbalanced signal. the Axe-Fx is designed for guitars. i don't understand why Taylor would recommend a balanced signal. can you point me to where it says that?

if needed, i just increase the level of a block that i use. if you use the Amp block, you have a lot of level available (various gain and volume controls). i wouldn't worry about the balanced thing. electric guitars produce even LESS level and those work great.
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Taylor’s first expression system is a active balanced signal designed to use with a trs/xlr balanced cable for optimal tone. I’ve played a Taylor through one of these cables directly to foh and it sounds awesome. Going from that to ts cable loses half the signal and a lot of mojo.


More info.....

It's not the cable that's doing something special, but the preamp itself. On the older Taylor systems, the preamp puts out two kinds of signal, depending on what sort of cable you use. Using a regular TS instrument cable gets you an unbalanced signal that is appropriate for short runs to a combo amp or the 1/4" line input on a mixer. Using the TRS to XLR cable you got with your guitar gets you a balanced, low impedance, mic-level signal that can go directly into an XLR mic input on a mixer (usable for long cable runs and more resistant to interference).
 
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Maddface said:
Taylor’s first expression system is a active balanced signal designed to use with a trs/xlr balanced cable for optimal tone. I’ve played a Taylor through one of these cables directly to foh and it sounds awesome. Going from that to ts cable loses half the signal and a lot of mojo.


More info.....

It's not the cable that's doing something special, but the preamp itself. On the older Taylor systems, the preamp puts out two kinds of signal, depending on what sort of cable you use. Using a regular TS instrument cable gets you an unbalanced signal that is appropriate for short runs to a combo amp or the 1/4" line input on a mixer. Using the TRS to XLR cable you got with your guitar gets you a balanced, low impedance, mic-level signal that can go directly into an XLR mic input on a mixer (usable for long cable runs and more resistant to interference).
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oh i see. it's not that the signal is balanced. it's that they designed it to use a balanced cable - like an XLR cable. that's all. balanced isn't "better" here just because it's balanced. it just wasn't designed to use a 1/4" cable.

so in that case, yes, use Input 2 since it has... wait for it... balanced inputs :) place Input 2 block on the grid and go from there to whatever Output block you need.
 
chris said:
oh i see. it's not that the signal is balanced. it's that they designed it to use a balanced cable - like an XLR cable. that's all. balanced isn't "better" here just because it's balanced. it just wasn't designed to use a 1/4" cable.

so in that case, yes, use Input 2 since it has... wait for it... balanced inputs :) place Input 2 block on the grid and go from there to whatever Output block you need.
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This is awesome news! 2 guitars plugged in at same time going back and forth and being able to use balanced signal to optimize Taylor’s preamp. Time to setup some acoustic presets!
 
We're using a Tube Pre amp block for acoustics (no cab). Saves a line since it's coming down the stereo pair that the electric comes down. We've got 4 channels of wireless in the rack so the acoustic just gets one of the packs. Sounds great as long as I don't forget to switch to the acoustic preset :)
 
Great thread, it made me realize that I should experiment with ampless presets with my new Rick Turner guitar and bass , both of which have preamps built in.....
 
chris said:
oh i see. it's not that the signal is balanced. it's that they designed it to use a balanced cable - like an XLR cable. that's all. balanced isn't "better" here just because it's balanced. it just wasn't designed to use a 1/4" cable.

so in that case, yes, use Input 2 since it has... wait for it... balanced inputs :) place Input 2 block on the grid and go from there to whatever Output block you need.
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the early ES system was def balanced. also, preamp was designed by Rupert Neve. once they fixed the loud B string issue with the neck pickup it was a glorious system! imho ;-)
 
chris said:
oh i see. it's not that the signal is balanced. it's that they designed it to use a balanced cable - like an XLR cable. that's all. balanced isn't "better" here just because it's balanced. it just wasn't designed to use a 1/4" cable.

so in that case, yes, use Input 2 since it has... wait for it... balanced inputs :) place Input 2 block on the grid and go from there to whatever Output block you need.
Click to expand...
So I tried experimenting today with the acoustic. Input 2 are left and right inputs. Is there anyway to to make it a stereo output? Right now when I plug in the xlr cable I’m only getting one side cause of input 2 being a left and right.
 
in the Setup menu (from the home page) set Input 2 to Left Only.
Maddface said:
So I tried experimenting today with the acoustic. Input 2 are left and right inputs. Is there anyway to to make it a stereo output? Right now when I plug in the xlr cable I’m only getting one side cause of input 2 being a left and right.
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I'm using an Avid 11 rack (on waiting list for Axelll) and use a Taylor T5. I use a Taylor K4 Preamp/EQ into the 11r with no amp block....sounds absolutely awesome!

I can't wait to get my Axelll as I'm sure it's going to sound even better.
 
Tonematch/IR can be great if you get a great mic’d Acoustic recording and match that to the piezo on the guitar.

Put the block in parallel and mix to suit.

I’ve used carbon fibre guitars where I’ve done this and people raves about the guitar sound
 
As Chris said. There is no 'best way'.

I have always been unsatisfied with tonematch solutions. I've used the Tube Pre, or no amp, maybe some mild compression, EQ if necessary, and FX to taste. It all depends on the song either I'm trying to emulate, or the tone I hear in my head for what I'm writing.

Don't get caught up in 'how it's done'. Start with a simple block with nothing but shunts, and play with each option until you find something that sounds 'right' to you. It won't be hard.
 
Maddface said:
Really enjoying the axe fx 3! It’s a very inspirational tool. Being new to fractal I’ve only played through the presets and downloaded some patches, which is super easy to do. I’ve searched a little about running an acoustic through the axe. Seen Some YouTube videos that have some great tones but there’s many conflicting ways to do it. Some say use irs and some say don’t. Some say tube amp some say no amps. What’s the best way to run it? Thanks!
Click to expand...
For my acoustic sound on my ernie ball..I use the tube pre as my "amp" block with comp and reverb. IT gets that nice mic'd acoustic sound with lots of air under it.
 
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