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Author Topic: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?  (Read 5076 times)

luckyguitar

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Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« on: September 29, 2015, 01:41:47 PM »
So i put the HD lights on my Big Baby and really like them feel and sound. But i tune the BB down to E flat, i would like to put them on my 114 GA witch i have at standard tuning. But a guy at the music store told me only put elixir lights on a GA guitar he said his friend put mediums on his GA Taylor 114 and the action was really high and it played terrible.

I know they are called lights but the higher strings are a medium gauge and the lower gauge are a lighter gauge. So my question is am i safe to put the HD lights on my 114 GA at standard tuning?

Thanks.

« Last Edit: September 29, 2015, 01:45:13 PM by luckyguitar »
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Christhee68

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2015, 02:31:49 PM »
If I'm not mistaken, I believe they designed the HD Lights specifically for GA shapes. I have them on my 314ce--awesome.
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Strumming Fool

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2015, 02:48:37 PM »
Yes, the HD lights were specifically designed for Taylor GA and GC models.
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My Taylor Grand Auditoriums:

1997 Cujo14 - old growth cedar/black walnut
2014 K24e - master grade koa
2018 Custom GA - bear claw sitka spruce/mahogany
2019 614 - torrified sitka spruce/flamed maple
2020 714 - lutz spruce/rosewood

luckyguitar

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2015, 03:46:26 PM »
Perfect thanks :)
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MntnRnnr

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2015, 08:22:29 AM »
Anyone put the HD lights on an older (before they started shipping with the HD lights) GA? If so, did you need to adjust the truss rod at all? Did you notice a difference in sound compared with "normal" lights?
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TaylorGirl

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2015, 08:40:01 AM »
Quote from: MntnRnnr on September 30, 2015, 08:22:29 AM
Anyone put the HD lights on an older (before they started shipping with the HD lights) GA? If so, did you need to adjust the truss rod at all? Did you notice a difference in sound compared with "normal" lights?
I put them on my 2002 414 and didn't need to make any adjustments.
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Susie
Taylors: 914 ◎ K24ce ◎ 414 ◎ GSMeK+
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mgap

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2015, 09:31:16 AM »
I switch between HD lights and Lights on all of my Taylor's.  Grand Auditoriums are all I have, with zero problems..  Enjoy them they are worth it in my opinion. 
« Last Edit: September 30, 2015, 09:32:51 AM by mgap »
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warsmokeeagle

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2015, 10:57:14 AM »
Quote from: MntnRnnr on September 30, 2015, 08:22:29 AM
Anyone put the HD lights on an older (before they started shipping with the HD lights) GA? If so, did you need to adjust the truss rod at all? Did you notice a difference in sound compared with "normal" lights?

I put them on my 1999 814 with no trouble.  I felt like they had a little more presence on the top 3 strings and really gave it a more balanced tone.
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DennisG

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2015, 12:13:52 PM »
Quote from: warsmokeeagle on September 30, 2015, 10:57:14 AM
Quote from: MntnRnnr on September 30, 2015, 08:22:29 AM
Anyone put the HD lights on an older (before they started shipping with the HD lights) GA? If so, did you need to adjust the truss rod at all? Did you notice a difference in sound compared with "normal" lights?

I put them on my 1999 814 with no trouble.  I felt like they had a little more presence on the top 3 strings and really gave it a more balanced tone.

This ... I just don't understand.  Since pre-Andy Powers 814s were already top heavy, I just don't understand how strings that further enhance the higher frequencies can result in a guitar being more balanced.  I get that the strings might be appropriate for the newly revoiced 614s and 814s, but how do they bring an older guitar into better balance?
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Christhee68

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2015, 01:23:30 PM »
I use the HD lights on my 2013 314ce. No truss rod adjustment was needed. From what I've read, the heavier middle strings produce more tension on the top which enhances the bass response. It seems like it works--to me anyway.
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luckyguitar

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2015, 01:37:58 PM »
Hmmm more great points well on my BB they sound great especially after a day of playing on them. I noticed i am getting more clarity over all the notes with just a bit more bass response. I am going to put them on my 114 GA today.
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Strumming Fool

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2015, 01:57:18 PM »
No danger in using the HD lights, but I will say that they are not the silver bullet for all GAs in my experience (I've got 8), so give them a try and let your ears decide...
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My Taylor Grand Auditoriums:

1997 Cujo14 - old growth cedar/black walnut
2014 K24e - master grade koa
2018 Custom GA - bear claw sitka spruce/mahogany
2019 614 - torrified sitka spruce/flamed maple
2020 714 - lutz spruce/rosewood

warsmokeeagle

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2015, 02:08:01 PM »
Quote from: DennisG on September 30, 2015, 12:13:52 PM
Quote from: warsmokeeagle on September 30, 2015, 10:57:14 AM
Quote from: MntnRnnr on September 30, 2015, 08:22:29 AM
Anyone put the HD lights on an older (before they started shipping with the HD lights) GA? If so, did you need to adjust the truss rod at all? Did you notice a difference in sound compared with "normal" lights?

I put them on my 1999 814 with no trouble.  I felt like they had a little more presence on the top 3 strings and really gave it a more balanced tone.

This ... I just don't understand.  Since pre-Andy Powers 814s were already top heavy, I just don't understand how strings that further enhance the higher frequencies can result in a guitar being more balanced.  I get that the strings might be appropriate for the newly revoiced 614s and 814s, but how do they bring an older guitar into better balance?

I felt like my guitar had a really full bass response for a GA (maybe from the Brazilian? maybe from being so much older that it had opened up more? I don't know...) without as much of the same presence on the top 3 strings any time I moved up past the 7th or 8th fret.  It didn't sound bad at all, just with a little less punch than I felt like it needed.  Maybe "balanced" wasn't the right word, but I could tell a difference with the heavier gauges on those 3 strings.  It was what I was looking for.  Does that make sense?

Oh, and I didn't adjust the truss rod.  Haven't noticed any issues. 
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CodeBlueEMT

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2015, 01:23:01 AM »
 I recently tried the HD lights on my 314ce and didn't care for the sound at all. Killed the punchy twang that I love so much. I switched the three offending strings back to lights after 10 minutes.

 I restrung my 524ce with HD lights after trying on a set of Nanoweb PB lights. Taylor got it right using HD lights on the 524ce. I might get brave and try a full set of mediums on the next string change.   
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Shayne

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MntnRnnr

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Re: Elixir Hd lights on a GA Taylor?
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2015, 08:23:28 AM »
Thanks for all the replies - both positive and negative on the HD Lights!

A couple more questions:

For those running HD Lights on a GA, which are you using: Phosphor Bronze or 80/20? (Also, which guitar? - 314, 414, 814, etc...) Have you tried the other version of strings (e.g. 80/20 if you use Phosphor Bronze, or vice versa)?

TIA!


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