A friend of mine recommended that I try out a T5. He was raving about how cool it looked, and how you could switch from acoustic sound to a full-blown electric. I was a little dubious, considering that that’s really just modeling, and frankly, it was nothing new to me). Parker Guitars did this with “The Fly” well over a decade ago. But to be fair, I went down to my local GC to check one out and see what all the hype was about. So, under the guise of “Honey, I need to run some errands. I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” I ventured to my local GC, and played it for over an hour. The following is the result of that session with the Taylor T5:
Oops! Before I start on the actual review, I played the T5 through three amps: A Fender Acoustasonic Junior, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and a Roland Cube 30.
Fit and Finish:
All Taylor guitars look great, and the T5 is a real beauty. I played a T5 with a beautiful royal blue finish – very sexy. The T5 also lives up to the Taylor standard of construction – all their guitars are very well-built. As far as acoutrements are concerned, personally, I’m not a real fan of low-profile knobs (when I’m in the middle of a song and want to make an adjustment, I want to be able to feel the knob – ooh, that didn’t sound good), but the knobs on the T5 fit in with its design nicely.
Feel and Playability:
The T5 has a nice narrow neck – very similar to my Strat and Ovation Acoustic/Electric – which I love, so moving around on this neck was amazingly easy and very comfortable. Acoustic players who are accustomed to wider necks will need a little time to get a feel for the neck, but should adjust pretty quickly. I had an easier go of it myself from playing my Ovation. When I first got that guitar, I had a bit of a break-in curve, but now it’s the type of neck I prefer.
Sound:
I know that I may piss some people off when I say this, but as far as sound was concerned, I was a bit disappointed. Based upon my conversation with my friend who raved about it, and lots of glowing reviews I read on Harmony Central and Musicians’ Friend, I was expecting a lot more with respect to tone – especially since the T5 starts at $1999, and goes up from there. I used the same evaluation process on the three amps I played the T5 on: On both amp and guitar, I started out by setting all the tone knobs to the mid settings. Guitar volume was set to midline, and since I was in a shop, I had to set the Fenders pretty low (they use logarithmic volume pots), while the Cube 30’s gain could be cranked while leaving the volume at a comfortable level. From there, I played the guitar in three different ways: 1) Fingerpicking; 2) strumming (using a straight sweep strum, and a percussive, attacking strum); 3) Then just playing various lead patterns in clean and high-gain modes.
Played clean with fingerpicking and lead playing, the T5 was very nice on all the amps; great clarity and sustain, though I really had to pump up the bass and turn down the treble on the amps to achieve a rich sound – especially on the Hot Rod Deluxe which, even with brightness off, plays pretty bright. Strumming in clean mode was pretty ugly on the Fenders – the guitar sounded like an acoustic plugged into an amp – very flat sounding, and no amount of EQ tweaking or reverb helped. Plus, when using a percussive strum pattern (think Michael Hedges), I would get an annoying popping sound. Probably has to do with the very touch-sensitive pickups, added to the touch sensitivity of the Fender amps. On the Cube 30 though, since I could apply some chorus, the tone cleaned up quite nicely, and helped dissipate the high end. If I was to use the T5 clean with a straight tube amp or acoustic amp, I’d run it into a compressor, a chorus, and then run the entire signal thorough a sonic maximizer – and possibly add an EQ pedal to texture the sound better.
In high-gain mode on the Hot Rod, the T5 actually sounded very nice. Even though I had to play at a lower volume, I could crank the drive and get a real nice distortion out of the T5. I think this is where the body vibration from the hollow body comes into play. It actually sounded a lot like my ES-335 in that mode; very pleasing to the ear, with a big, rich sound. With the Roland Cube 30 in the modeling channel, the T5 performed great with the gain at about midway, using the all the non-acoustic amp models. In the acoustic model on modeling channel, the T5 actually sounded VERY good, but then again, that’s a modeled sound.
Overall:
The Taylor T5 is a pretty nice guitar. Would I pay two grand and up for it? I don’t think so. I look at this guitar as being similar to a Line 6 Variax 700, which has a lot more features and guitar models built into it, and costs more than half the price less (I know, the T5 is NOT a modeling guitar)! Then again, I wouldn’t buy a Swiss Army Knife type of guitar period, mainly because even though it may sound real close to what it’s modeling, it’ll never get the exact voicing that the original gives you. For instance, if I want a thin, single coil sound, I’ll use my Strat. If I want a richer, boomier presentation, I’ll use my ES-335 (I’m also in the market for a Les Paul Double Cutaway, which I just adore). For acoustic/electric work, I’ll use my Ovation shallowbody.
I’ve played the T5, it’s a nice guitar. I think I’m going to wait for the VXT to come out before I decide on buying one.
I own a T5-C2. I also own a Variax700T, and several other guitars.
Goofydawg has it wrong regarding the T5 doing modeling. It is not a modeling guitar, and its acoustic pickup is very different from the standard (brittle sounding IMHO) piezos on most acoustic electrics. The T5 has its own voice, not emulations of other guitars like the Variax does. The both have their places. The T5 is better suited for studio work, and the Variax is great for live.
The only issue I have with my T5 is that it has high levels of hum and buzz (and yes I pay attention to ground loops and coupling). It’s a brand new 2007 vintage. Anyone else have hum/buzz problems with their T5s?
My T5 arrived with the best setup I’ve ever played right out of the box. An amazing work of art.
—
mkp
My bad on the pickups, and no doubt it is a beauty, but I still wasn’t impressed enough with it to pay the premium to get one.
hi
well i got my T5 about 6 months ago, std-all black. play it thru a roland ac60. overall i love it. i have a 814ce, that i also think is great…so i was primed to like the taylor feel in an elec. i find i do not change the settings too much, but goofydawg is right on about knocking down the treble to deepen the sound. the only other problem is the hum……especially on settings 3 and 5. and i do not have a grounding problem, this is a guitar problem. i went back to the music cntr and checked out some other t5’s… same thing.
taylor knows there is an issue and are instituting a fix…a string ground in the new t5 versions. i spoke with cust serv this week and they are sending me the fix, but either i install it, or pay someone else to. i will probably have my guitar repair guy do it, since when i called him he knew all about it and said he could likely resolve the problem completely.
anyway, on setting 1,2 and 4 there is no hum. so i have been using this. i like to run the output thru a line6 floor pod, but i am just as pleased playing right into the roland with a touch of chorus, delay or reverb. nice instrument.
byron123
My Taylor T5 Buzzes terribly even unplugged.Any help?
Looks like you’ve got some action problems. Did you recently change strings to a lighter gauge? String buzz sometimes happens when you do that, and you have a low action. The neck will bow, causing a buzz when you strum. You could adjust the truss rod yourself, but I don’t recommend that. For an expensive instrument like the T-5, I’d bring it into a luthier and have the guitar set up. It could cost anywhere from $40 to $100 depending upon what you have done. If you’re in the Silicon Valley area, the best place I’ve found is in Los Gatos, called appropriately, “The Guitar Hospital.” They do great work!
GoofyDawg
I’ve owned a custom koa T5 for a couple of years. Unlike GoofyDawg, I was looking for one guitar to keep me from switching between several at a gig.
The T5 fits the bill, though the acoustic sound leaves a bit to be desired. I’m willing to live with the compromise since I usually process the sound and the guitar is a true joy to play.
I think Taylors are approaching Gibson and Fender for having that “X Factor”; That combination of artistry and playability that makes a guitar something more than just a musical instrument.
My current guitars:
1967 Telecaster
1984 Ovation Collector’s guitar
Godin Acousticaster
Takamine Acoustic/Electric
Baby Taylor with Fishman Pickup
Taylor 612ce
Taylor T5
I’ve also just ordered the new Gibson es 339. Hope it captures some of the old Gibson mystique I used to love.
Try an Ovation EA68 VIper. SOunds better than the Taylor T5 hands down.
The Viper is a VERY nice guitar, but it’s still a thinline acoustic/electric as opposed to a hybrid. However, since you’ve mentioned Ovation, I’m really liking the Ovation VXT. All I can say is WOW! I’d take this over a T-5 any day.
Speaking of an EA68 Viper…I’ve been looking for a natural one, anybody got any ideas?
Thanks,
Jeremy
That’s a tough one to find. Almost every retailer I looked at has nothing but black, though Ovation’s site lists a Natural finish available. Your best bet would probably be to call one of the retailers directly and speak to someone personally.
Hey…ref the buzz…even when not plugged in…IT IS THE LID ON THE BATTERY BOX LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE GUITAR!!!! I went through all kinds of hassles with it…was told action, strings, frets, etc etc….IT IS THE LID ON THE BATTERY BOX!! Poor design…great guitar with lemon battery lid. Can be fixed wwith a small piece of foam between battery and lid. There…that will be $50, see me in a week.
And…..just got t5 for Christmas…God I love that girl…she saw me slobbering over it in the store and purchased it for me…my question is…will the warranty cover the hum fix on settings 3-5? Otherwise, after fixing the battery lid thingy, I can sit and play that thing all day…as a matter of fact…I do!!
Acoustics being my first love, the T5, being an acoustic-semi rather than a semi-acoustic, is about as electric as I want to get. This is the second one I’ve had, the first being an absolute dog which, all credit to Taylor, was replaced incredibly quickly (especially so, considering the fact that it is a lefty!). This one was set up perfectly and has stayed that way, so no stability problems. Also it is the first guitar that I’ve not had to cut the nut’s string slots to the correct depth.
I agree with goofydawg about the neck (and the rest of the guitar) being comfortable. But regarding the neck width: at the nut it is the same as my Ovation Elite, however, because Taylor don’t round off the fret ends so much, it seems to have more room.
It is a real pleasure to play. Being a flat-top helps in that respect. I like its subtlety – it isn’t ‘in your face’, the controls and pickups are nicely discreet.
There are, however, four things that would make it perfect (for me at least):
1. A zero fret
2. A wider ‘hidden’ pickup. Pick the e’ string down and check the volume, now pick it up – note the volume change, that’s because it barely reaches the outer courses.
3. Dump the parallel and serial switch alternatives. I defy anyone to tell the difference in a blind test.
4. Fit the full ‘expression system’ (it beats piezos hands down) and use one of the redundant switch positions (see point 3) to switch to pure acoustic.
5. Offer a satin neck option.
Oops, I meant five things.
Epiphone just put an “acoustic” pickup right at base of the neck on its new LP – it’s VERY hard to see. Not sure how it sounds, but I think a neck pickup like that would really help the T5 in that respect.
I just go a T5 and noticed that when I strum some notes the back battery plate buzzes anything i can do?
Michael,
I know it probably would be an inconvenience, but for the amount of money you spend for a T5, a manufacturing flaw like this is totally inexcusable. I’d go back to where you got it from and exchange it for another one.
Just my 2-cents-worth.
GoofyDawg
Had my T5-C2 about a month now. I’m very satisfied with it. Initial setup wasn’t very good, but wasn’t hard to fix either – shim the bridge, a bit of neck relief.
Agree that you need to cut the treble a bit to get the right sound. I like what it does for jazz and blues. I wouldn’t use it for bluegrass or metal. To my ear, the 5-position switch produces 5 very similar sounds; the T5 is nowhere near as versatile as the Taylor promotional material would lead you to believe.
But sound is aways subjective and problematic. I think most of the complaints about the T5’s sound relate not so much to the sound actually produced, as to the sound someone hoped or expected it to produce. It has its own distinctive personality; it’s not an ovation and doesn’t try to be. Certainly it would be silly to spend over $2K for a Taylor if what you want is an Ovation.
What I hear is a nice, hollowbody electric sound with slight solidbody suggestions, but definitely more in common with a fat jazz box than with a Strat. For the jazz/blues/pop stuff I use it for, it works easily well enough to justify the price. I wouldn’t try to extend it too far outside that range unless I had an open-minded audience.
Thanks for the honesty! You’re right. Tone is purely subjective. For me, it’s not that I dislike the T5’s tone. I just expected something – different. And I suppose that if I took one home, I could tweak it to its sweet spot for me, but at $2700 I just couldn’t justify it.
Well, this may lead the discussion off topic a bit. My infallible opinion (if there were a better opinion, I would hold it instead!) is that what has become the “expected” dead-center-perfect tone for all of the various musical styles, has evolved through the efforts of those who defined the style. So we look at the pioneers of rock, country, metal, blues, jazz, etc. and we see everyone working to emulate the sound those seminal musicians produced.
And the fact is, most of those musicians weren’t all that wealthy, and their guitars tended to be very affordable. Sure, some tweaking has been done in every style, but it remains the case that anyone can nail the “classic” sound for nearly everything a guitar is used for, for under $1000 (not counting the amps, which can run up the tab a bunch.)
So the question becomes, what exactly are you buying if you pay triple the price (or more) of the guitars that set the standards? How can any sound be regarded as three times as “good”? Is it supposed to somehow be even more standard than the standard? How?
So I looked for a unique sound, look, build quality, general feel that I couldn’t get otherwise. And yeah, you gotta really love all that (and be flush) to justify the price tag. I would say that for the large majority of guitarists, no possible guitar could justify $2700, especially when you can always duplicate the “ideal” sound for your chosen music for a good deal less. The T5 will probably never been the guitar of choice for ANY sort of music – not enough people can afford one.
Great historical insight that helps frame this topic a bit.
And I totally agree with your assessment that it really doesn’t take an expense instrument to sound good. As many great guitarists have said, “You tone’s all in your hands.” The guitar gets you your base sound, but it’s your hands that manipulate the strings that give you your tone.
Glad you’re happy with the T5. It’s a nice guitar, and it looks like you found a good niche for it.
My next guitar that I’m working towards is a G & L Comanche. It’s got what might be considered a “hybrid” humbucker (they call it the Z-coil). Very cool. It kind of sounds like a Strat, but with a much fatter tone.
I’ve just sold my T5 koa and bought a ’54 reissue strat instead. Perhaps it was just problems with the individual guitar and I’m sorry for being on a downer, but;
1. Trying to keep it in tune was virtually impossible. I had the guitar tecs check it out several times, had the bridge professionally readjusted, tried different string gauges and types etc., etc., but to no avail. Not a problem in the studio, but a total pain during gigs…I was hitting the tune-up pedal after each number!!
2. Feedback; yes, I know all hollow bodied guitars suffer from the same problem, but this guitar howled….and not in a good way.
3. Sound; Famed for its diversity, but limited dependent on your choice of amp, again leading to gigging limitations. Crap “acoustic” sound through a Marshall amp.
I have a Taylor acoustic which is stunning in every way, but I would not recommend the very expensive T5C2 to anybody even considering using it during a gig; shame, because I couldn’t wait to buy one…..
Mine came from a major on-line store that had it in stock for 18 months. I caught it at $500 under street price as a result. I had the following problems and contacted Taylor for help.
1. Fret buzz due to action at 1/2 normal height. I shimmed the saddle to standard and all was ok. Taylor suspected it was stored too dry and the arched top sank. I humidified properly and within a week removed most of the shims. Truss rod was fine, it had .010 in at the 5th, 6th frets.
2. Battery box buzz. A pain but Taylors fix, a little extra foam rubber between the lid and battery fixed. I think the whole plastic back is too thin but the buzz is gone.
I played through just about every amp imaginable including a studio monitor. It sounds good through most but most acoustic through the monitor and through, believe it or not, a Roland cube 60. I bought the Roland as a result. I can’t believe the high freqs that come from that 12″ speaker.
I find that given a little experience with tweaking, I can get ok acoustic on 1, a sofisticated (I can’t put a guitar to it) sound on 2, solid body on 3, full sized Gibson arch top-like on 4 and Blues 335 on 5. And yes I find a big difference between 4 and 5 through the right amps. None of these “likes” are dead on but definately good enough for live gigs.
The bottom line is, it plays fantastic and I haven’t heard a sound (other than battery door buzz) out of it that I didn’t like. Great tone machine
You made a great choice with the Roland Cube 60. I run my Ovation through one, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. It’s also a great gigging amp – very loud for a such a little box.
I was actually thinking about selling it at one point, but thought better of it, as it is really the most versatile amp I have. I sometimes get called on “emergency” gigs, and rather than pack my big amp, I throw the Cube 60 in the back of my truck, and I’m good to go.
This is avery useful thread to me. I’ve had my caramel colored T5 for almost 3 years now. When I bought it I thought it was the most beautiful object I had ever owned. I didn’t have the buzz and noise problems others report on this thread, but I did find that it was feeding back at gigs a lot and for that reason I stopped using it. In the interim I purchased a new Strat, and then a Gibson 339. I was playing through a Roland Cube, a Fender Acoustasonic and a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue. The guitars and amps had their strong points, but after many months of experimentation, I recently returned to the T5 as my main guitar. This is strange, but I’ve heard and read it from other T5 players as well — initially enthused, then can’t quite get the sound they want, then disillusioned, and finally come back. I have to say after my long journey I appreciate the T5’s clean, warm sound, tight EQ controlability, and especially how comfortable and light it is compared to my Gibsons! I’ve just gotten the Roland Boss GT-10 effects processor, and I’m looking forward to really going to work to determine what the T5 can and can’t do plugged into that. I’ll report back my findings, and in the meantime I’m open to any advice you experts might have.
I had that kind of relationship with my ES-333. Was really jazzed about it when I first got it, then just couldn’t get the right sound out of it, so I stopped playing it for awhile. I was running through a Line 6 Flextone III at the time, and that probably accounted for my displeasure with the guitar’s tone. That amp was really versatile, but for some reason, I just couldn’t get a sound that I liked out of it. I know several people who have that amp and love its versatility. But it just wasn’t for me.
Once I switched to a my Hot Rod Deluxe, everything changed. My 333 sounds absolutely sweet through it, and I now play it regularly again.
I guess the lesson I learned is that some guitar/amp combinations just don’t go well together.
You’re so right, Goofydawg, and for me that guitar/amp combination problem was compounded by the fact that I had put the electric down for years and only played acoustic. When I came back and started playing in bands again, the technology had changed for the better, but it’s still a bit of an alien world to me.
Have to say the best sound I got from the T5 was playing through my little Roland Cube, but it’s only a 30 so was inadequate for most gigs. Today I plugged it into the “clean channel” of the Blues Deluxe with the Boss GT10 and my God! Some of the sounds are really majestic! But I’m having to go through each patch and make voluminous notes and adjustments. At the identical output level, some patches sound beautiful and some bring out the kind of feedback that made me give up on the T5 initially. But with this signal processor, I’ll be able to set up and program my sounds so as to avoid the feedback entirely (I hope).
If anybody else is going this route with the T5 and the GT-10, let me know. I’d love to share my discoveries with you!
I have been at GC and played several of the T5 models and love the whole package but I don’t understand how any person could consider using a T5 with a GT10. Think TC Electronics if you want original tone with super clean effects. I played through a GT8 and GT10…sold both of them within months of the purchase. Too noisy…even with my ISP decimator chained into the signal…these are mid quality fx at best.
Hi what guitar would you say on buying for diffrent kinds of music I think it would be the Taylor T5. Also would you say it would go along with the Boss Gt-10 pedal board. How much would you pay for the gutair. Is it the best gutar sence 2008. I am thinking of geting one but need info from a pro such as you.
Thank You,
David
The T5 is a nice guitar, but keep in mind that it’s a hybrid. The one thing I didn’t like about it is that it doesn’t sound quite as nice as a full acoustic, and it doesn’t sound quite as nice as a full electric. It gets close, but that’s just the nature of hybrid guitars.
But the important thing is that it sounds great to you. Do a good test with it before you go. Standing three feet away at a Guitar Center doesn’t count. I did my test standing 10 feet away from my test amp with my back turned to it, and the amp at my normal stage volume. I personally found the guitar to be really boomy and would feed back a lot.
With respect to the GT-10, that’s not a box I would even consider getting. Way too much stuff on it, and the sounds are mediocre at best (no small wonder I recently saw several of them for just a couple of hundred bucks on a clearance pile at my local guitar store). If you’re going to go the multi-effects route, as BichBoy mentioned, check out the TC Electronic Nova System (it’s a bit pricey, but very nice), or, personally, I’d put my money on a Vox Tonelab LE. It’s priced well ($399 vs. $499 for the GT-10), and sounds absolutely great! I met a dude recently that played one and fed it directly into his PA. I was very impressed with how it sounded!
I recently purchased a T5 C2. The B and high E strings really lack tone and sustain in all positions. I put on heavier strings and it is no better. It is currently being looked at by a tech. Anyone else have similar problem? I really hope it is fixeable because I love everything else about the guitar.
One would think that for the money you spend on that guitar that it would come to you playable. Damn! That’s a problem.
I noticed the T5 and really dug it. I play ragtime and delta blues as well as Jazz but lately the acoustics have been chewing up my chord hand. After reading the reviews my biggest concern is the guitar going out of tune at gigs. Any other suggestions for a thin neck with an acoustic sound ?( I own an ovation and it does not cut it for me)Maybe I should stick to my tele . I really loved it when I played it acoustically .Real easy on the hands ,I also like the guitar as it allowed me to thumb pick and not bump into a pickup in the bass position.Thanks,Michael …………am I the only guitarist with hand problems?
I just played a T5 at the LA Guitar Center. They only had custom T5’s, but I definately would have played the Std if they had any (would love to see if the sound suits the price difference). One was a koa, the other… not sure. My take is that the T5 is definately lacking in unplugged mid and high tones, but maybe that can be expected from this type of “hollowbody” guitar? The playability was fantastic, but I didn’t get a chance to plug it into any amps. It was a little crowded at that GC.
But, a couple questions for Goofy (and anyone else for that matter):
1. Goofy- Did you experiment with all 5 pickup settings for the sounds that you say you were lacking (I would guess that you did, but I didn’t see it in your review)? I know that the T5 has various pickups to capture the sounds, under the neck, the visible HB, and one under the body behind the bridge.
2. Can you comment on the different woods for the T5’s with respect to playability, tone, etc?
3. Did they fix that Humm with the new models, anyone?
I am seriously considering buying one, and these reviews may help me make a decision. Thanks!
Tony, thanks for stopping by! In answer to your questions:
1. I did indeed experiment with all pickup selections, and like I mentioned, as far as the sound was concerned, it was actually pretty nice.
2. Wish I could comment on the different woods. I just played the one that I evaluated, and that was probably why I wasn’t impressed. Perhaps some other wood combination would’ve done it for me. I have heard that the Koa model is fantastic, though.
3. It has been two years since I’ve written the original article, but I’m sure Taylor has done something with the hum – at least I hope they have. 🙂
All in all, as I mentioned in the original article, in general, I think the T5 is a pretty good guitar, but I wasn’t overly impressed – especially with the acoustic mode. But then again, I think a lot of Taylor acoustics sound pretty ugly plugged in. I saw a DVD of Dave Matthews playing with Tim Reynolds, and I think he was using a Taylor. It didn’t sound good at all, which was disappointing because Dave Matthews is an excellent acoustic guitarist.
I’ve had my T5 for three years now, and it’s been a total love-hate relationship from the get-go. They marketed the device as a live music tool, but I am finding it totally and frustratingly useless for a live classic rock gig. It hisses in all positions, and that noise floor comes through loud and clear in the mains. Through the dirty channel of any amp (in my case either a Marshall JMP-1 into a Mesa EL84 20/20 rack rig or a Hughes and Kettner Statesman 40) it doesn’t have enough output to drive the preamp tubes into distortion, and the hiss cannot be drowned out by playing.
I bought the guitar for songs like Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet, where I switch between acoustic(-like) guitar to pointy-head electric, but the hiss is killing me.
If it wasn’t such a singularly well-built guitar (well, that and the fact that they do not hold their value at all: At almost three years’ of age, I would lose about 60% selling it), it would have been gone from my collection by now. But I still have at, still love it (or at least the idea of what it COULD be) and am still looking very seriously at ways to make it work.
Today’s little exploration includes ripping the preamp out in favor of something that doesn’t sound like an angry snake — because surely not all preamps hiss like this.
So if anyone has any ideas, bring ’em on, I’d like to hear them.
Joe
Just had another thought on this: You might have a grounding problem somewhere in your chain, or perhaps a jack is loose. So…
1. Check all your jacks and make sure they’re nice and tight.
2. Check to see that the guitar’s properly grounded. That’ll take looking inside to see if the ground wire is connected to something.
3. Check the grounding along your signal chain – you may have a ground lift problem somewhere in there.
4. Sometimes hiss has to do with signal degradation; especially if you’re using a lot effects. You could use a device like the Tone Freak Effects Buff Puff to buffer and boost your signal.
Yikes! Here are a couple of suggestions:
1. Get yourself a good pre-amp to boost and condition your base signal. I’ve had to do that with some guitars, and it looks like your T5 could use it. My pre-amp of choice is the Presonus TUBEPre. You should be able to find one for under US$100. A more expensive alternative, and VERY optimum is the Radial Engineering PZ-Pre. http://www.tonebone.com/tb-pzpre.htm. Either of these will help a lot in that you won’t have to crank your T5 to get the output you want. The pre-amp will do that for you.
2. With the pre-amp you’ll boost your base signal level, but you might consider a clean boost to get more pre-amp tube distortion. My choice for that is the Creation Audio Labs Mk.4.23 clean boost – what I consider to be the best clean boost on the planet – and it’s only $149!
2. Get a real good cord. Snap-Jacks are pretty good. Just make sure the cord is well-shielded (some prefer gold, but I’ve never detected a significant difference in tone). Seems as if the T5 is really susceptible to ambient electrical noise.
Hey Goofy!
The problem turns out to be that the pickup signal is squashed down to almost nothing to ensure that no RFI gets through. Then the preamp is asked to add an insane amount of gain to bring the output back up to what appears to be about 70% of a regular electric guitar. The hiss is a product of the very high gain of the preamp, so preamping it more will just exacerbate the problem.
I have been talking with Taylor about the issue, and they have gone to incredible lengths to solve the problem. We have moved from a complete gutting and replacement of the electronics (which turned out, did have a problem), and I am now looking at the possibility of preamp modifications to reduce the squashing of the pickup signal, as well as reducing the gain of the preamp, thus increasing the signal (pickups) to noise (preamp) ratio.
I should also mention that I played my T5 in an acoustic jam band this past weekend, and I absolutely fell in love with it all over again — even if I did still notice some hiss. If I manage to get the high-gain usage resolved, I’ll let you know.
By the way, it looks like maybe the best pedal to tame these things in the TC Sustain Parametric EQ pedal, as they have both a one-band parametric EQ (to reduce the hiss frequency) and a very well-regarded noise gate. I may have to resort to that — but it’s a last resort, as I’d rather try to fix the problem first.
Wish me luck…
Love it , as I have been using it in the studio and on tour. A little pricy but it gives me that acoustic sound without my hands feeling like they are going to fall off after 3 hours of playing a night. It is not quite that natural acoustic sound but close and I dig the hybrid sound.Going to also pick up the 12 string.My only problem with it was the intonation. It messed me up in the studio. For the money taylor should have em perfect ,. got it adjusted at no charge. Cant wait to get the 12 string
Michael,
What kind of amp do you run with the T5? Since you’re using it in the studio and on tour, I’d love to get your input on that. With my initial review, I only ran through a couple of different amps, but an amp/guitar combination is really an important factor to consider.
Thanks!
Roland AC-60(both on tour and in the studio ) ………….I go for a real acoustic sound. You might also try a polytone,its a bitchin amp. But the Roland gives me a more acoustic sound.
I use a Cube 60 for my Ovation Celebrity Deluxe. The acoustic channel on that amp is fantastic. Roland really does acoustic very well.
I agree, especially in the studio. What I like about the taylor T5 is the ease of playing on my hand. I got burnt out on the acoustic necks and the pressure you need ed to chord
To be fair, I went and tried out a T5 again last weekend while I was at my local GC evaluating pedals (I was actually looking for a TC Electronic Nova Repeater), and just “somehow” drifted over to the guitar section, where I picked up a T5. I didn’t plug it in. I just wanted to see how it played.
Since my original review, I’ve been working very hard on developing my technique – partially because I’m always striving to play better, but also because I want to provide sound clips with my reviews and don’t want to flail. 🙂
In any case, what I can say about the T5 from the perspective of now being a much better guitarist is that it has to be one of the easiest playing guitars I’ve ever played. It is so very light in weight and the neck is simply awesome. I really dig how it plays. I’ll go back and plug it into a few different amps to see if my perspective has changed even more.
thats the entire key to that Guitar…………….ease of playing and thats what makes it cook. but when I head it in the studio the sound was really magical because it was not a full on acoustic sound yet not a full on electric sound. But it sounds real clean. Great for jazz and country or whatever.
Anyone tried the T5 with this amp yet?
http://www.aer-amps.info/
Not yet… Though I’m going to a local music store to try out an AER. I’ll make sure to test it with a T5.
I am a beginner guitarist only playing for about a year. I love to play but find it difficult to practice with an acoustic because of the volume. So I have been looking at hybrids. I tried the Epiphone LP Ultra II which was very cool but I wanted more volume and tone while practicing. Enter the Ovation VXT and Taylor T5.
The VXT is a wonderful guitar and is only slightly louder than the Ultra II but sounded far better in every respect – plugged and unplugged. I used both guitars through a Line 6 Spider Jam.
However, the VXT was returned due to a quality issue. Although, I really liked the VXT, I ran across the T5. In particular, the new Ovangkol model with its satin neck. I fell in love with satin necks after my experience with the Ultra II. The new price seems right at <$1300.
My question is for all of you who complained about the price: Given the new price of the T5, would your opinion change about this guitar? Does anyone have an opinion of the VXT versus the T5?
Thanks
I think the taylor t5 is your best bet but Personally , I think if you have been playing for a year you should experience the sound and playability of an acoustic guitar as the neck is fatter and the touch is a little more difficult. Its sort of like learning to ride a bike when your a kid on training wheels but your Dad never really lets ya ride alone if ya get my drift.What I mean is the t5 can also be a almost to easy to play. I play the T5 6 and 12string in the studio and live. My main reason for the love of this guitar is after years of gigs with fat neck acoustic guitars(guilds ) my hands really took to playing the t5. Its a kind of Axe that really has a personality. Both of mine are spruce as it gives a more acoustic sound then the maple and has a real special sound when recording.ANd I would not bother with the extra fluff of the gold hardware and inlay as it cost a lot more and its the same guitar. .Ya can also get a variety of tones with the t5s and I love just messin around with it acoustically. Try an ovation or taylor acoustic as the necks are nice and thin. If you are worried about the acoustic sounds being to loud you might go for an ovation as its a little softer when you dont plug it in. Out of curiousity , why is it difficult to practice with a regular acoustic because of the volume…….as you wrote? Cheers mate !Michael Cordings
I’m thinking of buying a T5-LTD. Limited edition has different material than Std and I’m wondering if it’s ok as well. I want a thin neck acoustic guitar but there’s not any that I liked the sound. What do you think about Limited edition? It’s much cheaper than standard and I can afford this one. I’m not professional. No studio thingies. just want to play it at home for myself…
The important question is: Are you happy with the sound of the guitar? If you are, then I’d say go for it!
Another thing to consider is that you will need to have an amp to play the T5. Sorry, T5 guys, I don’t like the unplugged sound of the T5 at all. I don’t think it was ever meant to be unplugged.
If you want a thin body acoustic, there are lots on the market. Personally, I play a cheapo Ovation Celebrity Deluxe that has served me well both unplugged and plugged for over 15 years.
Unfortunately I dont have a chance to hear the sound of it except the standard and koa versions on youtube. I liked those versions with Acoustic amp. The problem is I have small hands and almost every acoustic guitar has large neck, which I’m not very comfortable with. What do you think of Ovangkol they use at LTD edition?
I have a Taylor T5 (Maple Custom) since July, 2005.
You are right, it plays like butter, but I had also big problems with his & hum. So I asked Taylor directly and they sent a set for modification to my dealer (Germany), no cost for parts or mounting for me.
The strings has been grounded and I tested it out once more. It was not bad, but still, especially when I used the humbucker there was some hiss, equal to my other guitars. So I checked out myself some other grounding topics and I found out, that the situation is 100% OK when I ground the housing of the humbucker. I asked Dealer & Tayler if this can be done without further problems and they told me it´s OK. Since that point this guitar is without hiss.
In Germany this solution is OK, because we have an extra ground. I don´t know how it works in other countries, but I see no problems if there is a proper ground of the amps or PA´s.
Some hints to the sound. You need an acoustic amp for acoustic sound but there are great differences in preamps I found out. So check them all to find your sound. For me it was a Fishman AMP for best results.
If you go for distorted sounds, turn down the treble. I have best results using a Hughes&Kettner valve Preamp. You may wonder, my favorite is a Tubeman 1 . To play very loud close the holes with foam.
So nothing is perfect, this guitar is very flexible, has best playability, has a clear tone, is well done.
But it needed some time to get familiar with it.
Ferdinand, thanks for sharing your input! The last time I picked up a T5 a few months ago, I spent a lot of time in the shop playing it through different amps – it’s really sensitive to the type of amp you use.
Hi Ferdinand!
Question for you: How did you ground the pickup? I believe the cover is plastic, not metal, so did you spray metal pain in and ground it from there?
Thanks!
Joe
Hi Joe,
sorry to be so late, by accident I reviewed this blog.
The cover on my T5 is not plastic. You can ceck it easily, just take a cable, hold it on the ground of the endpin and hold it on the cover. If that has an effect to the hum level you can solder tthe cable on the backside of the lipstick humbucker, so no visible changes happen. I scratched a little bit the surface to have better solder contact.
I think since 2005 the electronics could be changed by Taylor. As I changed mine with the Taylor parts a additional fuse has been built in.
So plesae check carefully if this secure element for grounding is available.
Greetings
Ferdinand
I currently own two Taylor T-5’s (one T-5S) and (one T-5-12) and I have to admit they are good guitars.
The above review is a good unbiased review.
My advice to anyone looking to get one is just to try it first, this particular guitar is not for everyone, and not many people are too fond of the slim neck and the ultra sensitive pickup. However what caught my attention was the great looks and the remarkable playability.
First, I’d like to say that I own 2 2009 T5-S’s (Tobacco Burst; Gold-Top) and have not had any problems with either since their purchace in April. I would like to point out that I am a professional musician, and I use this guitar in the studio, on tour, and unplugged for practicing and writing. In my opinion nothing comes close to the playability, versatility, appearance, and sound that the T5 produces.
I actually read this review before I purchased the T5 and thought it held some clout. I came across it again today and having read the comments I was a bit confused when you said you’re a much better guitarist since your initial review. My question to you is how long had you been playing the guitar when you first wrote you’re review? If 2 years made you a much better guitarist, then maybe you shouldnt be writing reviews in the first place. I’ve been playing guitar for almost 19 years and have never written any reviews.
This guitar is not for beginner-intermediate players. It has a simple-sounding, yet very complex electronics system that is nothing like traditional electrics. If you dont truly know what settings to play this guitar under (on the guitar itself as well as the amp) then you ARE going to get a hum sound and a lot of feedback. I play through a Mesa Duel Rect. on stage, a Line 6 Spider 3 212 in the practice space, and a Marshall MicroStack at home.
On the T5 try the volume nob at the center with the bass kicked up and the treble kicked down (the lines on the nobs will face each other). For electric settings: on the amp have the channel volume at about 40% and the gain at about 50%, and set the master volume as you like. As you turn the Master volume up, turn the GAIN down accordingly. From there, play with the T5 volume nob and you will hear the guitar go from pleasantly twangy to heart-stopping crunch (I prefer 3/5 for lead parts, 4/5 to “explode” a chorus, and 2/5 for everything else) For acoustic settings: have the channel volume at about 30% and the gain at about 20% with the master volume as you like it. I have found that the volume nob is best at just past the center for playing as an acoustic (remember only 1/5 is ment for “acoustic” tones…all other settings will sound like a non-distorted electric). Again, these settings will change from amp to amp, but those are pretty good guide lines.
In terms of playing unplugged, I have sold my other acoustics (Gibson J-200; Takamine Jumbo-S; Guild Jumbo) in favor of the T5. It has such a crisp and clear voice and tone that I found myself playing my “acoustic” guitars less and less. Maybe its because you played it in the store and couldnt truly appreciate the sound, but the T5 has such an incredible unplugged voice that I find it hard to believe that you even gave it a chance.
If you can afford it, get a T5. You wont regret it.
Glad you’ve had lots of success with the T5! But if you read through all the replies, it’s not just settings others have had problems with, it’s also build quality. These people may be in the minority, and obviously you’ve really taken the time to explore it, and that’s awesome that you shared that positive experience here.
As to my comment about my improvement in just two years, sorry if I mislead you, but I did intend to say it rather tongue and cheek. I’ve actually been playing almost 35 years. I may not be at your particular level, and admittedly, I haven’t taken near the time you’ve spent with the T5. But one reason I did return to playing it was to give it a fair shake after letting some time elapse.
And as I mentioned, it’s a great guitar. But as with any instrument, how much you like it is purely subjective. It’s awesome that you’ve found something that you love!
hey goofy,
I noticed the comments about build quality and unfortunately those things happen, especially with a brand new style instrument. I am always careful not to get to excited when something new comes out which is why I didn’t buy a T5 when they were released.
As with new model anythings, there are always flaws that can be improved upon. If I’m not mistaken the battery housing is completely different on the 2009 model. I believe the T5 took AA batteries prior to this model year, and now it takes a 9 volt…A LOT of people had problems with the battery compartment for the 05-08 models. The other problems must have been pretty rare. Quite a few friends of mine have T5’s as well (battery problems and all!!) and no one I know has ever experienced any problems with the electronics.
I am sorry if I offended you! It just seemed a bit strange to me and I wanted some clarity. I was lucky enough to fall in love with the guitar at a very young age (all self taught/motivated) and have lived and breathed for it since.
The T5 does take some tinkering with to fully understand how the electronics work, but once you figure it out…man does it kick some serious ass! I played a Gibson SG-LP Custom (3 pup) as my main guitar for the last 8 years or so and thought I had found the perfect guitar for me. Needless to say I now have 4 very expensive “dust collectors” on display above my sofa.
You are absolutely correct in saying that liking an instrument is purely subjective…but given the proper amount of time ANY guitarist would fall in love with the T5.
I sincerely hope that you eventually own one! I promise you will not regret it!! (and if you do regret it…i’d happily trade a SG-LP Custom for it! HAHA)
No offense taken at all! I appreciate your honesty. Even after twenty years on the Internet, your observation reminds me that you always have to watch what and how you say things because it’s so easy to misconstrue things. It’s all good, man! 🙂
I really do like the T5, but I won’t be owning one anytime soon, since I just had my Goldie built (https://guitargear.org/makinggoldie). My wife would kill me!
This isn’t a modeling guitar, it’s just an acoustic electric with three kinds of pickups. I’ll bet you got a crappy clean tone because you had the wrong pickup settings. You shouldn’t publish innaccuracies because you’ll confuse people.
I did reply to a previous correction by someone – just hadn’t bothered to change the article. I probably should. But reading what I originally wrote, I can see where I may have been confusing. I never explicitly said the T5 was a modeling guitar, but I looked at it as being similar to the Variax in that it can cross the line between acoustic and electric guitar duties.
And as I’ve followed up, I like the T5. It plays and sounds great. But it’s not something that I’d really consider getting for myself.
Welcome to the party, Arthur. A little late, but never too late to slam someone, right?
So I’d like to address this: As the owner of a T5, a solid (pre-laminate) 210, and a Martin D28, I have something to compare the T5 to. I can tell you by way of comparison that the reason he got “…a crappy clean tone” is because the T5 is not a great acoustic guitar, but rather, is a compromise. A worthwhile one for many applications, but a compromise nonetheless.
Flame away, now Arthur, flame away.
Good one, Joe… 🙂
Funny thing, the T5 isn’t the only Taylor to suffer this. I was watching a Dave Matthews Band DVD recently, and his regular acoustic suffered that “acoustic plugged into an amp” tone problem. It was fine when the whole band was playing, but sucked when he was just strumming alone.
Have a similar problem with a guitarist in my own band who uses a Taylor acoustic. But we solved that problem by plugging her into a Genz-Benz 150 acoustic amp.
Hi everyone. I have a T5-C2. did the battery door thing to stop the buzzing. thanks everyone for that tip!!
Question 1 – Is it a big deal to shim the bridge? it does feel like the E and B string are real low. Is this a dealer thing or Taylor thing? it just feels like the strings are too close to the fretboard and that creates that string sound that i know drive all of you crazy.
Question 2 – i have a serial number that starts with 2006, so i am assuming it was built in 2006. Any modifications or requests i should make of Taylor because of its year built? electronically?
Question 3 – i agree that the pickups dont seem to reach the high E string. is there a fix? do new T5s have fatter pickups?
FYI – I put .11s on the T5, and i seem to get a bit fatter tone. I don’t think i want to go any heavier.
FYI 2 – I gig often. When i am with my 3 piece band, i plug into my Fender Hot Rod ( love that amp!). And i get many versatile sounds that is perfect for the tunes we do. When i gig solo, or with a singer, I plug direct into the PA, and man, What a Difference. This configuration gives me the best “it sounds like an acoustic” sound that will sometimes cause me to leave my Taylor DCE410 at home ( which is awesome too!). a little Boss Chorus pedal, and we have a nice fat acoustic sound.
anyway. thanks for the tips, conversation, and thanks in advance for your responses.
mike on guitar.
Mike, I would call a luthier in your area that is authorized to work on Taylors to fix the electric stuff. Or short of that, you might consider just taking it to a luthier to have it professionally set up. Sounds like some of the stuff you mention are setup issues.
Not sure about the electronics, though. You could talk to the luthier about that.
Hey Mike!
Being a bit of a mechanic myself, I can offer a few observations. First, though, if ANY of this makes you uncomfortable, take it to a pro.
And then…
RE: “Question 1 – Is it a big deal to shim the bridge? it does feel like the E and B string are real low.”
Two parts to the answer to this one.
First, no, it’s not a big deal to shim, but if the bridge is that far out, why not have a local luthier shape you a new one? As someone mentioned, he could do it during the course of a pro setup.
Second, it may not be your bridge. My experience with Taylors (and especially T5s) is that they generally leave the bridge a little tall, so unless it’s been filed before, there’s a good chance the problem is not the saddle, but rather the neck relief (the amount the neck bows in from the nut to roughly the 7th fret).
This is easy enough to rough-check: Capo the first fret, finger the last one, and try to slide a light pick under the low-E string at the 7th fret. If the pick slides freely, your relief is fine; if it binds, your relief is almost certainly a big part of the problem you’re having.
Again, this is part of a pro setup — I’m sensing a theme here!
🙂
RE: “Question 2 – i have a serial number that starts with 2006, so i am assuming it was built in 2006. Any modifications or requests i should make of Taylor because of its year built?”
If you’re not having problems with it, I say don’t mess with it. There were a couple of very minor updates, but I believe (someone help me out with this) that the biggest change — the string ground — was added to the guitars by 2006. If not, that might be worthwhile, but again, if it ain’t broke, I wouldn’t fix it.
RE: “Question 3 – i agree that the pickups dont seem to reach the high E string. is there a fix?”
Assuming you mean the exposed lipstick pickup, then yes, there is: Raise the pickups. If you remove the giant backplate on the guitar, you’ll see the screws that hold the lipstick pickups in place. Tighten them, and the pickups rise up out of the guitar body. Loosen them and they drop down. Be careful, though: I’ve raised mine with no problems, but I don’t know how long the pickup screws are, so they MIGHT be long enough to push through the top of the guitar.
RE: “do new T5s have fatter pickups?”
Don’t think so. I’m waiting for Seymour Duncan to put something out that has more output than the air-coil design Taylor puts in the bridge, but so far, not much happening there.
Joe
I like reading all the comments about T5 and possibly this is the best post that has this much reviews on… Really helpful goofydawg, thanks for that. I’ve been to some shops recently and had the chance to try some amplifiers for my T5C1 (2006). Here are my comments; VOX AD50VT-XL.. Confusing… You seem to get some nice sounds out of it but not sure if you can catch it twice. Kind of a expensive toy… Marshall Haze40… Sounds are bright only when you push the button bright. Otherwise it’s a bit dark. Marshall AD50Something and AD100Something… (Acoustic amps)… 50 didnot satisfy me, 100 much better but too big for home use. Fender Acoustasonic, like marshall Haze it was a bit dark in terms of sound. Laney V300 and A1… Good in terms of bright tones but not seem so real (A1 is better in terms of acoustic since it has tweeter). Anyways, I couldnt come up with any of the Amps for my T5 yet. I know I tried both Acoustic amps and Electric amps and not so sure which one to use but since my T5 is the one with 2 pickups at the top, I guess I should go for electric amp. What do you think? I hear people writing very good reviews for Fender Hot Rod and Fender Blues Amps but not so sure… Any recommendations? Thanks all.
Try a Genz-Benz Shenandoah. It’s a nice, hybrid FET/Tube amp. I’ve played through one before, and it’s very versatile. Haven’t used it with a T5, but GB amps are some of the best acoustic amps out there. That said, my all-time favorite versatile amp – that I still use – is a Roland Cube. I have the Cube 60, but will probably upgrade to the 80x year sometime. Roland really got it right with their acoustic channel. It’s very natural sounding. And the COSM models on the modeling side are VERY good.
I still gig with my Cube. It ain’t much to look at, but it rocks!
This internet site is actually quite good, but for some reason it does not display properly when trying to view on my Nintendo Wii. If it helps, the console uses the Opera web browser and am impelled to using the console for accessing the Internet whilst my PC is away being restored.
I’d love to accomodate you, but that’s really a WordPress.com issue. I do have the site set for detecting a mobile browser, but it’s obviously not compatible with Opera. I take it you have Nokia phone…
Looks great on my iPod touch!
As a long-time T5 owner who has never quite achieved the desired sound, especially playing in an 8-piece band with horns, I switched to the T3 and now am riding high! Same body shape and size but with lots more balls and versatility. The push-pull pots adding an extra capacitor for a deeper jazz-like tone (tone control) and toggling between double and single-coil (volume control). I think Taylor really perfected what they started with the T5, although there’s no real “acoustic” sound on this guitar. Not a loss for me, though, as I never really thought the T5’s acoustic sound was very acoustic.
I’ll still use the T5 on recording projects where I’m after a specific rhythm blend — and it’s also great for songwriting.
Luke, I too was very impressed with the T3, not that I’d necessarily buy one, but I did like its tone just the same. It is a significant improvement over its older sibling.
Thanks for sharing!
Luke , I gotta disagree with you as I just finished recording two tunes in the studio…….. ”Here comes the Sun” ”and Fire and Rain”, and for me the Taylor T5 Guitar just gave me an amazing and Unique Acoustic Guitar sound. I was fingerpicking both tunes and the final recording sounded as good if not better then most acoustic’s . What I like about it is the change in the neck , as it is slim and after playing an acoustic guitar’s fatter neck its a nice change. Thanks,Michael
I used to have a T-5 S a couple of years ago,i sold my Variax 700 Acoustic to buy the T5 and the result was: Disappointed.The “Electric” Sound was very good even for Record from Power chords to Lead Solos (Kind Erick Johnson) and the acoustic sound (recorded) wasn’t nothing compared with the variax acoustic sound,so i decided to sell it and buy the varaiax again.
Right now i am playing a lot of Electric and acoustic sounds with my band and i has to swith guitars on almost every song,being the lead vocalist that is a big issue because i spend time between songs swithcing guitars,so T5 apperas again in the brain.I bought it but this time i keept the Variax.
It is a very nice looking instrument and feels like a high end guitar compared with the Variax,you have to be carefull with the distorted sounds because i already damaged one twitter of the PA with it.I am really happy with it tough,i am using it live with POD X3 Live and use the acoustic sound with the “NEVE” preamp on it and sounds pretty decent, i am just using one guitar at the gigs and that was what i looking for.I still using the variax in the Studio.
I noted the UM problem but only when i am very close of the systems (Amps,power generators etc…)
Reading some people’s dissatisfaction with the acoustic settings, I’m wondering if it would be good to run the acoustic through a DI to convert the signal to a balanced signal before going into a board.
It already is a balanced output. I use a TRS-to-XLR cable for it now. Slightly hotter output, but otherwise the same thing.
I can say, however, that acoustic strings do make a difference — although they hurt the electric character of the guitar. Other things that help include the BBE Acoustimax (or any other good) pre-amp, or the rather excellent Taylor K4.
I can attest to this with my Stratacoustic. I use electric strings on it because I want the ease of playing, but I do admit to sacrificing the rich character that dedicated acoustic strings bring to the party. But the my BBE Sonic Stomp and a good Reverb, plus going through a DI help a lot.
First time that i bought the guitar i was connecting it direct thru the board and the sound was horrible,and variax direct thro the board sounds pretty good,that’s why i sold it the first time.
Now that i am using POD X3 i have more acoustic like tone with the avalon,api,neve and console preamp models.
So i am very happy and i could even try to record something acoustic with it.Variax is a keeper tough.
For the guys using the AC60: how do you record with it? did you mic it or direct from the output thru the board?
[…] Review: The Taylor T5 ~ Is it an electric? Is it an acoustic? […]
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I would be happy to supply a set of pickups for your review.
Also, your readers might be interested in knowing that I give away a free pickup every month.
If you’d like more information, just write to me or visit my website.
Thank you,
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Mayes Pickups
http://www.mayespickups.com
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Well, I recently bought a Tom Anderson Crowdster Plus, and I must say …the acoustic quality in this guitar is very overwhelming in Acoustic satisfaction way!…the guitar itself is Beautiful and the design is amazing! I payed $1,800 for it. Great quality and no ReEQing and absolutely no feedback.
Tom Anderson makes awesome guitars! Auditioned a few over the years, and love how they sound/play! Nice score!
please,i do not mean to offend anyone in this statement on the taylor,i play 5 nights a week,and for the price of the guitar i was dissappointed,yes they have a great sound and they are beautiful,but with the kind of pickups on the t5,you could get the same sound on a epiphone,and as far as the build,who would put banjo frets on that expensive of a guitar,and when you look at the struture of the neck to the body it dips, to me its not a 2000 plus dollar guitar,your buyin a name,you can take a guitar that fills good put the same electronics in it for a quater of the price and have a damn nice guitar,gentleman i am 54 years old ive played since i was 10,dont get took because of a name
i actually went in to GC to play one of these and while i own a martin hd-28v, i wasn’t disappointed in the sound of this guitar. it has no issue cutting through the bass player or drums and honestly, (reading all of the posts), people are assuming this guitar is going to sound like a well aged acoustic. while it may open up a bit each year, i didn’t expect this guitar to have the fullness of a mic’d martin. i guess i needed a guitar that would be easy to play (it is wonderful to play), built solidly (didn’t have an issue that people above had with buzzing or battery plate), and looked wonderful. i actually picked one up a couple weeks ago off of ebay for 1500 bucks. while 2700 is cheap, i can definitely part ways with 1500 bucks for this sucker. i put acoustic lights on it and wow. i’m truly impressed. it works for my niche playing with a full band, but don’t get me wrong… if i’m doing a solo gig without a bass, lead or drummer, i’m using my martin.
Great insight! I have a Fender Stratacoustic “hybrid” that I really dig, but it’s really only good with a band. As a solo instrument, I rarely use it.
agreed… using my martin with a band is bit harder as it takes a bit more massaging to get the right tone for each venue and the right eq mix. the t-5 however does allow for pretty easy adjustment from the knobs (if it was set up correctly before hand and you aren’t doing MAJOR sound adjustments during the show). overall i’m happy with it. not sure i’d be singing the same tune if i paid 3000 like some other people, but nonetheless, i would recommend it for the acoustic player that is looking for a decently versatile guitar. really cool website/blog as well. a LOT of great info and insight on here and no flaming… that’s quite a feat!
Just some more comments for those of you who want a little more “fullness” from the guitar… I have mine running through this chain which gives it amazing depth and coupled with the ease of playing makes this guitar amazing…
Guitar -> Boss TU3 -> LRBaggs Para DI -> Digitech Reverb Stompbox -> PA…
couple that with my TCHelicon reverb vocal processor and it is a studio sound in a live setting from a vocal/instrument perspective. The paraDI allows me to truly “enhance and fill” the tone out. After messing around with it in this configuration for 4 hours, I’m in love and have found the perfect combination.
Just wanted to say..i just bought a brand new T-5, and I am very intrigued..it sounds like nothing else I’ve ever owned..I’ve got a fine quality acoustic guitar to use as needed, but because i handle both rhythm and lead parts in the band I’m in and a lot of the songs are “acoustic” I can see myself using this guitar a lot because I won’t have to switch around as much..I can probably use the T-5 for at least 50 percent of the songs we do..Nice!!It’s not a perfect acoustic tone, but when the other guy is using a D18 it doesn’t matter.. Plus the playability is unreal..As far as noise is concerned, mine plays dead quiet, even when my tube screamer is on.. Yeah I just bought it today, but I like the fact that it has it’s own voice..
Scott, that’s the most important thing. If it pleases you, that’s all that matters. And I’ve discovered that I play the best when I’m playing something that pleases me.
I am a musician, i use this taylor t5 it really good and they is liveliness to here, i getting more interest to use this for more times thank you for your product.
I have a 2008 T5C2 (Koa Wood). I’m having trouble with a “hot” b string. It’s significantly louder than the e and g. I’ve run it through three different amps and have the same problem. Has anyone else had this problem and if so were they able to find a fix?
Corbett
Oct. 29, 2011
Hi Corbett,
I had the exact same problem. When I got the T5 years ago, I skipped the standard .11 electric strings, ordered and installed the acoustic saddle and set it up with .12 acoustic strings. Later I began to notice the problem with the B string you mention. And, as I sort of began to miss the easier action of the lighter strings, I recently reverted to .11 strings (unwound) and lo and behold, the volume balance of the individual strings is back. I don’t know what kind of strings you use, but this was my 50 cents. Seems to me, the T5 was built and electronically equipped to use .11 electric strings.
Claus Tanderup
I have a T5C and I absolutely love everything about it except that it feeds back on stage. I have considered getting the f-hole plugs. Has anyone tried these – do they negatively alter the amplified tone any?
Also, I found when I bought it that the B and E strings were considerably lower volume than the rest – I just opened up the compartment in the back and raised the end of the humbucker pickup a little – voila, nicely balanced volume across all strings.
Wow.. what a guitar!
The user Billster made an interesting remark about the height of the fret wires (“who would put banjo frets on that expensive guitar”). That’s what I thought as well when I played the T5. The frets are very high so that it makes sliding very uncomfortable and it sounds terrible. To me, this was the reason to send the guitar back. Which is a shame, because I found the T5 to be a very fine guitar.
Does anyone else have a problem with the fret wires or is this just my imagination?
Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s hard to get that “perfect balance” between usability and visual appearance. I must say you have done a amazing job with this. Additionally, the blog loads extremely fast for me on Chrome. Outstanding Blog!
Tou guys are full of shit, just wait until Martin’s T5 equivalent comes out, it will have the best of both worlds without sacrificing anything.
Oooooooooohhhhhh….. Touchy…..
Yes, outstanding Blog, have learned a lot from other’s insights posted here…. I’ve only have had my T5 Classic/ovangkul a few weeks… I need to have it set up properly yet, a little high past the 5th fret, not bad, just a little hard on my hands as I’m back into playing guitar from being mostly a keyboardist, so that’s scheduled at my local Taylor dealer … but I love mine, absolutely a joy to play … haven’t decided on an amp yet, been thinking about the Fishman Loudbox mini perhaps. I bought mine mostly for small studio recording, running into my DAW w/ a Presonus 44VSL, very clean sound, no hums, bucks or hisses. I did have a little fun with it running through some Guitar Rig 5 software processing, but I guess that’s considered “synthesis”???
Has anyone swapped out the string pegs on theirs, just wondering?
I hope these comments keep growing, I’ll be listening 🙂 – jeri
This particular post amazes me because it was one of the earliest articles I wrote on the blog. This review consistently gets a couple of hundred hits per week. I never understood why, but I’m glad that people find it.
Has anyone purchased T5 f-hole plugs from DougsPlugs.com?
They may solve my feedback issues.
I think that what you composed was very logical. However, think about this, what if you were to
write a awesome title? I am not suggesting your information
isn’t good., however suppose you added a headline that makes people desire more? I mean Review: The Taylor T5 ~ Is it an electric? Is it an acoustic? Guitar Gear is kinda vanilla. You ought to glance at Yahoo’s front page
and see how they write news titles to grab people to open
the links. You might try adding a video or a picture or two
to grab readers interested about everything’ve written. Just my opinion, it might make your blog a little bit more interesting.
Magdalena, thanks for the input. Did you see the date of that post? That was written in the early days of this blog. In any case, I won’t get into a debate about journalistic effectiveness. I’m a regular guy who loves gear. And so what if the blog name is vanilla? You know how well it works for search? Google guitar gear and see what happens. Though I created this blog as a personal repository for the things I come across with guitar in my never-ending search for “tone,” don’t think for a moment I didn’t think strategically about the name. Sometimes boring and vanilla is much more effective than having a snappy name. With “guitar gear,” I knew people would find my blog; but only those specifically looking for guitar gear, or music-related information. I wanted to keep search fairly narrow in scope, and allow others to discover the site organically through readers sharing links. The result of that word-of-mouth, organic approach is that the search engine algorithms rank GuitarGear.org at the top of the search results for “guitar gear.”
I realize that you are probably trying to be helpful, but in the future, before blindly proffering advice on what YOU think might be a better approach to things, I strongly suggest you get your facts straight and come up with a cogent argument. It looks like from your .edu URL that you’re a student in Taiwan. Well here’s something you can learn that every Internet professional worth their salt knows: Content is king. Done a search on “taylor t5” lately? You’ll see this article at the top of the search results. What you might consider to be boring and vanilla is actually irrelevant because the content is what drives traffic to it.
Yeah, I know I’m being a bit snippy – probably need another cup of coffee. 🙂 But this site is a labor of love for me which I’ve been doing since January of 2007. It has become so much more successful than I ever imagined. I never sought to run it as a business nor have it be some example of high-end journalism. I write what I write, and if people read it, that pleases me.
Precisely how long did it take u to create “Review: The Taylor T5 ~ Is it an electric?
Is it an acoustic? Guitar Gear”? It has got a lot of good tips.
Thanks ,Ben
Been about 5 years since I got the T5, and I commented on it at the top of this thread. In that time, it has settled into a comfortable niche in the collection. It’s great for acoustic work when I don’t want to plug in, and great for at least semi-acousitic jazz and blues. It remains easy to play and listen to. When I play that stuff live, I generally take the T5 and an ES-335 — these complement each other without a lot of overlap in the sounds.
The pros about the T5 (at least the koa model I have) are the rich acoustic sound (I use medium gauge flatwound strings), the ease of play, and the luscious good looks. The cons (mostly picking nits here) are that the T5 seems to eat batteries quickly so always take a spare, there really isn’t much tonal variety in the 5-way switch, and feedback problems are no better than any other hollow body electric.
The prices strikes me as somewhat high, but then again I haven’t found anything cheaper that plays as easy while producing such good sound. The T5 has earned a permanent (and prominent) home in an arsenal of good instruments. I’ve learned that it’s pretty useless for rock, metal, and even bluegrass. But for songs like Blackbird or Footprints, you can’t beat it
“Review: The Taylor T5 ~ Is it an electric? Is it an acoustic?
| Guitar Gear” jaydion ended up being a beneficial posting.
If merely there were way more web blogs similar to this specific one on the world wide web.
At any rate, thank you for your time, Dusty
Thanks, Damion!
Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any problems with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing many
months of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any solutions
to prevent hackers?
I think the admin of this web site is genuinely working hard in favor of his
web page, since here every stuff is quality based
material.
Something else from Taylor..
https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylorware/Item.aspx?itemid=1278&categoryid=1004&page=2
Or get an OEM version signed by the designer/company CEO here..
http://www.cooperstand.com/home.html
Then, after you have a variety of associate software programs on my blogs– many of which
are quite reasonably priced. Joe Nocera, for
example. Thanks for the lessons, Jeff. You can use video hosting sites such as Facebook,
Twitter, etc. But the savvy reader will get the point across, but
it blogging sounds like tour. Do a good research on the topic in advance.
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make
your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste
your intelligence on just posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
I am a Church Musician and have played mostly on and off for more than 40 years….For the last 30 years I have played and owned a Fender Stratocaster for 25 of those years (Solely and Consecutively!) and for the last five years on a Gibson Studio Model, I’m in the hunt for my first Electric Acoustic Guitar…I was trying to mend the best of both worlds in one guitar and the Taylor T5 promised to be the one, but after reading all the threads and especially Goofdawg’s assessments and convictions, I’m convinced that yet the T5 is going to be the heir to this throne….Can Goofydawg or anybody else lead me to atleast their top 3-5 picks of a true and tried pure Steel String Electric Acoustical Guitar that would do justice to my exposure and experience of over 40 years in the music genre of Latin/Jazz/Blues/Classical/Rock, either in a live solo or band presentations.
Jerry,
I hate to say it, but it all boils down to personal preference. You really have to play several before you find the one that fits. For instance, I actually like the T3 over the T5. The T5 has certainly evolved since I wrote my original review, and admittedly, I haven’t played one in awhile. But having played and tested hundreds of guitars over the years, there are differences even within individual guitars of the same model. I’d like to give you a top 5, but it’s tough to name a top 5 list.
Having said that, consider that having a hybrid will be a compromise on either side of the tone equation, but you can control it a bit more by using two amps. My bandmate got a Rick Turner Renaissance that he had Rick customize with two jacks: one XLR and one 1/4″. When he’s feeling up to it, he’ll use two amps: one acoustic and one tube amp, and at the flick of a switch he switch between the two, or even play both simultaneously. If you want to put in that kind of investment, it’s worth it.
PS: I am pretty Down to Earth and Love getting to the Bottom of Things that Cuts Through all the Muck, I would like an Acoustic Guitar model that is Practical, Reliable, Versatile, Durable (It does not have to be “Pretty or Sexy” if it compromises its soul, heart and Sound) I would to pay hundreds or a thousand less to find my jewel….(I would not mind a “Thin Line” Model)
It would be nice to have one guitar that could do everything. Personally, I am running my acoustic 2000 Guild F47CE with built in Fishman Pre-Amp to a Mackie PA then into a pair of EV Eliminator’s(Horn and 15inch spkr). I had a professional lower the string action so not very much pressure needed on strings. The thump and bass plus over-all sound can be adjusted to fit my needs. What would the Taylor T-5 plugged into the same set-up sound like? Thinner, not as much bass or thump? I’m not sure I could settle for less. After reading all comments, It appears that one often has to find the right amp or combination of other gear to get the T-5 to sound somewhat decent. That new investment I’m not sure I want. Personally I really don’t work up a sweat changing from acoustic to electric but still have the acoustic my favorite. I have used the above set-up with a Pod and got some interesting sounds.
Will I give in and give the T-5 a try? Not sure yet.
I fell in love with the T5z at a Taylor Road Show and have started saving my pennies so I can buy one at next year’s Road Show, while I practice on my Baby Taylor and my very, very, very heavy Ibanez acoustic-electric…it may weigh five times what the T5Z weighs! Now I’m just researching the rest of the gear. I’ve never played electric before. I thought I’d be using a borrowed amp about now but the person hasn’t given it to me–maybe they forgot. Playing the Ibanez with no amp at all till I figure something out. Anyway thanks for this site. I’ll be weeks digesting the information here. It’s a bit overwhelming.
Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!
[…] Guitar gear – review: the taylor t5 ~ is it an electric […]
Amplifier selection is paramount with regards to getting good tone from an acoustic/semiacoustic guitar. I love tubes. Had an Acoustisonics amp, didn’t like the sound. Has anybody tried the T5 with a Rivera Sedona ES ?
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally
I’ve found something that helped me. Appreciate it!
[…] Review: The Taylor T5 – Guitar Gear | Real. Guitar. – I’ve owned a custom koa T5 for a couple of years. Unlike GoofyDawg, I was looking for one guitar to keep me from switching between several at a gig. […]
Weird, this is now 8 years after my first comment. The T5 fell out of favor for years, as I fell in love with an ES-335, and a Carvin SH-550, among others. All of which were beyond my means anyway, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been in acquisition mode. And sure enough, the T5 gradually rose to the top of the list, to become my go-to guitar. Good acoustic sound (not plugged in) for practicing, good variety of tones from the 3 pickups, outstanding electric-style action and neck access. I play it through either a Fender Deluxe or an Egnater Rebel 20. These amps have very different personalities, but the T5 shines with both. So of all the guitars I own (over a dozen), this is one of the very few I wouldn’t return for what I paid for it, if I had that option. This is a keeper.
Nice! It’s funny how that happens. I put away my Les Paul ’59 Replica a few years ago, and was playing my ’58 Historic almost exclusively. Then on a whim, a couple of months ago, I took the ’59 to band rehearsal, and wow! It sang through my amp! I still play the ’58, but the ’59 is my primary now.
Thanks..
Stared new prepare:
http://kristine.w.telrock.org
There is definately a lot to know about this topic.
I like all the points you have made.
I just bought a t5 slimline used at a garage sale. I am a campfire guitar player, but this sounded great and it was only a couple hundred bucks. The thing is, now that I have played with it for a few days, I am interested in getting an amp that is versatile yet not crazy. I am just a hobby player. What would you recommend.
Just crazy… I’ve been looking at buying his guitar for about 2 1/2 years now… This thread is AMAZING! I think more than ever I’m convinced that I’m gonna buy a T5 custom Koa … I’m at worship pastor I need to have some versatility in my sounds and instrumentation (acoustic, rhythm electric, etc.) I read on another blog somewhere about another worship leader’s set up which was the T5 going into TC Helicon Boice Live 3 enhancing the acoustic sounds with the bodyRez settings to eliminate piezo quack from the under saddle pick up AND draw out a little bit more of the acoustic sound… Thinking about using acoustic elixir strings size .11
This is the thread that never dies… 🙂 I still just use two guitars at service. A bit of a setup inconvenience, but I love what each kind of guitar has on offer.