Taylor T5

**Jim Soloway** · 01-05-2016, 09:15 PM

A student just came by for his lesson with with a Taylor T5. I played it a bit at the end of the lesson. Really nice guitar and much more versatile than I was expecting.

**Tom Karol** · 01-06-2016, 08:10 AM

Yes, Jim, I played one in a store once and thought it felt very comfortable. Didn't get to plug it in though.

**Jim Soloway** · 01-06-2016, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

Yes, Jim, I played one in a store once and thought it felt very comfortable. Didn't get to plug it in though.

I played it through my right and was shocked at some of the sounds I'm could get. I had no idea that it has a neck humbucker hidden under the tail of the fingerboard. I was able to get some really convincing archtop-style sounds.

**mr. beaumont** · 01-06-2016, 11:02 AM

They're really cool...I'll probably want one someday. They're sort of "jacks of all trades, masters of none," but they do a pretty convincing job. And as always with Taylor, very high quality, very consistent as well.

I think Howie (member here) used to have one, waaaay back before he bought his Sadowsky.

**rpguitar** · 01-06-2016, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

They're sort of "jacks of all trades, masters of none,"

Exactly...

I owned two different ones a number of years ago (not at the same time). I found them to be very flexible and versatile, but none of the sounds were traditional or iconic enough for me - they were all unique rather than being truly recognizable. At the time I wasn't as fond of that reality as I might be now.

I also learned that one could reconfigure the wiring rather easily to get different pickup combos than were available stock, because there's a circuit board with plug-in leads inside the cavity. That was kinda cool.

Definitely nice guitars that have clearly gained acceptance and been very successful for Taylor.

**gspirro1** · 01-06-2016, 12:59 PM

I had a T5 with the most gorgeous koa top I've ever seen. Absolutely a joy to play, unplugged, for me.
Amplified, I couldn't get a sound that I could bond with, especially for single note solo passages. Granted, it could've been the amps I was using. Ended up selling it.

**rpguitar** · 01-06-2016, 01:09 PM

Agreed - single notes were plinky without much smoothness or warmth.

**medblues** · 01-06-2016, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by rpguitar

Agreed - single notes were plinky without much smoothness or warmth.

I like Godin designs in the "hybrid factory guitar" realm better than those of Taylor's. I am pretty happy with my Duet Ambiance and people here (including Jim Soloway IIRC) wrote good things about their semiacoustics with mini humbuckers (A6 and acousticaster ?)

**Jim Soloway** · 01-06-2016, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by medblues

I like Godin designs in the "hybrid factory guitar" realm better than those of Taylor's. I am pretty happy with my Duet Ambiance and people here (including Jim Soloway IIRC) wrote good things about their semiacoustics with mini humbuckers (A6 and acousticaster ?)

What really got me about the T5 was more the comfort than the sound. The shape, size, and balance all felt just incredible comfortable to me. On the other hand, with the recent collapse of the Canadian dollar, I'm not really even considering buying a guitar right now.

**feet** · 01-07-2016, 11:45 PM

i never liked taylor even since they let my buddy go under dubious circumstances. from that day, i vowed to never be successful enough to warrant a possible taylor endorsement, so as to avoid unpleasantness on either side. so far, so good.

what i do recall about these, however, is that they had a lot of problems with the electronics on the initial run. a lot of warranty work done on those. so shoot for a later one, i guess.

i haven't played one myself, vow aside, because i was also of the impression that these were neither/nor. i have enough now that i need my guitars to be good at something, and not ok at everything. nothing i've heard since has changed my mind.

**Tom Karol** · 01-08-2016, 08:19 AM

Speaking of the T5, has anyone ever tried a T3? It's a full on electric semi-hollow with the same body shape and size (I think).

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2016, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

Speaking of the T5, has anyone ever tried a T3? It's a full on electric semi-hollow with the same body shape and size (I think).

Tom, I was wondering the exact same thing.

**mr. beaumont** · 01-08-2016, 12:51 PM

I have played a T3. Everything you'd expect from Taylor, very high quality, very easy playability, lots of good tones.

Overall, it lacked a kind of "it factor" that makes guitars desirable for me(I feel the same way about Carvin and PRS electrics...maybe "too pretty?" Remember, I'm a tele guy, so take my opinion for what it's worth...) but it was a fine instrument.

(I should mention too, I have nothing against Taylor--my only steel string acoustic is a 414ce, and I absolutely love it.)

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2016, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I have played a T3. Everything you'd expect from Taylor, very high quality, very easy playability, lots of good tones.

Overall, it lacked a kind of "it factor" that makes guitars desirable for me(I feel the same way about Carvin and PRS electrics...maybe "too pretty?" Remember, I'm a tele guy, so take my opinion for what it's worth...) but it was a fine instrument.

(I should mention too, I have nothing against Taylor--my only steel string acoustic is a 414ce, and I absolutely love it.)

Interesting thoughts, or perhaps inspiring thoughts for me. I've been talking to a builder friend about working on a design together and I wonder what it might be like to start with the general T3/T5 shape as the inspiration and then try to add both tonal focus and a bit more of that elusive "it" factor and aim the whole thing at being a very cool 15" jazz guitar?

**mr. beaumont** · 01-08-2016, 01:03 PM

I think the "it" factor for me is "specialization." I'm just not into "swiss army" guitars...probably why I've never gone the T5 route...

Just me in my weird little world.

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2016, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I think the "it" factor for me is "specialization." I'm just not into "swiss army" guitars...probably why I've never gone the T5 route...

Just me in my weird little world.

Mine too. Just think of my blue guitar with it's single neck pickup, the almost classical neck etc. It's built from the ground up to be a single purpose guitar (despite the finish). That kind of focus is what I was thinking. A cedar or spruce top, single PAF in the neck, hollowed mahogany body, maybe even a wood bridge.

**jazz.fred** · 01-08-2016, 02:22 PM

The T3/T5 guitars appear very nice. However, I would not be comfortable with a neck attached to the body by a single bolt. Not the most secure arrangement.

**Woody Sound** · 01-08-2016, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

They're really cool...I'll probably want one someday. They're sort of "jacks of all trades, masters of none," but they do a pretty convincing job.

I always wondered about the Godin Multiac Jazz as a similar "J-O-A-T" guitar.

Taylor T5-godinmultiacjazz-jpg

**Guitarbean25** · 01-08-2016, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

Mine too. Just think of my blue guitar with it's single neck pickup, the almost classical neck etc. It's built from the ground up to be a single purpose guitar (despite the finish). That kind of focus is what I was thinking. A cedar or spruce top, single PAF in the neck, hollowed mahogany body, maybe even a wood bridge.

Did you say "blue guitar"? Can we see it?

**Jim Soloway** · 01-08-2016, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Guitarbean25

Did you say "blue guitar"? Can we see it?

It's the guitar in my avatar and you can not only see it, you can hear it.

**feet** · 01-09-2016, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I always wondered about the Godin Multiac Jazz as a similar "J-O-A-T" guitar.

what a baffling clip. he managed to get passable "jazz"/archtop tones while utterly failing to get a decent acoustic sound. that's greg for you, i guess. sort of why i don't like the idea of these fancy hybrid guitars, as they tend to trend toward a versatile mediocrity.

i checked out a few t3 clips and it sounds horrible to me. maybe with an electronics swap, if you liked how it felt and played, but stock? nope. its also an aesthetic failure in my view as well, but that is neither here nor there. sonically, its only defining characteristics were either sounding inappropriate or bad- more the latter than the former. one would be much better served getting a regular old semi hollow; at least you'd get some usable tones there, and about as much versatility.

a soloway always sounds like a soloway, especially when a soloway is behind the wheel.