Taylor Guitars T5 Thinline

I've been thinking about getting the Koa because it sounds so dang good and it looks pretty good, but still thinking whether the extra S$600 is worth the money.

Electronics are top notch and like all the other reviews, the T5 is RICH in features. I love the dual strap configuration idea though:)

Oh my goodness. The sound. The sound. I gotta admit, I was a bit biased walking into the local Taylor distributor, considering I walked in with the intention of loving the guitar, but sometimes, that makes the job of the guitar hitting the standard so much harder. But it did. It slammed my standards like nothing ever did. I haven't bought it yet, but I will, definitely. It's not an option for me, considering that the T5 hooked me the moment I walked in.

I play mostly Christian contemporary music, John Mayer and Jack Johnson, so obviously, I wanted to test out the acoustic sounds first. Bam. The crispness of the tone, the twang and the snap everytime you palm mute a great song is just indescribable. It totally fit the bill. Hit into John Mayer's "No such thing" and my friend beside me really thought that John Mayer practically walked into the building.

Tried out the electric functions with some recording studio digital tuning. I thought that the equipment they used was total nonsense(i'm a fan of analog), but even so, the electric sound will never replace a le s paul, but it comes close:)

It's a Taylor. The moment I put it in my hand, the thing felt like it was made for me. My hand slide up and down the neck like silk. It's really the dream neck to play with.

Like always, the fretboard and body is just amazing, especially the inlays with the T5 custom. Taylor sure knows how to make a guy drool for a guitar.

Take a look at the website if you don't believe me, it looks like that exactly. Heck actually, the one I saw, looked a heck of a lot better.

Never tried it out for much so don't really have an opinion but it IS a Taylor and they are like the Army for guitars, so I don't really see much of a problem with it.

Would I gig without it? Nah, probably stay at home and sulk if I had to send it for repairs.

No idea, but from my friend's experience and from what I heard in the forums, it seems to me that Taylor actually loves its fan base.

I've been playing for about 4-5 years, still relatively new to playing, and I love playing acoustic, but I've been getting more and more exposed to playing electric.

With sounds like switchfoot and christian contemporary mixing acoustic with electric, this guitar is the only one(the variax and the gibson doesn't come close), that is able to successfully feel like both an acoustic and an electric, as well as feel great in your hand.

The only thing I can say is, go out to your Taylor distributor and try it. Then I dare you, try not to think about it for more than 5 mins. I bet you you can't. Even if you hate the sound, you will love the looks of this guitar. I would live my entire life as a bachelor for this guitar.

I purchased a Koa T 5. The wood is a pretty site, and I get comments all the time. See previous comments regarding the specs, etc.

This is my 2nd review, after owning my T5 for 9 months. I pay this thru a Vox Tonelab SE, and then amp it with a powered Mackie 450, miked with a Shure SM 57. The T5 does create new tones, that vary from exisitng guitars, ( strats, tele's and Gibsons) I, like others have owned several in the past. Also, I own a 1999 Taylor 514 CE. The acoustic setting, the 1st position, is the hardest setting for me to dial into... until this past week. I went to a Taylor clinic, where I was able to hear 8 different Taylors, in one setting. What I found out, is that the T5 acoustic sensor pick-up, sound like a smaller body acoustic ( think concert body size) Once I understood this, I was able to customize my Tonelab SE to reflect the guitar. Alot of guitar players, play the T5 without any effects. It is a awesome guitar, that just sings. Plus, I love the fact that I can switch from 5 different settings in the middle of a set list. However, I won't be selling my older 1970's Fenders & Gibsons. The T5 is another unique guitar in itself.

Awesome. I went to 9 gauge electric strings so I could bend notes better. This guitar does stay in tune!!

I play at least 2x a week at my church. Don't know if I would buy another, unless it was used. This guitar, like all Taylors, are built to last.

If you haven't already, visit Taylors' website and look at the T5 guitar/configuration section. Its pretty cool.. you get to hear different amp settings, based upon the p/u. Very clever! The T 5 does sound like this, because I ahve played mine thru most of the amps they have listed. This is a great company, with excellent customer support and vision.

I have been playing a long time, and was led to submit a 2nd review. As always, these reviews are just opinions and should be viewed as such. I admit, the 1st time I picked up a T5 at my local GC, I was put off on how light it felt. But I was used to playing a Gibson 335 ES, which is almost as heavy as a Les Paul. But... as I have owned my Koa now for awhile, and I am really enjoying this guitar. I lead praise and worship for my church, and am asked to cover a wide variety of musical styles... the T5 can do this and more. I would recommend the T5 to anyone who is looking for a new sound. I was, and am thankful for companies like Taylor that put alot into R & D.

2006 model, sunburst, 5-way switch, bass and treble volume, single cutaway, thin neck, nice case.

I play rock and the blues, dabble in most everything else. I use it with a Vox AC30 and a Marshall JTM30, with a CryBaby wah a Sex-Drive clean boost and a Big Muff Pi. Lots has been written about this model, pro and con. The acoustic tone is ok, competitive with anything else you can buy on an electric guitar, and I have never heard any acoustic with a built in preamp that I like. Unplugged it is passable. I think that a lot of reviewers are missing the point of this guitar. They seem to want it to be a replacement for a Strat or a Les Paul or whatever, tonewise. If you want a Strat or LP, that is what you should buy. This guitar offers its own sound, and while some of its tones are in the neighborhood of a Strat or LP, audition it on its own merits. When you buy a humbucking equipped guitar, you know well beforehand what it is generally going to sound like, whether its a Gibson, Hamer, Music Man, PRS, whatever, it is going to usually have three tones and everyone who plays know what they will sound like. Same thing with a Strat or any of the 500 Strat knockoffs available, no matter how much you pay. The T5 is, to my ears a real alternative. The 5 tones are completely its own, and offer a whole new sound. The tone controls are active, and just a slight adjustment really changes the sound. This is what makes this guitar shine, in my opinion. In any given switch position, varying the tone controls gives you a huge range of sounds, and picking anywhere from the neck to way back over the bridge adds more flavors. This guitar is a tremedous addition to your stable of guitars. Constant experimentation yields more great tones, and it is the single most versatile guitar I have ever played. It isnt meant to replace your favorites, its meant to give you a huge new amount of tonal options. It really will play almost all kinds of music. I am not a metal head, and I dont think it will do that very well, if at all, but for rock and country and even jazz is is as good as it gets. I cant strees how much I like it and am impressed by it. Keep an open mind and enjoy what it gives you. The only drawback I find is that, like all hollow bodies, feedback is an issue to contend with. The previous reviewers who say that there are no good sounds or rate the sound as a "1" leave me only to wonder in puzzlement.

Well, here is where Taylor really shines. They take a back seat to no one in quality and finish, and it is because they care about every instrument they sell, as opposed to that outfit in Nashville. You can really tell when a company is making the effort. Everything on this guitar is absolutely first rate, nary a flaw to be found. Even the Elixir strings are better than I thought they would be. What a treat to buy a new guitar and NOT have to leave it so the store tech can fix all the crap thats wrong with it. Great fretwork, very light and comfortable, it suits me perfectly, as if I had designed it myself. Typical Taylor playability, which is unsurpassed.

Dont know yet, but I expect it will last fine.

No experience at this, but Taylor really is customer friendly with all the literature they put out, and have a good website. The instruction " manual" they give you with the guitar is a DVD with the designers from Taylor demonstrating the guitar.

I have been playing for over 40 years, and I have just recently gotten serious again. I traded two nice electrics for this Taylor, and some of the sales staff thought I was nuts, but I couldnt be more pleased. I have had it, for the time being, with the Fender and Gibson sound, and wanted something else, although I still have a trusty Strat around. I just cannot put this guitar down, and isnt that the way you should feel about a new guitar? I have bought three new Gibson hollowbodies in the past two years, and all three( they came from the plant in Memphis) were the poorest quality new guitars I have ever seen. Completely unplayable from the factory, and two of them, ES335s, should never have been shipped, the fit and
finish were so deplorable. They were all disposed of hastily, and I have learned my lesson, albeit slowly, regardless of the million excuses Gibson offers. The T5 is from another world, no excuses necessary. If you are looking for something rerally versatile and different, try one.

Bought it in September 2005 paid about 2200
Spruce top with honey sunburst finish.
You all know the specs.

Sounds awesome! I'm a worship leader at church. Use it with full band and it can do both acoustic and electric - it rocks. I wasn't going to write a review but then I saw the one where the guy said it wouldn't stay in tune. My experience has been the complete oposite. I've been playing for 30 some years and (maybe 'cause I'm mainly an acoustic player) I've never had an electric that would stay in tune for me after playing leads and bending strings. The T5 does. It's awesome It's always in tune with just normal minor adjustments. So, I don't know maybe he got a lemon! But I'm a real nut about being in tune and this baby stays in tune!! 'nuff said.

It has a wonderful setup. I bought my from Sweetwater sound and I know they go over them pretty good. I've played a few at the local music stores and the action seemed a little higher than mine.

I play this guitar every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with a band and it does it all. I'm just runing it though a Keeley Compressor and into and acoustisonic junior amp. Can I depend on it. I do depend on it - it's the only guitar I'm playing out with now. I own a Martin 0028EC and a Larivee LV05 and I always seem to reach for the Taylor on the way out the door.

I've called them a couple of times with little stuff - they were very helpful

If this guitar were lost or stolen I'd cry! and then buy another one.
I wish I had another one!

Read the website at Taylor. It's great. This is what an acoustic/electric should be.

I play Jazz, blues and country -- suits them all fine. Good selection of pickup configurations.

Very well setup, plays like a strat.

It's a Taylor! Good solid strap buttons, heavy duty tuners. Just bring an extra battery or two and you can gig forever.

Taylor has the lifetime warranty and their website is very informative.

Been playing forever. Though very unique, it does what it says it does and adds versatility without giving a lot of stuff you can't or wouldn't want to use (I'm thinking about some of the junk patches on certain guitar synthesizers.). This is a great guitar.

Spruce top, sunburst finish

I wanted to like this guitar. I did a long try out at the local music store yesterday using a Taylor 414 and an Ibanez Artcore Semi-hollow body (2 humbuckers) as references, through a Fender Blues Jr and the top of the line Marshal acoustic amp. I own several Martin dreadnoughts, a few low end Taylors, a Gibson ES-335 and a 70s Fender Strat. I was looking for a good acoustic tone and usable electric tones out of that pallette (i.e. classic double humbucker or triple single coil). The acoustic tone did not come close to the 414 and was not, to my ear, only a little better than a well equalized piezo (if you are interested in a cheap way to get a great acoustic sound out of a piezo check out the Beringer ADI21) on solid body (Carvin AE-185, Fender Nashville Power Tele, Parker Fly, etc.). On the electric side, the two pickups in series was the most usable, and a unique tone, but did not cover any of the double humbucker or triple single coil bases. Bottom line, if you like it buy it, but it is not cheap and does not substitue for my other guitars.

This guitar was perfectly built.

I did not buy and can't comment, but I see no reason it won't be as dependable as my other Taylors, which means no backup needed.

Never dealt with them on a problem. Did send them some comments on a Taylor Baby I bought a few years ago and got a thoughtful reply.

If this guitar did one thing killer well (Strat, Les Paul or Taylor ES on real acoustic) I would love it, but doesn't.

Taylor T5 Koa Top, I just can't tell you what a fantastic guitar this is. I can imagine how I got along without it.

I use a Behringer ULTRACOUSTIC ACX1000 Amp and a old Crate amp and it sounds amazing, between the 5 way switch and the amp controls I can make a huge number of sounds with this guitar. the active controls are sweet.

When I first got the guitar out of the case I started playing it without any amps and it sounded great,I just played it for hours alone in my home. The action felt great and even with some of the hard playing that I do it stayed in perfect tune. This guitar is flawless Taylor should be proud of their work. By the way I think I sold a few of these guitars for you just by playing for some friends of mine.

I couldn't imagine using anything else when I gig.

I haven't had the need so I have no clue

I have been playing for some 25 years and there are some amazing guitars out there and this one is right up there with them.

S/A

I play my T5 in stereo through an Acoustic Image Series III Clarus 2R Head w/ two Raezers Edge Cabs (Stealth 12 and a Stealth 10ER)...AND an AER Compact 60. The 10 and the AER are off the ground with the 12 on the floor. The 10 on one side, the AER and the 12 on the other. Simply put: It just doesn't get any better than this when it comes to a clean sound...the AER really allows the mids to cut through the mix. I'm mostly a jazz player but have a lot of fun playing rock too. For rock, this set-up also works great with my Fulltone pedals: Fat Boost, Drive 2 and an MXR 90. My Gibson CS 336 is also amazing through these amps, although for rock, I combine the AER with my Top Hat Club Royale. The T5 is my main guitar...and I REAlLY love the Gibson.

Perfect...absolutely beautiful guitar. The frets need to be smoothed out a little on the edges, but thats easily fixed. I just love the way this guitar feels; I have really bad shoulders and comfort is everything (next to sound) for me.

Postion 3 (humbucker) and 5 are noisey...I'm sure this can be fixed. The other positions are dead quiet. Very solid guitar.

No need yet...great reputation.

Playing 40 years, have owned Strats, ES 347, Godins, Martins, Vintage Epiphone Riviera (very nice) and many others. The T5 is my favorite. I can see how it's a "hate it" or "love it" guitar. If you approach it as a unique guitar with several unique sounds you'll love it. If you want it to sound "exactly like" whatever, you may want to buy those guitars. The accoustic sound provides the majority of the controversy. Try the first setting (accoustic) through the AI Clarus and an AER and I'd be surprised to hear from anyone who isn't absolutely blown away by the accoustic qualities of the T5...especially the spruce-top for me.

Spruce Top Standard, tobacco burst. The features are covered in other posts. Excellent features.

For what this guitar was designed to do the sound is great. I can get a very nice acoustic tone and go all the way to hard driving distortion.

I play my T5 through a Bose PAS and that is a good combo. But I like this guitar through all the electric and acoustic amps I have the chance to use. Also, it sounds good straight into a standard P.A.

The T5 system seems to be able to take advantage of many outboard effects.

I wanted one guitar to take with me gigging that could do it all. I have been looking for a couple of years and this is the guitar that does it for me.

Excellent fit and finish. Well built and plays like butter. Set up well from the factory.

I should give the guitar a 10 in this category but I reserve that for hand built instruments.

Build and quality is excellent.

Well built, reliable, stays in tune well. Excellent quality.

I've owned a couple of Taylors and dealt with the company on a couple of issues. They are the best.

Example: I owned a Taylor 814CE. The electronics cut out from time to time. Taylor sent out a brand new set of electronics the next day air and paid for installation. Outstanding!

I've been playing for about 40+ years. I'm mostly an acoustic guy, play some bluegrass and I am very picky about acoustic sound. This guitar does not sound like my Goodall through a mike but it does a great job of producing an acoustic sound that I like. It certainly does a better job in the acoustic sound than many of the under the saddle piezo pickups that I've heard.

If lost or stolen, I would have to replace this guitar as I use the T5 now the most.

Overall, I love the sound, playability, fit, finish.. All my die hard acoustic friends love the sound as well..that's a stellar recommendation.

Finally, I don't own a lot of axes. I find what I want and wait until I can afford it and buy what I want and need. This guitar was definitely worth the wait and price.

You folks all know the features by now so I won't waste disk space.... I got the black standard model that is absolutely a sweetheart.

Amazing tones. I am using my T5 to record with and to write songs with. Unbelievable, full, sweet tones that sound so good I am amazed. Incredible sustain. Doesn't sound like a full acoustic, it sounds better. Amazing guitar.

Not a blemish on my T5 - the black finish is beautiful and the guitar is just a perfect 10 in every way. Unbelievable workmanship from the fine folks at Taylor.

This will withstand both live playing and recording for many years. Solid as a rock, dependable, with a finish that could grace a Bentley.

The best - period.

I've been playing since 1961 - yes, before the Beatles hit America. I've spent a lifetime playing my original Guild Thunderbird and several different Martin acoustics. I picked this up in December on a whim and the thing is just amazing. It's got a voice of it's own that I will never give up. It's all about the player finding oneness with his instrument and this did it for me. The people who are talking smack about this guitar either, 1. For some reason got a lemon - or 2. Don't know jack about tones but bought this thinking it would make them an overnight success. Don't work that way people. It takes dedication and practice and it also takes forgetting about G.A.S. and being honest with yourself. To those of you who talk trash about the T5 I say you need to get real.