Anyone use a Taylor T5 for performing?

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

...despite what I saw on YouTube videos, it sounds nothing like an acoustic in reality. I tried everything to get a 'real acoustic sound' out of it.....

Originally Posted by Rad

I had one. The great sounds you hear in some of the YouTube vids is a product of lots of effect pedals. I only ever found one decent sound out of mine and it was not an acoustic sound. I found most people sold theirs for the same reason I did, no usable tones. ....

I had the exact same experience. I actually kept hoping they would work - I bought one, hated the tone, sold it, waited a while, bought another, hated the tone, sold it, waited a while, bought another, hated the tone and sold it.

I love Taylor guitars. I think the T5 is beautiful and incredibly wonderfully easy to play. The electric tones are not quite good enough to be used as anything but a jazz guitar and the acoustic tones are wholly unusable - thin, tinny, lame, no sustain, boxy, awful..

[nickv6]

I used one in a functions band many years ago. It was very nice to play and sounded acoustic enough in a band setting, then I could switch it to a teleish sound. I liked it but found some feedback problems and the pickup selector switch seemed to fill with dust and get very crackly.
All in all a good sound in a band situation but not acoustic enough for solo acoustic playing I think.
Nick

[mawmow]

I once attended a Taylor road show at a local store : I missed many explanations but
was impressed to hear how it could emulate different tones for differnt styles and repertoires.
I am unfortunately not an electric guy.

[jonfields45]

First, you are asking this question on the AGF where people will seriously argue about one excellent guitar being substantially better than another.

I gigged with a T5z for several years in a duo mostly in noisy restaurants. The other guy had a Taylor GC-8E at the time so maybe he sounded more acoustic, but to my ear they both sounded like reasonable ES1.3 guitars doing an acoustic like amplified tone. Which is worlds better than the under saddle piezo's of that day. But for price is no object, you could do much better.

I sold that guitar because in my usage, the pickup selector switch and those tiny 9mm POTs were unreliable. I actually bought a solder vacuum so that I could efficiently repair the preamp board and found a source for a close enough POT (the switch is easily repaired). Since I was constantly switching between acoustic and electric tones, I definitely put it through more than most users would.

In hindsight, maybe I should have stuck with it as after a few years gigging in the duo with a real acoustic, I'm now using a solid body electric. Which is really quite good enough for acoustic parts and after asking many audience members for their thoughts, they either didn't realize or liked it better.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=401790

[shekie]

Have you brought one of your Martin's, preferably one that can work well with lighter gauge strings to someone experienced in doing setups? Reason I ask, I'm approaching 70 and my left hand just doesn't have the strength it used to, especially for playing barre chords or jazz chords up the neck. The place I originally purchased from measured the string height and pronounced it correct and made it clear they had no interest in bringing the action down any further.

My guitar teacher showed up at a recent lesson with a new guitar he purchased from a different retailer and let me play it. I was blown away by how much easier it was to play his guitar than mine. He is much younger than me, gigs out regularly and has a self-described heavy strumming hand, but his guitar is like butter to play and the strings don't buzz on the frets.

I was recently going on vacation for a week so I brought my Martin into the tech who set up my teacher's guitar and asked him to do the same with mine. He recommended changing the strings on my guitar to Elixir Nanoweb lights (apparently lower string tension than what I had on the guitar when brought in) and told me it would be good to go when I got back in town. Well, the playability of my Martin is now vastly improved, my hands don't get tired, I have no discomfort in the elbow of my fretting hand any longer and I'm much more confident playing barre chords and playing up the neck.

Even if I end up getting a bit of fret buzz in the winter months (correctable with a truss rod adjustment, if I want), I would rather do everything possible to stick with my Martin than end up compromising on a guitar I don't really like the sound of. If you've already looked into a professional setup and had your tech get the action as low as possible, my apologies for the longwinded post.

[L20A]

I see the T5 as a tool for an electric guitar player that wants to transition to Acoustic.
I have never liked the way they sound myself.
Lots of better choices if you want an acoustic sound.

[lar]

You might want to look into a Godin Multiac steel string.

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by L20A

Lots of better choices if you want an acoustic sound.

For example??

[Skarsaune]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

For example??

Fender Acoustasonics have their fans (I'm one).

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

Fender Acoustasonics have their fans (I'm one).

Pleases tell me more. I think there are two versions….which do you have?

[Skarsaune]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Pleases tell me more. I think there are two versions….which do you have?

There are two versions of the series, US made and the Made in Mexico Player series.

Within each series there are a couple of models emulating familiar Fender body shapes - Telecaster, Jag, etc. - in different paint/finish schemes.

I have the US Telecaster-style version in natural.

Differences in the two versions -
- US has a rechargeable battery, MIM uses a regular 9V
- US has a 5 position "pickup" switch, MIM has a 3 position. This, along with the "blend" knob, means US has 10 "voices", MIM has 6.

The first two positions on the switch are acoustic voices supposedly emulating different body sizes and tone woods. The third incorporates a body pickup, useful for folks who do a lot of percussive tap/slapping. The rear most two are Tele-ish, with the rearmost being a straight up Tele bridge pickup.

The acoustic voices are modeled via the Fishman Acoustic engine - which is like a modeller pedal onboard the guitar. They are really legit. I have had numerous compliments on the tone, whether plugged straight into a PA board or into an acoustic amp.

The electric voices, with a little gain behind them, give a good rockin' tone as well.

For the stuff I do - solo gigs, plus rhythm guitar in a cover band - it's a great tool. Wide variety of tones available at my fingertips without messing about with multiple guitars. Acoustically, you can hear it, and it might be fine for late night don't disturb the neighbors couch playing, but I don't pick it up if I'm not playing out. I have other guitars with nicer straight up acoustic tone.

It comes strung with .011's, which feel like noodles to my medium gage acoustic fingers but are heavy for somebody coming from an electric. The neck is electric-ish and fast, in my opinion.

Great tool for stage performance. I wouldn't own one if I didn't play out, but that's just me.

(These answers are all based on my memory and my personal experience. I may not be completely technically accurate, but consider this a player's perspective)

[DavidE]

I really wanted to and tried twice. Even bought the K4 unit. I loved the way it looked, played and felt. I just HATED the way it sounded. It wasn't good as an acoustic or an electric. In retrospect, I should have modded one with a ust piezo and that would have probably worked. I know others did it.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

For example??

Rick Turner Renaissance RS6 or Deuce models. SO much better.

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

There are two versions of the series, US made and the Made in Mexico Player series.

Within each series there are a couple of models emulating familiar Fender body shapes - Telecaster, Jag, etc. - in different paint/finish schemes.

I have the US Telecaster-style version in natural.

Differences in the two versions -
- US has a rechargeable battery, MIM uses a regular 9V
- US has a 5 position "pickup" switch, MIM has a 3 position. This, along with the "blend" knob, means US has 10 "voices", MIM has 6.

The first two positions on the switch are acoustic voices supposedly emulating different body sizes and tone woods. The third incorporates a body pickup, useful for folks who do a lot of percussive tap/slapping. The rear most two are Tele-ish, with the rearmost being a straight up Tele bridge pickup.

The acoustic voices are modeled via the Fishman Acoustic engine - which is like a modeller pedal onboard the guitar. They are really legit. I have had numerous compliments on the tone, whether plugged straight into a PA board or into an acoustic amp.

The electric voices, with a little gain behind them, give a good rockin' tone as well.

For the stuff I do - solo gigs, plus rhythm guitar in a cover band - it's a great tool. Wide variety of tones available at my fingertips without messing about with multiple guitars. Acoustically, you can hear it, and it might be fine for late night don't disturb the neighbors couch playing, but I don't pick it up if I'm not playing out. I have other guitars with nicer straight up acoustic tone.

It comes strung with .011's, which feel like noodles to my medium gage acoustic fingers but are heavy for somebody coming from an electric. The neck is electric-ish and fast, in my opinion.

Great tool for stage performance. I wouldn't own one if I didn't play out, but that's just me.

(These answers are all based on my memory and my personal experience. I may not be completely technically accurate, but consider this a player's perspective)

Thanks for the thorough recap! Certainly something to consider!