Anybody got opinions on the Taylor T5 they'd like to share? It looks like it would be a good solo gig type guitar. I've only picked up a couple in the stores for a quick strum. They felt good and actually sounded pretty good unplugged.

I had one for a couple of years that I just sold. It wasn't a bad guitar at all, maybe I'm just spoiled--or just naturally an acoustic guy. It was fine as an electric, but it never sounded like my acoustics did, even plugged in and on all the acoustic settings through a great acoustic amp. I even did the A/B thing they talked about, running it through a Mesa F30 for the electric side, and either a Genz Benz or a Schertler for the acoustic side...still, it just didn't call my name that much.

And, when I was home, why pick up a Taylor T5 when there are really great acoustics right in front of me?

So, off it went, just three days ago. And that's my experience w/ a T5.

I owned a T5 for 24 hours - that's what led to me buying my Collings. I got it because I was playing in a contemporary Christian band that required me to switch from syncopated acoustic strumming to electric lead in the same song. It just didn't do it for me, it was like the worst of both worlds. I just decided I would rather own a really nice acoustic guitar.

The one area where I think the T5 would be really great would be as a modern jazz guitar.

The neck joint on the T5 is kind of funky - it's like one bolt. It seemed like I could get "neck vibrato" just by using a heavy fretting hand.

Yech!

If you want to go that "direction," buy a Renaissance.

Or, heck, just take out the ol' Craftsman drill and stick a DeArmond on that beater of yours.

Rawk on!

Clem

This is a cliche, but I feel the T5 is another instrument that is a 'jack of all trades, but master of none'.

And, it's totally out of left field aesthetically, which isn't my thing.

With current effects and modeling I just don't get the need for a T5, especially at the price of a nice Collings, Martin, etc. I've been fooling around with AmpliTube on my latest recording setup and I gotta admit it's fun to put Overdrive and WahWah on my C-10 tracks. Three grand is a lot of money for a guitar that is "master of none" as Greg L said.

An old saying comes to mind: a camel is a horse designed by a comittee. I don't mind taking two great guitars to a gig, one acoustic and one electric. They sound the way they're supposed to sound, and it ain't an effect (although I do own pedals for old school vibrato and slapback, rockabilly style). A mule is sterile for a reason, to extend the animal metaphors!