I’ve previously discussed the Taylor T5z, often positioning it as a superb amplified acoustic or comparing it to Fender’s Acoustasonic series. While those comparisons have their place, a recent question prompted me to re-evaluate the T5z from a different angle: how does it stand as a primarily electric guitar? This shift in perspective is important, especially considering Taylor themselves now categorize the T5z within their electric guitar lineup. Let’s dive deep into the electric heart of the Taylor T5z.
Unpacking the Taylor T5z: More Than Just an Acoustic-Electric Hybrid
The Taylor T5z is fundamentally a hollowbody guitar. While this might conjure images of large jazz guitars, think instead of a more streamlined instrument like an Epiphone Casino. It’s a true hollow body, but with a thinner profile, enhanced by Taylor’s signature slim and incredibly playable bolt-on neck. Crucially, it ships from the factory strung with electric guitar strings, signaling its electric intentions right from the start.
Interestingly, the T5z boasts a trio of pickups, though only one is visually apparent. Recent iterations have also relocated the volume and tone controls to the lower front bout, a more traditional electric guitar placement compared to the upper bout position found on earlier T5 models. Being a hollow body with f-holes, the T5z does offer a pleasant unplugged resonance, suitable for quiet practice. However, make no mistake, its design and components are geared towards amplified electric guitar performance.
Taylor T5z Specifications: Model Variations and Core Features
The Taylor T5z range is segmented into three distinct families: Classic, Pro, and Custom, each offering a variation on the core T5z design and aesthetic. For this review, I’m focusing on the Classic model, but the fundamental electric aspects remain consistent across the line.
The T5z Classic utilizes a Sapele body, with a choice of tops including Neo-Tropical Mahogany, Rosewood, Koa, and Sassafras. My review model features a Sassafras top. The Classic models start at a Manufacturer’s Advertised Price (MAP) of $2499 USD. Stepping up, the Pro model features an Urban Ash body and a figured Big Leaf Maple top, available in a range of dyed colors, priced at $3299 USD MAP. The top-tier Custom model elevates the materials to Koa over Urban Ash, with a MAP of $3799 USD. All T5z models share a Venetian cutaway and are currently offered in right-hand configurations only. It’s also worth noting that Taylor T5z distribution is selective, limited to certified T5z dealers.
While the top wood varies, the core specifications remain largely consistent across the Classic range and are broadly representative of the Pro and Custom models. Let’s delve into the specifics of the review guitar to illustrate these features.
The body construction involves multiple pieces of wood. While the Classic uses a Sapele body, Taylor doesn’t specify if it’s solid or not. However, for an electric guitar of this type, the body wood’s impact on the amplified tone is less significant than in solid-body electrics. The body depth is comparable to a Les Paul, maintaining a comfortable and familiar feel. The top and back feature a satin finish, and the overall build quality is, as expected from Taylor, exceptional. The fretboard is crafted from Crelicam Ebony, and the fretwork is impeccable. The neck, made from Neo-Tropical Mahogany, features black binding on the fretboard. The scale length is 24 ⅞ inches, and the nut width is 1 11/16 inches – a profile that feels welcoming to both acoustic and electric guitarists. It comes strung with Elixir Nanoweb 11-49 strings, anchored by an Ebony bridge with a Micarta saddle and a Tusq nut. Interestingly, the bridge design leans towards acoustic aesthetics, lacking the individually adjustable saddles found on traditional electric guitars. The neck incorporates a headstock-adjustable truss rod for precise setup.
The pickup configuration is where the T5z truly sets itself apart. It houses three pickups: a visible humbucker near the bridge (resembling a lipstick pickup in appearance, but a humbucker in function), a concealed neck humbucker nestled inside the body beneath the fretboard extension, and an acoustic body sensor pickup. These are accessed via a five-way switch, offering a versatile array of tonal options:
- Position 1: Neck Humbucker and Acoustic Body Sensor – For acoustic-electric blended tones.
- Position 2: Neck Humbucker – Warm, rounded neck humbucker tone.
- Position 3: Bridge Humbucker – Brighter, more focused bridge humbucker tone.
- Position 4: Neck and Bridge Humbuckers in Parallel – A balanced, open humbucker blend.
- Position 5: Neck and Bridge Humbuckers in Series – Higher output, thicker humbucker tone.
The volume control is a semi-active pot, functioning as a standard volume knob from zero to the center detent. Beyond the center point, it introduces a boost, capable of gently pushing a suitable amplifier into mild overdrive. Both bass and treble tone pots are active, providing both boost and cut from their center detent positions, offering a broader range of tonal shaping compared to passive tone circuits. Notably, there’s no individual pickup volume control, and the output jack is mono only, keeping the signal path streamlined.
Alt text: Close-up view of the Taylor T5z bridge pickup, highlighting its humbucker design and placement near the bridge, emphasizing its role in electric guitar tones.
Playing the T5z: Electric Guitar Performance and Tonal Palette
Position 1, engaging the neck humbucker and acoustic body sensor, undeniably delivers an amplified acoustic-like sound. If your primary intention is to utilize the T5z as an amplified acoustic, pairing it with a quality acoustic amplifier is crucial. Taylor has recently entered the acoustic amplifier market in 2024, but I haven’t had the opportunity to test their offerings yet. Through my AER Compact 60, the T5z produced a decent acoustic tone. However, the body sensor is quite sensitive to body noise – percussive playing or even arm movements across the guitar top are noticeably amplified. While usable, for dedicated amplified acoustic tones, there are potentially more sonically superior and cost-effective options available.
Switch positions 2 through 5 bypass the body sensor, focusing purely on the humbucker pickups for traditional electric guitar sounds. These humbuckers exhibit a warm character, lacking significant high-end bite with the tone controls at their neutral settings. The tone leans more towards a jazz-oriented, “boxy” sound than a typical bright, thin-line electric. This isn’t a negative characteristic, but it positions the T5z tonally away from aggressive rock or metal genres in its stock configuration. However, plugged into a clean amplifier with ample headroom, such as a Fender Twin Reverb or a Roland Jazz Chorus, the T5z truly shines. These pickups handle pedals reasonably well, but an EQ pedal early in your signal chain is advisable if you intend to use heavier overdrive or distortion pedals, as the low-end can become somewhat boomy. Tonally, the humbucker settings evoke a sonic landscape closer to a large-bodied Gretsch than a semi-hollow ES-175, which, again, is a desirable tonal space for many players.
In practice, I found myself gravitating towards the neck-only (position 2) or bridge-only (position 3) settings most frequently. The tonal differences between the series (position 5) and parallel (position 4) humbucker configurations were quite subtle in my experience, requiring critical listening to discern. They offer nuanced variations, but aren’t dramatically different.
The T5z excels in playing comfort. Its lightweight construction prevents fatigue even during extended playing sessions. For players familiar with Taylor necks, the T5z neck profile will feel instantly familiar and comfortable. The neck is smooth and conducive to fast playing, and string bending is effortless, although personally, I would consider dropping to 9-gauge strings from the stock 11s and exploring brighter string options to further refine the electric guitar voice.
Interestingly, pairing the T5z with a modeling amplifier like a Positive Grid Spark 40 proved less than ideal. While I generally appreciate the Spark series for its versatility, it didn’t seem to complement the T5z’s strengths. A DSP-based amplifier with dedicated acoustic amplifier models, perhaps something like a BOSS Katana, might be a more versatile pairing to leverage both the acoustic and electric capabilities of the T5z effectively.
Alt text: A guitarist playing a Taylor T5z guitar, showcasing its comfortable body size and neck profile for electric guitarists, emphasizing its playability in an electric guitar context.
Recorded Samples and Sonic Exploration
To truly capture the electric guitar character of the T5z, I experimented with various amplifiers and ultimately settled on a Fender Blackface Twin Reverb profile from Tone Junkie within my Kemper Stage. This profile brought out the nuances and strengths of the T5z humbuckers beautifully. The recorded samples feature excerpts played in each of the five pickup selector positions, allowing you to hear the tonal range and versatility of the Taylor T5z as an electric instrument. (Note: Sound samples would be embedded here in a full web article).
Conclusion:
The Taylor T5z successfully bridges the gap between acoustic and electric guitars, and crucially, holds its own as a versatile electric guitar. While its amplified acoustic tones are serviceable, its true strength lies in its warm, jazz-inflected electric voices, particularly when utilizing the humbucker pickups. Its comfortable playability, lightweight design, and diverse tonal palette make it a compelling option for guitarists seeking a hybrid instrument that leans confidently into electric guitar territory. If you’re looking for a guitar that can handle both acoustic and electric duties, and prioritizes comfortable electric playability with a unique sonic character, the Taylor T5z deserves serious consideration.
