The T5z Pro has an attractively figured flame-maple top that provides the brilliant attack and articulated treble that many electric players prefer. The T5z Pro’s smaller body dimensions and neck with a 12-inch radius and jumbo frets are designed to appeal to guitarists who mainly play electric. Versatile active treble and bass EQ controls are mounted on the top’s upper-bass bout, where they are easy to reach and adjust. Manufacturer: Taylor Guitars, Ĭheat Sheet: Three pickups provide a wide variety of electric and acoustic tones that guitarists can play separately or blend. Even small details like the pair of strap pins at the bottom, which keeps the guitar perfectly balanced when rested in a standing-up position, show that Taylor is completely in tune with guitarists’ needs and desires. The T5z Pro’s overall design is well thought out and practical. However, it should take only a few minutes for most players accustomed to lighter string gauges to adjust.
These strings provide an ideal balance between the assertive, full-bodied thump of an acoustic guitar and the string-bending ease that electric players prefer. 009s may initially find the T5z’s feel and playability a little stiff, but that’s because the guitar ships with medium gauge (.011–.049) Elixir Nanoweb strings. Players accustomed to the super-slinky feel of. The neck/bridge-parallel setting sounds similar to a blend between a Strat’s neck and neck/middle setting, while the neck/bridge-series setting is bold and aggressive like a solidbody humbucker guitar. The neck humbucker sounds like a big, fat semihollow guitar, while the bridge humbucker has the twang and bark of a Tele Deluxe. The neck/body-sensor setting offers everything from authentic acoustic rhythm zing to an archtop/flattop acoustic-like blend, depending on how the EQ controls are set. The differences between the five pickup settings are astounding, delivering a versatile palette of tones that should satisfy the gigging needs of many guitarists.
With its single output, the T5z sounds best when plugged into a standard electric guitar amp with a clean channel for acoustic tones and an overdrive/distortion channel for authentic electric tones. Plugged in, the electric tones are more reminiscent of a semihollow electric, providing fat, gutsy midrange and all the feedback-free sustain a player could ever want. Performance: Unplugged, the T5z Pro produces punchy, resonant tone that sounds like a hollowbody jazz archtop. The 21-fret neck has an ebony fretboard and a 24 7/8–inch scale that provides a nice balance between the tension needed for bright, lively acoustic tones and electric guitar comfort. The sapele neck is attached to the body with Taylor’s patented T-Lock neck design, which uses just a single bolt and delivers the exceptionally solid feel of a set-neck design.
The top has a pair of two-segment soundholes that provide outstanding resonance from the hollowed-out sapele back. The T5z Pro has an attractively figured flame-maple top that is ideal for players who lean toward electric tones, whereas the other models have koa (Custom), spruce (Standard) or mahogany (Classic), which are ideal for acoustic tones. Taylor offers several different T5z models, but the main difference between each is the material used for the top, which is available in black, Borrego Red, Pacific Blue or tobacco sunburst finishes.