Taylor T5z Classic Sassafras Hollowbody Review

I love it…. But…

I almost sent this guitar back. At about 5 lbs, this guitar is super light… almost toy-like. I'm a performing musician who plays standing with the neck at a 45 degree angle. The first thing I noticed was a neck dive issue and I'd have to keep readjusting in the middle of a song. For the price of this guitar, I couldn't believe Taylor has not addressed this issue. My solution is… read more a small, weighted pouch attached to the bottom of my strap (see pic). I found it online. It's actually a counter balance for military helmets. It works perfectly and is smaller than a wireless pack. The second reason I almost returned it is because I LOVE the sound of my Taylor 214ce-DLX acoustic. When compared to the acoustic setting of the T5z, my 214 wins. By the way, I'm talking about plugged in. The T5z is a hollowbody electric guitar. It will give you more unplugged volume than a solidbody electric if you are practicing on the couch, but it's meant to be amplified. The third reason I considered returning is due to a smaller scale length than I was used to (24.875"….about the size of a Les Paul). After playing it for a few weeks and gigging with it twice, I fell in love. First with the astonishing beauty of this Sassafras top, second with the diverse sounds and tones I can get, third with the ease of playing. The amplified acoustic setting is really good and songs that are jammed with barre chords now seem effortless. I'm a solo performer, using a tower array PA system and a digital effects pedal with amp modeling. With this setup, I can make this guitar sound like an acoustic, strat, tele, hollowbody jazz, etc. If I were in a full band, I could play as clean or distorted as needed with just one guitar. Being primarily an acoustic rhythm player, my new guitar inspires me to become a better player. Last night at a small restaurant gig, I had 5 people come up and ask about it, all complimenting me on the sound and look of this beautiful guitar. These are reasons I kept it.

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