Again, from afar, you don’t seem to realize that one is different from the other, especially if you’re looking at the Classic models of T5 and T5z. They are the same in a lot of aspects. 2mm wide x 1mm high) is smaller than most contemporary electrics. To achieve a perfect fit, the Thalia Capo comes with multiple interchangable fretpads so that you can match the fretboard radius of your specific instrument. The first position of the pickup selector activates the neck pickup and the body sensor, which delivers the guitar’s acoustic tone. If you are still confused about which sounds better, you may check this YouTube video that compares a T5z Standard to a T5 Koa: For some retailers, like Amazon, they have the same price. The guitar’s back and sides too are Sapele and come in a beautiful satin finish. T5 is an amazingly versatile guitar. The T5's newer sibling, the T5z, packs all that great capability into a more compact body size (closer to a solidbody), appealing to electric players with its 12-in. Price- and specs-wise, Taylor T5 vs T5z is a draw. Diagram illustrating the concept of fingerboard radius. What truly sets the T5 series apart is its three-way pickup system which incorporates a hidden neck humbucker, a visible stacked humbucker and a hidden body sensor which is mounted just behind the bridge. Taylor has a reputation for designing and building guitars that are both simple and beautiful; and they’ve truly hit the mark with the T5 Classic. Maple 2003 Taylor 414ce Ltd. Rosewood w/ES 2003 Taylor 455ce Ltd. Rosewood w ES 1979 Martin HD-28 Various Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, and Gretsch electrics from 1960's to 2011 . With the trio control knobs — volume, bass, and treble, you’ll get more tonal options than you imagine. Taylor acoustic guitars are unsurprisingly one of the best choices in the market. If you do not find your specific brand and model below you can Google your guitar make/model plus the words "fretboard radius"; if that doesn't work you can use the Taylor T5 vs T5z: What Are Their Differences Besides the Letter ‘z’, Taylor T5 vs T5z: Specifications Comparison. This article will focus on the Classic version of the T5 and T5z. Traditional guitar necks lose that support at the 14th fret, relying instead on a “floating,” unsupported fingerboard extension that’s glued directly to the constantly-moving top. Bone Nut. The T5z’s neck will feel familiar to any hand that has cradled a Gibson Les Paul, thanks to its 111/16-inch nut width and 12-inch fretboard radius. on the T5), jumbo frets that make bending strings easier, and slightly more feedback resistance with high-gain distortion. Hawaiian Koa Top This T5 is in mint condition and has never been played with a Cosmetic Condition of 10 out of 10. Similarly, if you love the smoothness and feel of an electric guitar, the distortion, and the loud sounds, go for a T5z. However, each one is designed to address the uniqueness of every guitarist. As a hollow body acoustic-electric guitar, they offer the best of both worlds. on the T5), jumbo frets that make bending strings easier, and slightly more feedback resistance with high-gain distortion. 11,500.00. What are the Best Acoustic Guitar Strings. Finishing and assembly Next up is the finishing process. The remaining four combinations of neck humbucker, bridge humbucker, neck and bridge humbucker in parallel, and neck and bridge humbucker in series function like any other solid-body electric guitar. The fretboard, headstock overlay and bridge pins are all ebony and the guitar features a simple diamond inlay pattern. The T5z series is a smaller guitar than its sibling, the T5. Related: taylor t5z taylor t3 taylor t5 koa taylor gs mini godin a6 taylor 414ce godin taylor t5x crafter guitar taylor 12 string taylor t5 c2 taylor koa Include description Category ... adding the decorative plate at the top of the neck; adjusting the radius of the fingerboard; and inserting the frets. So, whether you pick one over the other will be based on what you love about the guitar, rather than on its price tag. I don't know about fretboard radius... Logged 2010 Taylor GC8 2011 Taylor GS-Mini 2007 Taylor 214e (my son's first acoustic) 2003 Taylor NS32ce 2003 Taylor Baby Ltd. If you’re a Taylor fan and are interested in their electric guitars, start with this Taylor T5 vs T5z comparison. High Gloss Finish. T5 was first released in 2005, while the T5z followed in 2014. Its compact body together with the jumbo frets is great for string bending. The pickups include acoustic body sensor active soundboard pickup, concealed neck humbucker, and a lipstick-style bridge humbucker. Taylor's neck work is legendary for its precision, and on this guitar, both the neck shape - a beautifully smooth C-section profile - and clean fingerboard create an excellent player, even though the fret gauge (approx. Like all Taylor guitars, a custom-voiced soundboard is the heart of … Other versions are Standard, Pro, and Custom. All use Taylor’s sealed tuners, and the very flat 15″ radius fretboard has 22 medium frets. I am also a big fan of satin finishes on natural wood so this guitar gets a big thumbs up in the looks department. 15 oz..820" Neck Profile at 1st Fret.860” Neck Profile at 12th Fret; Trusted Source. I had an easier go of it myself from playing my Ovation. The Standard has the Sitka Spruce/Sapele pairing, the Pro has the flame maple top, while the Custom has Hawaiian Koa top with golden hardware. Today, the versatile Taylor T5-C1 is the top-selling semi-hollow body guitar and the only one that uses all-magnetic pickups for both its electric and acoustic tones. Taylor Guitars Production Set-Up Specifications Height of string above 1st fret: Acoustic Series Acoustic 12-String Nylon Series Baritone (6- and 8-str.) The Taylor guitar neck is built from a continuous piece of wood that supports the ebony fretboard all the way up to the 19th fret. Bound F-Holes . T5z, on the flip side, is electric leaning, providing you with a smaller body, 12-inch fretboard radius, jumbo frets, and extra feedback resistance. Aesthetics-wise, they look almost identical. Bound Ebony Fretboard. Taylor's NT neck is easier to play and adjust. 2010 Taylor T5-S1 Trans. Among the company’s many innovations are its patented Taylor Neck, the award-winning Expression System® 2 (ES2) pickup, a groundbreaking approach to amplifying an acoustic guitar; and the T5, the first true hybrid acoustic and electric guitar that can produce amplified acoustic tones, full-crunch electric, and everything in-between with the flip of a five-way switch. Please feel free to text me at 780-995-6669 or use the Kijiji app. They have a sound resemblance, too. The latest incarnation is the T5z, is much like the standard T5 but with specific features—a narrower body, jumbo frets, and a 12" fretboard radius—that make the instrument feel more like an electric than an acoustic. 24-7/8" Scale Length. The build quality of the T5 is as great as you would expect from any Taylor guitar and the instrument really feels like it’s built to last. Multi-Layer White/Black Body Binding. To get a fuller explanation of the difference between the T5 and the T5z and to learn more about the various T5z models, check this out. The T5 has a nice narrow neck – very similar to my Strat and Ovation Acoustic/Electric – which I love, so moving around on this neck was amazingly easy and very comfortable. Guitarists who predominantly use acoustic guitars, however, might find that the thinness of the neck takes a little getting used to. Even though they have the same electronics onboard, they still sound a bit different through an amp. The original T5 was very successful in this task but may have been a little large for those used to electric body sizes, so for the T5z, Taylor has chosen to reduce the overall body size, add a 12” neck radius and jumbo frets, making the T5z even more familiar to electric players. The following table lists common fretboard radii used by major manufacturer. This gives T5 darker and earthy look which is highlighted by its satin classic finish. Taylor was ready when machinery with computer numerical control, or CNC, became a factor in guitar making. High Gloss Finish. But, they are exceptionally brilliant. Since the T5z is best played when plugged in, it’s designed to have a feel familiar to electric guitarists. Thanks to the three pickups with a five-way switch, you can get a much wider tonal capacity from both guitars. The T5z is available in four different versions: the Classic, the Standard, the Pro, and the Custom. The fretboard, headstock overlay and bridge pins are all ebony and the guitar features a simple diamond inlay pattern. Triangular Backplate with Battery Access. The neck has a 12-inch radius and jumbo frets that are also designed to appease electric players. You can see a larger body, neck radius, and frets. With its larger body, you’ll be able to get a great tone with enough volume unplugged. This series includes the Standard, Pro, Custom and Classic; the last of which does away with the fancy binding and finishes of the rest, for a more straightforward and rustic looking guitar. However, there’s a deeper reason why the ‘z’ is there. In the end, Taylor isn’t all just about acoustics, but it’s great, too, with their electric guitars. 1) above uses a 16″ radius. Guitarists looking to invest in this instrument should also seriously consider investing in separate acoustic and electric rigs to get the most out of this guitar’s sonic capabilities. The Taylor T5 Classic features a mahogany top and a Sapele neck and heel. Taylor guitars have been widely accepted by musicians and popular artists like Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Shawn Mendes, Tori Kelly, and Zac Brown Band, to name a few. The T5z on the other hand is for those who want an electric guitar feel, as it features a smaller body, a smaller 12" radius… A guitar body undergoing the UV spray process. Although the T5 Classic looks predominantly like an acoustic guitar, it is undoubtedly a finely crafted electric which truly delivers on its hybrid promise. T5 is geared towards acoustic players. The difference is a more compact body size (closer to a solidbody) and playing features that electric players will love: a 12-inch fretboard radius (compared to 15-inch on the T5), jumbo frets that making bending strings easier, and slightly more feedback resistance with high-gain distortion. * Fretboard Radius: 15” * Bracing: T5 Custom * Electronics: Taylor T5, visible bridge humbucker, hidden neck humbucker & body sensor * Controls: Master volume, bass, treble and mid * Body Width: 16” * Body Depth: 2.35” * Body Length 20” * Overall Length 40-3/4” * Weight: 7 lbs. Other fingerboard radii are seen on current Fender electric instruments far less often. So, it’s better to have a side-by-side comparison of their specifications for you to know that they don’t only differ by ‘z.’. fretboard radius (compared to 15-in. At first glance the guitar looks deceptively simple, but at the same time retains an element of timeless elegance. Choosing the Best Acoustic Guitar For You, Learning Guitar? On the flip side, get a T5z if you are more to the electric side, but sometimes need acoustics. T5 and T5z are some of the most popular hollow body hybrid acoustic-electric guitars on the market. Since 1994 The Music Zoo has been a trusted source for musicians around the world. Copyright text 2020 by Best Acoustic Guitar Guide. The Taylor NT neck in 1999 added another major breakthrough in neck design that remains a benchmark for setting an accurate neck angle. Whether you get one or the other, these are Taylor hybrid guitars and you won’t get disappointed with them. The remainder of the T5z’s features are the same or similar to those of the T5. Check out Our Strumming Guide, Fender MA-1 3/4 Size Steel String Acoustic, Yamaha APX500III Thinline Acoustic-Electric Cutaway, Behringer ACX900 Ultracoustic Amplifier Review, Fender Champion 600 Acoustic Guitar Amp Review, Fender Frontman 212R Acoustic Guitar Amp Review, Comparing All 7 of Ernie Ball’s Volume Pedals, Livid Guitar Wing / ACPAD MIDI Controller, Check Out the Top 10 Best Capos for Acoustic Guitar. Other than these differences, Taylor T5 and T5z are two of Taylor’s acoustic-electric hybrid hollow body guitars that will surprise you in any way. These dimensions make string bending a breeze, aided by the well-dressed jumbo frets. Designed with electric players in mind, the T5z brings more of an electric guitar look and feel to the popular hollow-body hybrid electric-acoustic T5 series. The guitar’s back and sides too are Sapele and come in a beautiful satin finish. -  Designed by Thrive Themes They both have Taylor’s proprietary electronics, which makes them ideal for playing unplugged or with an amp. The soundboard pickup offers acoustic tones, while the bridge and neck pickups offer electric sounds. Yes, it has three — the Taylor T5, Taylor T5z, and the T3. It has a slimmer fretboard with 12-inch radius, jumbo frets and smaller body. * Serial # 20080319504 . And, for electric guitars? Member; Posts: 87; Re: Taylor … Model: T5, T5z and related models in the series. The T5 also features a five-way pickup selector, hence the guitar’s name. However, if you love acoustic sounds and playing without an amp, T5 is the right gear for you. As mentioned, it’s best to be played acoustically, so you’ll get a bigger profile, a 15-inch fretboard radius, and narrower frets. He used it to improve the way he joined the guitar’s neck and body, creating what the company called the NT neck. Sorry no trades. Guitar necks and frets ready for assembly. Solid Flamed Maple Top. The higher the number, the flatter the fingerboard. The neck is attached with Taylor’s proprietary T-Lock system, where an Allen bolt goes through the body and pulls the neck into a pocket shaped like a W. The light-gauge (0.10-0.46″) Elixir strings end at the aluminum bridge, which is, like the pickups, a new design. The T5's newer sibling, the T5z, packs all that great capability into a more compact body size (closer to a solidbody), appealing to electric players with its 12-in. Pick the T5 if you’re more towards playing acoustic, but sometimes need electrics. Picking either of these guitars or picking both will surely give you a good return for your investment in time. As you can see, Taylor doesn’t offer a wide neck among its standard 6-string, steel string acoustic guitars. It would go on to inspire the single-bolt T-Lock neck design used on the T5-X, and now being applied to the solid body. The 21-fret fretboard is also built to a 24 7/8” scale which achieves a perfect balance between the tension needed for true acoustic tones and the comfort needed for an electric feel. It’s almost identical to Taylor acoustic guitars, except for the electronics onboard. Taylor T5z only differs from Taylor T5 with a ‘z’, literally. It can play lots of music styles from natural acoustic to electric lines. That means real acoustic tones, real electric tones, and everything in between. T5z is more compact and still exudes the same vintage beauty as its sibling. Both models feature a mahogany top, which is also found in Taylor’s top-of-the-line guitars. The Venetian cutaway also allows for easy access to the top frets. For those who have seen the T5 and T5z for the first time, maybe you can see only one kind of guitar. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This Roadshow Exclusive limited edition T5z Pro boasts a stunning figured maple top covered in a unique Grapevine finish, and the guitar delivers a nice presence in the high mids. T5z, on the flip side, is electric leaning, providing you with a smaller body, 12-inch fretboard radius, jumbo frets, and extra feedback resistance. | Powered by WordPress. The semi-hollow Taylor T5z offers a more compact body size than the original T5, plus a 12” radius fretboard with jumbo frets allows for easy bending and playability. The T5’s top also features two leaf-like sound-holes which do an outstanding job of delivering the body’s natural resonance. The neck on the right (Fig. Back and Sides: Solid Back and Sides. Acoustic players who are accustomed to wider necks will need a little time to get a feel for the neck, but should adjust pretty quickly. Construction wise, the T5 is designed to be the acoustic leaning sibling, with a larger body, and a neck profile, radius, and frets very close to a Taylor acoustic. And while this tone isn’t likely to fool a musician with a seasoned ear when played alone, when used in a band setting, it does a remarkably good job of sounding like a high quality acoustic guitar. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The overall body dimensions are smaller the T5 and just slightly longer and wider than those of a Les Paul. Like the NT neck, The T-Lock employs a neck joint and a precisely milled pocket spacer to dial-in the perfect neck angle. However, few have been as successful as the Taylor Guitar Company with its Taylor T5. SPECIFICATIONS: Model Name: Taylor T5-LTD Type/Shape: 6-String T5 Custom Thinline Back and sides: sapele Top: golden brown-hued ovangkol Neck: sapele Fretboard: ebony Headstock Overlay: ebony Bridge: ebony Nut and saddle: bone Tuning machines: chrome Scale Length 24-7/8" Truss rod: adjustable Neck width at nut: 1-11/16" … In fact, Taylor specifically markets its steel-string acoustic guitars to those who prefer a narrower neck. Neck: Tropical American Mahogany Neck. If you play acoustically more often, you should get a T5. This refresh of the classic design brings it a bit closer in style to an electric guitar, and with a 12-inch fretboard radius, it's going to feel more at home than its predecessor alongside full-on electrics. The T5 introduced the new NT bolt-on neck joint to the Taylor camp that attaches the neck to body via a … Distinctive T5z features include a more compact body than the original T5, a 12" fretboard radius, and jumbo frets, which add up to a fast, fluid playing experience that makes string bends fun. Both neck/fingerboards seen here in cross section are of the same width; note that the smaller vintage-style 7.25″ radius on the left yields greater fingerboard curvature than the longer modern 9.5″ radius on the right. Say hello to the T5z Standard, the innovative addition to the Taylor T5 family. Other common sizes for fretboard radius are 9.5″, 10″, and 12″. As an Amazon Associate, Best Acoustic Guitar Guide earns from qualifying purchases. T5 is geared towards acoustic players. A shortened scale length ensures a fingerboard that is endlessly pleasurable to play with either electric or acoustic strings. Blue . Those who are familiar with the original Taylor T5 will also notice the presence of the T5z guitar here. fretboard radius (compared to 15-in. For the benefit of those who are new to Taylor’s electric guitars, the Classic version is made of Mahogany top with Sapele back and sides. The Taylor T5 Classic features a mahogany top and a Sapele neck and heel. 1-11/16" Nut Width. However, 1 7/8″ neck is available as an option for $200 extra for many guitars except 12 fret and nylon string guitars. Like something you’d expect to find lying around Steve Vai’s home studio. The T5 also features proprietary Taylor pickups, 5-Way switch, and Taylor T-Lock™ neck joint. Jr. It’s almost identical to Taylor acoustic guitars, except for the electronics onboard. I have always enjoyed the look of Ovangkol on Taylors 400 series guitars so I was excited to hear that they were using it for a top on a T5. But, the most interesting is the Taylor T5 vs T5z, which is further discussed in this article. She was born in 2008 and has been babied! 15" Fretboard Radius; Taylor T5 Electronics; 5 lbs. So, obviously, when the company introduced its first electric guitars, they are welcomed with arms wide open by Taylor fans around the world. You can see a larger body, neck radius, and frets. Ultraviolet ovens are used to cure the finish. Over the past couple of decades quite a few guitar companies have made forays into the hybrid guitar market, seeking to give full-time electric guitarists the option of an authentic acoustic tone.