Taylor T5C

aubs1

It's drooling/GAS time again! Walked into a guitar shop and saw this gem today............I'm seriously thinking of selling my Takamine 12 string (which I don't play much) and my Ovation Celebrity to help finance this baby!!!! Opinions anyone? Took it in my hands and felt the touch...the thing said: "Take me, take me!!!"

BOB, ALAN and KEIRA, what would you do? Advice please! I have a feeling I will probably get it, but have to get my head around it!! Come on guys.....talk to me!!!!!
Don't ask what it costs, will not tell you.......hahahaha

[deleted]

Nice guitar, I played one a while back. I believe they are over priced but if that's not the point here. I say go for it ?

If it's good enough for Doyle Dykes then I'm sure it's good enough for anybody!

aubs1

Yeah Brent, felt just awesome! But for once I did not become impulsive and just get it! Need to get some comments from those in the know first.
Overpriced? Geez, everything in SA is so overpriced, but when GAS kicks in, we sometimes become blinded.......for once I'm proud of myself, did not just succumb! ?

TomCat

aubs1 wrote Overpriced? Geez, everything in SA is so overpriced, but when GAS kicks in, we sometimes become blinded.......for once I'm proud of myself, did not just succumb! ?

HeHeHe....wait till next week.........or the week after that........

CDee

Aubs, Aubs, Aubs... Why did you not buy it?... Eli could've had his first electric guitar... Think of the children Aubs... ? ? ?

TomCat

CDee wrote Aubs, Aubs, Aubs... Why did you not buy it?... Eli could've had his first electric guitar... Think of the children Aubs... ? ? ?

I agree with CDee.........LOL.... ? ?

AlanRatcliffe

It's a very cool guitar. The Koa model is stunningly beautiful too. Primarily acoustic, with a bit of electric thrown in for luck. Also look at the Taylor T3s, which are their hollow electrics.

BTW, Parkwood (Cort) do a similar guitar, but more electric - with an electric strings, bridge and tailpiece. http://hybrid.parkwoodguitars.com/main.htm. Quite a bit cheaper too:

Bob-Dubery

I'm a bit ambivalent about Taylors. Firstly, I concur that they are overpriced - not just in SA but EVERYWHERE. It's like Martin or Collings, they are good guitars but you pay something for the name as well.

Taylors always play well. It's something to do with the way they make necks. Once it's set up a Taylor (even a very cheap one like my Big Baby) will be easy and sweet to play.

I'm less convinced by the sound. I think they lack a little character - especially the Taylors being built now. But that's a subjective issue. I think they have gone for a fashionable sound, the sort of sound you hear on a lot of records these days. But then I tend to think that the art of recording has been going down, down, down for at least 25 years now and especially when it comes to acoustic guitars.

It's ultimately up to you. I don't know what a T5 costs. Since you're prepared to trade in a couple of other guitars, and since it's a buyer's market right now, if I were you I'd consider taking a trip to Music Connection to try out some Breedloves. If you must have a new acoustic and can get the cash together you should test drive the Larrivee OM that is up for sale in classifieds - Larrivees are lovely guitars. I don't see any new Larrivees coming into the country right now (a pity, and a mystery) so 2nd hand is the way to go right now.

There's a Santa Cruz OM at Andy McGibbons - but I have no idea of the price. I wouldn't expect it to be cheap.

aubs1

CDee wrote Aubs, Aubs, Aubs... Why did you not buy it?... Eli could've had his first electric guitar... Think of the children Aubs... ? ? ?

Partly my motivation, Eli, and the fact that its primarily an acoustic! The body is so "user friendly", thinline.....wow, dreamt about the bloody thing last night????
I don't think its gonna "disappear" within the next few days or weeks......the children are my main motivation, or so my wife thinks.....so I can still contain my GAS a while longer........hahahaha

@ Alan, had a look at the T3, together with the pic of the Parkwood you posted........hell, that's torture.....they are so awesome......especially the T3/B....The latter is an "electric" though, whereas the T5C seems primarily acoustic.....thanx for that info!

@ Bob, will definately not be as impulsive as I usually am. Maybe I should have a look at the Breedloves, don't know much about them. The whole thing about the T5C was the thinner/narrow body and the playabilty/feel of the neck.....I was quite impressed. About the sound.....well....did not plug it into any amp, but acoustically quite "clean". But then again, when one's adrenalin's pumping out of excitement, I need to calm down and be a bit more attentive. Thanx for all that feedback, as usual, much appreciated!

TomCat wrote HeHeHe....wait till next week.........or the week after that........

Hey Tom, gotta find where Eli hides his Piggy-bank........hahahahaha.......

Bob-Dubery

aubs1 wrote Yeah Brent, felt just awesome! But for once I did not become impulsive and just get it! Need to get some comments from those in the know first.
Overpriced? Geez, everything in SA is so overpriced, but when GAS kicks in, we sometimes become blinded.......for once I'm proud of myself, did not just succumb! ?

Having just been on holiday in the UK, I don't think guitars in SA are particularly overpriced, or at least no more overpriced than they are anywhere else. OK... I didn't check every brand on sale, but Taylors seemed to be more or less the same price as they are here once you've applied exchange rates. Larrivees (when you can get them) may be a little cheaper in SA. Collings about the same price.

American brands get expensive once you're buying outside of the USA. British brands get expensive once you're buying outside of GB (or maybe the EU).

I played a fab Lowden. Sticker price was 2230 pounds. But if they export they knock off the VAT - which is 15% at the moment. Now you're looking at about 1940 pounds. Shipping would be a couple of hundred...

I wish I could afford to have GAS right now ?

Bob-Dubery

aubs1 wrote
@ Bob, will definately not be as impulsive as I usually am. Maybe I should have a look at the Breedloves, don't know much about them. The whole thing about the T5C was the thinner/narrow body and the playabilty/feel of the neck.....I was quite impressed. About the sound.....well....did not plug it into any amp, but acoustically quite "clean". But then again, when one's adrenalin's pumping out of excitement, I need to calm down and be a bit more attentive.

What I'd do, when spending that kind of money, is ask for one of the sales persons to play the guitar whilst I stand a couple of meters off. Then you get a better idea of how it sounds and can focus your attention JUST on the sound.

When I was shopping for a good acoustic a couple of years ago I got down to a short list of 3 guitars at McGibbons. The Morgan was the most expensive of the three by some distance. But then I did the test I described above and it was no contest - I could hear the richness of the sound, the seperation between the strings in a way that I couldn't when actually playing the guitar and thinking about the action, how I was playing etc etc. Standing off whilst somebody else played allowed me to HEAR the guitars better.

aubs1

Bob Dubery wrote Having just been on holiday in the UK, I don't think guitars in SA are particularly overpriced, or at least no more overpriced than they are anywhere else. OK... I didn't check every brand on sale, but Taylors seemed to be more or less the same price as they are here once you've applied exchange rates. Larrivees (when you can get them) may be a little cheaper in SA. Collings about the same price.
American brands get expensive once you're buying outside of the USA. British brands get expensive once you're buying outside of GB (or maybe the EU).
I played a fab Lowden. Sticker price was 2230 pounds. But if they export they knock off the VAT - which is 15% at the moment. Now you're looking at about 1940 pounds. Shipping would be a couple of hundred...
I wish I could afford to have GAS right now ?

I normally check pricing on USA and UK sites before buying anything like guitars, and have found exactly what you describe above, eg. the retial price for the Ibanez JEM7-WH that I bought the other day is $2599.99 at Sweetwater, which would be about R21,000.00 here, and I got it at the TOMS sale for two-thirds of that number!!! That's basically how I go about buying my stuff.

Bob Dubery wrote What I'd do, when spending that kind of money, is ask for one of the sales persons to play the guitar whilst I stand a couple of meters off. Then you get a better idea of how it sounds and can focus your attention JUST on the sound.
When I was shopping for a good acoustic a couple of years ago I got down to a short list of 3 guitars at McGibbons. The Morgan was the most expensive of the three by some distance. But then I did the test I described above and it was no contest - I could hear the richness of the sound, the seperation between the strings in a way that I couldn't when actually playing the guitar and thinking about the action, how I was playing etc etc. Standing off whilst somebody else played allowed me to HEAR the guitars better.

Must admit, I never would have thought of doing that! Brilliant advice......thanx again, Bob!

toastyrat

Hey Aubs

I have a T5 standard and have very mixed feeling about it. I know this is the custom you are looking at, never played one of those.

My T5 sounds pretty darn good in my ears, but it's more the feel that gets to me. It feels like you are playing an acoustic guitar that sounds electric and that makes it a bit weird.

Then again it could be just a huge contrast between that and my thinline which has a tooth pic for a neck. Personally i'll probably sell my T5 soon and get a solidbody tele.

You have the big baby, now time for a tele, strat or les paul. ?

aubs1

toastyrat wrote Hey Aubs
I have a T5 standard and have very mixed feeling about it. I know this is the custom you are looking at, never played one of those.
My T5 sounds pretty darn good in my ears, but it's more the feel that gets to me. It feels like you are playing an acoustic guitar that sounds electric and that makes it a bit weird.
Then again it could be just a huge contrast between that and my thinline which has a tooth pic for a neck. Personally i'll probably sell my T5 soon and get a solidbody tele.
You have the big baby, now time for a tele, strat or les paul. ?

Thanx for the feedback TR........you possibly did not see my signature list!......I have all those and a few more guitars.....It is more like a "would-like-to-have" than anything else.
It just felt so fantastic........so who knows, maybe, maybe not!! Still looking at some other guitars and stuff as well..........

Riaan

Hey aubs, I know the feeling all too well...I feel the same about that Godin A12. I'd say if you like the way it plays and you're happy with the sound, then go for it. I've also been drooling over those Taylors, even though I've only seen the pictures and never heard it. A guitar that good looking has to sound good also!

toastyrat

aubs1 wrote you possibly did not see my signature list!......I have all those and a few more guitars.....

Ha, i meant for eli aubs, unless you willing to share ?

aubs1

toastyrat wrote Ha, i meant for eli aubs, unless you willing to share ?

Ahh! Sorry man, did'nt quite get it! Well, he already claims that everything that's mine is his, and everything that's his, is ....well....HIS!!! >☹ Little bugger! ?
But you know how it is, he will probably inherit it all one day. I have another little boy, Kmi, (4)...(no, that's not his initials, it's his name, you know, the racing driver Kimi, we just spelt his name a bit different, but same pronunciation). So there's gonna be a toss-up who gets what!!! They're gonna have to "earn" the guitars......