Review by I’ve been looking for an acoustic guitar (I’ve had only an electric for years) to play around the house for years. I wanted something timeless and high quality that would sound good and play well. I finally found what I was looking for in the Taylor GS5.
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Cedar top and subtle soundhole decorations on the Taylor GS5
Though I had been vaguely looking for an acoustic guitar for a few years, I only started to look around seriously late last year. I played in a band when I was in high-school/college, but haven’t performed anywhere but my living room for years. While I still play my electric occasionally, the size and volume of my amp and the added complexity and space required by pedals, cables, etc. was keeping me from picking it up every day.
I knew if I had a nice acoustic guitar right there in my living room, I would actually pick it up an play a lot more often. As I’d only be playing around the house, I wasn’t concerned about pickups. I wanted something that was high-enough quality that I would want to play it. With cheaper guitars, it often feels as though you can make them sound good despite the guitar, while I wanted something that would sound good despite my abilities.
For my budget, I was hoping to pay somewhere between $600 - $800, but would have gone a bit higher if I really found something I liked. I don’t mind spending a bit more on an instrument as it will hold it’s value and last longer than I will.
I started at my local music store, where they have a reasonable selection of Martin, Taylor, Takamine, Gibson, and Fender acoustics. Not being an expert, I really just had to rely on what felt and sounded best to me (which is what most experts seem to tell you to do anyhow).
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Mahogany back and sides on the Taylor GS5
To my surprise, of all of the guitars I tried, I got to really like a small synthetic-body acoustic-electric from Martin, the Martin XC1T Ellipse. The Martin didn’t have a huge sound due to it’s small body, but it felt great to play.
A few weeks later, was traveling and got to a music store with a bit more selection. Here I tried a few “low-end” Taylor acoustics - the 100 and 200 series. I was really impressed with the huge, bright sound. I actually though it was a bit too bright (whatever that means). These guitars were around the $1,000 CDN mark, which was slightly over my budget, but felt and sounded good enough for me to pay a bit extra.
After having tried the 100/200 series Taylors, I looked a bit further into their product line on their website. Here I found the Taylor GS series, named for the Grand Symphony body shape. The GS shape is tight around the “waist” and has a wider “bottom” (I think Sir Mix-a-Lot would like these…). Having played a GS-body months earlier, I loved the shape and sound, but it was well out of my budget ($3,000+).
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Close-Up of the Taylor GS5
I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that what really ended up selling me on the GS was a series of videos on the Taylor website. The videos show Bob Taylor discussing and playing the GS with a guitar dealer, and with Matt Scannell of the band Vertical Horizon. I should be clear here that I am not a fan of the hilariously named Vertical Horizon (juxtaposition, get it?), this guy made this guitar sound amazing.
I’m always cautious about judging a guitar based on how it sounds when someone else plays it. I remember reading a letter to a guitar magazine years ago where the sender asked a columnist what settings and equipment he should use to get a sound like Stevie Ray Vaughn. The columnist explained some of the basic equipment that SRV used, but closed with a nugget of wisdom that stuck with me (I’m paraphrasing here): “You can get closer to SRV’s sound with the right equipment, but remember, if SRV picked up your shitty guitar, he would still sound like SRV.”
Guitar tech parables aside, I was impressed with what I saw in the video, and I was struck by comments that some guitars can inspire you to want to play, and this is one of them (or so the manufacturer-produced video says).
The GS is available in four simple configurations. All models come with an ebony fingerboard, simple tasteful dot inlays, gold-plated tuners, an an ebony fingerboard. The only difference between the four configurations is the choice of wood for the back, sides, and soundboard (see the table below for details).
| Model | Back & Sides | Top |
|---|---|---|
| GS5 | Mahogany |
Cedar |
| GS6 | Maple |
Spruce |
| GS7 | Rosewood |
Cedar |
| GS8 | Rosewood |
Spruce |
While it’s nice that the GS series is straightforward (wood choices and an optional pickup/electronics system are the only options), the wood choices can be a bit daunting. The Taylor site and some reviews discuss the various attributes of the woods, but with terms like “bright” and “warm” are difficult to imagine. Several reviews mentioned that the cedar-top GS5 was well suited to finger-style playing, which doesn’t describe my general strummings and noodlings. However, having found the lower-end 100/200 series Maple models a bit too bright (lots of high-end), I was inclined towards the Mahogany/Cedar model (GS5).
I ended up going with with the Mahogany/Cedar GS5 model, and have been please with my decision. However, not having had exposure to all of the models, I can say for sure how I would have found the other variations.
With a list price above $2,600 and a selling price close to $2,000 (USD), this model was almost twice what I had originally budgeted. If I were paying full price, I don’t think I would have been able to justify the cost for my casual use. Fortunately, I found a new GS5 on eBay for only $1,400. This was close enough to my ever swelling budget that I was able to take the leap. I was a bit worried about ordering such a valuable item from eBay (especially given the low price), but the guitar was indeed brand-new and in perfect shape when it arrived.
The GS5 arrived in a solid and attractive leather-covered hard-shell case. The custom case holds the guitar body nicely and gave me some peace of mind knowing it was secure during shipment. Opening it up, the guitar was setup beautifully and was practically in tune.
With little experience with other acoustic guitars, my ability to compare and contrast is limited. The GS5 feels light and the body shape is comfortable for extended playing. The action was at a comfortable level - no buzz, but quite playable.
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Full view of the Taylor GS5
The GS5 is elegant and simple - it is not heavily adorned with fancy inlays or designs. The overall aesthetic is discreet and distinguished. The cedar, mahogany, and ebony wood components are nicely accented with gold-plated hardware (tuners and strap hooks).
While there was a $400 (list price) option for the Taylor acoustic/electric pickup system, I just couldn’t see having holes cut in this beautiful body for knobs. For a guitar that I hope to enjoy in my living room for years and hopefully pass on to another generation, the non-electric option just seemed more timeless and appropriate.
The sound of the GS5 is full, warm, bright and generally delightful. As the promo videos suggested, this guitar encourages playing and makes you feel like a better musician. I get a nice feeling each time a come home and see the guitar on its stand in my living room. The beautiful appearance and sound encourage me to pick up the guitar and play much more often, as I had hoped. I’m completely happy with the GS5 and would recommend the guitar to anyone with a similar budget and playing situation. After too many years of casually searching, I bought the right guitar.
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Comments
Matt - July 9, 2007 1:32 am
it's -> its.
Oliver - July 11, 2007 12:42 pm
I have to say I've always been a bit of sucker, I've always had a electric and acoustic but I tend to play certain songs on one and certain on another and plus I find it's much better to compose on an acoustic.
John Cook - January 3, 2008 1:36 pm
Enjoy the guitar - Taylor make very solid instruments. You'll also find that the hard case it ships with is close to bullet-proof!
Reid Nantes - January 12, 2008 8:15 pm
hey its your god fathers son steven! nice website :)
Tom - January 21, 2008 3:40 pm
Get that beauty off the stand and into a case, preferably with a humidor, it will last forever that way.
Jim Hansen - April 22, 2008 12:03 am
Congratz on the GS5. I have the same guitar equipped with the Expression System and I absolutely love it. I picked it up because I specifically wanted to be able to plug it in to my USB interface on my computer and do some recording to share with friends and family, and I didn't want to put a pickup in my Martin HD-28.
I love the feel of the Taylor. The 1 3/4" nut is slighly wider than my Martin, which makes it considerably easier to play. The sound is bright but well balanced. It handles finger style, strumming and flatpicking equally well. I'm very happy with it (and am almost ashamed to admit that it gets more play time than my HD-28).
Mark Wieser - September 3, 2008 3:14 pm
I recently purchased the same guitar albeit the acoustic/electric with Taylor's "expression system." I always love it when, after an expensive purchase, each subsequent day confirms one has made the right choice. I got the red cedar top/mahogany sides model after sitting in a store for almost three hours playing Gibsons (no like), Martins (already own D35) and various other (high-end) acoustics. I got the right guitar - The cedar is thinner wood and vibrates more putting out the classic Taylor brightness, but with a suprising mid range as well. Glad you love yours, as I do mine!
Judd Maher - March 8, 2009 9:53 pm
I recently became a grandfather for the first time and because my grand daughter lives in another state, Skyping has become the preferred method of communication. I have been a fairly avid guitar player most of my life but concentrated mostly on the electric guitar having been raised in the 60's and hence developing a passion for classic rock.
While I have always owned acoustic guitars, I have never owned a truly nice one. One evening while skyping with my daughter, she asked me to sing some songs to my grand daughter. Coincidentally, I had been spending more time lately playing my acoustic in the evenings when I got home from work and felt ready to deliver - my skype concerts soon became a weekly event.
While my Epiphone AJ-500 was a respectable low-mid line guitar, I soon decided that it was certainly not adequate for serenading my grand daughter over the internet (I needed some excuse to get a new guitar!) so I went to a couple of the local shops and decided to check out what was available these days in the acoustic world. I had never really been a big Taylor fan so I didn't even try them when I started pulling guitars off the wall. I listened to the Gibsons, Martins, Breedloves and several other well-respected brands. After a couple of visits to the shop I had become enamored with a high-end Breedlove and took it home.
After playing it for several days, I became disenchanted with the sound and the action and returned to the shop to be sure I had made the right decision. While playing the Breedlove against the others I had previously played, I figured I'm making a fairly large financial commitment here, I should at least pull down a Taylor or two and see if my opinions could be changed.
So I figured why not start at the top and I pulled down a 914ce ($4,000 street) and thought - this is why people pay four grand for a guitar. Beautiful sound and as easy to play as any guitar I have ever handled. Feeling like I might be headed in the right direction, I pulled down a 714ce (getting a little closer to my price range) and again, very impressed. Then it happened. I saw a GS5 (not knowing what it was at the time) and thought, let's give this one a try.
Wow, wow... Wow!
The sound of this guitar hit me right between the ears and I couldn't put it down. I couldn't believe I sounded better than I actually was (a big plus for me) and to top it off it was priced at around $2,200 (street).
All I can say is I have logged dozens of hours of playing time on my GS5 in the past couple of weeks and can't wait to get home at night to pick it up and start playing. Its rich, full-bodied sound is unlike anything I have ever heard in an acoustic. It's insanely easy to play and the fretted notes sound as good as the open strings! The resonance is superb, balanced and forthcoming. Not a shy guitar but still elegant sounding.
By the way, I returned to the music store this week for a reality check and I put it up against the runner-ups again and it was even more impressive than at first.
One huge plus for the GS5 is the ability it has to shine in almost any style of playing; finger picking, flat picking or strumming. This was important to me as I enjoy playing a wide range of styles. Everything about this guitar is first class, the fit and finish were flawless, the attention to detail is excellent. This is simply an unassuming yet extraordinary guitar.
I have saved this part for last. I have been a music producer for twenty-five years and have produced countless guitar sessions. I consider myself to have a far above average ear, which I think qualifies me to recommend this fabulous and unique instrument to anyone looking for a robust and versatile guitar that is made to last for generations.
Kudos to Taylor. Thanks for making the acoustic guitar enjoyable for me again.
Pete Young - April 23, 2009 9:22 pm
I recently purchased a new Taylor GS5, and I agree with the comments made by the previous review writers. I also have a Martin OMC aura that I love. I haven't played either instrument plugged in yet, as most of my playing is for worship at church and fingerstyle at home. Both instruments are good for fingerstyle, flat picking, strumming, and I believe either would record well. Since I played classical guitar for several years, I am very acquainted with cedar tops, but with steel strings cedar really shines. I couldn't be more pleased with the Taylor, and I have probably played close to 100 various high end acoustic electrics in the past two years.
I have owned Martins, Taylors, Washburns, Larrivee's, and numerous classical high end instruments. If I played in a band I might want a brighter instrument to cut through the mix, but this GS5 does it all for me.
I compared it to a Taylor GC8, a Taylor 914ce, a Taylor Kona special edition, a Taylor 814ce, and several Taylor 414's. While they were all good, I simply prefer the mellow, but with real sparkle sound of the GS5.
I never thought a mahogany guitar would appeal to me as I always thought mahogany was a "cheap" wood. I noticed that many professionals played mahogany guitars with cedar and spruce tops, and I decided I had better inform myself less I miss the opportunity of finding something I really liked. I did a lot of research on this wood and I no longer feel I am ignorant of the real truth. Mahogany comes in many grades, and Taylor buys the best.
In conclusion I can't say enough good about the GS5. An added bonus is the great new case design. Buy one and you will end your search for one great guitar. Do I like the Taylor better than the Martin? I can't make thIs choice. They are both great while different in shape and sound.
Peter Young
Bill Jarocki - June 6, 2009 2:17 pm
I purchased a GS5 in the Spring of 2008, so I've had over a year to play it and compare it against new and old models of acoustics. I've played several Taylors over the years starting with a Baby, then a rosewood 422r, a Koa, a 512, and a 410 ltd. rosewood. When I heard the GS5 I couldn't believe the sound, and the guitar is as versatile as the others have said. Recently I put 80/20 strings on it to brighten the sound and I've been thrilled at the dimension of sound. Most people think mahogany is a downgrade from rosewood, but it's really just different. The wood is in short supply and may soon be as rare as some other soundwoods. It isn't as dramatically "pretty" as the others, but it produces a sound that is perfect for a wide range of playing styles. The combination with the cedar top is excellent. I buy Taylors because of the quality, the innovation (NT neck) and the warranty. I don't know if this GS5 will be the last Taylor I buy, but if it is, I will have no reason to be dissatisfied -- thinking that I might be missing something. For me it is the cure for GAS.