The Serj Tankian Signature Model T5 (STSM-T5) features a sapele body, maple top and a black stain with a gloss finish. Custom features include red purfling that outlines the body, fretboard and headstock, unbound f-holes, and a red energy wheel inlay for the fretboard and headstock based on a design provided by Serj. The model comes with standard T5 electronics. Each STSM-T5 includes a certificate of authenticity signed by Serj.
|
 Features Taylor's T5 electric-acoustic shape and electronics. |
Three-plus decades of acoustic expertise informed the way Taylor shaped the hollow body hybrid T5. You can hear the tonal character before you even plug it in. The T5 features a fully hollow body and an active soundboard with a compound radius. The top is a flat piece of wood braced into an arch to capture the acoustic resonance. The f-holes in the top were specially designed and voiced to further enhance the resonance of the body chamber, and to allow the top to breathe in relation to the player¹s dynamic attack.
Despite the f-holes and the slight arch in the top, the T5 is not an archtop guitar. Its acoustic tone is more akin to a flattop style of sound, as opposed to a carved top instrument like a violin, viola, archtop guitar, or mandolin.
Electronics
Thanks to its humbucking pickups and proprietary body sensor, the T5 produces a versatile range of pure analog tones from strumming acoustic to crunchy electric and everything in between. A hidden neck humbucker, a visible bridge humbucker, and a body sensor mounted to the inside surface of the top take advantage of the latest technology, utilizing Samarium Cobalt magnets and humbucking coils.
The body sensor reads the movement of the top, adding even more warmth to your acoustic tone.
With 5-way switching, the T5 gives a wide range from acoustic-like tones all the way to thick lead tones. Position 1 is where you'll find the most acoustic-like tones, and is a great position for solos and a good place to experiment with the tone controls. Position 3 will go from "spanky" and clean, all the way to "full-tilt crunch." In position 4 you might find it reminiscent of a '50s hollowbody with a slight scoop. While position 5 creates a full and bright sound that's great for thick lead tones.
In addition to the 5-way switch, two active preamp/EQ tone controls and a volume control — incorporating the same soft-touch rollers as those used on the ES--allow for a wide range of additional tone-shaping within each switch position. Located on the soundboard near the upper left shoulder of the guitar are the Volume (set apart from the other two controls), Bass (the middle control), and Treble (closest to the fretboard).
Crisp and Bright
The back and sides are made from the mahogany-like sapele wood, which has gained a legion of fans ever since Taylor introduced it in 1998. As a tonewood, it's denser and harder than mahogany, so it has a crisper, clearer, brighter, "pop"-ier sound than its more familiar counterpart. Loud and robust, with a lovely ribboned grain, sapele has been used by Spanish guitar makers for many years. A maple top adds a bit more sizzle, creating a slightly brighter tone overall.
 Customized with input by System of a Down's Serj Tankian. |
Taylor's innovative T-Lock neck joint brings their trademark consistency and comfort into the electric player's hands. The Taylor NT neck in 1999 added another major breakthrough in neck design that remains a benchmark for setting an accurate neck angle. It would go on to inspire the single-bolt T-Lock neck design used on the T5, and now being applied to the solid body. Like the NT neck, The T-Lock employs a neck joint and a precisely milled pocket spacer to dial-in the perfect neck angle. As the neck bolt is tightened in place, it pulls the neck both down and back toward the bridge for perfect alignment and stability. It's simple to put on or take off to switch out spacers for angle adjustment. And once in place, the fit is perfect, allowing no side movement.
 Features two active preamp/EQ tone controls and a volume control. |
 Overlays based on design by Serj Tankian. |
Taylor takes pride in using the finest quality woods for their guitars, like ebony for every fretboard they make. The tone woods were quartersawn and carefully book-matched before being sorted, dried, and prepared by Bob Taylor and his experienced team of luthiers. The STSM-T5 inlay and binding work was also done by hand, providing care and "touch" that no machine can give. Taylor believes that precision matters, which is why they rely on laser cutters and computer-aided milling machines to consistently hit minute tolerances that were impossible a decade ago.
Balance and Bracing
A balanced tone is critical to a quality recorded sound. Guitars that are too heavily weighted towards a particular end of the tonal spectrum (too "bassy," for example) tend to be tougher to record. While the Dreadnought shape has more volume or bass than other shapes, the overall balance on the STSM-T5 is not compromised.
Tuners
Precise, gleaming tuners add appealing form to an important function, while the type of strings used can alter the feel and the tone of your guitar. Taylor pays careful attention to both, using tuners and strings that are optimized for the STSM-T5 guitar. Together, they are among the keys to an easy-playing, incredible-sounding Taylor.
