In all fairness, I did play a beautiful new T-5 at the closest Guitar Center to us last month... great action, perfect in appearance, but a pickup/switch problem with that new guitar had two positions on the switch non-functional. I was appalled that the salesman in that store knew there was a problem with the guitar, but rather than get it fixed, they left it hanging on the wall... up out of reach for all but the tallest. The T-5 is kinda like the ES, but no other new Taylor that I tried had any issue with the ES. Well, there was one that I couldn't get a sound out of at a different Guitar Center... but, it didn't have a 9v battery in it. 
Not really a Taylor problem.
The Expression System doesn't use the pickup switch found on the T5. It is my understanding, and I haven't verified it recently, that the T5 pickup switch is made in Germany.
Yes, I am aware of that. The pickup on the T-5, however does use 3 different pickups (along the lines of the ES)... close as I could come to being personally aware of ANY pickup problem on a 2012 Taylor, but specifically pointing out that this particular Guitar Center put it out for sale, knowing there was a problem. To me that says something about the dealer as opposed to the manufacturer.
My apologies if I implied in any way that the T-5 pickup/switch set up is the same thing as an ES system. I'll go sit in the corner for a while. 
While the T5 uses one soundboard pickup like those found on the Expression System, the point I was making was that the problem you found with the T5 on display was due to a faulty switch which the Expression System doesn't have so I saw little relevance to the alleged ES problems mentioned in the opening post.
Nevertheless, your account of the salesman knowingly displaying a new guitar in need of repair was both interesting and troubling and I understand your reason for mentioning it so thanks for posting about it.
the neck sensor, body sensor & bass/treble/volume controls are ES-derived
position 1 is the neck & body sensor & position 2 is the neck sensor only -
these are the most 'acoustic' tones
if the issue was in switch position 3 thru 5, then the top humbucker is involved
if the 5 way switch is from the same source as the SB switches, then it's from schaller
in terms of the hardware, there's more than 50% ES there, Jim -
just wondering which switch positions had a concern
If I remember correctly, it was positions 3 and 5 that were getting no sound. I figured it was a pickup problem rather than the switch, but I didn't pursue the issue. I did play a very nice 814ce at the same time, which prompted my purchase of the one from Guitar Rodeo that was calling my name from afar. The ES system on that 814 worked great... as does mine. As did every other Taylor I played in the last month, leading up to my purchase. 
Again, I just mentioned the T-5 having a problem to point out the dealer issue.
If positions 1,2 and 4 worked, then all all the pickups were probably operational so there is a higher likelihood that the switch was faulty.
Position 1: Neck humbucker and body sensor
Position 2: Neck humbucker only
Position 3: Bridge humbucker
Position 4: Neck and bridge humbuckers in parallel
Position 5: Neck and bridge in series
Distress? 
I participate here for the fun of it. I've learned a lot, exchanged some correspondence with like-minded folks, and enjoy a daily dose of "Taylor stuff" here. In case anyone should think otherwise, I enjoy playing my guitars, but don't take that or myself too serious. I think you missed the whole point of my first post in this thread, but admire your ability to diagnose pickup/switch problems.
I posted "you win," to let you know that this tangental drift adds nothing to the conversation... it was my non-aggressive way to let you know I was done. I'm a married guy... not getting the last word is something with which I have familiarity.
Distress? Seriously?
Jim
Maybe a better word would have been, annoyance or vexation. Anyway, I regret your negative reaction to my well-meaning post.
Neither annoyed nor vexed, Herb (and how often does one get to use the word 'vexed'?). And, by definition, one can only regret one's
own actions, not those of someone else. Had it been
a (as in:
singular) post, I would have let it slide. But, check out all those quotes above. I think the whole thing is funny... in a 'Sheldon vs everyone else' kinda way (Big Bang Theory reference).
My apologies for coming across negative. Posting multiple quotes does that to me, I guess.
(Note the winkie, I still think this is absurdly funny.) If the intent of the original poster of this thread was to stir things up, it seems he has been somewhat successful. I am not upset, annoyed, or any other negative term in regards to this (again) tangental discussion. Should our paths cross, like at a "Find your Fit" event or any other guitar related occasion, I would be delighted to shake your hand and buy you the first cold one. Feel free to post the last word - in the vernacular of the younger ones: put a fork in me, I'm done.
Jim
