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just found a Tacoma in the basement...


totamus

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So I was at my sons house for his birthday a couple of nights ago, We had a great time, ate some pizza, and after awhile I played the Martin DM that I had given him some time back. After awhile I asked him whatever happened to his old guitar. I couldn't remember what brand it was, just that at the time (10 years ago) I thought it was an "ok" guitar.

 

He went to the basement and came up with a Tacoma DR-12, made in 1998. It had been unplayed for at least the last 7 years. I took it out and tuned it I was amazed - even with the old strings on it - it sounded better than most other guitars I have run into. The neck had bowed up just a litlle, giving it higher action than I like up the neck, but should just need a minor truss rod adjustment.

 

I couldn't get over the sound, much closer to a Martin than anything. Deep, resonate. Mids and highs are great too. This is a pre-fender Tacoma and it is not their high end model, in fact it had a matte finish instead of a glossy finish. My son sent it home with me to restring, cleanup and play for a while (I really don't need another dread hanging around), The more I play it, the more amazed I am.

 

If this guitar is indicative of all Tacoma's of that era, then they are real treasures.

 

BTW it has bridge pins...

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Nice thing to "dig up" out of the basement! I have had a few early Tacomas to include a first year DR20. It had a terrific sound all the way around. Hopefully a tweak of that truss rod will get the neck where you like it. Whatcha gonna do with it?

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I have two Tacomas (including said DR12 model) and I can attest that they are very underrated instruments. Anyway - good find! The roundholer Tacomas are no more, alas (when FMIC took over, they discontinued all but the "wing" models in the Tacoma line and turned much of the production capacity of the factory over to producing Guild acoustics) so hold on to those you have!

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Yes, that is indicative of the early Tacoma instruments. There used to be a little guitar store here that carried Tacoma as it's better line and nearly all of them were matte/satin finish. I only saw a couple of glossy finishes and the owner said that the satin finish was the stock finish on most of Tacoma's guitars.

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Hey...I'm wondering about totamus at this point.

 

First the closet manuicure stuff and now the "Guitar Fairy" visits.

 

Do think if I put a guitar pick under my pillow that I will find a guitar in my son's basement???

 

Anything is worth a try, right!

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Every Tacoma I've played sounded good. I bet the older ones sound even better.

 

 

Actually, to a certain extent, the newer models are more desirable, because Tacoma used laminates on sides and backs between 1996 and 2000 (depending on the wood used - you can find the info here: http://www.tacomaguitars.com/resources/faq.php#wood). For example, a DR12 produced in 1998 would have a solid back and lam sides, whereas one produced after 1998 would be all solid.

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I just tore my basement apart, and found not a single guitar. However, I did discover that I own way more fishing reels than I thought.

 

OK--I'll fess up. I'm posting in such a meaningless fashion, as I just realized I am about to cross the 1000 mark. :rolleyes:

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  • 5 years later...

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