New acoustic - Tacoma at last!

[tjcurtin1]

Well, since so many others of us here are doing our part to boost the economy of late (Hmmmm... smells of gas around these parts....), I thought I'd do my part...

After buying - and returning - two other very nice guitars (a Seagull and a Larivee) I set my sights on a Tacoma rosewood dred - the only other guitar I had played that sounded like what I wanted. I finally found one, and it's a beaut! Gorgeous woods (especially the figured spruce top) and a big, shimmering, ringing sound - I love it!

By tjcurtin1 at 2008-06-10

By tjcurtin1 at 2008-06-10

By tjcurtin1 at 2008-06-10

By tjcurtin1 at 2008-06-10

By tjcurtin1 at 2008-06-10

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Hey very nice! I am curious as to model number, why you liked it over the Larrivee, and etc. Sure is beautiful looking!

 

[Tone E]

Pretty. Love that dark back and sides.

 

[wingsdad]

Hey very nice! I am curious as to model number, why you liked it over the Larrivee, and etc. Sure is beautiful looking!

Looks like a DR14 from the satin fnish solid rosewood back & sides, solid, bearclawed sitka top.

EDIT: tjc - saw your post after this one in the Tacoma users forum... so I know the answer to this question I asked afew minutes ago:
tj, I know you were having a hard time locating a Tacoma in his neck of the woods... so how'd it land in your lap? Did you find it used or new?

 

[luvmyshiner]

She looks sweet TJ. How does she sound? Ya gotta love a good acoustic!

 

[Robert]

Nice, congrats Ted! How much did it cost?

 

[tjcurtin1]

Sorry for the lack of details - it is indeed a DR-14, 2004 build, all solid woods (rosewood and spruce), one piece mahogany neck. I got it on ebay from a pawnshop in Tacoma (!), and paid a little over $600. including the shipping. It's in spotless condition, nicely set up with low action - real easy to play - I got lucky all around!

I posted earlier about the beautiful Seagull Mosaic I tried whith my 20% off coupon with MF. I thought it would be a likely bet as I have an Art & Lutherie cedar top made by Seagull that I really like, and the Mosaic also has a cedar top (mahogany sides). It was wonderful all around - especially the build, woods and details - but it was a quiet instrument and I wanted something more full-voiced.

I had played some Larivee's and really liked them in the store - at first it was a rosewood D3 - which made me realize that I prefered the rosewood sound - but on further playing, I thought I liked the OM rosewood better (I played an OM5, but ordered an OM3). I was stunned and disappointed (with myself) when I got it home and found that it was just not the voice I wanted - again, a wonderful instrument that played beautifully and had great tone, but not what I felt a soul connection to.

When the Tacoma arrived and I restrung it, I got the same feeling that I had when I had played a used DR-20 model in a store. Big, rich, warm, shimmering sound. Of course, as you all know, it's such a subjective thing, but this guitar is the one that does it for me. It doesn't hurt that it is incredibly beautiful as well. From what I've seen, it seems generally that Tacoma had access to fabulous quality woods for its guitars, and it is beautifully made.

BTW, I meant to give a special thanks to Wingsdad for turning me on to Tacomas here in the first place and for giving me useful information in my search. Thanks, Wingsdad!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

You got it from my hometown, and its! Right on!

 

[markb]

I had played some Larivee's and really liked them in the store - at first it was a rosewood D3 - which made me realize that I prefered the rosewood sound - but on further playing, I thought I liked the OM rosewood better (I played an OM5, but ordered an OM3). I was stunned and disappointed (with myself) when I got it home and found that it was just not the voice I wanted - again, a wonderful instrument that played beautifully and had great tone, but not what I felt a soul connection to.

Yeah, if you want a rosewood dread' that's the only thing that'll do it. An OM just isn't going to have the same sound. It looks a lovely guitar, TJ, now go kill some banjos

 

[wingsdad]

... Thanks, Wingsdad!

You're tres welcome, tj I may have erred in letting my DR55 go, but in the end, I got 2 fine guitars in the exchange of funds that suit me more. The nice thing about your DR14 is that for 1/2 the price of a DR55, you probably have an equally great sounding & playing rosewood/spruce dread, just without the 'bling'.

Any Tacoma traditional ('roundhole') guitar produced from about 2002 (once they got past their finish-peeling issues) to the end (sometime early in 2006) is a masterpiece that rivals any more noteworthy 'high end' brand. And because the Tacoma brand name is/was basically an undermarketed one, when you find one, it's a bargain. Like your DR14, on the used market they go for around 50% or less of their original MSRP, which were relatively low to begin with for what they are (all high quality solid wood American-made), because they weren't inflated by a marketing budget.

 

[evenkeel]

Beautiful Rosewood dread. Thanks for sharing the pics. I played a rosewood, round hole, Tacoma dread in a local shop a few weeks ago. Great big, bright sound and FYI a LOT more $$ than you paid. Well done!!! :bravo:

 

[spt]

That's one beautiful spruce top! Congrats...

 

[magoo]

Real nice guitar, Congrats

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Sorry for the lack of details - it is indeed a DR-14, 2004 build, all solid woods (rosewood and spruce), one piece mahogany neck. I got it on ebaf from a pawnshop in Tacoma (!), and paid a little over $600. including the shipping. It's in spotless condition, nicely set up with low action - real easy to play - I got lucky all around!

I posted earlier about the beautiful Seagull Mosaic I tried whith my 20% off coupon with MF. I thought it would be a likely bet as I have an Art & Lutherie cedar top made by Seagull that I really like, and the Mosaic also has a cedar top (mahogany sides). It was wonderful all around - especially the build, woods and details - but it was a quiet instrument and I wanted something more full-voiced.

I had played some Larivee's and really liked them in the store - at first it was a rosewood D3 - which made me realize that I prefered the rosewood sound - but on further playing, I thought I liked the OM rosewood better (I played an OM5, but ordered an OM3). I was stunned and disappointed (with myself) when I got it home and found that it was just not the voice I wanted - again, a wonderful instrument that played beautifully and had great tone, but not what I felt a soul connection to.

When the Tacoma arrived and I restrung it, I got the same feeling that I had when I had played a used DR-20 model in a store. Big, rich, warm, shimmering sound. Of course, as you all know, it's such a subjective thing, but this guitar is the one that does it for me. It doesn't hurt that it is incredibly beautiful as well. From what I've seen, it seems generally that Tacoma had access to fabulous quality woods for its guitars, and it is beautifully made.

BTW, I meant to give a special thanks to Wingsdad for turning me on to Tacomas here in the first place and for giving me useful information in my search. Thanks, Wingsdad!

Just saw this post with the images you loaded. Beautiful beautiful acoustic congratulations. Rosewood back and sides with Spruce is da ticket for ultimate TONE. :dude:

 

[tjcurtin1]

Thanks, guys - I've been enjoying getting used to the Tacoma - it just has a great, big sound with nice smooth harmonics and a great ring, and is so easy to play - it's making me practice more, and now that school is out I'm planning a more regular practice regimen. I hope to feel in a different place with my playing by summer's end...

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Whoa Ted!

I *need* an acoustic & yours seems perfect.

...so when can I expect delivery?

 

[Jimi75]

That is a beautiful guitar. Tacoma is a great brand. congratulations on that purchase TJ.

Let us hear some soundclips of that beauty.

 

[tjcurtin1]

Jimi,

I'd oblige with at least a few chords, but I don't have any recording gear...

Hey, nice to have you back around these parts! Hope that you are back to 100%!

 

[tjcurtin1]

Whoa Ted!

I *need* an acoustic & yours seems perfect.

...so when can I expect delivery?

Keep a sharp lookout, tOt... It'll be arriving with the cold turkey sandwich you ordered....

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Keep a sharp lookout, tOt... It'll be arriving with the cold turkey sandwich you ordered....

:AOK:Mmmm, leftovers. :AOK:

Do you play any fingerstyle blues? Does your Tacoma have a good thump on the bottom strings for driving those kinda tunes?

I have never played an acoustic & this guitar sounds like a winner.

 

[tjcurtin1]

:AOK:Mmmm, leftovers. :AOK:

Do you play any fingerstyle blues? Does your Tacoma have a good thump on the bottom strings for driving those kinda tunes?

I have never played an acoustic & this guitar sounds like a winner.

tOt - no acoustic?! This is the golden age of the acoustic, so they say - everyone needs an acoustic! I've been practicing fingerstyle as well as flatpicking as I go, and this guitar certainly strikes me as having a good, solid bottom end, but I haven't played enough to make solid comparisons (say with a Martin or Gibson).

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

tOt - no acoustic?! This is the golden age of the acoustic, so they say - everyone needs an acoustic! I've been practicing fingerstyle as well as flatpicking as I go, and this guitar certainly strikes me as having a good, solid bottom end, but I haven't played enough to make solid comparisons (say with a Martin or Gibson).

Not only no acoustic, but I've never really played one (aside from a few moments here & there in guitar stores).