GUITAR INTEREST CHECK - Tacoma DM9 All Solid Mahogany

PoiDog

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Okay, I know this will seem very fickle of me, but I think I may want to release the Tacoma DM9 I recently acquired. The reason is pretty simple, the dreadnaught body is just too big for my comfort. I've tried and tried, but it just doesn't seem to fit.

So, I'm thinking I'd like to step to something a bit more manageable, like a folk guitar. I've played the Seagull S6, and the shorter scale and smaller body just feel way better.

Which leads me to this. I figure if I do end up selling the Tacoma, I'd like to give the folks here first crack at it before going to craigslist or ebay with it.

I'll have pictures later, but for right now I guess I'm just wondering whether anyone here would even be interested in this. Some specifics to help:

* All solid mahogany front/back/sides
* Pre-Fender build
* Satin finish, so no issues with their gloss bubbling or cracking
* EXCELLENT action ... very easy, even on barre chords, and plays like a dream
* Only a couple of minor buckle marks on the back, and a few small dings, otherwise it is really a beautiful guitar
* The tone, responsiveness, and overall sound is on par with the Big Boys, and many people have said this guitar stands with Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Larrivee, etc.

Like I said, I will have pictures soon and will be happy to put this up if there's any interest at all. My initial idea of price is $450 shipped.

Mahalo!
 
Wow...if the Tacoma is significantly larger than an S6 it must be a Jumbo because the S6 is a pretty typical dreadnaught size... I had an S6 a few years ago - one of the only guitars I've ever had that "opened up" noticeably and it opened up like crazy the first six-months or so I owned it. Sometimes I still regret letting it go...

Be warned that the cedar top on the S6 will dent if you just look at it hard, though. Great sound but very soft cedar. In a little over a year I had little half-moon nail imprints all over the top and the top was wearing between the grain stripes around the pick guard. And I'm not really hard on instruments - none of my other instruments, including my 12-year-old Taylor that has much more play time on it, show anything like that kind of wear.

Great sound though. Loud but really mellow.

[Edit to add]
Oh...one other thing to mention though...you might not want to order a Seagull site unseen unless the seller has a good return policy. When I bought mine (about 1999 if I remember right so things may have changed) I went all over the metroplex to every Seagull dealer in the area. Tried every S6 I could find. All but one were "good" (that one had such an obviously gnarly knot in the fretboard that it should never have left the factory). LIke I said, all but one were good, but no two of them were even close to "the same." A great deal of variation from one to another in sound and feel. I finally picked one that looked like it had been hanging in the window (in direct sunlight no less) for a year or more but it had the nicest overall feel to me. It took a few months of regular (every two weeks) lemon oil baths to get the fretboard back to life but after that it was amazing. (I've never seen a fretboard that thirsty - but I think it was the store's fault and not Seagull's.) Like I said, I sometimes still miss that guitar...

John
 
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Aloha Poi Doggie,
I did a search because I know nothing of this guitar...and many places say it's discontinued but the prices is all over the board..
I mean big price fluctuations... highest was 950.00, mid was 599.00, then 325.00 and even one for 200.00 did they make different
model or give other options within this model?? how is the tone...warm or bright....
 
Wow...if the Tacoma is significantly larger than an S6 it must be a Jumbo because the S6 is a pretty typical dreadnaught size...

I should have said the S6 folk guitar :) The tacoma is standard dread size.


I had an S6 a few years ago - one of the only guitars I've ever had that "opened up" noticeably and it opened up like crazy the first six-months or so I owned it. Sometimes I still regret letting it go...

Be warned that the cedar top on the S6 will dent if you just look at it hard, though. Great sound but very soft cedar. In a little over a year I had little half-moon nail imprints all over the top and the top was wearing between the grain stripes around the pick guard. And I'm not really hard on instruments - none of my other instruments, including my 12-year-old Taylor that has much more play time on it, show anything like that kind of wear.

Great sound though. Loud but really mellow.

[Edit to add]
Oh...one other thing to mention though...you might not want to order a Seagull site unseen unless the seller has a good return policy. When I bought mine (about 1999 if I remember right so things may have changed) I went all over the metroplex to every Seagull dealer in the area. Tried every S6 I could find. All but one were "good" (that one had such an obviously gnarly knot in the fretboard that it should never have left the factory). LIke I said, all but one were good, but no two of them were even close to "the same." A great deal of variation from one to another in sound and feel. I finally picked one that looked like it had been hanging in the window (in direct sunlight no less) for a year or more but it had the nicest overall feel to me. It took a few months of regular (every two weeks) lemon oil baths to get the fretboard back to life but after that it was amazing. (I've never seen a fretboard that thirsty - but I think it was the store's fault and not Seagull's.) Like I said, I sometimes still miss that guitar...

John

Mahalo for all the advice. I've heard Seagulls can be a bit inconsistent, so I'll definitely poke around if I end up going that route.

Aloha Poi Doggie,
I did a search because I know nothing of this guitar...and many places say it's discontinued but the prices is all over the board..
I mean big price fluctuations... highest was 950.00, mid was 599.00, then 325.00 and even one for 200.00 did they make different
model or give other options within this model?? how is the tone...warm or bright....

Hey, Mystery Man -

The Tacoma brand made a bunch of different guitars, from dreads to 3/4 size travel gits. The were a complete indie maker that used top-quality woods from their own groves (and they sold wood to other top makers like Martin, Taylor, Gibby, etc). Their guitars were lower-priced since they got their wood so cheap, but their quality was supposedly absolutely top-shelf, and from what I've read, many knowledgable people say vintage Tacomas are right there with the Big Boys in every way. Their only problem was some bubbling and cracking with their gloss finish, but I got a satin finish which never had any worries.

They eventually got bought out by Fender, and started to lose their levels. Sort of like if Kelii or Kanile'a got bought out by Kala. My guitar is a pre-Fender model, so it is basically like a "K" uke in a lot of ways.

Anyway, I'm still on the fence about selling it, and the only reason is because it's just too big. The sound is full, warm, and deep. Great bass notes but they don't overpower the treble. Really well balanced. And being 100% solid mahogany (from really nice woods), it has exactly the sort of sound you'd expect.

Again, not sure yet if I'm going to get rid of it. Right now I'm good with string instruments: one uke, one acoustic guitar, and a recently acquired electric, so if I do sell the Tacoma it will be to replace it with a smaller bodied sixer.
 
I didn't realize Fender bought out Tacoma - I guess they're probably headed the way of Guild, now. Such a shame.

Back when I got my Taylor I looked at some Tacomas and came very close to buying one at the store where I got my Taylor. They had a good selection of both. I played a 12-string Tacoma that was as easy to play as a six string - great action. That impressed me because I'd never found even an electric 12-string that I really felt at ease with.

I can relate to what you're saying about a guitar feeling big. I haven't hardly touched my guitars over the last couple of years since I started playing uke. My Taylor is the "auditorium" size, smaller than a dreadnaught, and it feels like I'm hugging a refrigerator now...

John
 
dssabooSEVEN

I purchased one of these guitars in the UK in 2002, it's a great guitar, never got on with it as well as my Cort Jumbo and mostly let my son use it for acoustic gigs.

I would say you should keep it, 20 years from now it will be an American Classic, and I believe worth a lot more.
 
Thought of posting my Seagull to see if there was any interest, hmm now might seem to a good time.
Like brand new Seagull Coastine Folk with padded softcase. I had bought it to use up north in Michigan this summer. Played it over a couple of months cause that's about as long as summer last there!.
I'm back home and have a A/L Ami parlour size that I'm playing more. You seem to know this model guitar, so I'm not going to pass the normal details. But of this particular one, the finish, fit, frets binding are right on (nothing stands out to me). I only had two to choose from, but both were very nice and sounded just great (to my ear) for the money
I'm on the road this week and can't post the proper photo with date, etc. Here's a couple photos and if your interested I'll post the guitar with the date/UU required marks.
$300 plus actual shipping cost. Discount (no PaypalFees) for local p/u in Melbourne, Fl. Offer 3 day return policy if does not meet your approval.
Best, Mike
 

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