Tacoma DM-10E

It's a guitar. It has six strings. Features? I'm not buying a car here. It's a very well-made instrument, and an incredible bargain.

I've had this guitar now for two years and I'm still amazed that it sounds as good as it does. Sure, there are better sounding guitars, but they cost $2,500. For the price point, this is an incredibly guitar. Bright, crisp--it's a mite too bassy, but it's a dread, so what did I expect? You'll never find a better sounding guitar for the price.

Set up very well. Can see a little glue by the neck joint, but very minor.

Two years later I've got some corrosion on a fret, so I do have a worry here, but I consider it to be a very reliable guitar. Stays in tune quite well while I'm banging on it, so it's certainly a good live choice.

Two days after getting the guitar I walked out the front door with the guitar in the crappy gigbag Tacoma gives out and the defective strap slipped loose and sent the guitar bouncing down the steps. As traumatic as this was, Tacoma offered to fix it no questions asked. Excellent customer service.

In terms of value, it's an absolutely stunning guitar. I have yet to find a sub-$1,500 dreadnaught that I like as much as my Tacoma, and I've looked quite a bit. If I lost it, I'd cry like a little baby for a week and then go buy another one. It's easily my most treasured possession, and I don't know how many hours I've spent playing it. It simply has a wonderful sound, and I don't think I'd change a thing about it.

My comments on my Tacoma DM-10E, purchased in December of 1997. The Tacoma guitars were a complete revelation to me. I have played acoustic and fingerstyle for over 25 years, and I hate to spend too much money. The Tacoma was purchased after I had spent a month at looking at guitars in the $1K to $2K range, including Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, and Guilds. I picked up the DM-10E and my wife said to buy it, then and there. (She said it was the look on my face that did it.)The guitar makes no pretense, it has a satin finish, spruce top with clear lexan pickguard, no odornments other than some simple binding, mahogany back, and laminate mahogany sides. The bridge is a custom "tonal" shape unique to Tacoma, and it has a rosewood fingerboard. I prefer Grover tuners, but the Gotohs provided are good, solid, and lighter than Grovers. No problems. The neck has an excellent feel and is not too thick, this is a classic dreadnought shape, and mine came with simple active electronics. I have now used it for over a year, and would only trade it for a better Tacoma. That's a fact.

The guitar has a rich, clear sound. Much more full than my existing guitar, and only rivaled by much more expensive guitars like a Martin D-35, and some of the more expensive Taylor's I tried out. This guitar sells itself on the sound, and tonal response. If you fingerpick you'll love it! If you flatpick, you'll love it. Last spring I took it to a bluegrass jam for a weekend, the Martin owners kept borrowing it!

The workmanship on the guitar is excellent. The action could have been lower, but I haven't adjusted it, and it provides a fairly easy response. The intonation is good (most people will think it's excellent), but again I haven't had it looked at, and I may get it tweaked. The only concern I have is the satin finish. The finish gives it more resonance, but I'm have concern about longevity. I will be careful to keep the guitar humidified during our long,dry, cold winters here in New England.

I have used the guitar for over a year now. I use it almost every week in a live, amplified setting. People have commented on the sound of the guitar frequently. Enough to let me know that I'm not imaging the excellent tone. The only deficiency was the one end pin strap button. I have since put a button on the down side of the neck heel, and that has worked well. I trust the guitar, but I always bring a back-up guitar when I'm live. No sense in pushing it. I'm pretty confident in the workmanship and materials used in the instrument, I expect to have it for many years unless I trade up for a better Tacoma.

No comments on Tacoma. They have a pretty easy to use web-site though.

I've been playing guitar for about 25 years and in addition to the Tacoma I have an Alvarez-Yayiri DY-57 (circa 1980), and a Yamaha G-230 12 string. I would definately replace the Tacoma with a Tacoma if I lost it somehow.