Tacoma DM9

Mine is a Tacoma DM9 LH (Lefty!)

Made in 2003 in Tacoma Washington, USA. Solid Spruce top, Dreadnought w/ 20 frets (joined at 14th fret),Mahogany sides/back, East Indian rosewood fretboard, no electronics, finish: Light satin clear w/ Stained light mahogany color, Gotoh tuning machines (I think), 25.5" neck scale, D'addario EXP light strings, transparent pickguard

I love the look of the DM9 - simple, satin finish which I feel is very attractive, headstock is a little dull and boring, clear pickguards are fine but mine seem to look a little "dirty around the edges" (my only real complaint). Pretty mahogany sides and back (solid). Very understated tortise binding. Neck is a little fatter than some I tried but I like it.

I'm a 46 year-old beginner (pursuing a 40 year-old goal of learning to play). My style is simple - follow my instructor's lessons and practice! I compared the sound of of the Tacoma DM9 to the low end Taylors (214), Martins (DM, D15, 00016), Larrivee (DM3), Seagull (s6+), and some others. I thought the Tacoma was the best sound of the bunch (although I liked the cheaper Seagull quite a bit for sound). I thought the low priced Taylors didn't have the sound and the Martins were OK but I wanted a solid wood and not a laminate (on the lower end). No buzzing. Solid loud bass with nice highs - I thought it sounded "between" the Taylor sound and the "Martin" sound??

Decent action from the store I bought from. All wood matched and fit flawlessly (sp?). I took my mini mag-lite and looked around the inside - cant see a speck of glue. The braces look like works of art. Very fine satin finish. Clear pickguard looks a little "dirty" around the edges - the middle of the pickguard is nearly invisible but the edges are quite visible. I think it's because the pickguard adhesive doesn't stick the edges to the surface quite as well. I didn't notice this on the Larrivee's. My only complaint. The one latch on the case is a little loose - no big deal.

Can't imagine myself playing live but the guitar seems solid and durabile. It's only one month old so it's still new. Strap buttons are fine but the bottom one has a narrow "slot" where the strap fits in - found out (after buying one) that the Planet Waves quick Release strap won't work with it.

Haven't needed any yet. Seems like a stringent, cumbersome warranty precedure in the owners book: Pay to ship your guitar back to the factory and they will decide if your problem is under warranty, normal wear & tear, etc. Lifetime warranty is transferable but you have to send the guitar to the factory for inspection and pay $50. Probably not worth it for a $600 guitar??

I love it. I'm a beginner but have "expert" friends. I took their advice and then went and listened to the ones they recommended. The Tacoma won my eval on sound, fit & finish & construction, and then appearance. I believew this Tacoma matches up to more expensive guitars. So far I'm very happy with my decision.

solid spruce top, mahogany body, yeah yeah yeah you know it already...but seriously the craftsmanship on this guitar is outstanding and a thing of beauty.

this guitar is a monster. just unbelievable sound. every time i take this out i can't help but notice the warmth and authority with which it plays, not to mention how much better it sounds than some of my friends' low end martins. each string is well represented; this guitar works great for basic chords all the way to classical fingerpicking. i keep mine tuned to open D because that is the tuning my band uses, and the sound is so indescribably rich, warm, full, and crisp - i have never heard anything like it out of an acoustic for less than 1500 dollars.

the action when i got it was just right. no buzzing or dirty nonsense anywhere on the fretboard - everything rings true. the wood on this guitar is extremely smooth and just beautiful. the spruce top really sets it apart. just touching this guitar made me realize how special it is.

overall this guitar is very solid. i never really use it for performance, i primarily use it for songwriting, so i don't transport it a lot and it doesn't see much action, per se. however i believe that this guitar is a workhorse and with it being all wood, as long as it's taken care of it will only get better. people swear by these things and i can see why.

haven't had to contact them

this guitar is the best thing that has happened to me as a guitar player. i'm a student so i didn't have a lot to spend, and i was looking at some of the cheaper martins, such as the DX1. the sound of this guitar absolutely blew me away, and i couldn't believe how cheap it was. i understand that tacoma is a relatively young company but with guitars like this, pretty soon they will be priced like martins and taylors. this guitar is a steal and i highly recommend it to anyone. i have a boutique tube head that cost me more than 2 thousand dollars, but i would have a hard time getting rid of this guitar over the amp. it just rules.

Mine was made in 2000. I bought it in 2003 used. Solid Sitka Spruce and Solid Mahogony back and sides. Smooth tuners. Perfect size neck. Satin finish is the best I have seen. I own, or have owned Taylors, Martins, Seagulls, Washburns, Takamines, and Fenders and nobody offers a better value for the money to me. Plain jane looks, but I like it better that way. All that fancy stuff is kinda sissy looking to me anyway.

Best sound of all the brands I menitoned above dolllar for dollar. My Taylor is better for fingerstyle, but if you want a nice strumming and picking dred, look no further than the DM-9

Nice action. Uses Tusq saddle and nut, so the sound is much better than the cheap plastic most people use. I actually put bone in mine, and I like it better.

Always very helpful on the phone.

Best purchase.

The best feature about this guitar is that in this price range it is actually using real wood, no laminates. No cutaway and no electronics. But after you play it, your concerns are laid to rest.

This is where this guitar separates itself from all others in its price range and definitley competes with acoustics far beyond its price. The sound is big, very nice bottom and top end. It really does hold its own. Every time I pick it up I'm just amazed at its full rich sound. It is very pleasing. I played a high end Martin to see if I could hear a difference...and I could, for 3 G's you'd better. The best part is when I picked up the Tacoma it still put a smile on my face, and for under 700 clams it's real tough to beat something that sounds that good.

Coming over from a steady diet of electric guitar the .12's took a while to get used to, but I did (you will) and it plays nice. I was concerned about the satin finish as my belt buckle has left its first tattoo. It has not sustained anymore damage since, but I am pretty careful with it, and do not gig with it (yet). Action also took some getting used to as it was a little high for me , but I wanted to get a feel for the instrument before I changed and haven't yet.

I have owned the guitar for 7 months and played it nearly every day. It feels like it has broken in. It stays in tune much longer than the first 2 months. Of course it's summer now and michigan winter then so that's part of it. It came with a schematic on how to install the front strap button which I did myself. And you have to buy the strap button. Again durability is the big question here. It's in great shape after seven months, we'll see after a few years.

For the price I am very pleased with this guitar. I just don't think you can find a better sounding guitar for the money. Unless you know someone who has a heroin problem and needs to sell their gear for a fix, this is the better deal. The sound of this guitar does it for me. It blows away guitars in its price range. Comes with a decent case.

This is a followup to a previous submission based on my experience with Tacoma's customer service.

Crack for no apparrent reason. I keep the humidy in my guitar room high.

Read on!

About 10 weeks ago I noticed a 2-inch crack in the surface of my Tacoma DM-9. I own a DM-9 because I liked the way it sounded, and for the price you can?t get a better sounding (all solid) guitar.

I complained that the customer service was taking a long time, and when Tacoma caught wind of this, they were quick to call to discuss my problem. I was happy to hear that they seemed eager to please and address my issue.

I didn?t buy my DM-9 because of its wonderful aesthetic qualities, however, when you own a new guitar it?s nice to have it looking new. My guitar has a crack in the surface now. It was sealed/?stabilized?, but it still looks like crap. I was told this repair work would involve a new surface, but no such work occurred. I?m not sure if they changed their minds about what to do or just said this to appease me, but either way, I am not satisfied.

$26 in shipping later the repairs that were performed could have been done at the local shop for about $10.

It?s clear that I should have saved a little more money and paid for a quality Taylor with quality (so I have heard) customer support. For now, it looks as though I have a new campfire toy.
I will immediately start saving for a real guitar.

Here is a transcript of email sent back and forth between Tacoma and I (I have removed the name of the customer service person from Tacoma):

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1. The first email:
Hi Matt,
We did receive your guitar, it came in on the 14th of this month and we are replacing the top under warranty, which means we will also be putting a new neck on the guitar. So pretty much, this type of "overhaul" is like having a new guitar considering 85% of the sound comes from the vibrations in the top.

-Tacoma Customer Servce
(no big deal: One would expect such work, but this never happened.)
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2. The work is done???
Customer Service Guy-
I just got my guitar back today (F0570060). It looks to me like the repair work you described was not performed. Can you explain what (if anything) was done?
Matt Rupert

(I am perplexed)
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3. A cryptic reply:
Looks like they repaired and stabilized the crack from the inside. [from Tacoma to me]

(huh????)


-Matt Rupert
Former Tacoma evangelist, future Taylor owner

Satin finish- no dings and whistles, no pickup, just a basic acoustic. What it lacks here it makes up for in sound!!!

Amazing... Looked for a while before buying. This, as others have said, definately comparies to much more expensive Taylors. I love the bright sound. It came with Elixir strings but I put on GHS Phosphor/Bronze 11s and I like the sound even more now. You must go play one of these suckers!!! Tacoma is making some wonderful guitars, and for the price, I don't think you'll find a nice one than this.

Satin finish, but I like that. Action a little high at first- easy to adjust the truss rod and no problemo--- they actually give detailed instructions now doing this yourself, and it even came with a tool to do so... Not that it was a big deal, but nice.

Don't know- hopefully good. I haven't had any problems yet.

I emailed them twice and got a reply within hours both times. Their web site is fantastic: www.tacomaguitars.com

I love this thing!!! If it was lost or stolen I would promptly go buy another, and even pay more than the first time. Did I mention I love it?

This is an American made guitar it is one of the best sounding tacoma I have ever played. It does not have any electronics no cutaway and nothing really fancy but it is well worth the money. This is a standard dreadnought guitar.

Best sounding guitar I have played besides a few taylors but those things are so crazy exspensive that its not even worth it. I have played the DM18 and a Jumbo cutaway tacoma and the Dm9 (the cheaper of the three) sounds better than either of the other guitars.

the finish is sorta dull but i kinda like that look and its cheaper that way.

I have played this live at a wedding the other day and it was great I didn't have a backup because it wasn't necessary this guitar is very reliable

Never had to deal with the company, guitar is to perfect no reason to contact tacoma

I have been playing for around 4 years. If this guitar were to be stolen I would beat the crap out of who ever stole it and I would make them buy me and all my friends another one because it is the best guitar I have ever seen or owned. The only thing I wish this had was a really exspensive lookings fret board but then of course I would have paid much more for it.

Just like all the other DM-S, solid spruce top, mahogany back n' sides. Satin finish (a bit frightening) Very simple classic design. Gets sexier everytime I see it.

I have been playojg at home with (and without) friends for 27 years. (still not any good) I have owned a lot of guitars in those years but this takes the cake. I prsently have a 1983 Ovation acoustic/electric classic,an old Harmony arch top and a 1971 Yamaki 12 string strung as a 6 (another personal fave.). I was looking for a $700.00 (Canadian) solid top. I had my eye on a Washburn but then I walked into Steves Music in Ottawa and had a real player go through the the options with me. He picked up the Tacoma and was surprised by the sound. So much so that he began to compare it to the Martins and Taylors on hand. Even he couldn't believe the value for money. I knew as soon as I heard it that it outclassed anything I had been looking at in my price range, so...... $840.00 later I have the Guitar I will go to my grave with.

Set up was good. I asked about lowering it but the salesperson suggested getting to know the guitar first then see if I still wanted it. They really should have tossed in a second strap button on the heal. Everything else was comensurate with the price range of the guitar.

In comparrison with my Yamaki, this guitar is a feather weight which in turn make you wonder how well it would take a nasty fall. Needless to say, I don't plan on throwing it around so..no problem. Again, I miss the second strap button. I don't play on stage so I can't say how it would take the abuse.

I wanted to get some info from the factory and noticed that you can't e-mail them through their web site. Annoying. I want a matching strap button!

I have gone through a lot of guitars over the years. Now I hopefully won't need any more. I take my Yamaki out to the campfire and my Tacoma stays home. The Tacoma has the better sound of the two ( by not too much though) I would replace the Tacoma in an instant.

For the money this guitar has great features... All solid wood and of course that great Tacoma sound and craftmanship come standard.

For a guitar in its price range it has a magnificent sound. You would expect just by hearing it that it were a higher end Martin or Taylor. It is also probably the loudest acoustic I have played.

The guitar plays great and looks even better. It has a gorgeous spruce top and a simple but nice desogn around the soundhole. I am still getting used to playing acoustic because I am an electric guy but it is a great playing guitar.

This is a very solid guitar. I have nowhere near the skills to play live, but if i did i would definitely have faith in this guitar. Like anything else, if you take care of it then it will take care of you.

Haven't dealt with them yet.

I have been playing for approximately 31/2 years. I also have a Hamer Stellar Electric and this is the second acoustic I have owned... (I had a Tacoma Chief C1C for a short time when I was first starting but had to sell it...). The other guitar I was comparing it to when looking was a Larrivee D03. They were both all solid wood with spruce tops and mahogany back and sides and both sounded great. This one was cheaper so I bought it. if it were lost or stolen I would definitely buy another one.

2001 Tacoma DM-9, features as described previously.

Played everything in this town under $5000. Liked the D-28 and the J-200, but the DM-9's sustain and harmonics made the decision.

Shop set-up was to my liking, if a bit low. Back looks like four- piece mahogany and the joints are obvious. Headstock has some small imperfections. Otherwise nicely finished.

Playing 30 years and have owned 10 acoustics, including two Martins and two Gibsons. This guitar outshines them all. It is very even-sounding, sustains incredibly, and is lightweight. It gets a 9 for some slightly rough hewing as pointed out before.