Product: Tacoma DR38E
Price Paid: USD 975.00 USED
Submitted
11/21/2006
at
06:15pm
by
lkcaudill
Email: lkcaudill<at>hotmail dot com
Features
:
10
Solid Sitka Spruce top, and solid Indian Rosewood back & sides. The neck is solid maple, with some flame to it.
It has a sculptured,ivoroid, wood-grain binding around the front, back, neck, headstock, and a strip from the end pin to the guitar's back.
The Tacoma name is lasered into the front of the headstock. There is an Ebony fingerboard and "Tone Shaped" bridge. Abalone inlay around the perimeter of the body, and the sound hole.
There are no sharp corners on the front edge of the bridge to concentrate stress on the top. Less stress - Longer life.
The factory installed electronics is the Tacoma E2 Tone Bar System made exclusively for Tacoma by EMG. The pickup features a piezo electric film pickup with fixed curve active EQ.
It has a true acoustic sound: plugged in, or unplugged.
Sound
:
10
It is well balanced, rich, full, and with plenty of projection.
The sound of this guitar is way better than that produced by guitars costing 3 times the amount offered by other brands. Say, for instance, T.....r, M....n, or, g....n.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The action suited me just fine. This is always something that can be dialed in by someone who knows what he/she is doing.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar seems to be very sturdy. The finish on mine is holding just fine; however, many of Tacoma's guitars are needing sent back to the shop for a re-finish. I have not heard of any original owners having any difficulty getting the work done.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
no issue.
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
I've been playing guitar for about 30 years. I have owned every guitar brand that sold during my day, as well as many vintage. This is without a doubt the best bargain available on the market. This guitar is actually sold for less than it is worth. I never thought I would hear myself make this statement. I am by nature a penny pincher. It is like the ampeg reverb rocket 2 guitar amp. Just simply a bargain.
Product: Tacoma DR38E
Price Paid: US $1150
Submitted
11/25/2002
at
03:55am
by
Rod
Features
:
10
2001 TACOMA DR-38E with preamp and under-saddle p/u. This is Tacoma's top of the line, made in USA dreadnaught. It is comparable in quality, craftsmanship and sound to a Martin D-41, better then some. However this guitar came with factory installed electronics. Acoustically it has a big sound, deep bass and sweet treble with a lot of sustain. It?s active electronics give a fine and true acoustic sound when amplified. Premium tight grained solid sitka spruce top with abalone shell purfling around the top edge and abalone sound-hole rosette (exactly like Martin D-41). Translucent pick guard. Bound ebony 1 ?? fret-board with abalone fret markers (this is the neck width found on most OM models and is ideal for fingerstyle playing). Bound headstock with small handled very refined Tacoma tuners (made by Gotoh). Solid East Indian Rosewood back and sides give this guitar its balanced sound with its good bass and sweet treble. Ebony specially designed bridge. The preamp has a unique small holster case that holds the 9 volt battery. Female plug at rear strap button. This guitar has no EQ box or hole cut through the side. A fine guitar.
Sound
:
10
This guitar sounds great. I have tried A LOT of different brands of strings on it but have found that the Elixar NANOWEBS produce the best sound (yes I generally don't like Elixars but these are the best sounding string on the guitar, sound excellent and last a long long time). Stay away from the Elixar Polywebs, they are the ones with the thick polyurethane coating but the sound on these is not good, the Nanowebs are excellent).
I have had Martin D-42 and also have other top of the line dreadnaughts and other high end guitars, this DR38E is as good as any of the best. Its unique feature is the 1-3/4" nut width, the size of an OM guitar neck. Great for fingerstyle playing but unlike small bodies this has the big dreadnaught sound for rythm playing.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
Guitar looks as good as it sounds. Does have a little bit of finish irregularity of the gloss at places coming off the plastic binding and their is a bit of opening at underside of fretboard where it meets with the top of the guitar (have seen this with other Tacoma's so they must do them this way).
Reliability/Durability
:
9
This guitar is well build I would say it would rate as a medium to heavily framed guitar. This is why it has the balanced quality sound with good sustain and excellent clear sweet trebles. Basically a solid built guitar that should last a lifetime.
Customer Support
:
9
Never needed to contact but see they have a contact link on their website as well as their phone number.
Overall Rating
:
10
Have been playing for 30 years on and off. Would probably replace the guitar with the same one.
