Tacoma JM9

all solid woods,spruce top and mahogany back and sides,mahogany neck with bound rosewood fingerboard

she's a bit of a plain Jane but as I have an ovation Custom Legend with all its bling this one's looks were probably what I was after if I'm honest. I thought I'd be buying a Takamine AN10 that day which is pretty plain too.

from an aesthetic point of view I like the unusual bridge shape which is larger on the bass side.the rosewood bridge is beautufully smooth to the touch with not a rough edge anywhere. I also like the headstock and the way the truss rod cover has the same design.shame the headstock didnt have a rosewood or ebony veneer on the front but I'm not complaining

The Tacoma and "made in USA" legends on the front and back of the headstock are branded into the wood which i think is a really neat touch.

included case also has Tacoma logo and is very nice inside if not the most durable looking on the outside.

amazing bass response,very deep but with a clear top end.I think this guitar sounds beautiful and is hugely inspiring to fingerpick or strum.

playing chords with open strings ringing out the sound is huge,sweet and heavenly and never harsh. absolutely stunning in comparison to some of the guitars mentioned below

but its the bottom end I like most about the tone - it booms. I can feel it as well as hear it.

action was bit high at both the nut and bridge but I've since taken care of that and it now plays as good as it sounds.

fretting is first class with not a sharp edge anywhere,tortoise shell neck binding is neat

inside,the scalloped bracing and kerfing is all spotless,no glue anywhere,everything very tight and clean.

I'm only ever going to keep this guitar for the house so I dont see any problems with it at all

never dealt with them

I've got an ovation 1869 shallow bowl Custom Legend which is probably the polar opposite from this big guitar. They feel look and play very differently but both are lovely in their own way and that suits me just fine

I love the sound of this guitar and without wishing time away,I'm anticipating how good it will sound in 5 or 10 years time. it already sounds great and I've only owned it a few weeks

I was after a dreadnought the day I bought this guitar. I tried a Takamine AN10,Taylor 110,Tamaha LL6,Martin DX1 etc. It was a tough choice even amongst these and I was ready for going home to think about it(AN10 was winning my cash tho) when a salesman suggested I have a look at the Tacomas they had which were on special deal.(over 50% off as the line is discontinued now ) I tried the Tacoma DM9 dreadnought as well and liked it and then a little voice from somewhere inside made me ask to try the JM9 too.it was one of these eureka/strike it lucky moents. well I picked a bit and strummed a little and just melted with it. It was the sound I wanted and so i just told the guy i'd take it. and I haven't regretted that decision for one minute though I do still hanker after a Takamine natural series dreadnought with a cedar top :)

Well described elsewhere, this one from 2002 came with original case, very little play wear, the plain Jane of Tacoma, tight straight grained spruce top, had Baggs undersaddle pickup that I removed with the rest of the electronics (don't use it) which improved the sound noticably without the soft padding/pickup sitting under the saddle. I really like the all satin look and wish other makers would do more of it. One piece neck and quality tuners. All solid wood made in America for under $500, now that's something to take note of.

I was hunting for a Tacoma JR and decided to try this and was very impressed although I did decide to sell and keep looking. This JM9 has excellent low bass and a very bright and well balanced mid along with nice trebble, has outstanding sustain and is just plain loud. I'd call it woody, a little unsophistocated but packs a big punch, as good Jumbos are known to do.

I put more tension on neck, raised the saddle and cut the nut down some to make this a much easier guitar to play. It's strung with Elixer Nanoweb phospher bronze lights, my personal favorites, and what is intended by Tacoma. I could have tried mediums but the volume was already excellent so what's the point. Plus the lights are more finger friendly.

For a 2002 this was showing no signs of stress, the case has a sticky clasp but that's not much of an issue. The Tacomas have had a bad time with finishs comming loose around this time period but with the satin finish it's not a problem. No issues to report here.

Only used the web site for model specs and dating, no experience with customer support.

This guitar did not have the heavier midrange bass I was looking for in the Tacoma JR, or perhaps a JK (Koa). It was very bright, loud with great sustain along the lines of a real nice Martin D18. In the company of a a couple of Guild D50s, a Larrivee J10, a Tacoma DM9 and a real nice Martin D18 this JM9 held up very very well. It would stand out nicely in a bluegrass or other band setting. In the 30 years and 41 acoustics i've gone through this is certainly one of the better ones, and at the price is quite remarkable. It just kills me that Tacoma is (maybe already has) quit making standard guitars with their VS bracing system. They really have got this figured out right. Anyway, I'd strongly recommend the JM9 even buying sight unseen as they are hard to come by (I would not, however, recommend a DM9 sight unseen, just too unpredictable).

satin finish,all solid wood construction, usa made, hard case included
jumbo frets,spruce top,mahogany sides and back 2005 model now discontinued, no heel strap button fitted and bolted and slotted neck join system requires that you have to take great care when positioning ,if you choose this option.
FMIC usa when quizzed said it was a job for a guitar technician!!

This guitar has an even but beautifully strong tone, the moment you hit an open bottom E string the guitar sustains with rich harmonic overtones that let you know that this guitar is a professional instrument. I have used it for finger picking through rythmic strumming to jazz/ funk chops and it can adapt it's sound to all styles.

Finish is excellent although the 9 series is somewhat basic in comparison with the higher priced models, slight buzzing on top e string with a tendency to pull off at the edge of the frets when played with vigour, this was sorted out with a tiny amount of truss rod adjustment other than this the finish is axcellent with a good set up.

not had this long enough to assess it's long term expectations but with care I think it will probably outlast me.
The tuners seem good, The supplied tacoma case is a slightly odd fit
but I can live wth that.

Fender Uk very helpful in e-mailing me the missing warranty registration card and neck button template, Fender usa responded by email telling me the model is no longer in production and not really answering all my questions,
lifetime warranty,

I have been playing for twenty years, this is the best sounding acoustic for me that i have ever owned, It matches my own personal playing style and I would replace it with another one (if available)
I played some Martins and Taylors (lower priced models) and this tacoma won me over .I really wanted an all solid wood (not High pressure laminate) construction acoustic
made entirely in The USA, for as much as i could afford and this is it..

2002 model. Solid spruce top. A pretty basic jumbo guitar, nothing really fancy. Includes the 'clear' pickguard that Tacoma uses on most of their guitars. Also came with an under-saddle pickup.

Excellent sound from this guitar. I play with a number of musicians and a variety of instruments including accordion and fiddle. The Tacome jumbo has the punch needed to play with those instruments. A very rich, full tone from this monster. The bass notes come through solidly and the higher tones sing very nicely as well.

When purchased, action was OK but I had it set-up by a local luthier who worked miracles with it. One gripe about the fit and finish is that the bridge pins seem too small. Either that or the holes are too big. The pins just about disappear into the holes, making it tough to remove. I've purchased some larger bridge pins from StewMac, so hopefully that will remedy the situation.

I've travelled with the guitar, played both outside and indoors with it and it seems to be a durable instrument. The finish seems thin but has held up thus far. I feel that I can depend on this guitar.

OK support from Tacoma. They answered my questions about the bridge pins.

I'been playing for nearly 30 years. I have a bunch of other guitars including a Larrivee O-model acoustic, Fender strat, Gibson ES-125, and a Weber mandoline. If I had to do it over again, I'd likely buy another Tacoma. This guitar meets a need namely, I wanted an acoustic that produced a loud volume and clear tone. The Tacoma gets that jobs done. I play a lot of rhythm guitar on the Tacoma.

2000 model bought new- made in Tacoma, WA, USA. Solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides. Jumbo model (17" across lower bout)with rosewood fingerboard and big, huge frets. Tuners look like Gotoh but are branded 'Tacoma'. Extremely low-gloss satin finish with tortoise-look binding around top and neck - herringbone rosette - all in all, a very stripped-down, no-frills look. Included was a pretty nice, fitted hardshell case.

Immediately after the first bass-heavy strum I was hooked. I could have forgiven serious deficiencies in the quality of the mids and highs but didn't even have to. The other reviews are pretty accurate- there is a lot of detail and shimmer in the upper frequencies and the guitar works well in quiet, soft moments too, giving you that feel of listening to a high-end condenser mic floating just above an old, vintage, bassy Martin. True, there is a slight 'woodiness' blended in, but it just serves as a reminder of how great this thing will probably sound in the years to come as it ages. Solis wood construction always pays that extra dividend.

The set-up was a little high for my taste (and I like it a little high). I filed down the under-side of the bridge to get it to where I like it. Fit and finish was, basically, perfect. The Tacoma has become my 'Standard of Excellence' for quality fretwork. It's as though you had a guitar with beautifully dressed and leveled frets-seated perfectly- and then took them to a custom shop for buffing and polishing. They're possibly the best I've ever seen. Maybe I got lucky, whatever. Very impressive.

I have no doubts as to the guitar's durability. Strap buttons, hardware, etc. will last as long as any could. My only concern would be the satin finish wearing- showing age and ,well, wearing through. This shouldn't count against this guitar, though - for more money, you can get a gloss-finished, high-end pretty version called the JM-16. I simply like the strippo finish and I know it will sound even sweeter with age.

Mine didn't come with a transparent stick-on pickguard like I'd seen on other Tacomas (thick, traditional pickguards dampen the soundboard's response, according to many, including Tacoma)I called to order one anyway. They, of course, sent one free of charge and asked for my feedback on the guitar. My point : they're certainly not to big to care about their customers.

I've been playing for over 20 years and have owned many guitars. I'm down to about 18 right now (mostly electric). I've gone through Gibson phases, Martin phases, and I like old red-label Yamahas a lot, too. This Tacoma has the sound and quality and playablity that CAN NOT be bested for less than $2000. With all the money I've saved I'm going to have some abalone inlays and a custom pickguard added.

Here's an American made solid spruce-topped, mahogany(sapele?)jumbo acoustic guitar. Dark brown stain and simple tortoise shell and white binding on the body, with tortoise shell binding around the fingerboard. No electronics. Kind of a handsome guitar with a flat, satin finish. Gotoh tuners. Hard case was extra. Just a plain guitar with a smidge of a rough look to it. It has everything that one needs if you are interested in rich sound, and not into impressive appearance.

The sound of this guitar is wholly satisfying, and it hasn't even aged yet. Full, round bass with a great even sound. Each string rings and blends. Great as an all around fingerstyle-flatpick-strumming instrument. It gets an 8 because 10 is unobtainable and 9 would be bragging.

The soundbord is very evenly grained. The action just a tad high for me. Compensated saddle. Finish is well done, but just a little rustic. Fretwork is perfect. Many jumbo guitars look finer, but ones that sound and play appreciably better are five times as expensive.

No reason for concern. It appears that it is well put together. Transferrable lifetime warranty is cool.

Not observed, so no comment.

This guitar is an unepected treat and I kind of feel lucky to have found it after playing so many expensive jumbos. I have no hesitation suggesting that a person looking for that unique, rich jumbo sound try out a JM9. Okay, it could be prettier. But when judging a guitar, I think it best to do it with your eyes closed and your ears open.

2001 model.mahog. sides and neck with sitka top.has a jumbo body with
satin finish.decent tuners(not sure of brand).this guitar came with a
nice hard shell case.nice package for the price.

sounds great I have not played anything in this price range that could
touch this guitar for sound quality.full and awesome

my only complaint here is action was too high but I sanded saddle to
suit my taste. Now it plays like it should.really sweet.

time will tell but seems great so far.guitar is very lite weight but
seems well built internally so I think it will last.

have not dealt with them yet.

I have been playing a long time 25yrs and had many acoustics but for
the price you can't do any better than this guitar.

2000 Model Satin solid top Jumbo Made here in the Northwest No pick up, but is sounds wonderful with a fishman Rare Earth humbucking sound hole pick up. That was easy to install because the end pin is already bored for it. Also Tacoma pre drills a hole through the sound board under the bridge. I would have liked it to go all the way through so that I would have not drill to do, but oh well. Satin finish is where this guitar gets it s very live beautiful sound. Truss rod is very easy to adjust. simple turn and your there. For the size of a jumbo Tacoma keeps the neck thickness down. Stays in tune like nobodys business great tuners.Elixer strings are Tacoma's standard so that is a plus. The dealer that I used sold me the guitar but did not include the Hardshell case, which I found Tacoma provides them free of charge. I marked down for that but that should go against the dealer other wise a ten

This guitar is my back up guitar and one of 2 Tacoma's (I liked this one so much I bought a JM16)This guitar was broken at the headstock in an accident and a friend repaired it for me. Absolutely no tone lost. Very rich sound. It has the boomy lows that most Jumbos have, but where Tacoma has excelled is that this guitar has a full range of beautiful tone The highs are bright and the mids are just enough with out be to "honky" or competing with the vocals. The precussive attack is AWESOME!!!!!! I would suggest this guitar as a recording guitar and the JM16 as a stage model. The sounds complement those settings best.

From what I have found on both of my Tacomas the action is set a bit too high almost as a standard, but the truss rod is very user friendly so thatis easy to take care of. Other wise the set up is the best I have seen. Right up with Taylor and Larrivee

The accident that broke this guitar would have done the same to any other guitar, so no mark down there I still trust the craftsmanship(actuallly even more now that it is repair with no loss of tone. I am using this guitar as a back up but I intend on using this for alternative tuning and I would rely on it.

Here is where I would say that Tacoma could use some improvement. When dealing with the break in the neck of my guitar I could not get anyone at the factory on the phone to help, other than the secretary and she did not have a bone of customer service in her body. From what I understand the repair shop can take a couple months to get your instrument back and that is no guarentee. I did speak to the regional rep and he was very helpful even said that he would pick up the guitar on his way through (which I wormed out of him that he was actually just going to come get it and he had no appointments in my area) That was a ray of light in the situation But I ended up notgoing that route because of expense

Putting the customer service aside theguitar is AWESOME. Even with the break I would choose it over most Brands. I feel that Tacoma rivals Taylor in everything very evenly. Tacoma just does it for far less money.

Made in 2000 in the Pacific Northwest, USA. See other review for the particulars. This guitar weighs next to nothing, with the body lighter than the neck. The "tortoise" binding (on only the front of the guitar body and the fingerboard sides) looks very nice. Sold spruce top fills a room with sound, as a jumbo should. A good friend was relly looking out for me when he made me a special deal so I could afford this guitar. I paid $425.00 which included a hardshell case. This is the best sounding and playing Jumbo acoustic I've ever played for under $1,000.00, actually at any price. Compares favorably with an '85 Lemon Grove Taylor 615 I use to own. I guess Tacoma's special bracing and weird looking bridge are really delivering. No electronis were built into this guita, but I'm going to get a K&K triple transducer and have it added. I have that setup on another guitar, and it really delivers. You might call this a bare bones, pretty much featureless model, unless the feature you're looking for is playability and sound. In those categories, this guitar is the BOMB. I'll rate this as an 8, namely 'cause I wouldn't want to scare anyone off from checking out this fantastic guitar value.

Even sound throughout, a fingerstyling dream. Sounds great when picked. Never played better for sound, including way high end Taylors.

Workmanship is great as to fit with no apparent flaws. Action is medium low, but I didn't get this guitar new. Finish is not remarkable, although not a distraction.

With such a light guitar, I have some concerns if it'll hold up to the test of time. I'm betting it does. This is my third Tacoma. One (C1C) was remakably solid, the other, a flamed Maple dreadnaught was only a couple of years old and was pretty much a candidate for a neck reset. I traded it.

I've been playing 37 years and own a '37 Slingerland Night Hawk archtop, a '43 Harmony Cremona carved archtop (WWII period piece w/ wooden tail piece), a '99 Loprizi AR-38 (favorite guitar of my life), an Art& Luthier Cedar top dreadnaught (for hauling around, 'cause I'm afraid to take most of my guitars our of the house.) I needed a Jumbo guitar,as I'm over 300 lbs., and 6' 6", and had just traded my Loprinzi '88 on some guitars for my kids. I am ecstatic that this guitar came into my life. I'll be adding the K&K western transducers mentioned above.

This guitar was made in the U.S.A. in 2000. It has a solid spruce top with solid mahogany sides and back.It has a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with Gotoh tuners.Satin finish on a jumbo body style,very basic no frills acoustic guitar. It has a clear lexan pickguard and the typical tacoma tone shaped bridge.It's not missing anything you need but it doesn't have any special features so i give it an 8

This is one of the finest sounding guitars I have ever played.I bought it to replace the Martin D35 which was stolen from me. Before I bought this I tried every thing from top of the line Gibsons to baby Taylors,Martins,Guilds,Seagulls I tried a lot of different guitars.This guitar absolutly sings.

The action is above average they made some minor truss rod ajustments at the store , a very easy to play acoustic.
The finish was a little rough though the fit on all the different pieces is perfect,good quality wood throughout,top notch tuners,top quality Elixar strings.
I deduct one point for the finish.

This guitar appears to be built very solidly,it came with a lifetime waranty that is transferable.
The machine heads are amazing they don't seem to ever lose tune.
I have reservations about the satin finish and the thin lexan pickguard, though I'm sure they contribute to the wonderful sound of this guitar.
I would not hesitate to use this as my only guitar.

Life time waranty transferable for 50$!
Have not had to deal with them yet

I have been playing for 28 years.I also own a Fender Jazzmaster and a Hoerner acoustic.I have owned a Gibson hummingbird an SG a 335 a Martin D35 an Ovation an a Yamaha.Before I bought this I tried just abought everything in the 300 to 3000 price range.Many looked nicer but none sounded better.
I like the jumbo body style of this guitar.
I love the sound.
If it were stolen I would get another one like it.