Product: Tama TC 8
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
01/16/2005
at
09:31am
by
Geo
Email: none
Features
:
9
1978, Japan
Classical 19 Frets, Cedar top, Rosewood sides, Ebony Fretboard.
Heavy, A very FAT neck, it's the fattest neck I have ever seen on a classical guitar.
Body Length 19"
Upper Bout 11.25"
Waist 9.5"
Lower Bout 14.5"
Upper Depth 3.25"
Lower Depth 3.25"
Neck appears to be Honduras Mahogany
The headstock reminds me of a Masaru Kohno inspired design
Gilded machines, with a lyre crown. Engraved, fancy pearloid knobs on the machine heads.
Sound
:
8
Rather dark, not too bright. Mellow, doesn't project. I believe the top is a tad think and doesn't allow for much resonant vibration. The weight of the neck may also play into the mellowness and overall timbre.
I would say that this is a student model, except the quality of the wood is absolutely exceptional.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Beautiful looking instrument. These were only produced from 1976 until 1978. I understand they are quite rare. This one is very beautiful, but it has been around and does have a few dings. I had to repair the top at one time. I'm no luthier, but the gouge was sanded smooth and I used a miniwax clear.
The neck had no side markers. I drilled a small indentation to mark the 7th fret and used a drop of fingernail polish for a marker. It works.
The binding or purfling is several layers of different woods. The rosette is beautiful and intricate.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Very Durable. The case naugahyde is coming off. But overall, this guitar has been ALL over the place. Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, all up and down the West Coast and East Coast... quite the traveler.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Never dealt with anyone. Tama got out of the guitar business and stuck with drums.
Overall Rating
:
10
40 years, all styles. This is a nice late night, quite guitar. It's mellow, soft and lucsious tone is neither loud nor too soft. But you have to listen. People just 10 feet away may have difficulty with any small nauances you might incorporate in your playing. It's a very personal instrument for me. Something I pull out only occasionally and play to myself.
It's irreplacable. But I'm sure a quality Aria or such would be nice too. I don't know if I would purposly go out and purchase another classical guitar. I've had three. One was stolen, I wore one out and this one. I'm not really a classical player but I do read and enjoy figuring out a Bach or Sor piece every now and again. I'm so flightly in my approach to style that I go off in tangents and return again sometimes years later to a particular style, genre, or piece.
