Pre-Fender Tacoma vs post-Fender Tacoma

guitarmanrlk · #1 10-19-2011, 06:55 PM

Are the pre-Fender Tacoma acoustic guitars significantly better than the post-Fender ones?

patticake · #2 10-19-2011, 07:39 PM

huh - i didn't know there were post fender tacomas. i had thought the ones that were sold after fender bought tacoma were the remaining inventory - shows what i know.

Chas Freeborn · #3 10-19-2011, 08:52 PM

Sadly Tacoma is gone. I know a wood mill (here in Portland) that bought some of their equipment when they liquidated. Interestingly they still have a website with a cryptic message insinuating they may re-form and start up again, but I wouldn't count on it.

guitarmanrlk · #4 10-19-2011, 08:53 PM

I don't really know if there are pre or post Fender Tacomas either. However, I have been subject to the pre Fender sales hype in that the pre Fender Tacomas are suppose to be far superior to the post Fender ones.

Wade Hampton · #5 10-19-2011, 10:06 PM

Fender kept the Tacoma Guitar Company factory on the southern outskirts of Tacoma going for about a year or so, and did continue to make Tacoma guitars at that plant during that time. They also made Guilds there during the same period.

From what I can tell, the quality was equivalent both before and after Fender purchased the Tacoma brand name.

There are some die hard Tacoma guitar fans online who want to place Fender in the role of villain for eventually shutting down Tacoma Guitars as a brand, but the truth of the matter is that Tacoma brand guitars simply didn't make it in the marketplace. Had there been adequate demand for them, Fender would have kept the brand afloat.

whm

Tony Burns · #6 10-20-2011, 05:55 AM

I am pretty much a believer that when it comes to Fender products -your always better of with pre-Fender products . They tend to screw up quality and suck the name dry . ( With the exception of Guild ) But even with Guild -pre Fender Guilds are definitely better. My 1971 Guild D-55 is not the same guitar as the Fender - the body shape is different , wood is better , even the bracing is slighly different .It looks like it ( somewhat ) but the newer ones are not true Guilds.

L20A · #7 10-20-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

I am pretty much a believer that when it comes to Fender products -your always better of with pre-Fender products . They tend to screw up quality and suck the name dry . ( With the exception of Guild ) But even with Guild -pre Fender Guilds are definitely better. My 1971 Guild D-55 is not the same guitar as the Fender - the body shape is different , wood is better , even the bracing is slighly different .It looks like it ( somewhat ) but the newer ones are not true Guilds.

OK you asked for it.
How do you come up with "but the newer ones are not true Guilds"?
What is a "true" Guild?
When was the first true Guild made and the last one?
If you mean that when Guild moved from Westerly, they quit making true Guilds,
then I will counter that after the very first time that Guild moved, they quit making true Guilds.
Sorry but I just don't see your logic.

Phantoj · #8 10-20-2011, 06:53 AM

Note that a lot of Tacomas have finish issues -- peeling, bubbling, etc. The gloss finishes seem to be worst for this, but I think I have heard of some matte Tacomas with problems, too.

My brother has an early production Chief C1C and it's a pretty nice guitar... no finish problems, FWIW.

guitarmanrlk · #9 10-20-2011, 09:28 AM

Thanks Mr. Wade for your input.

Tony Burns · #10 10-20-2011, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L20A

OK you asked for it.
How do you come up with "but the newer ones are not true Guilds"?
What is a "true" Guild?
When was the first true Guild made and the last one?
If you mean that when Guild moved from Westerly, they quit making true Guilds,
then I will counter that after the very first time that Guild moved, they quit making true Guilds.
Sorry but I just don't see your logic.

My friend -In my opinion ( which is my opinion which Im entitled to ) I like guitars that are made by the original mauufacturer .The original Guild company had many employees that came from the original Epiphone company ( the neck inlays are very simalar )-they have a very strong following because they are radically different from Guilds that are made today . i do not like the first few years of Fender Guilds But i will admit that some current Guilds are very good instruments . The older Guilds also had Brazilian rosewood bridges that give them a great tone -some of the first Fender ones had Ebony , they didnt have the sound ( again my opinion ). So lets be friends -agree to disagree . My favorite years for Guilds are the 1970's -besides my 1971 D-55 i also own a 1979 D-25 CH (mahogany arched back and sides ) by the way the D-55's made before 1974 or 75 are hand made guitars not production models--

Olli Dangendorf · #11 10-20-2011, 02:30 PM

It is a bummer that they did not make it .... i still own one and have played it for long time.....they made fine guitars - unfortunetely with the mentioned finish issues.

L20A · #12 10-20-2011, 05:13 PM

Tony, it's all good.
I just happen to think that my Tacoma built D-55 is a better sounding guitar than the Westerly built that I sold to fund it.
Different stroked for different folks.

Tony Burns · #13 10-20-2011, 05:20 PM

No problem- guess it depends on the guitar -mine has had a long time to mature -its old enough to vote twice ( shes 40 years old ) cant help but love a Guild !

AZLiberty · #14 10-20-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L20A

OK you asked for it.
How do you come up with "but the newer ones are not true Guilds"?
What is a "true" Guild?

True guilds have dual truss rod necks and a back designed for projection.

L20A · #15 10-21-2011, 10:09 AM

Only the 12 strings had a dual truss rod.
I owned a D 212 back in about 1978 that was not a very good guitar.
Sounded thumpy and dead and was very hard to play with the big thick neck.
I sold it after fighting with it for a few years and got a Yamaha.
Later on, I got a JF-30-12 that was nice sounding but again hard to play.
I never bonded with a Guild 12 string neck.
I would like to try one of the new Guild 12 strings with the single truss rod. The neck is smaller and would be easier to play.
Again, different strokes.