Breaking News- New Tacoma-influenced guitars coming from George Gruhn

[tommieboy]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

George Gruhn was one of Tacoma’s most important dealers and a big booster for the brand overall, so they let him claim whatever he wanted regarding the designs.

Does Fender still own the rights to the Tacoma designs? If so, they will probably still let him claim whatever he wants regarding the designs.

Tommy

[Slimt]

Tacoma guitars were different.

[Jwills57]

More power to all involved, I say, but I just have to wonder if the world needs or can support another more-or-less entry-level guitar company, no matter where the guitars are made. Just go on the Sweetwater website. Companies like Alvarez, Ibanez, Recording King, and Takamine, to name a few, are already making literally dozens and dozens of models in the lower price points, and these are generally really good guitars for the money made by longstanding companies that know what they're doing and how to do it.

[drive-south]

Originally Posted by Kitkatjoe

I’m shocked over this thread.

Shocked about what? I will say I disagree with GFIROB. George Gruhn is highly respected for good reason. He literally wrote the book on vintage guitars (several books actually). His books are considered bibles. Yes he capitalized on his success and has run a successful business for decades. He's in business to make money. George has also surrounded himself with the best luthiers in the business. Kim Walker was his shop manager and helped George develop a line of guitars for Guild back in the 80s. George was part owner and tried to steer Guild to the future. His Guild designs were much lighter built than any of the standard Guilds which were tanks.

As far as these Tacoma inspired guitars they will either be PACRIM and slightly overpriced or they will be domestic and will essentially be a boutique product $$$. George has been down this road before. He had Bill Collings build him a line of Gruhn guitars many years ago. If he ever builds 5000 guitars in
A single year he will still be a small player. That's only 100/week. I doubt a company like Samick would even bother.

[therbulus]

Another thanks for Wade's post. I also believe in credit where it's due, and none where it isn't!

[drive-south]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

The papoose was an excellent travel/kid's/couch guitar.

The Papoose is versatile in all those ways, but the fact it was high tuned put it in a class by itself. I always felt that the Baby Taylors and Little Martins were sonically useless. Not much better than the Martin Backpacker (I've owned 2 of these guitar-shaped toys).

I guess Today is "Dump on George Day".

[Gunny]

I'm curious as a 20 year fan of Tacoma guitars. I have owned over 20 but have the herd at 5 these days. I'll likely not buy if they are PACRIM or $4k boutique, but still curious. I have a 1st year parlor that is my all time favorite. It is now over 26 years old.

[Italuke]

But where are these new Greune guitars REALLY made? Oh wait...

[jimmy bookout]

^^^
Wrong guy...

PS. Probably the same place as the Gruhn guitars...
PPS. Why are trying to start up that Greune thing again, Mister?

[drive-south]

Gruhn guitars were made by Bill Collings.

[jimmy bookout]

^^^
30 years ago...

[Jaimoe]

Like I said over in TGF, this seems like an odd move, business-wise. With all the great affordable, factory-built acoustics on the market right now, what’s the market for rebooting a not-all-that-long-dead brand? Tacomas have a good rep for build quality, tone, and innovation in the right circles, but they’re not legendary.

So as a collector and all-around Tacoma stan, I’m thrilled by this development. But hard to see this quasi-Chief becoming the Next Big Thing in mainstream acoustics. Unless you can get one into the hands of John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, or Taylor Swift. And who knows? Maybe Gruhn can!

[Gunny]

I wouldn't say George is trying to resurrect the brand at all. He is just floating his boat with a design that he probably takes too much credit for and there are plenty enough changes to keep it mistaken from a Tacoma guitar (especially if the finish doesn't fall off.

I could be wrong but I bet there ends up being far less made and sold than imagined.

[gr81dorn]

Originally Posted by Gunny

I wouldn't say George is trying to resurrect the brand at all. He is just floating his boat with a design that he probably takes too much credit for and there are plenty enough changes to keep it mistaken from a Tacoma guitar (especially if the finish doesn't fall off.

I could be wrong but I bet there ends up being far less made and sold than imagined.

George has had a few other collaborations in the past and in recent years. He has enough sway and connections to try things. I think it's great. He had a new shape and size of the Avante line from Veillette run a few years ago. It's positive when someone was knowledgeable and credible tries to innovate or collaborate to bring new ideas to the market...or, possibly like this case, join in on something that wouldn't likely work or get any attention if not for his name, input and blessing.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Gruhn was less involved in designing those guitars than he’s claiming. One of my best friends was on the Tacoma guitar design team that came up with the Tacoma guitars, and he said that Gruhn’s contribution to the so-called “wing” guitars was a late night conversation in a bar during a NAMM show. Gruhn suggested to them that they make a steel string American version of the Mexican requinto, tuned A to A.

He scribbled a sketch on a bar napkin.

I’ve seen the sketch. It shows a small guitar, the inscription “A to A” and a round soundhole in the normal position.

No offset soundhole. No “wing” configuration.

The offset soundhole came about when the two main Tacoma R&D luthiers, John Walker and Duane Waterman, were looking for a way to compensate for the small soundboard and get a fuller sound out of that little Papoose. The offset soundhole was their solution.

George Gruhn was one of Tacoma’s most important dealers and a big booster for the brand overall, so they let him claim whatever he wanted regarding the designs. So now he’s claiming that he designed those guitars as if he was there on the production floor experimenting with prototypes, when in fact his only real contribution was to suggest that they make a travel guitar tuned A to A.

The one Tacoma luthier you could ask about this is John Walker, who has since become a highly respected hand builder. My friend Duane Waterman is lesser known, but he could corroborate it, as well.

I guess I shouldn’t care that Gruhn is claiming credit where credit isn’t due, since no amount of my complaining about it online is going to stop him. I’m sure he’s been making that claim for so long now that he believes it himself.

But some of us know the true story.


Wade Hampton Miller

Why am I not surprised...