Question for Tacoma gurus

[troggg]

Hi, what is the difference between an EM19C and an EM9C? Photos I've seen look basically exactly the same, except for maybe the black tuning knobs on the 19?

[AZLiberty]

2005 catalog shows:

EM9C LITTLE JUMBO CUTAWAY
038-2200-721
Little jumbo cutaway, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back
and sides, one-piece mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard
and bridge, pearl dot inlays, tortoise shell binding (top),
Branded logo, chrome tuners, satin fi nish, case included.

No mention of an EM19C (or anything else with a 19)

Looks like the 19 trim was added in 2007 or so. Examples I see on line look like an ebony fretboard instead of rosewood.

[troggg]

Serial number indicates 2003, G1050090 (correct me if I'm wrong). The one I'm looking at has a factory pickup. Does look like a possible ebony fingerboard from pictures, good catch. Neither model has dot inlays, except for one guitar out of like 20 I found. I couldn't find any "19" Tacomas either.

I'm assuming these aren't rock machines like Chiefs, they're mainly intended for fingerpicking, the no dot inlays being a giveaway? Someone offered me one in a trade for a Bose L1C which is an interesting coincidence since I've been looking at Chiefs as a gigging guitar. Or maybe they're more versatile than I'd guess?

[philjs]

Originally Posted by troggg

Hi, what is the difference between an EM19C and an EM9C? Photos I've seen look basically exactly the same, except for maybe the black tuning knobs on the 19?

I'm pretty sure the difference was the neck and nut width, 1.75" for the 19 and 1.69" for the 9, and cosmetic changes (white vs black body binding, ebony head overlay (the 9 had no overlay), tuner buttons, bridge pins, etc.

Personally, I don't think either would be an even trade for an L1C...I'd expect another couple of hundred cash on the 19 and as much as four hundred on a 9. Hope this helps...

Phil

[fitness1]

Isn't the 9 a satin finish and 19 a gloss?

[troggg]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Isn't the 9 a satin finish and 19 a gloss?

Can't tell from the pictures which show the guitar in its case (rash alert?), although I just realized the headstock is atypical for Tacoma as it's black and glossy. Typical Tacoma case though with yellowish fur and Tacoma embossed on it. Looks like the same soundhole rosette as the 9. I'll see it in person on Sunday.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by troggg

Can't tell from the pictures which show the guitar in its case (rash alert?), although I just realized the headstock is atypical for Tacoma as it's black and glossy. Typical Tacoma case though with yellowish fur and Tacoma embossed on it. Looks like the same soundhole rosette as the 9. I'll see it in person on Sunday.

I guess I shouldn't have added the question mark - actually a statement. The 9 series Tacomas are satin, and the 19's are gloss.

There is a Tacoma forum:

http://www.tacomaguitarforum.com/index.php

[Jwills57]

Hey, Guitar Friends--I actually own a Tacoma ER22C, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, solid cedar top ebony fingerboard and bridge. I think this was as good as it got for Tacoma at the time I made the purchase, sometime around the year 2000, if memory serves me correctly. Many of these Tacomas made around this time period had a strange problem of the nitro finish just peeling completely off, which is what happened to my guitar. But, I sent it back under warranty, not to Tacoma but to Fender, I think, and the guitar was completely and expertly re-finished. It's quite a wonderful instrument now, just like a brand new guitar that's 18 years old. Thanks and Best, Jack

[troggg]

Originally Posted by Jwills57

Hey, Guitar Friends--I actually own a Tacoma ER22C, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, solid cedar top ebony fingerboard and bridge. I think this was as good as it got for Tacoma at the time I made the purchase, sometime around the year 2000, if memory serves me correctly. Many of these Tacomas made around this time period had a strange problem of the nitro finish just peeling completely off, which is what happened to my guitar. But, I sent it back under warranty, not to Tacoma but to Fender, I think, and the guitar was completely and expertly re-finished. It's quite a wonderful instrument now, just like a brand new guitar that's 18 years old. Thanks and Best, Jack

I do know about the Tacoma forum which is why I also know that Fender refinished a bunch of Tacomas long after they took over ownership -- but they no longer do it. Some decent praise for the EM19C there.