Tacoma was originally part of Young Chang Akki when the Korean piano company invested over $20 million in a 50 acre Tacoma sawmill plant. Young Chang was also producing cheap acoustic guitars at the same time when they decided they should start a private-label brand with the quality woods from the Tacoma plant. This project never got anywhere and in 1997, Young Chang introduced the Tacoma line of guitars. George Gruhn was a design consultant and developed the off center soundhole. By the late 1990s, Young Chang was facing financial trouble (later they filed for bankruptcy in 2004) and they sold the Tacoma line and saw-mill in 2000 to J.C. Kim. Tacoma Guitars never grew as much as many people thought they could under Kim. In late 2004, Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) bought Tacoma from Kim. Fender's main reason to buy Tacoma was to provide more manufacturing space for their acoustic line (Guild). In late 2007, FMIC purchased Kaman Music Corporation and in early 2008, they announced that they were moving production of Tacoma acoustic guitars from the Tacoma, WA factory to Kaman's manufacturing facility in New Hartford, CT. Apparently, that never happened, and in April 2009, Fender told their Tacoma dealers that they were dropping the entire Tacoma product line. It is unknown if any Tacoma guitars were built in Connecticut or what Fender plans to do with the Tacoma brand/trademark.
Instruments previously produced in Tacoma, WA between 1995 and early 2008. Distributed by Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) in Scottsdale, AZ. Previously distributed by Tacoma Guitars direct sales force.

TACOMA Acoustic Guitars Models

TACOMA JF2812 12-STRING (NO. 389-6000) Image

TACOMA JF2812 12-STRING (NO. 389-6000)

- 12-string configuration, jumbo style, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, solid flamed maple back/sides mahogany neck, tortoise body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay, six-per-s...

TACOMA EKK19C CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA EKK19C CUTAWAY

- similar to EM19, except has a cutaway figured koa body, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and herringbone rosette, available in Gloss finish, mfg. 2003 only.

TACOMA JK28C CUTAWAY (NO. 038-4600) Image

TACOMA JK28C CUTAWAY (NO. 038-4600)

- jumbo single cutaway style, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, koa back/sides mahogany neck, tortoise body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridg...

TACOMA JK50C CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA JK50C CUTAWAY

- rounded lower bout/slim waist style with single rounded cutaway, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, koa back/sides, herringbone purfling/ivoroid body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard wi...

TACOMA JK50CE CUTAWAY ELECTRIC Image

TACOMA JK50CE CUTAWAY ELECTRIC

- rounded lower bout/slim waist style with single rounded cutaway, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, koa back/sides, herringbone purfling/ivoroid body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard wi...

TACOMA ER28C CUTAWAY (NO. 038-4500) Image

TACOMA ER28C CUTAWAY (NO. 038-4500)

- little jumbo single cutaway style, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, rosewood back/sides mahogany neck, tortoise body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay, ebony bridge, three-pe...

TACOMA ECR38C CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA ECR38C CUTAWAY

- single cutaway body, cedar top, rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, abalone purfling and neck inlay, gloss finish, mfg. 2002-03.

TACOMA DM16-C Image

TACOMA DM16-C

- dreadnought style with single cutaway, solid Sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back, solid sides, rosewood fingerboard with abalone dot position markers, abalone rosette, torrtoise bound body, inlaid ivoroid logo on headstock, rosewood bri...

TACOMA ECR52C CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA ECR52C CUTAWAY

- single cutaway body, Englemann spruce top, rosewood back and sides, koa binding, ebony fingerboard and bridge, abalone purfling and neck inlay, gloss finish, mfg. 2003 only.

TACOMA DM18 Image

TACOMA DM18

- dreadnought style body, solid Sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard with abalone "Gingko" position markers, rosewood bridge, abalone rosette, tortoise bound body, 4-color top purfle, clear pickguard, inlaid...

TACOMA EBZ24 CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA EBZ24 CUTAWAY

- single cutaway body, sitka spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, ivoroid binding, ebony fingerboard and bridge, abalone purfling and neck inlay, gloss finish, mfg. 2003 only.

TACOMA ECR15NC CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA ECR15NC CUTAWAY

- nylon single cutaway body, cedar top, rosewood back and sides, ivoroid binding, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, inlaid rosewood rosette, gloss finish, mfg. 2002-03.

TACOMA DR20 Image

TACOMA DR20

- similar to the DM10, except features rosewood back/sides, herringbone pufling/ivoroid body binding, available in Natural gloss finish, mfg. 1997-2003.

TACOMA ER64NC CUTAWAY Image

TACOMA ER64NC CUTAWAY

- similar to the ECR15NC, except has an Englemann spruce top, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and abalone purfling inlaid rosewood rosette, mfg. 2002-03.

TACOMA DF21 Image

TACOMA DF21

- dreadnought style Sitka spruce top, figured maple back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, tortoise binding, pearl inlays, herringbone purfling, available in Gloss finish, mfg. 2001-03.

TACOMA DM28 (NO. 038-4300) Image

TACOMA DM28 (NO. 038-4300)

- dreadnought style, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, mahogany back/sides/neck, tortoise body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay, ebony bridge, three-per-side headstock, gold ha...

TACOMA DR28 (NO. 038-4400) Image

TACOMA DR28 (NO. 038-4400)

- dreadnought style, solid Sitka spruce top, round soundhole with abalone trim, rosewood back/sides mahogany neck, tortoise body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone inlay, ebony bridge, three-per-side headstock...

TACOMA DR38 Image

TACOMA DR38

- dreadnought style body, solid Sitka spruce top, solid Rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard with abalone "Gingko" position markers, abalone top purfling, abalone rosette, ebony bridge, ivoroid bound body and neck, inlaid iv...

TACOMA DK40 Image

TACOMA DK40

- dreadnought style Sitka spruce top, figured koa back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, tortise binding, rosette and neck inlays, abalone purfle, available in Gloss finish, mfg. 2002-03.

TACOMA DR55 Image

TACOMA DR55

- dreadnought style, red spruce body, Brazillian ebony fingerboard, ebony bridge, maple binding, abalone purfling and neck inlay, available in Gloss finish, mfg. 2002-03.

TACOMA DR55 (NO. 389-4190) Image

TACOMA DR55 (NO. 389-4190)

- dreadnought style, sitka spruce top, three-piece rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, herringbone purfling and rosette, available in Gloss finish, mfg. 2002-06.