Hopes were high in the guitar business when Fender bought out Tacoma Guitars, with popular opinion being that injection of some big Fender money would see Tacoma gaining renown beyond just the niche end of the acoustic guitar market. The shock then, when soon after it was quietly let slip that Tacoma was no more…! Ever since production ceased, Tacoma prices have been steadily rising, as the number of instruments on the market has just as steadily declined – once someone gets hold of a Tacoma, they hang on to it!
Top of the range
This, then, is a rare treat – a Near Mint PM-15, the scaled down version of the PM-10 dreadnaught, with a regular shaped soundhole, (as opposed to Tacoma’s often-used teardrop shape – see pic # 7), top of the range abalone fingerboard inlays and abalone soundhole rosette. Tacoma listed the PM-15 as parlor sized, though as we noted at the front, it plays and feels more like a dread than its smaller size would indicate. In fact, a friend picked it up for a quick pick on the day it came in, and completely failed to notice that it wasn’t a full-size guitar.
Astound everyone in the room
Almost identical dimensions to a Gibson LG-2, Tacoma’s twin transverse & triangle-X bracing contrive to deliver virtually the same volume as a full-size dreadnaught. This is a guitar that will astound everyone in the room with its incredible punch. And that punch is spread uniformly across an astonishing bottom end, professional class midrange, and highs that positively shimmer!
First quality
Like an antidote to the current prices of equivalent Martins, Taylors, Guilds and Gibsons, the PM-15 has the same projection, same articulate string-to-string definition, same premium build quality – in fact, the 0 at the end of the serial number was Tacoma’s code for “First Quality”.
Specs
Solid AAA-grade Sitka Spruce top, solid Honduran Mahogany back & sides; solid Honduran Mahogany neck, (wide C-profile); Full 25½” scale; 45mm nut width, (Graphtech nut); Rosewood headstock facing, (with Tacoma’s unique trussrod cover); Indian Rosewood fingerboard, (with aged ivoroid binding); Jumbo frets; Gotoh Rotomatic tuners; Tacoma’s trademark rosewood bridge, with compensated GraphTech saddle; and clear poly-acetate scratchplate, (pic # 1).
Low sheen varnish
Finished in Tacoma’s stylish low sheen varnish, the guitar shows a couple of patches of the brand’s occasional humidity issue under the clearcoat, caused by Tacoma’s location in the wet Pacific Northwest, (see the two left images in pic # 5). This is strictly a minor cosmetic issue – it in no way effects the integrity of the instrument – or its value.
LR Baggs
We will be happy to custom install our acoustic pickup of choice, the LR Baggs M1 Active, at our cost price of just $285, (if purchased at the same time as the guitar). Please advise us if you wish to have this stunning soundhole pickup option added. We firmly believe the M1 Active to be the best, most detailed, most truly realistic sounding acoustic pickup available.
Free courier delivery
Just coming up on 25 years, (completed on January 14, 1998, at the end of Tacoma’s intensive six to eight week build process), the guitar is in Near Mint condition, coming to us direct from a private collection, and virtually never played. Complete with its original Tacoma hard case, our FREE COURIER DELIVERY is included to any address in Australia. ($100 airfreight to New Zealand, and $175 to the US, Canada, UK and mainstream European countries)
Just Guitars
