A Tacoma guitar. Tacoma Guitars began as a division of America in Tacoma, Washington that, starting in 1991, processed Northwest hardwood for export for piano soundboards. General manager persuaded Young Chang to build a guitar manufacturing plant nearby. For the first few years, the plant produced about 100 guitars a month for another guitar brand. In 1997, the Papoose and Chief models debuted at the 1997 winter Convention of the (NAMM). That year, mass production of the unconventional Papoose model, the first sold under the Tacoma brand, also began.

Tacoma subsequently developed ranges of guitars—some with conventional round sound holes, others with the paisley sound hole introduced on the Papoose (as the Wing Series). A recession in the Asian economy caused by the epidemic prompted Young Chang to sell the division to Kim in 1999. Purchased the company in October 2004 for a price estimated between $2 million and $4 million and made it a division of Fender. In 2008, Fender announced it would close the 44,000 square foot plant and lay off 70 employees, intending to move Tacoma production to existing Fender factories in Connecticut to take advantage of economies of scale. When the move was announced, former Tacoma Guitars CEO Ferdinand Boyce suggested that Fender's decision to close the plant was motivated in part by a desire to the Tacoma manufacturing process to cut costs.

Fender never resumed production of Tacoma guitars. Design features [ ] Tacoma incorporated unusual features in many of its guitars—notably, soundholes and. Paisley soundhole [ ]. Tacoma M1 with paisley on the upper bout.

Several of Tacoma's models featured an unusual shape, a paisley soundhole, on the left side of the upper bout. Their idea was that moving the sound hole to a relatively low-stress part of the top would increase top strength, reduce bracing, and make the top more resonant. Tacoma called guitars that use the paisley soundhole the Wing Series. Voiced bracing support [ ] Tacoma guitars used their Voiced Bracing Support system to various extents. Their theory behind the system was to minimize bracing to what it needs to remain stable, such that the tone of the guitar is sacrificed as little as possible. They applied the full extent of this philosophy to the Wing Series guitars, which used A-frame bracing instead of the more traditional X-frame bracing of conventional acoustics. Tacoma used a modification of the traditional X-frame bracing on their models with conventional sound holes.

They placed two cross-braces on the outside of the X, which they said improves sound hole stability and rigidity, while leaving the edges more flexible and resonant. Tacoma contoured braces so they were thinner but wider near the edges of the top, and thicker but narrower near the center of the top. Bridge [ ] Tacoma used asymmetrically shaped braces, which they said improves the response of each string. The bridge is curved, rather than flat, and has no sharp edges. Tacoma said this improves transmission of vibrations from the bridge to the top.

Bolt-on necks [ ] Most Tacoma guitars have bolt-on necks, without visible screw plates. Hawaiian playing a Tacoma EKK19c guitar made out of Papoose [ ] The P1 Papoose—designed by Terry Atkins and —was Tacoma's first guitar model. It has a relatively short 19.1' scale and is tuned to the same as standard guitar tuning, but a higher, to A rather than the conventional E, making it equivalent to a conventional guitar with a on the fifth fret.

TACOMA GUITARS MADE IN USA THE. The USPTO has given the TACOMA GUITARS MADE IN USA THE GREAT NORTHWEST trademark serial. Serial Number: 76437370: Filing Date.

It introduced the paisley sound hole and the Voiced Bracing Support system. It was available in six and 12 string (P112) models. Papoose electric [ ] Tacoma offered solid body electric guitars based on the Papoose's proportions. This model, designated the SP1 featured a solid mahogany body, a bridge-mounted Duncan Designed humbucker, and an onboard headphone amplifier. The Papoose electric was discontinued by the end of 2006. Chief [ ] The C1C Chief had normal tuning and a scale length of 25.5'. Red Lobster on this page.