2002 Tacoma DBZ-20 Brazilian Rosewood
If you’ve ever wanted to add the power, beauty, and prestige of a solid Brazilian Rosewood guitar to your collection, here may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. While specs and production details are kind of hard to come by since Fender bought the Tacoma company, the Tacoma DMZ-20 was made in the good old U.S.A. from 2000 to 2003 (when its last MSRP was about $3650, and that was sixteen years ago!). It’s as superbly balanced an instrument as an acoustic guitar can be, and you’ll be saying, “It’s like holding an orchestra in my hands!” This guitar was built in 2002 before Fender took over the Tacoma company, and it is an excellent example of classic American design and craftsmanship: you can play it hard for its booming bass, or you can play it softly for the delicacy of a harpsichord.
There is abundant evidence of this Tacoma’s high quality in its solid Sitka Spruce top and beautiful solid Brazilian Rosewood sides and back. The DMZ-20 has a multi-stripe abalone rosette, a fully bound body, herringbone purfling and back strip, and a 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with abalone dot inlay. The mahogany headstock is accented by the 1 ¾” bone nut, chrome enclosed tuners and the unique abalone truss rod cover, and the rosewood custom bridge and white abalone-dot pegs stand out even more because of the subtle clear pickguard. Check out the pictures: this is one beautiful guitar!
As one on-line reviewer pointed out, “Taylor, Breedlove, Collings and some other overpriced high profile guitar builders sell Brazilian Rosewood guitars for as much as $6,000.00 more than the regular base price of the guitar; on limited editions Gibson has charged over $30,000.00 more. Currently the absolute best price deal I have found on an Acoustic Flat Top guitar with Brazilian Rosewood is the Tacoma. Collings or Taylor would charge three to six times as much & I liked the Tacoma far better. The sound is incredible, both flatpicking and fingerstyle playing. The tonal qualities are amazing. Whether you've played Tacomas or not, you will not want to put this one down.”
Another reviewer adds, “Great balanced tone with crisp, clear highs and well defined bass. See for yourself why these pre-Fender Tacomas are so highly regarded by both players and collectors. There is no way you could get an American solid Brazilian dread of this quality hand built today for this price.”
The guitar is in near mint condition, with the exception of one thin repaired humidity crack barely visible next to the fret board extension on the treble side. There is no other finish checking or crazing, and there are no other cracks or structural concerns. The action is low, fast, and comfortable at a bit less than 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and the sound is phenomenal—not surprising, given the beautiful solid woods Tacoma used to create this guitar! Solid Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, and solid Sitka Spruce top, and would you look at the figuring on that rosewood?
The high-quality arched-top original hard shell case is in very good condition despite protecting this great guitar for 17 years. There is a bit of “leather” missing on the top and the handle has been carefully taped, but the beautiful royal purple interior is clean, the five latches work, and of course the guitar fits perfectly. There’s even still a key, which is good, because everyone will be wanting to play this beauty, with or without asking you.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as
necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this outstanding guitar and its case with scrupulous accuracy. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase it. Its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.
Thank you for your interest in this gorgeous guitar!
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.