Tacoma F47R

[shepke]

I'd been looking for a rosewood Guild in recent months, but everything I'd seen was too pricey. I finally ran across a new Tacoma F47R on eBay from a reputable dealer and in desperation made what I thought was a ridiculously low offer. I was surprised that it was accepted and the guitar arrived late this afternoon. It’s a beautiful instrument and sounds tremendous – well balanced with a very pleasing full-bodied depth in the bass and crystal clarity in the high end. It’s perfect for finger style but a real cannon when I hit it with a flat pick (louder than my Corona D40 even). I’ve been playing it all evening and it’s the only new guitar I’ve ever purchased that sounded like it was opened up right out of the case. It’s definitely a keeper.

Anyway, I have a few questions that maybe someone here can answer. Looking it over, it’s absolutely clean and doesn’t look to me like a “blem” or 2nd in any way. The only thing I can say is that the grain on the spruce top is a little wider at the outside edges of the upper and lower bouts than toward the center where it's quite close and nicely feathered. Would this be regarded as a flaw? It doesn’t have a serial # on the back of the headstock, only on the sound hole label. Is this normal for Tacoma Guilds? The serial # is TK085010. Any idea what year it was made? Also what kind of spruce is the top made of on these models? Were a lot of these dumped on the market when the Tacoma facility closed? Why was it so inexpensive?

Here are a few pics.

 

[southernGuild]

:shock: She sure looks nice down here Shepke...Congrats on a good score! Cant help re the queries ( no doubt info is on its way.) But if she LOOKS GREAT.and SOUNDS GREAT........You're a happy fellow. :wink:

 

[Graham]

What a great looking guitar!!

I stand to be corrected, actually I've been wrong so many times that I actually sit to be corrected anymore, but I don't think Tacoma guitars had the serial number stamped on the headstock and I also believe a TK0XXXX serial number to be legit.
I just sold an F47R only because I have an GF60R and I have an F47. The body style, to me, is excellent for finger style and the sound is excellent as well. My favourite Guild model.

Nicely done!

 

[markus]

Wow, that one looks nice!

It's the same with my Tacoma DV4: No # on the hedstock, only on the sticker in the guitar.

Dating Tacomas:

http://www.guildguitars.com/resources/guild_dating.php

If I understand correctly the first letter T means Tacoma built
The Second letter is the year "I" would be 2005, "J" would be 2006 and "K" would be 2007 etc.
The next 3 numbers are the day of the year it was manufactured so just add up the days in each month until you get to that 3 digit number, for mine 263 is September 20th.
The final 3 numbers signify it was say the 10th instrument built.

And: Graham, I try to give your F47RCE a good home … :wink:

Markus

 

[capnjuan]

... The only thing I can say is that the grain on the spruce top is a little wider at the outside edges of the upper and lower bouts than toward the center where it's quite close and nicely feathered. Would this be regarded as a flaw? .... Were a lot of these dumped on the market when the Tacoma facility closed? Why was it so inexpensive?

Hi shepke and congratulations; that's a very fine-looking guitar. The top is made of two book-matched halves. They were cut vertically from the same section and have the same grain pattern because they formerly faced each other. Book-matching is how material with a more pronounced grain is treated; it's not a defect at all. Some people may not care for the grain but that's an aesthetic thing ... some people like Swiss cheese whereas others prefer smoked Gouda ....

Your guitar looks to be one of the babies thrown out with the Tacoma bathwater. Rather than pick through its unsold inventory, crate up the keepers, and ship them east, FMIC chose to get rid of all of its unsold Tacoma guitars. Some of them were blems ... Traditional and Contemporary (CO/CV) models and others - apparently like yours - were just unsold inventory. Did you get a Warranty registration card with it? If the serial # shows clearly on the label / not marked 'Used', then it wasn't a 'blem' and would be subject to warranty.

Tacomas don't (yet) have the same cachet as NYs, Hobokens, and Westerlys but the guitar itself often doesn't know that and sounds great and plays well anyway. :wink: Good score!

 

[cjd-player]

Beautiful guitar.
Congrats.

Those are indeed fine guitars. I've played a couple F-47R's that were exceptional.

 

[evenkeel]

Beautiful. Sweet score. Thanks for the pics.

 

[BurstD55]

Wow! Thanks for the pics.

I haven't played one of these F47's but now I really want to!

 

[Walter Broes]

I'm very jealous. Did you get it from Rocky@streetsounds?

 

[shepke]

Thanks everyone. That clears up a number of questions I had. I'm a long time Guild player and there have been a lot of Westerly and Hobokan guitars that have come and gone from the stable over the years. I'd always harbored a prejudice against post Westerly instruments, but I bought a used Corona D40 last Feb. and was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality, workmanship, and sound. This new Tacoma F47R only confirms that impression. There are obviously a lot of very good newer Guilds out there to be had at a great price and my confidence in the future of Guild Guitars has been thoroughly rehabilitated. I bought it through Power Alley in Vestal NY. The "rosewood sound" is a real revelation for me and this guitar makes up for selling my beat up GF40 last year. Tonight I'm heading over to a friend's house to see how it stands up against his his Larravee L-9 Presentation Model - a guitar I have long coveted.

 

[Scratch]

What a great looking guitar!!

I stand to be corrected, actually I've been wrong so many times that I actually sit to be corrected anymore, but I don't think Tacoma guitars had the serial number stamped on the headstock and I also believe a TK0XXXX serial number to be legit.
I just sold an F47R only because I have an GF60R and I have an F47. The body style, to me, is excellent for finger style and the sound is excellent as well. My favourite Guild model.

Nicely done!

Grammy,
You really should broaden your horizons and try a different wood. Mahogany dries out quickly in faaaar north Tejas, thus affecting the structural integrity, bridge pins, inlays, tuning keys, strings, neck, nutt and saddle. The only known cure is to send F47 hogs to the Scratch F47 rehab center for specialized treatment. Jus' so happens the SFRC is running a special this month. The owner will perform these complex treatments for you at no cost. Interested?

:wink:

 

[cjd-player]

Grammy,
The only known cure is to send F47 hogs to the Scratch F47 rehab center for specialized treatment. Jus' so happens the SFRC is running a special this month. The owner will perform these complex treatments for you at no cost. Interested?

:wink:

He won't be able to afford the shipping through Greensburg PA. :wink: :wink:

 

[Bill Ashton]

Might I be so bold as to suggest that the wide grain on the top indicates Red Spruce/Adirondack Spruce? Wider grain as they are younger trees???

Don't know enough about this to be dangerous, just a thought

 

[iJamF47M]

That is indeed Red Spruce/Adirondack Spruce top. You have the identical guitar to mine with the exception that mine is the maple B&S model. Both of ours are the very fine Iced Tea sunburst finish which I like so much better than the vintage sunburst that is the only sunburst currently available on the new ones. Mine is also an April 2007 build according to the serial number. There is no stamping at all on the back of the headstock on mine. Serial info is only on the sound hole sticker. Mine was brand new and no signs of any prior use at all or any blemishes whatsoever. The best I can figure mine was available because of what has been said about Fender just wanting to move out all the Tacoma inventory.

iJam

 

[Bltprf502]

Nice guitar! Are you sure that's Adi spruce? Very pretty, but still very tight in the middle. Sometimes hard to say by pics... Its in the sound! Congrats.

 

[cjd-player]

I've played Bobby McGee's Tacoma F47R.

It has an adi top and is a fabulous sounding guitar.

Here is his recent post and sound clip.
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=20111



.

 

[tjmangum]

Very nice. I have a F47 Maple from Tacoma which is a true keeper.

If you feel you didn't pay enough for yours, then please ship it my way and I'll play you $20 more than you paid for it
tj

 

[Nigel Wickwire]

...

Tacomas don't (yet) have the same cachet as NYs, Hobokens, and Westerlys but the guitar itself often doesn't know that and sounds great and plays well anyway. :wink: Good score!

At the risk of committing LTG blasphemy, I would opine that my Tacoma dread' is superior in workmanship to the Westerlies, I own. Though, difficult to compare due to differences in age. I think the Tacoma's have gotten a bad reputation, due to marketing decisions made at the end of the run.

A beautiful guitar, shepke. Play it in good health!

~nw

 

[shepke]

I think I read somewhere that the F47R has a red spruce top (I wasn't sure whether this was refering to Tacoma or New Hartford instruments though), so I'm assuming from the comments that red spruce and Adirondack spruce are essentially the same wood and that it has a somewhat wider grain pattern than other spruces. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[tjmangum]

...

Tacomas don't (yet) have the same cachet as NYs, Hobokens, and Westerlys but the guitar itself often doesn't know that and sounds great and plays well anyway. :wink: Good score!

At the risk of committing LTG blasphemy, I would opine that my Tacoma dread' is superior in workmanship to the Westerlies, I own. Though, difficult to compare due to differences in age. I think the Tacoma's have gotten a bad reputation, due to marketing decisions made at the end of the run.
~nw

I have four Tacomas and all are excellent guitars. I have a bunch of Westerlys, and have owned even more and some are way better than others. I have nothing but respect for what was built in Tacoma.
tj