Tacoma EKK9 guitar

Subject: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: GUEST,josep
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 01:41 PM

I just bought a used one and I was wondering if this guitar has designation other than EKK9. Here's some stats:

Tacoma model EKK9
Serial #E2340060

6th traditional sound hole model of this guitar built on August 21, 2001—first quality (meaning it has not had a replacement neck put on).

Little jumbo, satin finish, Koa front, back and sides, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, tortoise shell binding on body and neck, herringbone inlays, 20 frets, full body, Seymour-Duncan active/magnetic pickup (added by previous user who was a serious guitarist).

Plain body—no pickguard. Asymmetrical curved-top rosewood bridge.

These photos show an EKK9 but it is not mine:

view 1
view 2
view 3
view 4

Mine came fitted with a Seymour-Duncan Mag/Mic pickup:

pickup

It's part pickup and part microphone and the pots on the side let you blend how much pickup and how much mic you want. It's incredibly clean and faithful. The last owner installed it and the guy at the store, whom I've known for over 30 years, told me this cat was a heavy-duty, serious guitarist (which puts him head & shoulders above my wimpy-guitar-plucking ass).

Got the whole thing for $850 with a hardshell thrown in. It's actually a high-end guitar. Almost like having a Martin without the expense of a Martin. But what is this guitar called?

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: GUEST,josep
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 01:49 PM

The first two photos don't work well. Fuck it. Just take a guess.

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: Ernest
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 01:45 PM

Looks like it is called "Melvin", but this is just my guess.

Apart from that, we don`t fuck guitars here. We use them to play music on them.

;0)
Ernest

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: GUEST,josep
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 07:25 PM

Sarcasm is welcome, folks, but please exhibit some wit or a sense of humor. Ernest is about as funny as an American sitcom.

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: Blues=Life
Date: 01 Aug 11 - 12:57 PM

Just found this. The E series was known as the Little Jumbo. It's shaped like a Tacoma Jumbo guitar, but is in fact smaller than a Dread. Very nice guitars, I have a custom, all mahogany Little Jumbo that was made in the dying days of Tacoma (Pre-Fender Buyout) for the Unofficial Tacoma Guitar Forum members. Mine is numbered 7 of 10. The first letter in the model is the series (P for Papoose or Parlor, J for Jumbo, D for Dread, E for Little Jumbo, C for Chief, R for Roadking) with the next two letters telling you what the top and body are. Most of the Tacomas were topped with Spruce, and that was assumed, leaving DR for Rosewood bodied Dread, or JM for Mahogany bodied Jumbo. Two letters meant a different top. Mine is a EMM for Mahogany body and top. Finally, the numbers indicated level of trim. The higher the number, the fancier guitar. 40 indicates a very dressy axe, while 55 was about the top. 9 was a very simple model, etc. (BTW, other than ornateness, I can't tell any difference in the quality of the wood between levels. The 9s are great guitars.) What you have is a Little Jumbo with Koa top and sides, at level 9 trim.
For more info, check out http://www.tacomaguitarforum.com/index.php , and welcome to the addiction. Best damn guitar for the money.

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 12:26 PM

Before Fender bought the company, they made some awesome guitars.

Subject: RE: Tacoma EKK9 guitar
From: Blues=Life
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 04:40 PM

They actually made some awesome guitars after Fender bought them, too. Not only were the same folks making Tacomas, but they were building some amazing Guild guitars as well. The problem wasn't that Fender was in charge at the Tacoma, WA, plant. The problem was when Fender CLOSED the Tacoma, WA, plant. That's all she wrote. Even if they bring the name back, it won't be the same.