![]() Several of Tacoma's models featured an unusual sound hole shape, a paisley soundhole, on the left side of the upper bout designed by world famous Luthier George Gruhn. Paisley soundhole Tacoma M1 mandolin with paisley sound hole on the upper bout. Tacoma incorporated unusual features in many of its guitars-notably, paisley-shaped soundholes and bolt-on necks. Fender never resumed production of Tacoma guitars. 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 automate the Tacoma manufacturing process to cut costs. ![]() In 2008, Fender announced it would close the 44,000 square foot Frederickson plant and lay off 70 employees, intending to move Tacoma production to existing Fender factories in Connecticut to take advantage of economies of scale. A recession in the Asian economy caused by the Avian Flu epidemic prompted Young Chang to sell the division to Kim in 1999.įender Musical Instruments Corporation purchased the company in October 2004 for a price estimated between $2 million and $4 million and made it a division of Fender. 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). That year, mass production of the unconventional Papoose model, the first sold under the Tacoma brand, also began. In 1997, the Papoose and Chief models debuted at the 1997 winter Convention of the National Association of Musical Manufacturers (NAMM). For the first few years, the plant produced about 100 guitars a month for another guitar brand. Kim persuaded Young Chang to build a guitar manufacturing plant nearby. Tacoma Guitars began as a division of Young Chang America in Tacoma, Washington that, starting in 1991, processed Northwest hardwood for export for piano soundboards. Tacoma manufactured mainly acoustic guitars, although its product range extended to basses and mandolins. The Tacoma plant closed, and production ceased, in 2008. The company and brand name were later acquired by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Instruments were manufactured in Tacoma, Washington. It was founded in 1991 as a division of South Korean company Young Chang. Tacoma Guitars was an American manufacturing company of musical instruments.
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