Opinions on Newer D40

[Folkestone]

Hi Everyone:

I'm looking for your insight and experience on later D40s (Tacoma and after). I'm considering getting a Racoma with DTAR.

What are your feelings regarding build quality, tone, playability and longterm value compared with other major makers?

Thanks,
jeff

 

[Graham]

Hey Jeff,

I have no personal experience with them but Scratch is madly in love with his Tacoma D-40. And this guy buys and sells guitars most every day. :lol:

 

[dogberry]

I have a Tacoma D40, and I love it. Played a lot of guitars, Guild and otherwise, before buying this one, and it's a keeper. I have no experience with the CT D40's, but there was a nice review of them in a recent issue of Acoustic Guitar mag. The link below will (I think) take you to the article. I don't think you can go wrong with a D40 from either Tacoma or CT, they're great, all around guitars. Good luck.

http://www.acguitar.com/article/default ... leid=25177

 

[tjmangum]

I have a Tacoma D40, and I love it. ... I don't think you can go wrong with a D40 from either Tacoma or CT, they're great, all around guitars.

Ditto. My Tacoma D40 is great. I've played a CT one and it was good too. Had a 70's Westerly, that I sold off, that was so, so.
Good luck,
tj

 

[6L6]

I bought my '06 D-40BJ new and had a Highlander iP-2 pup installed in it. It's a wonderful guitar both plugged and unplugged and has a FANTASTIC neck (be sure you play one before buying, though, because it's fatter than you may prefer). Build quality is excellent.

The only thing I would say (and this is certainly NOT a negative) is that the Adi top certainly IS different from the sitka on my other guitars. If you're a bluegrass flatpicker like kyDave, you'll LOVE IT! If you're more of a laid back player doing Neil Young covers (like me), you'll probably give a slight edge to a sitka topped axe.

As always, play before you buy if at all possible.

6

'06 D-40BJ
'06 D-55
'06 F-412
'74 D-40

 

[Scratch]

Hey Jeff,

I have no personal experience with them but Scratch is madly in love with his Tacoma D-40. And this guy buys and sells guitars most every day. :lol:

I'm on the wagon, Grammy!

Actually, Jeff, many have come to and gone from the corral, but the Tacoma built D40 stays. I've not been able to match the warmth with any other hog body guitar. I screwed up and bought a Martin D16GTE as a gigging backup to the D40 after failing to land a Westerly built D40c on eBay. It doesn't come close. The Martin goes on eBay once I get home next week and I'll then hold out for another D40...

 

[Pike]

Both the Tacoma built D40 and D50 are great guitars!

 

[dogberry]

I bought my '06 D-40BJ new and had a Highlander iP-2 pup installed in it.

Hey 6,

I'm planning to install a pickup in my D40, and I'd like to know how/why you chose the Highlander, and how you use it. Do you put it through a preamp, or does it have one on board? What amp do you use? Amplification is a new world for me, so I have some research to do. Thanks.
Dog

 

[6L6]

ey 6,

I'm planning to install a pickup in my D40, and I'd like to know how/why you chose the Highlander, and how you use it. Do you put it through a preamp, or does it have one on board? What amp do you use?

I started out using the Fishman Matrix pup in several of my acoustics (including my '06 D-55) and am very happy with it. Then the folks at Gryphon told me to try the new Highlander iP-2 for my D-40BJ. I went with it and found it to be even a little closer to true acoustic sound than the Fishman.

Both the Fishman Matrix and Highlander iP-2 are active pickups and mount a 9 volt battery inside the guitar. If you plan on using a cord more than 6 feet in length, you definitely want an active pickup or you'll lose signal. A 9 volt battery seems to last forever!

For four years now I've been gigging with a Fender Acoustasnic Jr DSP amp and I love it. Here's a link to the details:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2213200010

I just plug straight into the amp. This amp also sports a GREAT vocal channel for singing and has tilt back legs (a feature I really love for getting my sound to the back of the room). I almost always use my '06 D-55 when gigging.

The Open Mic I frequent has a very good PA system and I find it perfectly fine to just plug my D-40BJ (or any acoustic) straight into the system without using my BAGGS Para DI. There have been lesser systems, however, where it was good to use the BAGGS too.

6

'06 D-55 (Fishman Matrix)
'06 D-40BJ (Highlander iP-2)
'06 F-412 (Highlander iP-2)
'74 D-40 (Fishman Matrix)
'98 Martin D-45V
'09 Martin D-35 Custom (Highlander iP-2)
'98 Collings D-1 (Fishman Matrix)
'03 Taylor 214

 

[dogberry]

Thanks, 6, that's really helpful. Another guitarist in my band uses the highlander, I just learned, and she really likes it, too. It's becoming a leading contender.
Dog