Hi! New here - looking for info on the JF30-12

Hi, everyone! New to the forum. I Signed up because I am interested in Guild 12 strings.

I have been enjoying getting back into acoustic playing since getting my Taylor 414ce. Last week, I remembered that I had an old Yamaha FG 312 12 string in storage, so I went and picked it up, cleaned it up and restrung it.

I can't get enough of it! It sounds so full and rich... I can only imagine what a really good 12 string must sound like. Since I have started on the 12 string, my original music has taken on new life - I feel like the 12 string is the instrument I have been looking for. The Yamaha is a laminated top guitar. How much better would let's say, a Guild sound like?

As luck would have it, I have a chance to make a trade for a Guild JF30-12. It says it was made in Westerly on the inside label. I would be trading a '61 Reissue SG for it - a really great guitar. Gibson guitar of the week - black, gold hardware.

I don't know much about Guilds, or 12 strings in general. How does the Guild compare to my Yamaha, both sound-wise and build quality? Is the Guild as big a jump up as it seems like it would be? The SG is a great guitar, but I have enough electrics that I could afford to give this one up.

Anyway, I was just hoping for the thoughts of the AGF on this one.

Thanks!

Thoughts of the AGF, eh? Cut 'n paste??

The JF-30-12 is classic Guild. It has an arched, maple back like the F-412. Mine has a tiger-stripe maple neck that's to die for.

As for "how much better will it sound than X?"... I don't like to answer that question directly. I feel it's an experience you have to have for yourself. For me, pulling an F-512 off the music store wall years ago was one of those "blow your hair back" moments in my life. Frankly, it brought me back to Guild after many, many years of not really caring very much about the guitar.

Anyway, best of luck. The only thing I'll warn you about is that these guitars can be kind of heavy, and they have sharp edges which can make the jumbo body style a little difficult for some.

WELCOME TO LTG, big j!
Guild made/makes the best 12 string guitars....period.

I'm outta here, :tranquillity:
Joe

I would think your Yamaha would be less satisfying after playing a Guild. Welcome to the nuthouse, by the way!

My suggestion would be to get your hands on that JF30-12 and play it for a bit, then tell US what the differences are. You're the one in a unique position to compare the guitars. Putting it into words will probably be the sales pitch for the Guild that you apparently need. Assuming it's close by, go play it, and tell us what you hear.....

oh and p.s. - welcome to the LTG forum.

Have a look here for some info on the JF-30-12: http://westerlyguildguitars.com/guitars/jf30-12.html

Our member riterins once wrote how fast he bought his JF-30-12: "Walked into a local guitar store and saw a JF30-12 hanging on the wall... took it down...almost dropped it because it weighed as much as my 5 yr old niece.....sat down........strummed a C-chord......strummed an F-chord................SOLD... The thing sounds like a 20 ft tall Harp."

Ralf

Two words:

Lap Piano!

Hi. Welcome to the forum.

A JF30-12 may be the best value in Guild 12 string guitars. It's very similar to the top of the line F412 (or JF65-12) with less bling, rosewood board instead of ebony & has standard bracing rather than shaved or scalloped bracing.

My guitar sounds great -rich but clear & well defined tone. No muddiness & also it can be played hard - some guitars seem to compress the sound when strumming harder as if the guitar gives up, but the Guild just goes louder. Great in DADGAD with lots of droning strings happening but wonderful in standard tunings as well. A very satisfying guitar to play.

The only words of caution are that some find the jumbo body size too big & also the necks on these Westerly Guild 12s can be huge (partly due to the double truss rod system). Mine is a very chunky neck - if I say I could hollow it out an make a canoe out of it, I would be exaggerating, but only a little bit. layful:

When looking for one I would also make sure you pay attention to certain factors which may indicate that a neck reset is required- e.g. high action, low saddle height etc. These things need to be looked at for all used acoustic guitars , not just Guild 12s, but a 12 string can have this issue more often due to the additional tension caused by more strings.

You can do a search for JF30-12 & "neck reset" for more information.

Zelja said:

Hi. Welcome to the forum.

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Yep, ditto that.

Zelja said:

A JF30-12 may be the best value in Guild 12 string guitars. It's very similar to the top of the line F412 (or JF65-12) with less bling, rosewood board instead of ebony & has standard bracing rather than shaved or scalloped bracing.

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Actually, the '87 pricelist on Westerly Guild Guitars shows the first year at least ('87) had scalloped bracing, if it's correct. Guild lit is known to have occasional inaccuracies.
BTW Big, you can determine the year of the guitar by the serial number or a close approximation from a date stamped on the bevel of thh neckblock inside it. That was the date the body rim was completed, so it can't be any older than that, at least, but it might have been a couple of months beofre it was actually finished and the model year is when the serial number was stamped on it..

big jilm said:

The Yamaha is a laminated top guitar. How much better would let's say, a Guild sound like?

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It'll spoil ya for the Yamaha and those are entirely respectable guitars.
Once you've heard a solid top you'll never be quite satisfied with a laminated again. Probably be like what Zelja describes:

Zelja said:

My guitar sounds great -rich but clear & well defined tone. No muddiness & also it can be played hard - some guitars seem to compress the sound when strumming harder as if the guitar gives up, but the Guild just goes louder

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.

big jilm said:

Anyway, I was just hoping for the thoughts of the AGF on this one

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Oh you're looking for the AGF?
Sorry buddy, this is LTG. AGF's down the hall on the right.
NO worries, come on back whenever you like!
:biggrin-new:

adorshki said:

Oh you're looking for the AGF?

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One of our members who is also there told him to ask his questions here, that's how he started here.
Ralf

Yes, welcome! I saw your thread over on the AGF and did not add anything in hopes that you would in fact come looking here.

Only ever played one JF, frankly not sure which model, but the neck did not strike me as real big...now, the new NH 212XL, that's big! Chazmo's Tacoma-built 512, that's big...but they sound soooo good. My sister's mid-70's something Yamaha slot-head twelve...bigger than both of those. Maybe big isn't quite the right word, but it sure is wider! Not sure of the model number, will try to get that and post it tonight.

My guess is that you will handle the neck change without too much difficulty, however all are right in regards to the jumbo body size. While my 512 has never given me the occasional "dreadnaught-itus" that both my D55's and former Gibson have, she is pretty big for a living-room-sofa guitar. =}

SFIV1967 said:

One of our members who is also there told him to ask his questions here, that's how he started here.
Ralf

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Oh I was sure it was just a typo so just giving him a little friendly "ribbing"
:tranquillity:

And just in case you wondered what one looks like on the inside:
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From the inside:

I have a handful of shots of mine, but none as interesting as zelja's or KOMA's: http://s215.photobucket.com/user/Chazmo_bucket/library/1994 Guild JF30-12?sort=3&page=1

K.O.M.A. said:

And just in case you wondered what one looks like on the inside:

[/URL][/IMG]

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Nice to see the two truss rods!
Ralf

KOMA... about the x-ray photo... I don't understand what I'm seeing. Are the back and the top different widths, or is this some sort of "optical" illusion? On my JF-30-12, the width of the soundboard is pretty much the same as the back.

@Chazmo: I think to remember it was a CT scanner he used (not like an airport X-RAY), so due to the round shape of that device and the moving scan head it looks like the top is smaller than the bottom.
Ralf

Ah, neat, Ralf! I wonder if a CT scanner gives a better picture than X-rays on a guitar.

Just heard from my sister that her Yamaha is also a 312...based on that then, I would not expect you to have any issues transitioning to (any) Guild 12 that has been set up well.