1979 F-412 Value

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New here and had a question on the value of what appears to be a "vintage" F-412.

There's one up for auction locally and I want to make an educated bid on it. Meaning I don't want to over pay especially since I'm bidding based off of photos and never touched the guitar.

guildf412_zpsdd814545.jpg


Thank you
 

steamfurnace

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I would guess somewhere between $1,500 and 2,000. Be careful; a Guild 12 that old will probably need a neck reset, and/or the bridge re-attached, if these haven't already been performed. You will probably find a fair amount of finish checking as well. That being said, if it has been given a lot of TLC by it's previous owner(s) it will be an awesome sound cannon!
 

Christopher Cozad

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Welcome, El Scorcho, and you will be blazing' hot if you land that F-412! From the photo, it looks to be in wonderful condition, and steamfurnace has given worthy advice of what to be on the lookout for.
 

charliea

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It's always worthwhile to go to the 'bay and check both "completed" and "sold" listings. Unless somebody has auction fever, it should go for somewhere below $1,500, depending on condition.
 

killdeer43

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Good advice so far, ES, and as good as this one looks, nothing beats having the guitar in hand. The blue book range is from 1,300 to 2,500 depending on the condition. So many variables to consider.

I'll add another WELCOME TO LTG and wish you good hunting, :apple:
Joe
 

chazmo

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One thing to watch out for on the late '70s models is lacquer peeling off on the back of the neck. At some point in the '70s they used padauk wood (rather than mahogany or maple) and we've seen a number of them with peeling necks. Not a big deal, really, but could be a bargaining chip.
 

shot put

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Hi- Have owned many guild 12's over the years- I tune down, humidify and never leave a guitar out -currently have 5- get specific measurement of action at third and 12th fret-If there is a large disparity, neck-reset is in order. I have not seen an older guild that doesn't need one. I had a'76 412 and it was awesome-wish I still owned it. 1500 or so would be max-neck-rest will be at least 600- I had had one on a a '71 that was 1300 after many other issues surfaced after reset had been done. Best of luck.
 

Neal

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shot put, I have an '81 D-212 that has absolutely perfect neck angle and action after 33 years of string tension with no neck reset. So they are out there.

But I agree that when looking at a vintage Guild, especially with the 12-strings, the chances are great that time has taken its toll on the neck angle, and someone in the market for a vintage Guild 12 should have their eyes wide open for that.

I always ask the seller to provide me with photos of the fretboard at the 12th fret, with a quarter straddling 11th and 12th frets under the low E, then the high E. If I can see a lot of daylight between the top of the quarter and the bottom of the string...pass.

A photo of a straightedge laid on the fretboard and slid down to the bridge is also useful. If the straightedge hits the top of the bridge, all good. If it hits the front of the bridge..pass.

And if the seller declines to provide the requested photos...pass.

Neal
 

davismanLV

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El Scorcho, I'm just here to say welcome. You've already gotten sage advice about buying a Guild 12 string. It looks good in the photo, but that one photo lacks sufficient detail of critical areas to make any determination. I hope you have more photos than just that one. One other thing that I will mention, when buying online or in a situation where you cannot evaluate the guitar in person, it's good to have a return policy and evaluation period. That way if it's been misrepresented or there are issues you're not willing to deal with, you can return and then you're only out the shipping. It's a nice safeguard. If you need help with visualizing the neck angle, check out Frank Ford's tutorial on that subject--->> http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/NeckAngle/neckangle.html

Good luck with your evaluation and purchase!! :encouragement::encouragement:
 

dapmdave

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Unless the price is really low I wouldn't buy a "vintage" 12-string without some kind of a return policy. There are some great ones out there, for sure. But there are also a lot of "money pit" guitars, and lutherie can get expensive. Just don't get taken by GAS and a pretty face.
 

hansmoust

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chazmo said:
One thing to watch out for on the late '70s models is lacquer peeling off on the back of the neck. At some point in the '70s they used padauk wood (rather than mahogany or maple) and we've seen a number of them with peeling necks. Not a big deal, really, but could be a bargaining chip.

Hey Chaz,

Not on an F-412! You're mixing up different models!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

charliea

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shot put, I have an '81 D-212 that has absolutely perfect neck angle and action after 33 years of string tension with no neck reset. So they are out there.
Neal

The 'dread 12's are really heavily built, and i've owned (and seen) several older ones that still have good neck angles. The jumbos seem much more inclined to fold up over time.
 

Neal

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Yeah, charliea, it's mine! A real player. Not beat to crap, but not a museum piece either. And an absolutely spot-on neck angle.

Neal
 

GaryG

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Unless the price is really low I wouldn't buy a "vintage" 12-string without some kind of a return policy. There are some great ones out there, for sure. But there are also a lot of "money pit" guitars, and lutherie can get expensive. Just don't get taken by GAS and a pretty face.

What is "GAS"?
 
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