F-612 Dreams

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,201
Reaction score
11,829
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
Probably slim and none. There's only a handful of these guitars in existence. I think awagner on the forum here has one. There's that one that was supposedly found in a trash can in New York, or some such story. Don't know if it's the same one. Lofty goal, for sure!! :encouragement:
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,129
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
there is also the F-512 Special with the 612 inlays, that would be the one if it were my dream...
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,330
Reaction score
6,504
Guild Total
2
still will be a fun search and pursuit. good luck!
 

awagner

Senior Member
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
1,722
Reaction score
2,106
Location
Westchester, NY
Guild Total
40
Probably slim and none. There's only a handful of these guitars in existence. I think awagner on the forum here has one. There's that one that was supposedly found in a trash can in New York, or some such story. Don't know if it's the same one. Lofty goal, for sure!! :encouragement:

Not the same one. On mine, the prior owner carved his SS# into the back of the headstock. The guys at New Hartford did an excellent restoration job and it is now barely noticeable.
 

awagner

Senior Member
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
1,722
Reaction score
2,106
Location
Westchester, NY
Guild Total
40
Sure would be nice of txbumper or awagner would record their F-612 for our enjoyment!

I could try, although I don't know how to post sound clips. Do they have to be hosted elsewhere like pictures?
 

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
Sure would be nice of txbumper or awagner would record their F-612 for our enjoyment!

Here is a link for you Rich, The F612 sound clip is at the bottom of the first post. Have a good one!

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showth...0-Anni-D55-D26-F50R-F512&highlight=txbumper57

Also here is a pic of my F612 on the right with my F512 on the left and the difference in size.

Jey0R0.jpg

TX
 
Last edited:

Rich Cohen

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Messages
3,147
Reaction score
2,279
Location
Charlottesville, VA
TX,
So kind of you to direct me, and others, to your REALLY cool sound cuts from your stable.
I'm enjoying every one of them.
Rich
 

wileypickett

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2009
Messages
4,965
Reaction score
4,491
Location
Cambridge, MA
What are my chances of finding and buying a F-612?

Hey Rich,

All things being equal, you probably have batter chance of being hit by lightning.

All things NOT being equal (i.e.; if price is no object) you might find someone with one who would be willing to sell, but unless you get really lucky, you'll most likely pay a premium because it's such a scarce model.

There was a guitar maker based in LA -- dead now I think -- named Arturo Valdez, who made and repaired guitars for many of the top name players of the day -- Lennon, Clapton, Raitt, and many, many others including John Denver.

He completely refurbished Denver's F612 and did major reconstructive surgery on it over the years. He replaced the top, the body and neck binding, the fingerboard, and he did elaborate MOP inlay work on the fretboard to Denver's specs.

Being completely familiar with the ins-and-outs of the F612 he began building 12-strings with the same gigantic dimensions as Denver's Guild, but not in imitation of it: his had a weird cutaway, different binding appointments, a skinnier neck, and all sorts of other differences.

He only made a few of those -- less than 10 -- they're probably even rarer than the F612. Among the people who bought one was Roger McGuinn (number 8) and Al Stewart (number 6).

I own number 1, which turned up for sale in the early years of eBay, around 1996 or so when you could still find amazing things for cheap on the site. I knew nothing from Guilds at the time, and nothing about Valdez. I just bought it because it looked so cool and I was after interesting 12-strings.

That's about the closest I expect to come to owning an F612!

http://curious.kcrw.com/2012/08/arturo-valdez-guitar-maker-to-the-stars

Half the pleasure is the hunt -- good luck!

Glenn
 
Last edited:

GardMan

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
5,359
Reaction score
959
Location
Utah
Guild Total
5
LTG member Scott also had (or had) a 612... IIRC, he owned two? at different times? So four on LTG, out of how many made?

Here's the dumpster-dive 612 thread for everyone's enjoyment...
 

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
TX,
So kind of you to direct me, and others, to your REALLY cool sound cuts from your stable.
I'm enjoying every one of them.
Rich

No Problem Rich! Mine was originally purchased by Jonathan Edwards who had the hit song "Sunshine" in 1971. As the story goes he bought his on the recommendation of John Denver himself after playing Denver's First F612 while on tour with him. My understanding was Denver also purchased another F612 from the same batch Edwards bought his from. Records are kind of sketchy but there is a consensus that there were at least 3 separate batches of F612's made with 6 being made per batch. That makes at least 18 F612's originally made. Most of these went to professional Musicians as they were an Extremely Special Order Item and the cost was close to if not just over $1000 in 1971. My understanding is that there are 10 or less known in existence today. I believe there is another member not previously mentioned in this thread who owns 2 of them and I have a friend here locally in Houston (also a member here) that owns the serial number before mine from the same batch. I honestly don't ever plan on selling mine. I have seen a want ad for them in the last 2 years of an individual offering up to as much as $20,000 for one in Great Playing and cosmetic condition but those are just ads right?

TX
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,129
Reaction score
2,637
Location
New York
someone listed an F-512 special w the 612 inlays on CL earlier in 2016. they asked $3500 and got $3300 in maybe a week...to quote the seller "a bargain!"

a beautiful holy grail Guild, would have loved it, they are just out of my league. big time.
 

Rich Cohen

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Messages
3,147
Reaction score
2,279
Location
Charlottesville, VA
TX,
I really like the sound of the G-41 -- great bottom to it. I have heard that the longer scale length makes it a bit of challenge to play. I just acquired a F-48, which I am enjoying a lot; while considering it, I also had my eye on a G-41, but in the end decided on the F-48.
 
Top