WTB Mid 70's F412 or F512

rich johnson said:

There's a nice 512 in Dover, MD but its a 2011

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Cougar said:

New Hartford builds can't really be beat. Not sure why you're preferring a mid 70s build, but I know that some guys just do.

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wileypickett said:

Guild really had no bad years. Guitars from all their various eras / plants get a lot of credence here.

I have 12-strings from Westerly and New Hartford. If I had to choose, I'd give the edge to the Westerlys, but the specs out of New Hartford were, perhaps, more "contemporary" -- i.e.; slimmer necks, up-to-date bracing systems, etc. If you like the feel of Taylor's 12-string necks, the New Hartford builds are likely to please you as well.

Maybe because the Westerlys have had longer to season they sound, to my ears anyway, richer, more authoritative than their NH counterparts. You'll only know what most floats your boat by playing them -- which isn't exactly easy or cheap.

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rich johnson said:

I like big necks and vintage guitars. Do not like taylor's feel or sound at all, no midrange and NEVER heard a taylor that could stand in the same acoustic living room ie setting as a vintage gibby like 40 and 50's Gibson acoustics (SJ, J$% and J200) with nice size necks

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wileypickett said:

Just to be clear, I was only comparing New Hartford's 12-string neck design with Taylor's -- not the sound!

After Taylor's success with 12-strings, it seemed the other big name builders -- just to compete I assume -- began modeling their necks after Taylor's.

In addition to several Westerly-era Guild 12-strings, I also have a New Hartford, which is no slouch soundwise. But if you like beefy necks, look for the Westerlys -- with two truss rods inside, the necks had to be "robust"!

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rich johnson said:

how is this diff and than a 70's I chasing?

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mavuser said:

it is closer to a 70's, than your sentence is to english ha

my understanding is they are basically the same

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rich johnson said:

thanks $2,700 decent price?

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mavuser said:

hard to say, is maybe on the higher side but if the guitar is mint then, not highway robbery. I will say that one has been listed a while, but he was asking 3,000 and must have gotten zero interest. If I were serious on one of these, my staring bid is right around 2,000, cash final sale. willing to pay more if circumstances warrant, but none of them are a once in a lifetime opportunity. when u play one, u just know..."this is the one" (or it isnt...), is more about that than a couple hundred bucks. It is a 99 and also a sunburst, niether of those features should detract any real value, but they certainly do not add any. Most people seem to prefer the natural top, but that wouldn't sway me if the burst was a good fit. 99 is generally a good year. Fender owned, but still Westerly factory. Opinions certainly differ about what was going on in Westerly during Fender's ownership, but this period is generally well regarded. If you want a guitar from the 70's, don't buy one from 1999. May turn out you prefer the youger one however, you just never know.

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