Can't Make up My Mind on a 12-String...

[Scratch]

More good reading from you guys today as I continue my quest to learn more about Guild. In addition to the guitars I now own, I've owned others in the distant past: Martin D17 and an old Goya I traded for during a tour in Vietnam (M1 for Goya...not a bad trade, but unfortunately it was busted up in shipment back to the conus. I think maybe I cried... I learned to play on that thing...

Bottom line is this... I always wanted a Guild, now have one (the corona), and although once devoted to Martin as axe of choice, I'm firmly in the Guild camp. Don't get me wrong; I love my Martin, she plays very nice for an entry level 12-string, but I'm ready to take the plunge for a Guild 12. I'm leaning toward a GAD, found one under 700.00 in an online guitar shop, and although tempted to commit, I keep reflecting on my old desire to own a Guild 12 from the glory years. I'm small in stature, so I don't think a jumbo is the right fit. Advice please?

 

[SugarMountain]

the nicest 12 string i have ever played without a shadow of a doubt was a 1973 F112, something about that body shape works really well with the 12

it was choral and beautiful without sounding tacky or plastic
i would imagine the F212 is a similar sort of thing but i cannnot say enough good things about that little 12 string

i wanted it so bad but wasnt sure if i could afford it, (it was just shy of a thousand pound), i thought id go back and give it another go and it was gone

 

[Dr Izza Plumber]

The GAD G212 is a Deadnought Body, and has fabulous tone. I have one, and My next guitar acquisition will be a new Tacoma F512 or F412. They have a bit more tone than My G212, and are drop dead gorgeous instruments.

 

[HoboKen]

Scratch,

Ya don't get much shorter than me with small hands and in my case arthritic hands.....and I do love my old Hoboken F2-12....for my mahogany 12-string......It's smaller than JF or XL model. You may want to look for a used Hoboken or Westerly F2-12.

BUT, I also really love my Guild JF-55-12 Rosewood Guitar! Playing a Jumbo Guild 12 never bothers me. If you haven't already, check my talking 12-String Blues in the "What 'Wood' a Hoboken and Westerly Guild Be?" Nothiing.... and I do mean nothing does it sound-wise like a jumbo USA made Guild-12!!

Check out what wood-tone your desire...mahogany, rosewood, or maple??

(I have a mahogany and rosewoord 12 string Guild.....And now I'm looking for a JF-65-12 in maple......a little better graded F-30-12).

For the money, the best 12-String buy is a used Westerly JF-30-12 Maple right now.

While the new GAD guitars are good, they are not as good for the money as a good used Westerly Guild unless the original owner warantee is more important than tone. If you travel a lot, that may be so. The GADs purposely are not built to compete with the present state-side made Guilds. They are a notch below, but still are very good guitars. Logic and our own eyes and ears say that the GADs don't comptete with the older still in good shape state-side made Guilds of the yester-years either.

Just some food for thought.

HoboKen

 

[West R Lee]

Ditto,

Any JF 30 I've played had action that was so low that it made even a 12 easy to play. Interesting thing about small hands. I met Doyle Dykes one night and we shook hands. I would say my hands are medium sized and they just swallowed Doyle's. He seems to do ok with tiny hands .

The JF 30 is such a cannon with a unique maple sound and relative bargain price, that I would look no farther. Plenty of JF30 12's show up on Ebay, and usually reasonably priced in the $800-$1000 range.

West

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Dang it West. You just took away one of my excuses for being a weak player.
But seriously, speaking of Texan hands (ther than ranch hands) SRV's hands looked small and awkward, more like flippers.

As for 12 strings, the 212XL was a big seller, and it just might be the most popular of all 12 strings, and is a good buy. Or maybe maple jumbo Guild 12 strings are the most popular. But it depends on your eyes, ears, fingers, type of music, style of playing etc.

 

[West R Lee]

Very true Dr. Hatt. One of the reasons I like my JF30 so much is because the maple sounds different than my rosewoods and mahogany. I certainly can see where one would prefer an rosewood or mahogany 12 over a maple. The maple just seems to be such a very bright and distinguished sound, that it's a bit of a novelty to me. I just love it!

West

 

[Scratch]

Is a JF30 Blem a good buy at $900?

 

[West R Lee]

In my opinion that would depend on what the blemish was, and whether or not it stated 'blem" on the headstock. If it says blem on the headstock, I personally wouldn't pay that much for it. If it's a player blem, then I might, depending on what was wrong with it.

Does that make sense?

West

 

[Scratch]

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUILD-JF-30-JUMBO-1 ... dZViewItem

What do you think West?

 

[West R Lee]

I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole!

"Used" or "Blem" to me effects the resale value of a guitar, I'd never buy one. It's easy to say, I'll never sell it, but who knows, one day you might lose a couple of fingers (God forbid), find something you want more and need the money, just need some money, or lose interest in playing, get arthritis so bad you can't play. Any number of reasons make resale value an important factor to me.

That one also looks like a Corona to me, and we recently discussed problems with SOME Corona built guitars just last night on another thread here.

If it were me, I'd wait on a nice Westerly. And I'll bet you find one in no time somewhere, for as good, or better a price. I'll even help you.

Just my very humble opinion.

West

 

[Scratch]

You da man, West. Thanks for a TIMELY response!!!

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Humble and correct. The Vintage Guitar Price Guide lists those made 2000-2005 at $850 to $1,000. And that would be for an ax in excellent shape--not sloppy seconds.

 

[West R Lee]

Scratch,

Check this out. A mahogany......looks like a great price in very good condition. Says matte finish in the description, but looks awful shiney to me.


http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1587421



West

 

[West R Lee]

Well, thank you for the affirmation "Oh Learned One"! I'm always humbled in your presence.

West

 

[HoboKen]

I remember meeting Doyle. He's about my size in stature and hands....
But, head and shoulders above me in playing ability!

I took a look at the arched back mahogany Guild 12. Seems to be a good guitar Not fancy, but nice looking..... and I'll bet the soud is all there!
Seems to be a good pirce...not high , not low. What say the rest of you abour the price?

At our local Sunday jam this afternoon, I used my JF-30-6 to Sing & play Twilight Tme. Some tough chords for arthritic hands. I would not want to try that song on any guitar other than a Guild 6 or 12.

HoboKen

 

[Scratch]

Thanks guys... What is a J-20? Is it a jumbo? I can't find it in Harmony Reviews. It looks great and the price seems very reasonable.

Can I get your opinion on:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-12-string-aco ... dZViewItem

 

[West R Lee]

Scratch,

You can get my opinion on this! Looks like yours was over by the time I got here.


http://cgi.ebay.com/LQQK-Guild-JF30-12- ... dZViewItem

Nice one,
West

 

[Scratch]

Thanks West. I just bid 799.00. Its still on ebay; sent the seller a note asking to take it off... Here's hoping!

 

[Jeff]

I just bid 799.00

I was watching this thread when West posted the JF30 12 & having the devils own time staying out of it.

Just seems to me a guy looking for a Guild 12 would have a though time finding a better value.

Nice guitar, is it a flat back or arched like a G 37 ?