F-512 in rosewood would be my first choice.
F 512 Maple (Should I buy it?)
- Thread starter Calvin
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blakeb2193
Member
IF it's your first Guild, and your first 12 string, i would not buy new. If you want to buy in the same price range as the Martin 12, then find a Westerly JF30-12 maple archback. It is very similar to the F412s, without the bling bling. Lots of good people here who will help you find a good one, at a good price, if you want to share your prospects. Welcome and good luck.
Budha
Member
Plus one for the JF30-12. Yesterday I received my new-to-me 1990 Westerly built JF30-12. Awesome 12 string. To me it appears to be F412/512 maple without all the bling and a AA top vs a AAA top. A single note will ring forever on this guitar.
I am a long time Martin HD-28 & 000-28EC player. The JF30-12 is my first Guild. I have a small body Taylor 12 string but have always wanted to spend time with a Guild jumbo maple 12 string. To me the tone of the Guild maple jumbo 12 string is unique. For me an older JF30-12 is a bargain entrance into the world of Guild 12 strings.
I am a long time Martin HD-28 & 000-28EC player. The JF30-12 is my first Guild. I have a small body Taylor 12 string but have always wanted to spend time with a Guild jumbo maple 12 string. To me the tone of the Guild maple jumbo 12 string is unique. For me an older JF30-12 is a bargain entrance into the world of Guild 12 strings.
HeyMikey
Enlightened Member
Congratulations Budha! That guitar looks like it’s in great shape! I love the tiger striped neck. Man I wish I could play those jumbo size Guilds. The tone must be glorious on that baby.
My personal solution would be to buy them all!!!
davismanLV
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And you practically have!! But then what would we play??
Rich Cohen
Senior Member
Enjoy the maple goodness! There's nothin' better. My D-30 (from Richard Peterson) keeps singing for me. To the grave my friend. Come on, Rich, you "Got's too many guitars." IMHO, the maple goodness of the Guild 45th Anniversary guitar is beyond goodness. I stupidly parted with it, and asked the buyer to sell it back to me....he's not ready to give it up.
Budha, congratulations on that awesome guitar.
I continue to be stuck in guitar purgatory. The only quality 12-string I have available to sample waits for me at Vintage Guitars in Philadelphia -- Martin D12-20. I have an appointment with them to give it a test run on Monday. This store can order me a brand new Guild F-512 for about twice the cost. If I'm not happy with the D12-20, I'm probably going to jump into the deep end and order a brand new F-512... eek!
However, I keep running into the same issue that keeps me in guitar purgatory. How do I know which I will prefer without playing it? I don't mind paying twice the cost for the F-512, if I like it better then the Martin D12-20. Same issue with the JF30-12 -- would I prefer it over the Martin D12-20? I have no idea. And I have no idea how to actually try these guitars before rolling the dice and purchasing them site unseen.
Money isn't the issue... It's accessing them and trying them out to determine which I like. So many options, so little availability.
RichardP69 -- you are a wise man. Purchase them all and you have a different sound to match the day's weather.
Thank you for sharing the picture Budha and again, congratulations.
Calvin
I continue to be stuck in guitar purgatory. The only quality 12-string I have available to sample waits for me at Vintage Guitars in Philadelphia -- Martin D12-20. I have an appointment with them to give it a test run on Monday. This store can order me a brand new Guild F-512 for about twice the cost. If I'm not happy with the D12-20, I'm probably going to jump into the deep end and order a brand new F-512... eek!
However, I keep running into the same issue that keeps me in guitar purgatory. How do I know which I will prefer without playing it? I don't mind paying twice the cost for the F-512, if I like it better then the Martin D12-20. Same issue with the JF30-12 -- would I prefer it over the Martin D12-20? I have no idea. And I have no idea how to actually try these guitars before rolling the dice and purchasing them site unseen.
Money isn't the issue... It's accessing them and trying them out to determine which I like. So many options, so little availability.
RichardP69 -- you are a wise man. Purchase them all and you have a different sound to match the day's weather.
Thank you for sharing the picture Budha and again, congratulations.
Calvin
Budha
Member
Calvin, some online sellers of new Guild guitars will let you return the guitar for any reason. Guitar Center for instance will allow you to return within 45 days. If you live close to a Guitar Center you can simply take into the shop and give it back and get you money back less a small charge for shipping (approx $20 for me). Order an F512 maple and if don't like it take it back and order a F512 rosewood. Then you can always order a Martin 12-28 and give it a try also. Sweetwater offered me a good price on a new F512 maple but I am not sure what the return policy is for them.
I faced the same problem you have in that there were no guitars around to try. I really did not want to buy a +$3000 new guitar. I felt if I bought a good used Guild it would be easy to sell if I found myself disappointed in it.
I faced the same problem you have in that there were no guitars around to try. I really did not want to buy a +$3000 new guitar. I felt if I bought a good used Guild it would be easy to sell if I found myself disappointed in it.
davismanLV
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Budha, that's good thinking. Everyone here has heard my story a million times about going to GC and them having two Martin D-42's on the wall side by side. Consecutive serial numbers, even!! I reached out and grabbed the closest one and strummed and E chord (God's Chord, some would say, but that's just the way it's structured) and OMG!! The angels sang. If I'd had the money that guitar would've gone home with me! But since I didn't I just put it back and for some reason and grabbed the other one and strummed it and thought, "What the HELL??" and strummed it again. I actually looked inside to see if someone had stuffed a towel or pillow inside but no. Played it for just a few more moments and put it back. NO COMPARISON!! So even brand new, sequential serial numbers, you just never know what you're gonna get. And when you order from a warehouse, which one are you gonna get? That first Martin that was SOOOO amazing? Or the one hanging next to it that sounded just awful (by comparison)? Plus new guitar buyers generally want new with a warranty throughout their lifetime. But if you don't know what you're gonna get and maybe have to sell it you're gonna lose money. So, I think starting with used is a good idea. But if it's such a good guitar, why are they selling it? You can make yourself crazy....... 