F512 Specifications

[chazmo]

Took a tape measure to the F512 to get some basic info today.

Body length: 20.5"
Body width at widest part of lower bout: 17" (slightly larger, actually, but not worth discussing)
Body depth at heel strap button: 4.5"
Scale (nut edge to saddle edge): 25.5"


I'm interested in my depth measurement. I took that right at the strap button at the lowest part of the guitar. I can't cross-check this with the Guild site at the moment (it's down, apparently), but I thought the depth was 5". Am I measuring this right? Outside edge of the binding to the other outside edge? I realize that flattops are actually slightly arched, so do I have to compensate for that, or should the measurement be taken at the edge of the guitar?

Hans' book lists a dimension of 4.5" for F50, but 5.0" for the F512. Maybe this has something to do with the year of introduction; I don't know.

Any other F512s out there (Scratch?) measuring 4.5" depth?

 

[12 string]

Took a tape measure to the F512 to get some basic info today.


Body depth at heel strap button: 4.5"



I'm interested in my depth measurement. I took that right at the strap button at the lowest part of the guitar. I can't cross-check this with the Guild site at the moment (it's down, apparently), but I thought the depth was 5". Am I measuring this right? Outside edge of the binding to the other outside edge? I realize that flattops are actually slightly arched, so do I have to compensate for that, or should the measurement be taken at the edge of the guitar?

Hans' book lists a dimension of 4.5" for F50, but 5.0" for the F512. Maybe this has something to do with the year of introduction; I don't know.

Any other F512s out there (Scratch?) measuring 4.5" depth?

Very interesting, Chazmo. I measured my 1990 F-512 as you described and came up with 4 3/4". I think the slight arching of top and back would account for the additional quarter inch, but not a half inch. Hmmm. The deepest point would be near the sound hole, I suppose, but I wouldn't know how much top and back thickness to factor in if I tried to measure there.

Looking at Hans' book I see that he reports the F-50 depth at 5", but mentions that the cataloges were saying it was only 4.5".

I wonder how exact these official measurements were and how they were done.

' Strang

 

[chazmo]

I don't know if it'd be deepest at the soundhole, Strang, but certainly somewhere on the centerline of the guitar where it crowns.

My 2006 is exactly 4-5/8" deep when measured on the outer edge of the binding, as I described, right at the heel button. This time I measured it carefully with a ruler and came up with another 1/8". That's slightly wider than the 4-1/2" I mentioned earlier, but again it's still 3/8" short of what I expected to find. It's very close to Strang's 1990, though, which is exactly what I need to publish these specs.

Take a look at Amertage's measuring form for ordering custom cases: http://www.ameritage.com/measuringform.php This may be the source of the confusion! There is a depth measurement which corresponds precisely to what I was measuring, *but* the "overall depth" is measured from a flat surface with the guitar resting on it to the top of the bridge.

I'll publish both measurements and make everyone happy!

 

[chazmo]

Measured the nut with my ruler, and that's 1-7/8", which is 1/16" wider than the Guild website says.

Regarding body dimensions, the Guild site has some interesting wording that could account for some change here from earlier models: "Painstakingly true to its vintage roots, this new version of the F-512 has the same body dimensions as the original (17” wide, 21” long, 4.8” deep)."

Assuming that "deep" here refers to the measurement at the strap button that we were discussing earlier, here's what the dimensions really are (+/- 1/16"):

17-1/4" wide,
20-1/2" long,
4-5/8" deep.

 

[12 string]

Measuring very carefully on my 512 I find:

17 1/16" wide
20 3/4" long
25 5/8" fret scale measuring down the center of the fingerboard.

Identical specs for the JF-65 12. The F212XL is also the same except for a 20 5/8" length.

The bridges are 6 1/8" long, and about 1 3/4" at the widest point.

' Strang

 

[chazmo]

Excellent info, 'Strang! Thanks.

 

[chazmo]

Guys,

Sorry, I let this thread languish. Today I did some more measurements and comparisons with my 1971 F50R. The body is longer and deeper on the F50R than the F512, but it is narrower, especially at the waist. [edit: pictures are below ...] where you can see the deeper body on the F50R with them side-by-side. You can also barely tell that the body of the F50R is narrower in the bottom picture.

As before, I'd say these measurements are accurate +/- a sixteenth. Body dimensions are from outside edge to outside edge (tape measure pressed up against my finger, flush with the edge of the binding, not hooked on the outside of the binding):

Tacoma-built 2006 F512:::
Nut: 1-7/8"
Scale (inside of nut to inside of bridge on low E string): 25-11/16"
Body length: 20-1/2"
Body depth (at neck): 3-3/4"
Body depth (at tail): 4-5/8"
Body width (upper bout): 12-5/8"
Body width (waist, narrowest point): 10-3/4"
Body width (lower bout): 17-3/16"

For the Westerly-built 1971 F50R:::
Nut: 1-11/16"
Scale (inside of nut to inside of bridge on low E string): 25-5/8"
Body length: 20-7/8"
Body depth (at neck): 4"
Body depth (at tail): 5"
Body width (upper bout): 12-1/2"
Body width (waist, narrowest point): 10-3/16"
Body width (lower bout): 17"

F512 at top in these two photos:

F512 on the left:

 

[William63]

Thanks Chaz,

Your F512 seems rounder in the lower bout near the waist while the 50R has amore gradual slope toward the waist making it seem narrower.

Both are great guitars!

 

[Alec]

I can't believe I didn't find this thread when I was searching for F512 info & references. Just the kind of thing I am interested in!

My 512's dimensions:

Scale, at center of courses, inside nut to saddle: 25 36/64 (9/16); Nut width 1 54/64 (1 13/16 +); Outside dimension of courses at the saddle: 2 33/64 (2 1/2 + hair); Saddle blank: 3 1/32;

Bridge maximum width (at "horns"): 1 3/4; Bridge wing width: 1 5/16; Bridge length: 6 29/32 (6 7/8 +);

Side height at heel block (includes top & bottom binding): 3 31/32; Side at lower/pin block: 4 31/32; Lower bout: 16 15/16; Upper bout: 12 9/16; Waist: 10 1/4; Body length: 20 7/8.

Soundboard thickness: .125 (1/8)

This site doesn't host pictures anywhere? (Sorry, haven't looked around enough yet, sure posting pictures is covered somewhere.)

I would say my headstock veneer is black plastic. Rosette is black plastic. I have florentine inlays that appear to be mother of pearl; also diamond inlays from florentine pattern on bridge wings. Binding is plastic. Bone bridge, but not sure that it is cow. Not sure it is original.

My upper bout seems to have a more a tighter radius curve similar to Chazmo's F50R.

The neck is mahogany, with an 1/8 wide maple strip in the center.

Tuners are gold colored full size Grovers.

My fathers 212xl from ~'67 has a full 1 7/8 nut, rosette of marbled plastic matching his original pickguard (black & darker red than the new material), bridge the same dimensions as my 512, but the original saddle extended all the way out to the wings and was sculpted to match the bridge on the ends. His horns are also super pointy trangular shapes on the inside corners.

 

[chazmo]

Alec, what year is your F512?

 

[chazmo]

Thanks Chaz,

Your F512 seems rounder in the lower bout near the waist while the 50R has amore gradual slope toward the waist making it seem narrower.

Both are great guitars!

They sure are.

And, I agree, the shape is slightly different, but definitely the F50R waist is pinched more than the F512 as shown by the measurements.

Alex's F512 dimensions are almost exactly the same as my F50R.

 

[Alec]

Alec, what year is your F512?

Well . . . The neck, and I am pretty sure the bridge, are 1971 based on the neck's serial number.

The body does not have a label, or any other identifying mark, except for the "Guild" burned into the back graft. It "looks" too new to be from 1971. The braces inside are bright, etc., the graft is a little thicker than I believe the old bodies' had, and the stamp bolder & with what I believe is the newer, heavier, font. Also, the bridge has some pin slots that were filled and repositioned to be more centered on the pin holes, but the fill does not extend into the sound board and bridge pad -- the board and pad only have only one cut in them.

I don't have any records to go with the guitar, so I assume that at some point a new body was put on the old neck. I am pleasantly surprised that the body matches your 71 F50R so well.

The real appeal for me, though, is that the guitar is rich, balanced, and loud, with a nice wide string spacing that lets me get in there and pick, and fill a room without amplification and without the pairs rattling against themselves.

Speaking of which, what is the outside dimension of the courses at the saddle on your F512?