Butch
Junior Member
Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could find a case that would fit my Guild F612?
F612 case.
- Thread starter Butch
- Start date
wileypickett
Enlightened Member
I have a 12-string made by Arturo Valdez, "repairman to the stars," and luthier.
He had a shop on Sunset Blvd, did work for everyone. He made less than a dozen 12-strings (including one for Roger McGuinn), with the same body dimensions as the Guild F612.
(He was also John Denver's repair-person, and re-topped Denver's F612. Curious that when he designed his own 12-strings, it was with the same dimensions as the F612, though it resembles the F612 not at all!)
Anyway, the case Valdez used appears to be a hardshell acoustic bass case. It fits the body of the guitar perfectly, but the neck area is much longer than any 12-string neck, even with the typically elongated 12-string headstock.
The guitar and case are from the '70s; not sure if the exact case is still being made, but you might check out acoustic bass cases as your first option.
Good luck!
Glenn
He had a shop on Sunset Blvd, did work for everyone. He made less than a dozen 12-strings (including one for Roger McGuinn), with the same body dimensions as the Guild F612.
(He was also John Denver's repair-person, and re-topped Denver's F612. Curious that when he designed his own 12-strings, it was with the same dimensions as the F612, though it resembles the F612 not at all!)
Anyway, the case Valdez used appears to be a hardshell acoustic bass case. It fits the body of the guitar perfectly, but the neck area is much longer than any 12-string neck, even with the typically elongated 12-string headstock.
The guitar and case are from the '70s; not sure if the exact case is still being made, but you might check out acoustic bass cases as your first option.
Good luck!
Glenn
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Suggest you talk to TKL (I think their website has some software for this) after you take the dimensions down. 18" lower bout, long scale, and Guild's 12-string headstock are all big factors. Very likely you'll need something custom. You might also try Hiscox, and a really interesting call might be to Humidicase, which is a branch of Cordoba Music Group (I think), that now owns the Guild brand.
Good luck, Butch!
Good luck, Butch!
Glenn, you have any pictures of your Valdez 12-string? Would love to see it.
Butch, sorry, I misspelled that earlier, it's "HumiCase" apparently. Here's the website: http://www.humicase.com/
wileypickett
Enlightened Member
Hey Chaz!,
I've given up trying to post pics here (sorry!), but if you PM me your phone number, I'll text you some pics and you can post 'em here if you have a mind to.
(I guarantee you've never seen a 12-string *remotely* like this!)
Some of you may be familiar with this book:
https://www.elderly.com/d-angelico-master-guitar-builder-what-s-in-a-name.htm
In addition to D'Angelico and D'Aquisito there's a section on Valdez, with a rundown of the known whereabouts of his various 12-strings. I can't put my hand on the book right now, but my recollection is that McGuinn's is something like #3, with the whereabouts of #s 1 and 2 unknown.
Well, I think mine is #1. (There's no label in the guitar but "1" is rubber-stamped on the inside.)
Valdez is mostly known as a classical and flamenco guitar maker (though his most famous creation is -- wait for it! -- Gene Simmons' bloody battle-axe bass!) and while there are numerous pics of the nylon string guitars (and the famous bass) there are no photos of his 12-string guitars anywhere, in books or online (at least that I've been able to find), so I have no idea if all his 12-strings look like mine, or mine was a prototype (maybe that's why no label?) or what. (It has the weirdest cutaway ever.)
Here's a picture of the headstock on one of his flamenco guitars -- my 12-string headstock is slightly more elaborate, but basically the same.
http://jedistar.com/valdez/
Glenn
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Butch
Junior Member
Thanks everybody. I will keep you posted with my results.
wileypickett
Enlightened Member
Hello again Butch,
I just pulled out the Valdez and checked the case. It's super well-made; rounded top; five latches; case compartment installed with screws rather than rivets. You could dance on this thing and not harm what's inside! But I can't find a maker-name anywhere on it.
Looking at it again I'm more sure than ever that it was a case for an acoustic bass -- there's a ton of extra space above the headstock, clearly intended for something with a longer neck then a 12-string.
I just pulled out the Valdez and checked the case. It's super well-made; rounded top; five latches; case compartment installed with screws rather than rivets. You could dance on this thing and not harm what's inside! But I can't find a maker-name anywhere on it.
Looking at it again I'm more sure than ever that it was a case for an acoustic bass -- there's a ton of extra space above the headstock, clearly intended for something with a longer neck then a 12-string.
txbumper57
Enlightened Member
Hey Butch, My F612 came in it's original case but it was just a regular late 60's/early 70's Guild Jumbo case with the inside foam shaved way down to accommodate the bigger body. It didn't offer much protection and actually looked like it might wind up causing damage so I had to find something else. I keep my F612 in a Guild B30/B50 Acoustic Bass Case. It fits the external dimensions perfectly but it has more depth to it than the F612 does so I compensate for that with an extra layer of foam under the body of the guitar to align the neck rests properly. I looked and looked for a case that would fit it without having to have a custom one built and the closest I got was a TKL case for a Gibson Super 400. All of the dimensions with the exception of the neck length were right on but unfortunately the neck length area was too short for the F612 Headstock.
Funny enough I would up getting lucky enough to purchase a 1978 Hand Made Carlo Greco Super Jumbo 6 string cutaway that he patterned after the F612 Dimensions and the Merle Travis style appearance. It is the same dimensions as the F612 with the 18" lower bout and extended 26.25" scale length. The case it came in appears to be a TKL from the 70's when it was made but the headstock is almost touching inside and I am looking for another case for it as well. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and have a case made for each of them. I could always just have the Guild Bass case cut down in depth to fit the F612 but by the time I get done doing that it would be cheaper and easier to just have one custom made for it.
Another option if you don't mind a Road Style Rectangle case is to go with something like an Anvil case for the F612. It will be rectangle in shape but you can have wheels and handles installed. The inside will have several layers of foam that are cut to fit the exact shape of the F612. A little bit cumbersome but at least if you ever had to travel with it you know it would be well protected, even on an airplane.
Let us know if you find anything on the market that fits as I would be interested in 2 of them as well. If not I will see about getting a few custom made cases and let you know what kind of scratch they are running. Have a good one!
TX
Funny enough I would up getting lucky enough to purchase a 1978 Hand Made Carlo Greco Super Jumbo 6 string cutaway that he patterned after the F612 Dimensions and the Merle Travis style appearance. It is the same dimensions as the F612 with the 18" lower bout and extended 26.25" scale length. The case it came in appears to be a TKL from the 70's when it was made but the headstock is almost touching inside and I am looking for another case for it as well. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and have a case made for each of them. I could always just have the Guild Bass case cut down in depth to fit the F612 but by the time I get done doing that it would be cheaper and easier to just have one custom made for it.
Another option if you don't mind a Road Style Rectangle case is to go with something like an Anvil case for the F612. It will be rectangle in shape but you can have wheels and handles installed. The inside will have several layers of foam that are cut to fit the exact shape of the F612. A little bit cumbersome but at least if you ever had to travel with it you know it would be well protected, even on an airplane.
Let us know if you find anything on the market that fits as I would be interested in 2 of them as well. If not I will see about getting a few custom made cases and let you know what kind of scratch they are running. Have a good one!
TX