FYI -- Guilds in Boston F-412, F-512 // Message for Chaz

[wileypickett]

Mr. Music in Allston, MA, has a dozen or so Guilds in their acoustic room, including a used (Westerly) F-512 12-string and a new F-412 12-string, along with several new six-stringers. This is the only shop in the Boston area (that I know of) that stocks any of the current Guilds.

The F-412 and F-512 are 1500 clams a piece. That's a good price for the Westerly 512. It sounds good and plays pretty well, but I noted that it has several repaired cracks to the top.

The F-412, at $1500.00 new, seems like a great price. (Don't these typically go for a lot more new?) It has the D-TAR system. Nice neck. It sounds as good as my Westerly JF-30s, but doesn't possess the richness in the bass that the my Westerly 412s have. Maybe that's something that develops with time? Seems like a good deal.

They also had a new Taylor 12-string in the room, and both Guilds beat it by a country mile, IMHO.

Anyway, for whatever it's worth -- possibly of interest to anyone visiting the Boston area.

(Chazmo: what's the name of your guitar repair guy again? You sent me this info before but I can't seem to find it.)

Glenn Jones
Cambridge, MA

 

[chazmo]

Glenn,

I've never been to Mr. Music... Out here, Union Music in Worcester has a cache of some of the new guitars including a New Hartford F-512. Yummy. There's also a Westerly archtop in the store, but I'm not sure what it is.

$1500 is surely a good price for either a F-412 or F-512, especially the new 412 with DTAR. Wow! I paid more for my Tacoma F-512 without electronics after it went on the 20% off rack!!!

My luthier's name is Pete Maricle and he lives down in Mansfield. He's great! If you PM me your contact information I can make an introduction for you. Repair work is a side business for him. -- Chaz

 

[walrus]

That archtop at Union Music is refinished X-175, I think. I tried it out one time, has a few replacement parts as well. Plays really nice, I'm actually surprised it's been there as long as it has. A great store...

Mr. Music is also a great store - I checked out a 1967 T100 there one time - should have bought it, but I didn't. Lots of nice vintage stuff in there.

walrus

 

[chazmo]

I'll have to make a trip out there some time, walrus...

I had also heard that there was a store in Scituate that had a cache of Guilds including a NOS Westerly, but I've never made it out that way.

 

[drive-south]

I've bought several guitars from Mr Music, including my D30bld, Gibson J185-12, and a Fender Jazz Bass. Every once in a while, I'll make a loop from Worcester and hit Mr. Music, then jump on 128 and head up to Lexington to The Music Emporium. Well worth the trip.

That X175 at Union also appears to have had a neck set. It's had a rough life apparently.
Union also has a Songbird that is mint I've been eyeing for a while.

drive-south