Guild F-412 Opinions
- Thread starter tomvwash
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I'm extremely fond of my F-512 from Tacoma (2006), and I suspect the F-412 will be killer too. The Tacoma era was the start of the weight lightening and going back to earlier specs. Anyway, I bet you won't be disappointed.
I love me some Tacoma Guilds.
Chazmo, I see that you also play a Taylor 12. This was going to be the second part of my question. Still miss the RW back and probably cannot swing a 512. Does the maple back on the 412 make a difference compared to RW?
Tom
Brucebubs
Senior Member
Not a Guild F-512 ... but I do own a 2009 rosewood Martin Grand J12-40E Special and a 2002 Corona Guild F-412 and can tell you the Guild can hold it's own against it - sure the rosewood is warmer but the 412 has a beautiful balance and clarity without the overpowering treble of a great many 12-string guitars.
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Cougar
Enlightened Member
So is yours a JF-30 or a JF30-12? I expect the JF30-12 is fairly similar to the F-412 since they're both braceless lam maple archbacks. My Oxnard-built F-512 definitely has a different sound, but I will NOT be parting with my Corona-built JF30-12 because it, too, is just excellent.
beecee
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If you like your JF-30, you'll like the F-412 at least twice as much, (assuming it is not a JF-30-12).
I've played a few Tacoma 12's that were owned by others and they are excellent.
And, deserved or not, they seem to command less in the market. I'd buy one in a second if I had a chance....and I already own a few 12's. If it was a burst I'd buy in half a second.
I've played a few Tacoma 12's that were owned by others and they are excellent.
And, deserved or not, they seem to command less in the market. I'd buy one in a second if I had a chance....and I already own a few 12's. If it was a burst I'd buy in half a second.
Yes, I have a JF-30 12. I am wondering how similar it would be to the F-412--according beecee, the 412 is leagues ahead.
Not a Guild F-512 ... but I do own a 2009 rosewood Martin Grand J12-40E Special and a 2002 Corona Guild F-412 and can tell you the Guild can hold it's own against it - sure the rosewood is warmer but the 412 has a beautiful balance and clarity without the overpowering treble of a great many 12-string guitars.
Outstanding collection! Yes, the Rosewood factor. I may hold out for an F-512 just for that reason, warmth. Nothing used at the moment on Reverb.
Bruce, thanks for posting your 12s. I'll have to do a group shot soon. The Martin GJ looks like a totally fabulous guitar, by the way. I always wanted to be able to A/B one with an F-512.
Tom, my Taylor 655 is a wonderful guitar in its own right, but sounds nothing like my F-512 or even the JF-30-12. It's got a unique sound. I love it, but it is a different (MUCH dryer) animal than the rosewood. The JF-30, by comparison, is much louder, but I don't love it as much as the Taylor's quieter but slightly richer sound. The Taylor is also from that era when Taylor made Prince's (unlabeled) purple rain guitars. Its quilted maple is the most amazing grain I have ever seen. I mean it's completely insane. They made a three-piece back with it that I just drool over. I've never seen anything like the depth of the "veining" on the sides. It's like multiple layers; just nuts.
My Martin D-12-20 is my quietest guitar (mahogany). That is such a honey, but, again, has a unique sound. I apologize if I'm not expressing myself that well.
In any case, nothing sound-wise lights me up like the F-512. You feel EVERYTHING through that lovely rosewood.
Tom, my Taylor 655 is a wonderful guitar in its own right, but sounds nothing like my F-512 or even the JF-30-12. It's got a unique sound. I love it, but it is a different (MUCH dryer) animal than the rosewood. The JF-30, by comparison, is much louder, but I don't love it as much as the Taylor's quieter but slightly richer sound. The Taylor is also from that era when Taylor made Prince's (unlabeled) purple rain guitars. Its quilted maple is the most amazing grain I have ever seen. I mean it's completely insane. They made a three-piece back with it that I just drool over. I've never seen anything like the depth of the "veining" on the sides. It's like multiple layers; just nuts.
My Martin D-12-20 is my quietest guitar (mahogany). That is such a honey, but, again, has a unique sound. I apologize if I'm not expressing myself that well.
In any case, nothing sound-wise lights me up like the F-512. You feel EVERYTHING through that lovely rosewood.
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Grassdog
Member
I've owned both models (Westerly JF-30-12 and Corona F-412) and the F-412 is on a completely different level. Aesthetics aside, this F-412 feels like a much more refined instrument in my hands. The feel of the neck, the fretboard, the ease of play is just miles ahead on the F-412, for me at least. There's definitely a more focused, clearer tone on the F-412, maybe not as boomy as the JF-30-12. The two models may share some similarities (both maple jumbos with arched backs) but they really are two totally different animals IMO. The F-412 is a monster 12 string.
ezstrummer
Member
Not a Guild F-512 ... but I do own a 2009 rosewood Martin Grand J12-40E Special and a 2002 Corona Guild F-412 and can tell you the Guild can hold it's own against it - sure the rosewood is warmer but the 412 has a beautiful balance and clarity without the overpowering treble of a great many 12-string guitars.
That red Guild is awesome ……...
Tom, I think beecee is selling an F-512 in the FS/FT section. Looks nice.
adorshki
Reverential Member
It's not quite as cut-and dried as that since the specs were closer or farther apart depending on build year of each.
Most important would be top grade and bracing since the Tacoma F412's were likely AAA sitka although not formally stated at the time, whereas the JF30-12's were always AA.
The JF30-12's fluctuated between scalloped (first 2 years at least, according to price lists) and shaved bracing.
Both of 'em also went from maple to 'hog necks in late Westerly and that has a subtle effect on sound as well.
Cougar
Enlightened Member
Yeah, I had that limited edition blue JF30-12 out of Westerly for a short while. The fretboard was rosewood and the top was clearly not AAA. It didn't stack up to my Corona-built JF30-12, which has an ebony fretboard, and if the top isn't AAA, it is certainly "AAA-like." It's a killer 12er.
Hard to show just how silky the top is....
adorshki
Reverential Member
Yeah, I had that limited edition blue JF30-12 out of Westerly for a short while. The fretboard was rosewood and the top was clearly not AAA. It didn't stack up to my Corona-built JF30-12, which has an ebony fretboard, and if the top isn't AAA, it is certainly "AAA-like." It's a killer 12er.
Hard to show just how silky the top is....
Wouldn't surprise me if your JF30-12, being very early production, got a leftover Westerly top intended for an F412.
But even the AA out of Corona was pretty damn impressive going by my D40.
And forgot about that rosewood vs ebony board detail (and bridge too for that matter, has even more sonic impact than the 'board.)
Don't think 412's ever got rosewood boards (as "standard"), but could be wrong about that one.
I'd forgotten very early F50's got 'em and had to be reminded recently, so maybe the early 412's got 'em too.
In fact the '78 catalog shows with ebony fretboard and rosewood bridge.
(The F512 too, for that matter)
https://www.gad.net/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Guild-1976-Catalog-Acoustic.pdf
Grassdog
Member
I think we're finding out there were a lot of great Guilds that came out of Corona
adorshki
Reverential Member
I see you've been around long enough to have seen a lot of the "issues" that were reported with 'em around here back in the late 00's, but yes I always believed that the "good" ones were every bit as good as Westerly's standards but they just had a higher "dud rate" according to my informal tally of owner satisfaction feedback here.
And in retrospect, in fairness it seems like the majority of problems occurred in early runs ('02) while the novice builders in Corona were still refining their chops.
Rich Cohen
Senior Member
I have a Tacoma F-47 that is excellent. I have owned two F-412s and one F-512, and one F-312 which I still have. I should kick myself for selling the F-412s and the F-512 as they were soooooo aweome. I don't think you could go wrong with the F-412. But do check it out thoroughly, as each guitar is different. All things equal, the F-412 is not all that different player wise, except for the bling, and some relative quality in the tone woods, both spruce and maple.
It's never a straight call concerning Westerly and Corona built Guilds. I've had some from both, mainly Westies. I did have a 50th anniversary from Corona, and I have to say I wasn't overpowered by its Braz woods. I guess I expected more out of it. Sold it back to Rich Peterson, from where I got it. Anyway, no reflection on Rich or Guild, to each his own. At the time, I had a EIR JF-100 CRV which was at least as rich (pun intended) and fulsome as the 50th, but that might be due to the quality of the EIR Guild used for that model. Stupidly, I sold the JF-100 to a good collector of Guilds. I'm still kicking myself. Must have been :very_drunk: at the time.
Rich
It's never a straight call concerning Westerly and Corona built Guilds. I've had some from both, mainly Westies. I did have a 50th anniversary from Corona, and I have to say I wasn't overpowered by its Braz woods. I guess I expected more out of it. Sold it back to Rich Peterson, from where I got it. Anyway, no reflection on Rich or Guild, to each his own. At the time, I had a EIR JF-100 CRV which was at least as rich (pun intended) and fulsome as the 50th, but that might be due to the quality of the EIR Guild used for that model. Stupidly, I sold the JF-100 to a good collector of Guilds. I'm still kicking myself. Must have been :very_drunk: at the time.
Rich
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