Guild F-512 Maple or Guild F-512 Rosewood? Which sounds better?

[timacn]

Help me make the decision. I can only afford one. (actually, I can't afford one, but I might sell some banjos to do it.)

Two videos from Guild. F-512 Maple and F-512 Rosewood. Two GREAT guitars.

Same guitarist. Same guitar, with different back and sides. Maple or rosewood? Which sounds better to your ears?



Maple:





Rosewood:

 

[SFIV1967]

It's an extremely difficult choice. I don't own one but test played both from various factories and to me personally the Rosewood version sounds more defined, the maple F-412 was always a bit to "hard" and "bright" sounding. I never tested the Oxnard made F-512 Maple (previously F-412). But when I listen to people playing a Maple F-412 I definitely like the sound as well. What's not to like when you listen to a Brian May with his maple one, but he also played the rosewood versions. I'd also guess that you can strum the maple one "harder" and it would be "louder" whereas the F-512 is probably the more defined one. For private "couch" use I probably would go with the Rosewood F-512. I'm sure other F-412 and F-512 owners, including the former JF-55/JF-65 owners have different opinions






Here he performs with the Rosewood one. It's certainly not a typical sound example, just to show that both are used.




Ralf

 

[GGJaguar]

Ah, the eternal question. If I could have only one, I'd go with the F-512.

 

[Stuball48]

Going to avoid "which one sounds better to your ears" and tell you they both sound wonderful. If I had that song played as background music in a mystery movie, the maple would be assigned the more scary scene, maybe the movie character at night alone, as it is brighter. The rosewood would be assigned a less scary scene because it sounded more mellow--maybe a walk along a deserted Street with shadows.
And the suggestion comes from "Zero" experience having played neither guitar!!

 

[Budha]

Help me make the decision. I can only afford one. (actually, I can't afford one, but I might sell some banjos to do it.)

You are where I was a few months back. I sold a Stelling Staghorn banjo to fund a new F-512. I went with the rosewood. Either rosewood or maple would have been fine with me. Just awesome guitars.

 

[Coop47]

As others have said, both sound great and it's a matter of personal preference. I like the warmer, more bass-heavy sound of the rosewood, but the bright chime of the maple might be exactly what you're looking for. The best comparison I can some up with is that the F512 is like a piano, the F412 more like a harp.

If you're like most of us, you might be able to save yourself some anguish and rephrase the question to "Which one should I get first?" Eventually, I'd love to get one of the F412s with the burst on the front, back and sides.

 

[cupric]

A very hard decision! That is why I'm holding off until the buy one-get one free promo.

 

[steverok]

As someone who has watched tens of thousands of guitar and drum videos, I would say it is kind of impossible to determine which instrument you prefer without playing it yourself. However, you can get an idea of which you "may" prefer by watching someone else do their thing. That being said, I own a Westerly JF65-12 (which is basically the same as the maple F412), and an Oxnard F512 rosewood. I would say the maple is a little brighter but also a bit more powerful. The rosewood one has power, but it is a little sweeter, and seems to sing more easily, without having to dig in as hard. I consider myself quite fortunate and very wise for owning both ! Now they need to bring back the F212XL so we can get mahogany back into the mix !!

 

[crank]

Just to be sure you know. The F412 referred to above is the same guitar Guild now calls F512 maple.

I played both models and chose maple. I believe it has a brighter sound while having plenty of bass. Both are great. Individual guitars may vary. I would be happy with either.

 

[Wulfthar]

I played both of them as well as an New Hartford 212XL in mahogany, in my opinion rosewood delivers a brighter sound with more string separation than maple and mahogany.

I am a great fan of Brian May, in the end I bought the maple one, IMO it's a tonewood more suitable for 12 strings. If I had to buy a 6 strings I'd go rosewood.

 

[Cougar]

It's really a coin flip. They are both holy grails. I had my Oxnard F512 out yesterday, and it is just glorious. But then my JF30-12, which is essentially an F412 (maple) "without the bling," is really spectacular, too. I guess the single-truss-rod new F512 Maple is lighter than the JF30-12, which has two truss rods, so the comparison is not exact. You do understand that the rosewood-backed version is solid rosewood and braced, while the maple version is unbraced, arched, fine laminate maple. I wouldn't let that put you off in the least, though. In fact, I might opt for the maple if I had the choice, since I just really, really like my JF30-12. Heads, the rosewood; tails, the maple. A big win either way!

 

[fronobulax]

As in many things, different does not necessarily mean better.

Do you prefer the brighter tone of the maple?

A dealer told me that he refused to stock a maple acoustic that he had not personally played before buying. He had several maple instruments that just did not sound good and tied up his capital for years. He knew his market and the good maple instruments were sold in a few weeks.

If we accept the anecdote as having a basis in fact and then are willing to generalize from one sample, that suggests the safest way to buy a maple instrument is to play it first. If you minimize risk rather than maximize gain then you go for the rosewood unless you have a way to get a lot of information about the specific instrument you will get.

 

[chazmo]

If you can only afford one, get the rosewood.

 

[donnylang]

I personally think mahogany sounds better than either rosewood or maple. Would probably choose rosewood over maple. Maple guitars sound odd to my ear (too quick or plain or something).

I've not had an F512, but I've had a F412 (and played several others), and several F212s and F212-XLs, and the F212s are way better IMO. I've had other rosewood guitars, and to me they are a bit more "thin" sounding in that it's more shimmery on the attack vs. mahogany.

 

[Cougar]

...I've not had an F512, but I've had a F412 (and played several others), and several F212s and F212-XLs, and the F212s are way better IMO....

Before I got my F512, I got a great deal on a New Hartford F212XL cutaway. The mahogany just didn't do it for me, as I much preferred my JF30-12, so I let the F212 go. Just different strokes, I guess....

 

[Westerly Wood]

Well if the F512 were mahogany....that would be my choice...( I know, well, it would be an F212...)

That being said, Rosewood to me is the fuller, meaner, bigger more piano-like sounding 512.
And it is the original. I mean 512s were always rosewood b/s. Maple was the 412.

why they changed that, oy vey.

chaos sells.

 

[adorshki]

I note many several comments that while the maple seems louder, the rosewood seems more defined.
Sounds like what I'd expect from an archback vs flatback comparison, even though the tonewoods are different.

The arched back of the F412/F512 Maple would tend to increase volume but also overtones and sustain, resulting in a lusher but somewhat more "blurry" sound.
Rosewood is known for increased bass response, and the flatback promotes more sharply defined tones.

I don't think you can call one or the other "better", that's a personal preference call. If they didn't each have a place and ongoing demand, Guild wouldn't still be offering a choice 50 years later.

 

[adorshki]

Well if the F512 were mahogany....that would be my choice...( I know, well, it would be an F212...)

Actually the F212XL. The F212 was the 16" lower bout. First regular production Guild 12 string, in fact.

That being said, Rosewood to me is the fuller, meaner, bigger more piano-like sounding 512.
And it is the original. I mean 512s were always rosewood b/s. Maple was the 412.

Ever wonder why the 412 came first**? Or why there's no maple body 16" jumbo 12-string? (Until the [flatback] DD-12?)

** There's a pic in Hans' book of a '67 rosewood bodied 17" jumbo12-string labeled "F412 special"

 

[Westerly Wood]

Snipe hunt. Lol.

 

[twocorgis]

Having owned both, I'd say that you can't go wrong with either. My JF65-12 was probably the loudest acoustic guitar I've ever played, and the second best 12er I've ever played. To my ears at least, the F512 is just a little bit better, and I'm not normally a rosewood guy. Rosewood really works with a 12 string though