Help with an early D212

[MonAndrew77]

Greetings Guildpals,

Growing up in the 1980's all I wanted was John Denver's guitar. I poured over the Rhymes and Reasons and Poems Prayers and Promises album covers smitten with the idea of a Guild 12 String. When I was 18, I was able to convince my grandparents and great aunt to buy me a "real guitar" for Christmas. I got it at Washington Music in Wheaton MD. I realize this is a dreadnought and Denver played a Jumbo, but that worked out well for me later on when I discovered bluegrass and Martin guitars and I'm now an unapologetic dreadnought guy.....

So, I have two requests....

First of all, I'd like to either stain all this rosewood so it's the same color (pins bought when I was young, bridge, fingerboard, Pearse armrest bought when I was just married) or I'd like to bring the guitar back to "correct". For the latter, I guess the main thing I'd need is a recommendation of what kind of white pins were used on these instruments? Anyone have 12 original pins and one endpin they'd be willing to sell me? Plus my experience removing Pearse armrests is that there will be a finish tint difference.

Second, I would like to ask for help dating this. Despite the fact that I bought it in December 1988, it would appear that it was essentially NOS at that point as the SN suggests it dates to before 1981. I'm guessing it is one of the first made in 1980. What do y'all think? Guild says the SN is not available, but could it be this was sitting around in the warehouse and/or music store for ten years before I bought it? The owners manual certainly look's 1970's!

I'd love to know what year it was actually made for sure.

Guild says...
Last SN in 1979: N/A - (??? made)
Last SN in 1980: N/A - (??? made)
Last SN in 1981: AA101085 - (??? made)
Last SN in 1982: AA101529 - (444 made)
Last SN in 1983: AA101895 - (366 made)
Last SN in 1984: AA102114 - (219 made)
Last SN in 1985: AA102395 - (281 made)
Last SN in 1986: AA102792 - (397 made)

Just guessing here, but if they were making approximately 325 of these a year and the fist ones came out at the same rate as the later ones, perhaps they started with AA100000, which seems logical. That would put my SN AA100386 squarely in early 1980. I'd hoped 1979, but hey, 1980 was a good year too! Or is it possible they made more than 325 in the first year (or more prior to 1979 and they dated the first batch to 1979.)

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Andrew

 

[JohnW63]

If Hans sees your post, you'll get a really accurate date.

 

[hansmoust]

I would like to ask for help dating this. Despite the fact that I bought it in December 1988, it would appear that it was essentially NOS at that point as the SN suggests it dates to before 1981. I'm guessing it is one of the first made in 1980. What do y'all think? Guild says the SN is not available, but could it be this was sitting around in the warehouse and/or music store for ten years before I bought it? The owners manual certainly look's 1970's!

I'd love to know what year it was actually made for sure.

Just guessing here, but if they were making approximately 325 of these a year and the fist ones came out at the same rate as the later ones, perhaps they started with AA100000, which seems logical. That would put my SN AA100386 squarely in early 1980. I'd hoped 1979, but hey, 1980 was a good year too! Or is it possible they made more than 325 in the first year (or more prior to 1979 and they dated the first batch to 1979.)

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Andrew

Hello Andrew,

Welcome! Your Guild D-212 with serial # AA100386 was completed during the year 1981, which was the first year the model was produced.

Actually, there should be an ink-stamped date on one of the beveled edges of the neck block, which should be visible through the soundhole.

This is not the manufacturing date, but the date that the rim was completed in the 'body shop'. Typical completion date of the guitar would be a couple of months after the neck block date, but sometimes more, depending on the popularity of the model during that specific period.

I would think that the stamped date inside your guitar should be sometime towards the end of the first quarter of 1981

Maybe you could let me know what the complete date is so I can add the info to my database; that is if you can find it.

These dates can be somewhat hard to read, so if that's the case, a little flashlight might help.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,
Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Cougar]

First of all, I'd like to either stain all this rosewood so it's the same color....

I'm not sure how to do that, but just aesthetically, I agree it would be good to darken the bridge and fretboard. I guess lemon oil will do that, but likely not enough! Others here may have ideas about how to get those darker.

....or I'd like to bring the guitar back to "correct". For the latter, I guess the main thing I'd need is a recommendation of what kind of white pins were used on these instruments?

Unless you're thinking of selling it, I don't think "correct" it that important at this point. It's YOUR guitar, and you can set it up any way you want it to be. Bridge pins are famously one of the ways guys make a guitar their own. Lots of places sell all kinds of bridge pins -- StewMac, Sweetwater, etc., etc. Also, if you like the arm rest, I'd leave it. That's a great old 12-string!

 

[hansmoust]

I guess the main thing I'd need is a recommendation of what kind of white pins were used on these instruments? Anyone have 12 original pins and one endpin they'd be willing to sell me?

Andrew

A word of warning: When you replaced the original pins for rosewood ones, are you sure the holes were not reamed out to make the rosewood ones fit? If that's the case, original white pins will not get you where you want to go!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[MonAndrew77]

Wow, thanks everyone.

So there it was right on the neckblock, sorry I missed that. March 5, 1981. Hans, you were right-on with your estimate.

1981 was a good year, too. It's interesting how it sat around for seven years before it was sold.

Regarding the pins, I'd be inclined to return them to "white" which as I recall was a cheap off-white slotted plastic pin. Does anyone have any of these? The bridge has neither been reamed out nor has it been slotted, so the original pins would work fine. Those rosewod pins were just some I put in to replace the ratty originals a few years after I got the guitar.

I will never sell this guitar and it will go to my son in the long run and he'll keep it as well, so in a way, it really doesn't matter if I solidify it's appearance somewhat. It's not likely to affect it's value much and it will always be worth more to us that it will be to sell.

So I'll probably leave the arm rest and try and match the bridge and fingerboard rosewood to it. I think the guitar would look better with the off-white pins restored.

Andrew

 

[rmoretti49]

My D212 is a 1984, with the natural spruce top. It does have plain, white, plastic bridge pins, which look good on that top. On your sunburst model, I think your current bridge pins complement the top quite well. Your taste may well differ, but I wouldn't change them.

 

[Boneman]

Welcome to LTG, and nice guitar you have there! I have its 6 string twin sibling, a 1980 D25.

Do you have a Guitar Center near you? Or really, bare minimum, Amazon could work too, but truly you can find white bridge pins most anywhere. The size should be determined for sure though. I don’t really know what was put on them originally, but for my D25 I just put some white Martin bridge pins, of all things, that I picked up at a Guitar Center, cause I liked the red dot lol.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome to LTG, and nice guitar you have there! I have its 6 string twin sibling, a 1980 D25.

Do you have a Guitar Center near you? Or really, bare minimum, Amazon could work too, but truly you can find white bridge pins most anywhere. The size should be determined for sure though. I don’t really know what was put on them originally, but for my D25 I just put some white Martin bridge pins, of all things, that I picked up at a Guitar Center, cause I liked the red dot lol.

Well, in the interest of shopping local, if your NoVA wanderings get you to Falls Church you should try Action Music https://actionmusicltd.com/.

Three of the four Guilds we bought new came from there. Always well treated.

 

[12 string]

Welcome to LTG, and nice guitar you have there! I have its 6 string twin sibling, a 1980 D25.

Do you have a Guitar Center near you? Or really, bare minimum, Amazon could work too, but truly you can find white bridge pins most anywhere. The size should be determined for sure though. I don’t really know what was put on them originally, but for my D25 I just put some white Martin bridge pins, of all things, that I picked up at a Guitar Center, cause I liked the red dot lol.

I have those same Martin Pins on my G-312. They fit perfectly and look great.


' Strang