Some of you may remember a previous 12-string thread "Can't make up my mind about a 12-string"http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2556 that was going on a couple weeks or more ago. On the 14th post, West R Lee posted a link to a 1995 Guild Jumbo for sale on Gbase: http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDetails.aspx?Item=1587421. I was a late comer on this forum, and was looking for a nice used (preferably pre-Fender) Guild 12-string to purchase. Thanks to West R Lee, I was able to find and purchase this guitar from a gentleman that is a luthier of jazz, classical, and arch-top guitars up in New York, by the name of Bernie Lehmann.
Well, this Guild arrived today via DHL safe and sound with no damage. So I wanted to give you my first impressions:
**This guitar was virtually never played. Sat in a closet after purchased.
**It is in mint condition with only one very small ding on the top side binding, hardly noticeable, with absolute no scratches, or cracks.
**The neck size is just right...its thick but not too thick...very comfortable in my rather big hands.
**The action is unbelievably low...so low (low E is 5/64" at the 12th) that it should be buzzing like crazy but its not! I have never played a 12-string of any namebrand before with action this low without at least some buzzing somewhere.
**The sound?...it is a good balance between dark and bright with a great bass that is not boomy, and with a nice sustain and resonance. It reminds me of some used Taylor 355's & 555's I've played in the past. Even with dead strings on it, it sounds very good. Can't wait to put some Elixirs on it tonight to see the improvement in tone.
**The new case it was shipped in (Guardian) is a semi-hardshell heavy-duty travel case that is made specifically for jumbo models. It fits very good with very little spare room at the sides of the guitar.
These are my first impressions, but I will no doubt have more comments after I change the strings out later on.
I know some of you were questioning the model no., which was J-204 NT. After having the guitar in my possession, that is the CORRECT model number after all. I may have to email Guild to find the history on this one. Was it a "one-off" model or specially made, or a prototype? Certainly, there are lots of questions to find answers to here with this one. I'll keep you posted on my investigation.
I will post some pictures and perhaps some sound clips of it later on when I can for those of you that are interested in them.
Thanks for reading and your interest.
Jeff Mayer
"Now a happy Guild 12-string owner!"
Well, this Guild arrived today via DHL safe and sound with no damage. So I wanted to give you my first impressions:
**This guitar was virtually never played. Sat in a closet after purchased.
**It is in mint condition with only one very small ding on the top side binding, hardly noticeable, with absolute no scratches, or cracks.
**The neck size is just right...its thick but not too thick...very comfortable in my rather big hands.
**The action is unbelievably low...so low (low E is 5/64" at the 12th) that it should be buzzing like crazy but its not! I have never played a 12-string of any namebrand before with action this low without at least some buzzing somewhere.
**The sound?...it is a good balance between dark and bright with a great bass that is not boomy, and with a nice sustain and resonance. It reminds me of some used Taylor 355's & 555's I've played in the past. Even with dead strings on it, it sounds very good. Can't wait to put some Elixirs on it tonight to see the improvement in tone.
**The new case it was shipped in (Guardian) is a semi-hardshell heavy-duty travel case that is made specifically for jumbo models. It fits very good with very little spare room at the sides of the guitar.
These are my first impressions, but I will no doubt have more comments after I change the strings out later on.
I know some of you were questioning the model no., which was J-204 NT. After having the guitar in my possession, that is the CORRECT model number after all. I may have to email Guild to find the history on this one. Was it a "one-off" model or specially made, or a prototype? Certainly, there are lots of questions to find answers to here with this one. I'll keep you posted on my investigation.
I will post some pictures and perhaps some sound clips of it later on when I can for those of you that are interested in them.
Thanks for reading and your interest.
Jeff Mayer
"Now a happy Guild 12-string owner!"
