As for necks I don't remember anyone ever trying to make a list of characteristics that were unique to a Westerly neck of a certain time period so I was thinking that someone who said "this is a Westerly neck" was probably guessing.
As I think more about necks, I may need to walk this back a little. With the "in my experience" qualifier, the 80's necks are much thinner than any period afterwards, the Gruhn necks a bit thicker - so your point about a "Westerly neck" is well taken.
I owned or have owned a handful of Westerly guitars from the 70's through the 90's, a couple of NH builds and a couple of Oxnard builds. (I've played one Hoboken, which seemed more like a post-Westerly.) Most of them have been great guitars, but the difference in feel between the 70's-80's Guilds and post-Westerly guitars is striking enough to beg the question: "What makes a Guild a Guild?" That's why I'm so interested to hear what people think is iconic and from where.
I have a '77 F512 that I believe is a quintessential "Guild 12 string", but I'm really eager to play an Oxford because I think I'll like the neck better and because it can't be as heavy as the '77. Still, I wonder if the Oxford model would be considered "iconic". Would there be a strong sentiment that "You haven't really experienced a Guild 12 string unless you played a _____ from _____ made in the _____. " What's the conventional wisdom on where the best D55's were made? Other than the D25, is there any other mahogany model considered "iconic"?
It's all subjective and there's no real right and wrong. I have my impressions and I'm eager to hear others. Including yours, Frono!
