Anyone played an F-612?

[maxr]

As I understand it, the extremely rare Guild F-612 was 18" wide, which makes it one big guitar (other Guild jumbo 12 strings are 17" as I understand it). Have any of you played one, and what was your impression - over the moon, or OTT? Did anyone else make a jumbo 12 that big, and do you think the size in itself changes the sound?

Thanks, Max

 

[Westerly Wood]

Looks like there is one for sale right now on Reverb:

1971 Guild F-612 VERY RARE! | Reverb

For sale we have a very special and rare 1971 Guild F-612 12 String. These guitars seldom come to market and are very difficult to find anywhere. They were only made as special orders for under 3 years. John Denver was known to play one.Here is a little info from research we had done:"The 18 inch...

reverb.com

 

[maxr]

Indeed there is! I got interested after I saw a photo of Pete Townshend of The Who playing one - he's quite a tall guy, so it didn't look as big as it must be. I'm not asking because I'm thinking of buying that Reverb guitar, by the way (if only). Are the 'banjer' style fretboard inlays on the Reverb guitar standard, or is every one of these different?

 

[SydShanshala]

It shows as sold 8 years ago for me

 

[Cougar]

As I understand it, the extremely rare Guild F-612 was 18" wide, which makes it one big guitar (other Guild jumbo 12 strings are 17" as I understand it).

Never played an F612, but my 17" jumbos are quite jumbo enough for me!

2002 JF30-12

 

[maxr]

It shows as sold 8 years ago for me

Oh good, then we can discuss this theoretically without danger of disharmony with significant others. £6400 8 years ago is now maybe...whoah!

 

[Brucebubs]

 

[gjmalcyon]

Here's a thread from 2015:

Finally Home F612 NGD!!

As some of you know around 3 months ago I got the chance of a lifetime to purchase a 1971 F612. After the month long wait to get her into the shop for repairs and the 2 month wait for her to actually have the work done she is officially home. I figured she needed a proper NGD! The history of...

letstalkguild.com

There are others if you can use the Google site: search.

 

[awagner]

As I understand it, the extremely rare Guild F-612 was 18" wide, which makes it one big guitar (other Guild jumbo 12 strings are 17" as I understand it). Have any of you played one, and what was your impression - over the moon, or OTT? Did anyone else make a jumbo 12 that big, and do you think the size in itself changes the sound?

Thanks, Max

I have one, and nothing sounds like it. The huge soundbox makes it loud, but it also has a choral effect and depth to it that does not exist in any other 12 string I have heard or played.

The trade off is its size, and it is a long scale, so it is slightly more difficult to handle. But it is an unbelievable guitar.

Here is a link

F612 Restoration Pix

As promised. With my F512 More to follow.

letstalkguild.com

 

[SFIV1967]

It shows as sold 8 years ago for me

Yes, and that one was discussed previously on LTG as well.

https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/f-612.181235/post-1635154

Ralf

 

[Greg1233]

The guitar in the Pete Townsend photo looks like an older F-512 with the fancy inlays My 1972 has the same inlays although mine has slotted diamond inlays on the bridge and a tortoise pickguard. I also have a 1973 F-512 with the typical block fingerboard, small ebony bridge and black pickguard, so many differences between the two years I've always wondered if Carlo Greco was involved in the F512's up till 1972 and then if the factory took over and did a redesign. Maybe Hans will chime in and let us what happened from '72 to '73.

There was an F-612 at the factory when we visited in '73, all I remember is it was so big, too big for me then and the older I get the bigger it would have become.

 

[SFIV1967]

The guitar in the Pete Townsend photo looks like an older F-512 with the fancy inlays

How many F612’s were produced and how many are accounted for today?

Ralf, Thank you that looks more like it... With so many Guild urban legends going around its great to dispel just a few of them.

letstalkguild.com

Ralf

 

[banjomike]

Gibson made the first 18" guitars in the 1930s, but they were always arch tops. The Super 400 was the model, and at the time, was the most expensive guitar made. The early ones featured a body shape that Orville himself designed around 1900.
After Gibson began the size war, Gretsch, Epiphone, and others followed with their own 18" models. Some smaller custom makers made even larger 1-off guitars that were 19 and 20". But always only arch tops.

The size makes it natural that an 18" 12-string would be made, but Guild is the only factory to ever offer a production 18" flat top guitar. While all the others made Jumbos, and still do, the guitars were all either 17" or less.

 

[SL50045]

The F612 has a huge sound. The bass is thunderous!

 

[F-412Spec]

I played one at a guitar show in Pomona, CA about 25 years ago. It seemed like sort of a cartoon thing - basically designed to meet the "bigger is better" competition at the time. The one I played was EIR. It did not come anywhere close to my guitar in sound, but it was impressive it a church-organ sort of way. I'd have bought it if the guy just before me hadn't already spoken for it. I was playing as he was paying. We'd been discussing it right after he made the decision, and he and the seller were fine with me playing it. It was shipped pretty much directly from the show to Europe - I think it was Italy; mighta been France.

 

[richardp69]

Had one and sold it (way to cheap), not because I didn't like it, not at all. I'm just not a 12 string kinda guy. But, it fit with my goal of trying every Guild model I possible can before I check out.

It had a huge/chorus type sound with incredible sustain, projection and beautiful overtones.

 

[Wal]

I own a 1971 made F-612, since 25 years or so. Playable, but need some work. Still looking for a case that fits .

 

[GGJaguar]

I own a 1971 made F-612, since 25 years or so. Playable, but need some work. Still looking for a case that fits .

Beautiful, thanks for sharing!

 

[Westerly Wood]

The only person I knew that ever played a 612 said he played a G chord then woke up 3 days later wandering thru El Paso.

 

[merlin6666]

While there is much focus on body size I think that much of the power comes from the 26.25 scale length which puts it pretty close to baritone guitar territory. So string gauge and tuning would also be considerations for that. However, compared to the 27.75″ Pete Seeger 12 string monster it may look like a toy.