G.A.S. for a Guild 12 string

[steamfurnace]

I've always wanted a Guild jumbo 12'er; and also a mahogany bodied guitar. So I spotted an F212 on eBay, that caught my eye. I wonder how high it will go?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... CA:US:1123

 

[killdeer43]

I've always wanted a Guild jumbo 12'er; and also a mahogany bodied guitar. So I spotted an F212 on eBay, that caught my eye. I wonder how high it will go?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... CA:US:1123

With 6 days to go, just sit back and enjoy the ride. :wink:

Joe

 

[Scratch]

Probably goes in the 800 - 950 range. Less than 800 is a steal assuming it is in good shape...

 

[capnjuan]

Completed listing for a '73 F212 that sold for $1,200. Killer pics and plenty of them. The one you ID'd won't get that high and could use a few more pics. Agree with Scratch ... $800-$950 but could get to $1,000.

 

[frettedstrings]

This '83 looks alot like my '67.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

I do not believe I have ever seen a pickup modification like the one in the listing. I have wondered about it a few times, but have never seen one done. The placement of the on-board pre-amp makes sense, when you consider the curve of the shoulders of the jumbo. Most on-board pre-amps I am familiar with are installed on the upper bout.

I wonder if Guild ever officially issued a model with a pre-amp installation like the one pictured?

If you are interested, there is a 1973 F212XL (with a little bigger body) also for sale on eBay in a similar price range. It does not include the Fishman.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-F212-XL-V...0?pt=Guitar&hash=item35ad8ad436#ht_500wt_1153

 

[dane]

Personally I’m not too keen on the Fishman, but for the right price I’d go for it. Good luck!

 

[steamfurnace]

That '73 looks a little rougher, and I would have to buy a pickup for it to use in my gigs.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

The placement of the on-board pre-amp makes sense, when you consider the curve of the shoulders of the jumbo.

And no sense, from the perspective of the player.

A few of the early Songbirds had their controls in that location...I have one of them.

Impossible to play without unintentionally hitting/disrupting the controls/settings...that's why most guitars have them placed on the UPPER bout.

If you're playing anywhere there are db police...they'll get you. :roll:

 

[shepke]

It is a little bit rougher and it looks to me like there might be some finish crazing on the top (it's hard to tell from the pics). The scratches on the back of the neck are pretty common and are probably from sliding a capo up and down the neck. My 1974 F112 has similar scrtaches in almost the same place and I've seen several others like this over the years. It's also hard to tell how much saddle is left, but when I enlarge the pics it looks to be pretty good. The problems all seem to be all cosmetic and fairly minor, and at this point (with 3 hrs to go) you're likely to get it for a pretty good price. I recently picked up a 72 F212XL and the sound has incredible depth due to the 17" lower bout. I agree with ccozad that the mod on the '83 is a little severe. I'd shoot for the '74 myself. That extra inch on the lower bout makes a lot of difference in tone, at least to my ears.

 

[Scratch]

That '73 looks a little rougher, and I would have to buy a pickup for it to use in my gigs.

I have K&K pure westerns in the Jf-30 12 and the F212 cnt. As I recall, I spent about 150.00 to have them luthier-installed. Highly recommend them if you go that route. In the G312, I installed an LR Baggs M1 in a convertible configuration (cord through the end pin with unplug capability). Cheaper and nearly as effective IMO... Plugged or unplugged, the F212 is an awesome hog 12er...

 

[Christopher Cozad]

That '73 looks a little rougher, and I would have to buy a pickup for it to use in my gigs.

Understood.

I happen to fall into the 'buy it because I like it' category, which differs rather significantly from the collector mindset, and is best accompanied by a completely different set of expectations. This F212 has been markedly modified, so it will likely find it's own dollar value over time, which will be somewhat lower than '100% Original'.

With that in mind, it looks to be in great condition (again, 'quiet' restorations are always possible in a guitars history). I can imagine it will sound excellent and provide many years of 12-string bliss, naturally as well as amplified. With the pickup already installed, you may wish to make certain you don't mind the pre-amp placement, as has been mentioned.

(Please forgive me, but it is so much fun to provide opinions regarding someone else's purchase of a guitar) :lol:

Christopher

 

[chazmo]

Another vote for K&K here... I wouldn't want a guitar that had that barn-door installed aftermarket (which I'm sure was the case). I don't know if I understand Jane's concern about playability though -- my arm never goes over that part of the guitar, but maybe that's a function of how you hold the thing. Indeed, when I've seen Fishmans installed, they've been on the upper bout, as Jane said.

 

[Dadaist]

Let's put this guitar into perspective. It was a nice vintage Guild 12'ver, worth $700-$900 before someone decided that it needed to be electrified and butchered a bit.

Even if you just wanted a "player" and weren't concerned with its' collector's value, the aftermarket and questionable placement of the controls would leave you with one uncomfortable guitar to play. This isn't a small guitar, and if you were below average in height those controls are going to dig into the inside of you bicep and armpit.

Any vintage guitar that I buy, I always ask myself,.." if I needed to sell it next week.... could I recoup at least what I paid for it?."

This is a guitar I wouldn't even consider. Just my $two cents.

David

 

[steamfurnace]

I understand the concerns about the placement of the barndoor on the lower bout. Both guitars I currently gig with (Taylor 414ce and Takamine EF381SC) both have barndoors, but they are on the upper bout and out of the way. I'm going to have to go home and fasten a sponge or something on the lower bout of one of my other guitars to see how it feels.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Here's Eva playing her Songbird...see how she has to hold the guitar to avoid the controls issue...and she's sitting down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL-9JlSCNOQ

Now imagine standing with that guitar on a strap...and it has a small body plus it's less than 2 inches thick.

Now imagine the F212 with a full body.

Even the fact that you're mostly all guys and guitars are sized for guys, is NOT going to eliminate the problem.

Oh, and the fact that the guitar in question was altered doesn't bother me at all...it's HOW it was altered that's the problem. Guitars are for playing...good luck playing that one.

 

[jgmaute]

Thanks for the Eva post, it's been a while since I listened to her...always such a pleasure.
josn

 

[wileypickett]

I've come across other Guilds with the Fishman on the lower bout side. Were all of them aftermarket installations, or did Guild just build 'em this way for some brief period of time?

Hans, can you tell us?

The drag about those is two fold: a big hole has been cut in the side to accommodate the control panel (I'll take a Johnny Cash signature any day!), and of course, since the technology gets better all the time, after a few years you have this ugly box on the side of your guitar that you may not even use.

Some of the Guilds with the Fishman on the upper bout side have a separate battery compartment in the lower bout side, down by the strap button (I have one). TWO barn doors cut into the side!

Glenn Jones
Cambridge, MA

 

[frettedstrings]

I'd Rather Use A Small Diaphram Condensor Mic For Amplification.....NO HOLES !

 

[jgmaute]

I'd Rather Use A Small Diaphram Condensor Mic For Amplification.....NO HOLES !

external on a stand? (I'll be miking mine this Friday and am wondering about what kind of mike to use. I can use the one Nick used Friday, but am open to suggestions.) thanks for all the help folks, joan