Guild F-512 And Standard Tuning

[Teleman]

Hello, new to this forum. Would like help with a question. I own a 2006 Guild F-512
and do all the normal things to maintain it such as keeping it in its case in a closet,
use and replace dampers on a regular schedule, always tuned down 1 step. Action
is normal but want to bring it in for a setup as it hasn't for a couple of years.
In talking to various experienced repair/setup I've been told that it isn't really a
problem to keep and play the 12 string in standard tuning if its maintained and setup
regularly. Does anyone know if this is true?, I get all the answers from "you have to tune
down a step to relive tension" to the keeping in in standard tuning (which would be
my preference) because it is made with heavy bracing to withstand tension. Don't want
to hurt the guitar with bad advice so anyone has knows or has experience in this I'd
appreciate their thoughts, thanks. I also have an 1982 F50R which I keep standard with
no problem, just wondering if the 12 is different. Thanks.

 

[Cougar]

Welcome to the boards, Teleman! You can definitely keep your F512 in standard tuning/concert pitch -- that's what they're built for. That's assuming you string it with "light" gauge strings, i.e., .010-.047 or thereabouts. All my 12-strings are tuned to concert pitch. (Well, my recently acquired F212XL came tuned down a whole step; I figure bringing it up to standard will surely break the octave G string. I'll bring it up to concert pitch when I get around to giving it new strings. )

 

[12 string]

By all means tune it up to standard! When I want to tune lower or higher than that I adjust gauges accordingly.

This page shows what I mean:

12 string's 12 strings

You must have one of those mutant Guilds, that are so rare! :lol: Steffan

www.letstalkguild.com

Welcome aboard and happy 12ing!

' Strang

 

[Teleman]

Thanks for the replies so far. For me there are no other acoustic guitars than
large body Guilds. Also no electric guitar other than Telecasters. I feel
covered with both of them. 5 Tele's and 2 Guilds (1982 F50R and 2006 F-512).

 

[awagner]

Seems to me you need 3 more Guilds to bring your collection into balance.

 

[rmoretti49]

I think everyone will probably agree that modern 12 strings are fine in standard tuning, and can weather it well. For some of us, the question is whether we can weather it. Not me. My two Guild 12 strings are tuned down either 1/2 or a full step, not just because they are older (1981 and 1994), but because they are easier to play that way and sound better, too.

 

[Teleman]

I think everyone will probably agree that modern 12 strings are fine in standard tuning, and can weather it well. For some of us, the question is whether we can weather it. Not me. My two Guild 12 strings are tuned down either 1/2 or a full step, not just because they are older (1981 and 1994), but because they are easier to play that way and sound better, too.

I tried tuning standard, one step down, and one half step down for quite awhile and have found that standard is tight,
makes the guitar harder to play. The sweet spot was one half down with a 12 string capo on 1 if I want standard
pitch, very happy now with my F-512.
Do you tune the 6 string down as well? Have an F50R and might try that the same way.

 

[Brad Little]

My '64 F212 has been in standard pitch its whole life.

 

[rmoretti49]

I tried tuning standard, one step down, and one half step down for quite awhile and have found that standard is tight,
makes the guitar harder to play. The sweet spot was one half down with a 12 string capo on 1 if I want standard
pitch, very happy now with my F-512.
Do you tune the 6 string down as well? Have an F50R and might try that the same way.

Yes, sometimes I do this too. Some guitars just sound better tuned down. And it's good to have one guitar tuned down to help with singing songs in certain keys.

 

[Cougar]

Some guitars just sound better tuned down.

I would never have tuned a jumbo 12er down a whole step, but the F212XL I just acquired came like that, and frankly, it sounds great!

 

[Teleman]

I just bought a 3 pack of D'Addario humid packs. I have 2 Guilds. Should I put an
extra in the case in addition to the soundhole of the 12 string? Is it bad to have
2 in the case?

 

[Christopher Cozad]

I just bought a 3 pack of D'Addario humid packs. I have 2 Guilds. Should I put an
extra in the case in addition to the soundhole of the 12 string? Is it bad to have
2 in the case?

Having more than one pack "open" in the case will not hurt your guitar, if that is what you are asking. Will it "help"? It depends on how significantly dry or wet the Relative Humidity is where your guitars are stored - up to a point, that is. These packets are engineered to provide very modest assistance in maintaining a stable 50% RH. They are no replacement for actually conditioning the surrounding air. In my experience, if the RH in your house is "Arizona desert" 7% RH, it is highly likely you are going to be dealing with a dried-out guitar, regardless of how many of these packets you bathe the guitar in. Likewise, if your guitars live in a "Mississippi Bayou" 85% RH, these packets will quickly be overrun and your guitar will take on that extra moisture (as will your guitar case, clothing, carpeting, wallpaper, etc.).

I like these packets, and have used them since they were introduced, though only for short intervals when my guitars are outside their carefully climate-controlled little world.

 

[Teleman]

I live in New England and keep both in a closed closet in their cases with packs.
No problem so far.

 

[chazmo]

Having more than one pack "open" in the case will not hurt your guitar, if that is what you are asking. Will it "help"? It depends on how significantly dry or wet the Relative Humidity is where your guitars are stored - up to a point, that is. These packets are engineered to provide very modest assistance in maintaining a stable 50% RH. They are no replacement for actually conditioning the surrounding air. In my experience, if the RH in your house is "Arizona desert" 7% RH, it is highly likely you are going to be dealing with a dried-out guitar, regardless of how many of these packets you bathe the guitar in. Likewise, if your guitars live in a "Mississippi Bayou" 85% RH, these packets will quickly be overrun and your guitar will take on that extra moisture (as will your guitar case, clothing, carpeting, wallpaper, etc.).

I like these packets, and have used them since they were introduced, though only for short intervals when my guitars are outside their carefully climate-controlled little world.

Hey, Chris, do you need humidity control down south where you are? I would've thought that'd be pretty good weather for guitars. If anything over-humidified? Just curious, bud!

 

[6L6]

About 15 years ago I purchased an incredible 1972 Guild F-312NT. It gets played a lot and I've always kept it in standard tuning.

The guitar plays effortlessly and in tune up and down the fretboard. I keep it out on a stand in my music room where it's easy to grab and play.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Hey, Chris, do you need humidity control down south where you are? I would've thought that'd be pretty good weather for guitars. If anything over-humidified? Just curious, bud!

For 8.5 months of the year it is sopping wet here, and I run multiple de-humidifiers to keep the moisture out of the air. Some people know those months to contain 3 seasons: Spring, Summer and Fall. I have come to know them as pre-Summer, full-on Summer and post-Summer. The remaining 3 months of the year (aka "non-Summer") you would think you were in Ohio in Winter... it is bone dry, static electricity-zapping, lip-chafing, skin-cracking, ruin-your-wooden-guitars dry. But flowers still bloom. I run multiple humidifiers during my non-Summers in order to put moisture back into the air.

For 1 week as we transition from "non-Summer to pre-Summer, and another week as we transition between post-Summer and non-Summer, we experience GLORIOUS weather, with perfect temperature and perfect humidity. Those are the 2 weeks I endure all the other weeks for!

 

[chazmo]

I was so wrong! Best wishes!