JF-30 12 Questions

[3C4S]

Looking for feedback/information on Guild JF-30 12's. Saw one in a local shop that peeked my interest. it appears to be around 2001-3, as it is when owned by Fender and made in Corona. I think I wrote the serial number down wrong, as it seems to start with "CTT". Does that look correct? It looked to be in very good shape cosmetically, with only a few minor blemishes. One small blemish was by the bridge, so I suspect it had to be re-glued at some point. I did not have a straight edge or action gauge with me, so need to go back for further inspection, or have my luthier look at. The action seemed low, but the string height by the bridge was obviously high (about 2-3/8 more than 1/2 inch). I also noticed the soundboard between bridge and sound hole seemed depressed.
That may explain low action on fretboard and high string height at bridge. To me that would indicate neck angle is off as well. Again, going to go back with tools to check...

All that being said, what would you compare a JF- 30 12 with? What is the overall impressions of this model? I have a 1970 F112 and a 1995 G212, so I suspect this may be an upgrade. I recall Chazmo touting this model, but could not find the post...This would look nice next to my recently acquired JF30...

Any thoughts appreciated...
Dave

 

[Boneman]

Yup, CTT is Corona, the build date is stamped at the bottom side of the neck block.

The Corona JF30-12 is a great 12, I have one and love it. They have the ebony bridge, ebony fretboards and that 3 piece neck of hog/walnut/hog is a thing of beauty. (just wish it had a black pickguard) They had good wood there in Corona too, as that’s a good looking top! I think you should definitely buy it, then humidify it and get it a new set of strings, and of course play the heck out of it

 

[chazmo]

Looking for feedback/information on Guild JF-30 12's. Saw one in a local shop that peeked my interest. it appears to be around 2001-3, as it is when owned by Fender and made in Corona. I think I wrote the serial number down wrong, as it seems to start with "CTT". Does that look correct? It looked to be in very good shape cosmetically, with only a few minor blemishes. One small blemish was by the bridge, so I suspect it had to be re-glued at some point. I did not have a straight edge or action gauge with me, so need to go back for further inspection, or have my luthier look at. The action seemed low, but the string height by the bridge was obviously high (about 2-3/8 more than 1/2 inch). I also noticed the soundboard between bridge and sound hole seemed depressed.
That may explain low action on fretboard and high string height at bridge. To me that would indicate neck angle is off as well. Again, going to go back with tools to check...

All that being said, what would you compare a JF- 30 12 with? What is the overall impressions of this model? I have a 1970 F112 and a 1995 G212, so I suspect this may be an upgrade. I recall Chazmo touting this model, but could not find the post...This would look nice next to my recently acquired JF30...

Any thoughts appreciated...
Dave

My ears were ringing, Dave.

That's a helluva nice model! It's basically an F-412 without all the bling. The earlier (Westerly-built) models had tiger stripe maple necks, which were da' bomb! But, what you're looking at is great too (with the mahogany neck).

A JF30-12 will be much, much louder (and mid-range focused) than your other 12s.. I think you'll love it just for the contrast with your F-112 and G-212. However, be warned... It's a MUCH bigger beast than those. If you haven't played a 17" Guild jumbo before you're in for a treat. But, if you're not comfortable with it, you might not love it.

I'm a huge Jumbo fan ("huge" can be interpreted in its various senses).

I'll let @Cougar post more gratuitous pictures of his beauty from Corona...

 

[3C4S]

Update. Checked the guitar out with tools today, and the neck angle is fine. yhe string hight is not as bad as i originally thought, maybe 1/8 high...But saddle has plenty of room. Do not think I have seen that much saddle before...Only a few blemishes and I suspect the bridge had some work done at some point, as there is a mark by it...At any rate, going to make an offer once I figure out price range...

 

[3C4S]

My ears were ringing, Dave.

That's a helluva nice model! It's basically an F-412 without all the bling. The earlier (Westerly-built) models had tiger stripe maple necks, which were da' bomb! But, what you're looking at is great too (with the mahogany neck).

A JF30-12 will be much, much louder (and mid-range focused) than your other 12s.. I think you'll love it just for the contrast with your F-112 and G-212. However, be warned... It's a MUCH bigger beast than those. If you haven't played a 17" Guild jumbo before you're in for a treat. But, if you're not comfortable with it, you might not love it.

I'm a huge Jumbo fan ("huge" can be interpreted in its various senses).

I'll let @Cougar post more gratuitous pictures of his beauty from Corona...

Chazmo,

Thanks for feedback. Yes, the jumbo takes some adjustment, as I am learning on the JF 30 I recently picked up. The JF30 has the maple neck with tiger strips...

Dave

 

[3C4S]

Yup, CTT is Corona, the build date is stamped at the bottom side of the neck block.

The Corona JF30-12 is a great 12, I have one and love it. They have the ebony bridge, ebony fretboards and that 3 piece neck of hog/walnut/hog is a thing of beauty. (just wish it had a black pickguard) They had good wood there in Corona too, as that’s a good looking top! I think you should definitely buy it, then humidify it and get it a new set of strings, and of course play the heck out of it

Thanks for feedback...

 

[Cougar]

All that being said, what would you compare a JF- 30 12 with? What is the overall impressions of this model?

As Chaz said, it's a sister model to the F412, just without some of the "makeup." I'm on the fence about preferring it to my F512 -- it's that good.

 

[Cougar]

Update. Checked the guitar out with tools today, and the neck angle is fine. yhe string hight is not as bad as i originally thought, maybe 1/8 high...But saddle has plenty of room. Do not think I have seen that much saddle before...

You mean string height at the bridge, as you mentioned? I'm no luthier, but a little high in that location almost seems like a good thing, especially as that is a good looking full saddle.

...At any rate, going to make an offer once I figure out price range...

Smart man! I cannot believe what these are going for on reverb these days. One older one from Westerly still in excellent shape went for nearly $3,000. That's nuts. Several were in the $2,000 neighborhood. A nice one from Corona went for $1,650. Then another one -- an estate sale -- went for the incredible price of $800 after a $1,200 price drop, lol. Actually, that's what I paid for mine -- a crazy good deal many moons ago -- well, same year I joined LTG, so 9 years ago.

My assessment -- JF30-12 is a fabulous jumbo 12-string, especially with the ebony fretboard out of Corona. And as boneman said, they seem to have had some great top wood at Corona. It's claimed to be AA sitka, but the silking on mine makes me think AAA. I guess I don't want to let @chazmo down, so.....

 

[beecee]

I have both the F-412 and the JF-30 12. The F-412 is everything it's cracked up to be....just a stunning guitar. It really is. And lovely to look at as well.

BUT.........

If I had to keep, say, three guitars the JF-30-12 would still be here. It's that good. Just wish it had more flame. (Yeah, I'm shallow!)

EDIT: On the other hand.....

I cannot believe what these are going for on reverb these days. One older one from Westerly still in excellent shape went for nearly $3,000. That's nuts. Several were in the $2,000 neighborhood.

 

[chazmo]

Chazmo,

Thanks for feedback. Yes, the jumbo takes some adjustment, as I am learning on the JF 30 I recently picked up. The JF30 has the maple neck with tiger strips...

Dave

Hope it all works out for you, Dave. Guild jumbos rock the world (in my very humble opinion).

I'm a little confused though, the pictures in your first post (mahogany neck) are from a different guitar than pictured in your post above (tiger stripe maple neck)... What gives?

 

[chazmo]

@3C4S can you give us a picture of the label and back of the headstock on your guitar?

 

[Balderdash]

A nice one from Corona went for $1,650.

That may be the JF30-12 I got from Preacher Bob, here at LTG.
At the time I thought I might be over paying a bit for it. I don’t think that anymore.

I'm on the fence about preferring it to my F512 -- it's that good.

Concur.
I keep, on occasion, wondering if I need them both, but the answer is I can’t possibly let either go.
Might have to revisit that in about ten years…

Dave,
As you’ve already confirmed that you’re a 12-string guy, the probability that you will be glad you pulled the trigger on this one is a bit over 99%.

 

[adorshki]

Yup, CTT is Corona, the build date is stamped at the bottom side of the neck block.

Actually Boneman, and @3C4S , they stopped putting the date on the neckblock in late Westerly, '99 or '00 IIRC. BUT we did see a report of a stamp on the end block of a Corona build recently.

In Westerly that date was actually the date the "rim" was completed. It was normally about a couple of weeks before guitar was actually completed and ready to ship, sometimes longer. Don't know if that was same in Corona but it makes sense since that's the easiest time to stamp the rim, before the back and top are installed.

 

[beecee]

Hope it all works out for you, Dave. Guild jumbos rock the world (in my very humble opinion).

I'm a little confused though, the pictures in your first post (mahogany neck) are from a different guitar than pictured in your post above (tiger stripe maple neck)... What gives?

He has a JF-30 with the maple neck

Chazmo,

Thanks for feedback. Yes, the jumbo takes some adjustment, as I am learning on the JF 30 I recently picked up. The JF30 has the maple neck with tiger strips...

Dave

 

[chazmo]

He has a JF-30 with the maple neck

Chazmo,

Thanks for feedback. Yes, the jumbo takes some adjustment, as I am learning on the JF 30 I recently picked up. The JF30 has the maple neck with tiger strips...

Dave

I see that, beecee, but see the pictures from his first post.

 

[Boneman]

I also noticed the soundboard between bridge and sound hole seemed depressed

What would cause that if the neck angle and everything else is stable?

but see the pictures from his first post.

@chazmo the first post is the JF30-12 he is considering buying, the neck with the flame is the JF30 he already owns. The photos with the tools measuring the guitar are the same JF30-12 from the first post.

 

[chazmo]

What would cause that if the neck angle and everything else is stable?

@chazmo the first post is the JF30-12 he is considering buying, the neck with the flame is the JF30 he already owns. The photos with the tools measuring the guitar are the same JF30-12 from the first post.

Ah, thanks @Boneman. I see the reference there.

So, just a minute... And, I'm really sorry if I'm not reading closely this morning @3C4S, but the guitar with the maple neck... That's from Corona, you're saying? I thought the change to mahogany came with the change to mahogany, but I could surely be wrong about that. And, again, sorry, I'm just trying to get clarification. I'm guessing the JF-30-12 is from Corona and the JF-30 you're looking at to buy (in the first post, as Boneman said) is from Westerly.

 

[portsider]

We do love our minutia around here.

 

[3C4S]

Hope it all works out for you, Dave. Guild jumbos rock the world (in my very humble opinion).

I'm a little confused though, the pictures in your first post (mahogany neck) are from a different guitar than pictured in your post above (tiger stripe maple neck)... What gives?

Chaz,

You mentioned the tiger stripe on the older JF30's, so the one I attached is from the 1995 JF 30 I just bought. I posted the JF30 NGD about a week or two ago...But thought I would put the neck in for comparison...The 12 I maybuy has the mahogany neck...

 

[3C4S]

Ah, thanks @Boneman. I see the reference there.

So, just a minute... And, I'm really sorry if I'm not reading closely this morning @3C4S, but the guitar with the maple neck... That's from Corona, you're saying? I thought the change to mahogany came with the change to mahogany, but I could surely be wrong about that. And, again, sorry, I'm just trying to get clarification. I'm guessing the JF-30-12 is from Corona and the JF-30 you're looking at to buy (in the first post, as Boneman said) is from Westerly.

The JF 30 is a 1995 from Westerly, and has the tiger stripe maple neck. The JF 20-12 I am looking at is the one i=n the photos...Sorry for the confusion. Either way, I think I may have a problem...or a very cool hobby hunting Guilds...Dave