Just purchased - JF30-12.

[irishjohnny]

Hello to everyone at Lets Talk Guild - my first post.

I have just purchased a very tasty s/hand JF30-12 which the original owner bought "many years ago" in Ohio, USA. I have a couple of questions about the guitar which forum members may be able to help me with:

1. I'd like to date the guitar accurately, but can't find the SN - AJ321563 - anywhere in the sequence of numbers provided on various web pages on the Net. Can anyone advise?

2. Since it's years since I've played a 12-string guitar I'm finding it a real chore to hold down those chords. I've lowered the tuning by a tone and added a capo to the second fret (which seems to help), and am planning to ditch the 10-gauge strings for 9s (ultra-light!). Does this make me a wimp with Guildites? What exactly is the state of play nowadays with string-tension on 12-string guitars? Can they take the full-hit of concert-pitch tuning, or is it still best to stick to the old advice - "tune down and capo-up"?

Any comments would be most welcome.

 

[Graham]

Hey Johnny, first let me welcome you to LTG. It's a kewl place that is a little bit off centre. Until you get to know us don't take anything personally, after you get to know us, it's all personal. :wink:

Congrats on the JF30-12, gotta be the best bang for buck in a Guild 12, IMHO. Great tone, great looks.

Serial #'s are a bit of a challenge with Guild, even amongst the various websites. The best source that we have found is Hans Moust. He wrote what we consider to be THE book on Guild and he's a regular contributor to this great site. Send him a PM or he may just find this thread and respond.

As for tuning down, there are many folks here that tune down their 12s. Either a half tone or a whole tone and capo from there. No wimpiness implied. Also light strings are preferred by many, though string selection is a very personal thing I like the John Pearse 80/20s. I have also heard good things about the Thomas Stik strings.

Can they take concert pitch? I guess so they were made for it and the double truss rod , though adding weight also adds stability. My guess would be that if any 12er can take concert pitch, it would be Guild.

Jump into any thread anytime, don't wait to be invited and don't even wait to have a correct answer. :shock:

 

[dreadnut]

Hi I.J. Welcome to LTG, and sounds like you've got a beauty of a 12 string there

No-one here would ever call you a wimp. We might call you various other things, but never a wimp :lol:

We pretty much play 'em like we want to around here - all different styles, different tastes in strings, flatpickers and fingerpickers, but the one thing we all agree on is that Guilds are fine guitars and made to be played. Anyway, if tuning down and capoing 1 feels good to you, then rock on! Many 12er owners do it that way. I can also suggest silk-n-steel strings, they're much easier on the fingers but not as loud. On the other hand, with the Guild dual truss rod system, it can take concert tuning as well. And some 12's have some "bellying" of the top under the bridge, some don't. I would think the chances of this would be minimized with lower tension and proper humidification, there's my $.02

Most of all, have fun playing the Guild

 

[GardMan]

Hey Irishjohnny,
Can't help much with info on 12 strings... I have enuf trouble with six! But, welcome aboard!
Dave

 

[sfIII]

That looks to be a Westerly S/N - my guess would be 1998 or 1999. Hans will likely be by soon to confirm.

 

[Scratch]

Welcome to LTG, Johnny and enjoy that JF30-12. What a guitar!! As mentioned, we all tend to do things our own way; I keep mine down a step to 'D' and capo up two to concert. Enjoy!!!!

 

[Appalachian Blues]

Welcome to LTG IJ The best forum in cyberspace and your going to really enjoy time spent here.
Your no wimp tuning down a step, I think it really enhances the tone. I just got a GAD-JF30-12 converted to a lefty for me, tuned a half step down and I just put a set of D'Addario EJ38's (10-46) on. The fella who did the conversion put Martin Marquis 80/20's on knowing my preference for Marquis. I think I like the tone of 80/20 better.
Congratulations on the JF30-12 and glad your aboard here

 

[Appalachian Blues]

I like the John Pearse 80/20s.



Graham, I think I leaning toward 80/20's too. The D'Addario's EJ38's feel good and slick, and jumping from chord to lead riff is comfortable, but I don't think I like the tone as well. Rick had put Marquis 80/20 when he did the conversion and they were real rich sounding. I'll just keep experimenting till I get it right 8)

 

[killdeer43]

Irish J,

Tune it down to D with light gauge strings and you'll swear you're hearing a harpsichord. Capo whenever you feel the need, but I find that it suits my vocal range just fine to let it be.
And welcome to the wonderful world of GAS!

Joe

 

[cjd-player]

I can't handle more than six, either, but welcome to the nut house, Johnny.

and don't even wait to have a correct answer.

None of us ever do. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:



By the way, Johnny, Graham is our top poster.
Here is a picture or him that his wife sent us in another thread.

Here you are - love Cid

 

[Graham]

By the way, Johnny, Graham is our top poster.
Here is a picture or him that his wife sent us in another thread.

Here you are - love Cid

Ewe Arsehole

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

You may want to have a guitar tech do a full set up on the JF-30-12.
I had one of them and it was always a little hard to play.
They have a very big neck on them.
After having the action adjusted, it did play a little easier but it was never as easy to play as a 12 string with a smaller neck.
I used light strings and kept it tuned to standard pitch.

They sure do sound great though!!!

 

[Graham]

You may want to have a guitar tech do a full set up on the JF-30-12.
They sure do sound great though!!!

Good point TMG, I got mine from Scratch and the setup was superb. Very low, very easy to play, really makes a difference.

 

[cjd-player]

You may want to have a guitar tech do a full set up on the JF-30-12.

Hey TMG,
Glad you got poor Jonny's thread back on track.
I'm laughin' so hard, I'm cryin'

 

[dane]

Hey irishjonny,
First of all let me say

. Your in good company here and will find this is one of the best forums on the net.
No spam

, no trolls

, no flame wars

.

Just a real fellowship of musicians of all different skills and styles joined under the Guild banner. Oh…and a couple of real loons too, but we take turns at that. We also do an outstanding job as a GAS (Guild Acquisition Syndrome) support group, and will always try to guide you to the next purchase. I learned the hard way on a non-Guild the woes of tuning a twelve to pitch. It pulled the bridge and bowed the top, and warped the neck. What a mess! I still have the guitar. It looks very lovely hanging on the wall, filled with dirt, and flowers growing out of the sound hole. It was all it was good for. Lesson learned. Now I tune my twelve’s to “D”, even my Ric electric. I recall that one member said he tuned his down to “C”, two full steps. Well that’s my two cents

on that. As far as strings go, that’s something you’ll have to experiment with to find the feel and sound you like. Oh and one last thing…SHOW US YOUR GUILD!

 

[dane]

Oh…I almost forgot! If you use a capo, don’t leave it on when you’re not playing as it can damage the finish on the neck if left on for days as a time. That goes for any guitar.

 

[JimBetts]

Welcome to the site, you'll have a good time around here, as you can see everyone else does too. :mrgreen:

 

[hansmoust]

I'd like to date the guitar accurately, but can't find the SN - AJ321563 - anywhere in the sequence of numbers provided on various web pages on the Net. Can anyone advise?

Hello Johnny,

Welcome! Your Guild JF-30-12 with serial # AJ321563 is from 1999.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[markus]

Welcome, and you see …

Ewe Arsehole

no one is called wimp here! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Markus

 

[NEONMOONY]

Oh…I almost forgot! If you use a capo, don’t leave it on when you’re not playing as it can damage the finish on the neck if left on for days as a time. That goes for any guitar.

I found out the hard way that the rubber on some capo's will leave black marks that are hard to get off. I left one clipped on the headstock and after only a matter of days, it left black rubber marks. Ouch!