Interesting "conversion" of a F-2512E to a "F-612..."

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
I was searching for something different and came across an interesting "conversion" of a Westerly Collection F-2512E into something "F-612 lookalike"...
Sounds strange but watch...

A person named "Paul N Helmig" had those pictures on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/paulhelmig).

He calles the guitar a "Rich Estrada's F-612 Custom" but also a "Guild F 2512 Customized by Paul Helmig".
Pretty interesting I thought. I don't know who Rich Estrada would be and I don't know who Paul N Helmig is.

He took a standard Westerly Collection F-2512E Maple to start with: https://guildguitars.com/g/westerly-f-2512e-maple/

1601162956968.png


He removed the pickguard, fretboard and bridge, added checkerboard binding to the body and rosette and removed the headstock veneer.
He sanded the poly lacquer to bare wood.

1601162145855.png
1601162263893.png


He stained the blonde maple sides and back into a mahogany color and added a new headstock veneer with Chesterfield and with the typical F-612 checkerboard binding. Just the missing trussroad access shows it is not a Guild USA made model. Very well done anyway!

1601162513412.png
1601162388956.png


A new dark ebony fretboard with the typical F-612 inlays was produced and added:

1601162592640.png
1601162626514.png


The endresult looks great I think!
Was it worth it? No idea...
He should have added a fake TRC however...
Interesting!

1601162686988.png


Ralf
 
Last edited:

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
That same Paul Helmig also converted a trashed F-312 into an interesting 6 string!

The start:

1601163542794.png


That looks bad...

1601163471804.png


1601163714725.png
1601163645296.png


1601163602411.png
1601163919283.png


1601163808998.png
1601163863450.png


1601164212119.png
1601164065868.png


1601164102082.png


Thought I post this just in case somebody sees those guitars in future wondering what those are!

Ralf
 
Last edited:

HeyMikey

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
5,422
Reaction score
4,733
Location
MA
Guild Total
9
That is a lot of work! Probably more a labor of love. It seems unlikely he’ll get his effort back out. I would have kept to F312 as a 12 string and called It a non-factory customized F312.
 

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,155
Reaction score
1,556
Location
Eden, Australia
My red Corona era F-412 has a faulty top coat but is superb in every other way - love to see what he could do with it!
 

Linnmo

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
19
Reaction score
20
Location
Colorado
Guild Total
4
Thank you to everyone who has commented on my work. looks as though I'm late to the party. lol
I love Guild Guitars, the first time I saw a Guild was watching John Denver on Late Night TV early 70's with his F-612.
I never could figure out why Guild didn't continue making the most beautiful 12 string ever produced!

They could do what I did, have it made in China, sell it for a couple of grand and make a lot of guitar players extremely happy. :)

I did the (F-312) 6 string conversion because I already had 4 Guild 12's at the time, and, I always thought a 6 string with the F-612 details would be nice. I was right, it sets in my living room. :)
I'm not a luthier, I'm a retired furniture Upholsterer. I've always had an eye for detail so I bought a couple of junk guitars and started tearing them apart. Carefully.
After self education, the help of a couple of You Tube experts, and encouragement from a professional Luthier named Mark Franzke, (Look him up) I succeeded (I wouldn't want to do that for a living though, lol)
Again, such an honor to have my work discussed amongst others who think Guilds are the greatest.
Oh, My alterations have been noted and tagged on the inside for future owners.
heres a list of my Guilds
1966 Guild F-212 (With Carl Greco fret inlays and neck binding, not done by me)
1966 Guild F-212 With custom fret inlays (not done by me either)
1972 F-112 Standard
Guild F-312/conversion
and
Takamine Guild Clone 12 string 1976 F-365
The 2512/612 conversion........ I gave it to a friend. Made his day.

Thank you again
Paul
 

gjmalcyon

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
4,181
Reaction score
2,419
Location
Gloucester County, NJ
Guild Total
13
Welcome! Stick around - nice folks around here.

Beautiful - and interesting - work. I particularly like the F-312 "save", keeping that guitar from the dumpster or burn pile.

Where in CO? I was born in Boulder, my pop in Alamosa, his pop in Los Sauces, his pop in Antonito, etc....
 

HeyMikey

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
5,422
Reaction score
4,733
Location
MA
Guild Total
9
Great work and welcome Paul. Hope you stick around!
 

Rebosbro

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Messages
838
Reaction score
805
Location
Moseley Va
Guild Total
3
What passion! You put your heart and soul into your conversions and it shows. Fantastic work! And yes, welcome to LTG! Good folk ‘round here.
Paul
 

Linnmo

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
19
Reaction score
20
Location
Colorado
Guild Total
4
Welcome! Stick around - nice folks around here.

Beautiful - and interesting - work. I particularly like the F-312 "save", keeping that guitar from the dumpster or burn pile.

Where in CO? I was born in Boulder, my pop in Alamosa, his pop in Los Sauces, his pop in Antonito, etc....
Ah, Hi, yes well, I'm in Fort Collins, I visit Boulder and surrounding areas quite a bit.
Yes, the story on the 312 is, It had been left and forgotten in an attic, When I got it, every glue joint had dissolved, the guitar literally started falling apart as I looked it over. haha, So I grabbed the camera and started documenting.
I see you have an old Yamaha listed, I love those things

Cheers
Paul
 

Linnmo

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
19
Reaction score
20
Location
Colorado
Guild Total
4
What passion! You put your heart and soul into your conversions and it shows. Fantastic work! And yes, welcome to LTG! Good folk ‘round here.
Paul
Thank you,
Nice meeting,
Ah, 76 D50, My first Guild was a 76 F50 (Rosewood) wish I still had that one..
 

Rebosbro

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Messages
838
Reaction score
805
Location
Moseley Va
Guild Total
3
Thank you,
Nice meeting,
Ah, 76 D50, My first Guild was a 76 F50 (Rosewood) wish I still had that one..
It was my sisters. She bought it new. She was a huge John Denver fan. Ended up with me about 20 years ago after the action was so bad she couldn’t play it. I had a local high end builder set it up, and it’s incredible. And she just told me to keep it! Greatest sister ever!
BTW, nice name!
Paul
 
Top