jdgm Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 (edited) Hello I recently got this Guild JF-30 12-string as part of a swap for an expensive solidbody electric I bought last year (at the start of the epidemic) which I did not get on with. Includes Guild case in great condition. It was made in the early 2000s and the label says Guild Music, Westerly R.I. It has a Fishman pickup with soundhole vol and tone and the battery pack needs velcroing to the inside heel block. Mahogany neck, gold Grovers and some fancy pins too - originals are in the case pocket. The previous owner had work done; when he got it the top was lifting as some of the struts had become unglued, so the back had to be taken off in order to facilitate a proper repair which was all superbly done by Knight Guitars (I am in the UK). I've always liked 12-strings as I listen to ECM maestro Ralph Towner (who plays Guilds) quite a lot. Also Kottke, Basho, Peter Lang - still have LPs by them all. Glorious sounds. However I'll never play to that standard of course; I don't know how long I'll keep this but I had to give it a try - YOLO! I had a very cheap 12 many years ago but this is PROPER, and true all the way up the board. Big guitar, makes a wonderful noise - even in my hands. Previous owner added straplocks. Alas - I still don't have a Gibson acoustic - yet. Best wishes to all! Edited May 24, 2021 by jdgm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Congrats - looks very nice. Maple with Sitka top I assume? I haven't had a 12 string in many years (35 or so) but they can be a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Rehlmann Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 HERE, LET ME HELP YOU WITH THAT https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?forums/acoustic-acoustic-electric.133/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearbasher Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 If you want to know the year it was made, you can look it up on this chart: http://support.guildguitars.com/downloads/datingyourguild.pdf Also, some of them have a month/year stamp on the tail block. A mirror helps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Congrats! Gotta love a Guild 12! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 (edited) I have this F-412 with a faulty top coat from when the Corona Fender were having teething problems with freshly installed finishing equipment - no structural problems, plays perfectly and sounds superb. Edited May 24, 2021 by Brucebubs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 (edited) As Fender closed the Westerly factory in 2001 it would certainly narrow down the year built. Then again, if there is a repeat of what happened when Guild moved from Hoboken to Westerly and they continued to use older labels until the supply was gone it can get confusing. Didn't that model have a 1 11/16" nut? Edited May 24, 2021 by zombywoof 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 24, 2021 Author Share Posted May 24, 2021 I must look into it for myself - the previous owner (who I've known 50 years now!) reckons it is pre-takeover, as he contacted someone in the Netherlands who is a Guild 12-string expert, has a site and knows the serial numbers. The older, higher-spec ones with rosewood back and sides must be going for quite a lot of money these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 45 minutes ago, jdgm said: I must look into it for myself - the previous owner (who I've known 50 years now!) reckons it is pre-takeover, as he contacted someone in the Netherlands who is a Guild 12-string expert, has a site and knows the serial numbers. The older, higher-spec ones with rosewood back and sides must be going for quite a lot of money these days! I assume your friend is talking about Hans Moust. But yeah, the JF30 12 was introduced 9 or 10 years before Fender acquired the company. The older spec ones though are probably not worth all that much because their introduction into the Guild line post-dates the last use of Brazilian rosewood by well over a decade. And it is the Braz rosewood which gives the guitars their increased value. As to the serial number there are quite a few sites which will help you date the guitar. Just type in "Date Your Guild" into the search field. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted May 24, 2021 Share Posted May 24, 2021 1 hour ago, zombywoof said: As Fender closed the Westerly factory in 2001 it would certainly narrow down the year built. Then again, if there is a repeat of what happened when Guild moved from Hoboken to Westerly and they continued to use older labels until the supply was gone it can get confusing. Didn't that model have a 1 11/16" nut? And I believe there was a period directly following the move from Westerly to Corona where the guitars were built in kits at Westerly then shipped to Corona for assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 (edited) Nice looking 12 string. I've had a few 12 strings but never kept them very long, but never a high quality one. The new J-45 12 string is tempting me but I'll wait until inventory is back up. Enjoy it! Edited May 25, 2021 by Dave F 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Brucebubs said: And I believe there was a period directly following the move from Westerly to Corona where the guitars were built in kits at Westerly then shipped to Corona for assembly. What I recall is that the parts for first Corona Guilds were built not in the Westerly plant but in the Fender factory in Mexico which were shipped to CA where the final work was done and the guitars assembled. I believe Fender had all the tooling from the Westerly plant shipped to CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 (edited) That’s a beauty! Congrats & Enjoy.. Back in the 80’s an old friend left his at my house for about 3 years. He was more into Electric Guitars at the time. I should’ve bought it. I did buy a Martin D12-16GTE which i still have & it is a great Guitar. I’d still like to have Guild too... I’ve been looking at the new, Made in California, F-512’s which are superb Guitars.. Edited May 25, 2021 by Larsongs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 Great looking 12. Love Guild 12 strings - got a F-412 and quite a few others. Nice get. Congrats & enjoy! 😎 . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generaldreedle Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 I have a JF 30 6 string 92 or 93, absolutely love that guitar, hope yours is great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 I’ve had a couple of those JF-30’s . I always enjoy 12 strings for a while, but always end up selling them out of guilt. They seem to always end up living in their cases after a while. I feel bad, & decide they would be better off with someone who will actually play them. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 My wife bought me my 12 string, so I will never sell it. It doesn't get as much use as the 6 stringers, but man does an open chord sound good on it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted May 28, 2021 Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) On 5/24/2021 at 1:04 PM, jdgm said: I recently got this Guild JF-30 12-string Super major congrats, jdgm! My Corona-built JF30-12 was my first Guild, but I've since got an F-512 and an F-50R. All jumbos, baby! I still like my JF30-12 just as well as the much more expensive rosewood-backed F-512. Both spectacular 12-strings, which I play 90% of the time (along with my Gibby Songwriter 12-string). Is that an ebony fretboard on yours? Ebony is fairly rare on a JF30-12. Mine has it and I love it. Edited May 28, 2021 by Cougar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 28, 2021 Author Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) Thankyou yes (and thanks to all who posted) it is ebony. I was hoping you might chime in - da man with the 12-strings! I remembered you had 2, but 3..... What do you think about the scratchplate near the bridge on mine? I put it in dropped D and had a go at Ralph Towner's "Solitary Woman" (referring to a youtube vid of him playing it in concert). Should have kept that Fred Gerlach LP.....and....anyone...is there such a thing as an 'easy' Leo Kottke tune I can learn? Edited May 28, 2021 by jdgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 On 5/28/2021 at 1:39 PM, jdgm said: What do you think about the scratchplate near the bridge on mine? ....and....anyone...is there such a thing as an 'easy' Leo Kottke tune I can learn? The three photo examples in this thread suggest the pick guard positioning is slightly variable, but yeah, yours comes the closest while the others leave a very small gap. Easy Leo Kottke, haha. I always figured his playing was out of reach. Until about a week ago, that is, when I happened to start looking into just what the hell he was doing with that syncopated fingerstyle of his. I guess these days that means google "how to play kottke" lol. This is an ongoing project. Actually, on one of my recordings of Embryonic Journey I had figured out and included a version of Kottke's intro to his version of that piece. (Just the intro - the rest of his version - I'd like to know how he does that.) I guess I also threw in some keys on that version - a tough fit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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