Taylor 12 string or Guild 12 string
 

Hi I need your help, I have to decide between two guitars: 12 string acoustic guitar Taylor 150e (around 958$) and the new 2016 12 string acoustic guitar Guild f2512e (around 630$).

Taylor is dreadnought, Guild is jumbo.

Both have a solid sitka spruce top, Taylor has back and sides layered sapele, Guild has layered maple sides and arched back maple. Guild has bone nut and saddles and Taylor has Tusq nut and saddle.

I have read Taylor 12 strings have an ultra slim playable neck, and a bolt on neck they called the NT, that in case of doing a reset neck it is easier to do.
I also read that Guild belongs to Fender.

I din´t play any of this guitars but I think the sound of the Guild model will be brighter because the maple and powerful than Taylor because the shape.

I know both are very good guitars but my priority is the comfort of playing, I will lower the action of both but I have two questions:

-Is it true that Taylor neck would be more comfortable to play than Guild or it wouldn´t be much difference? Both guitars have a neck with 1-7/8”(Guild’s finguer board radius is 16” I don´t know the finger board radius of Taylor).

-Is it true that Guild 12 strings guitars by the years suffers in the neck joint more than Taylor 12 string guitars and I will have to do a neck reset in the future?

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/150e

http://guildguitars.com/g/westerly-f-2512e-maple/

Thanks

The Taylor is very common, and well liked. The Guild is a very new model and I doubt many people have played it. My luthier was at NAMM a few weeks ago, and when I talked to him about the show he specifically mentioned how impressed he was with the new Guild arch back 12string and that he has ordered one for his store (which is small and has a limited but very fine collection in addtion to his own models). Will probably be a few weeks until he gets it in and I sure will check it out.

Oh and he also mentioned how bad the new Gibsons were this year ...

You're asking a couple of technical questions about the necks. And, frankly, I think you're asking the right questions. Assuming that you like the tone of the guitars, and assuming that you intend to keep it for 15 to 20 years, the Taylor would likely be a better investment. The NT neck is excellent and resetting it is trivial. Additionally, the resale will be better for the Taylor. The 150e is the best selling 12 string guitar on the market. So, it is obviously in demand. Used (discounted) ones are highly coveted, if you decide not to keep it in the long run.

Now, to some issues you might not have considered. First, many of us start down the road of an inexpensive 12 string guitar. And, many of us find that the 12 string is no different than a 6 string. As such, less expensive guitars (regardless of the number of strings) might not cut the cake for you. Only you can know that. If, on the other hand, you are a musician who needs a dependable occasional 12 string, and is not overly concerned about the acoustic nuances from other models, this 150e will suit you perfectly. I'm also intrigued by the new 256ce, which has layered rosewood for a smoother tone.

I've played that Guild model once in a store for 10 minutes. It is a very nice guitar for the price.

Another consideration is that the pickup system with the Taylor is superior.

Laminated Taylor's also use the arched back design.

I own a Guild F-412 and if the new F-2512e offers similar balanced tone and volume for just $630 then the Taylor 150e has a worthy opponent.

Of course you need to play them both.
Here's the new F-2512e;

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/...psbegthikd.jpg

Here's my F-412

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8wtzrdjq.jpg

Bruce,

I always enjoy the pictures of your 12 string guitars. I can hear the jangle in my head. Best!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Wow, thanks martingitdave.
At one stage I had 5 of them.

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/...psvfy6szeh.jpg

Sold the Maton, it looked beautiful but sounded disappointingly thin.
The Morris B-50 dread is very bright.
The Taylor 355 is bright but warmer than the Morris - may be traded this week-end.
The red Guild F-412 is loud and nicely balanced, a heavy guitar.
The Martin Grand J12-40E Special is just outstanding, wwaaayyyy above my guitar skills!

I have a Guild F512 which I bought new. Tried the Asian-built F1512 I think it was called and as good as it sounded I couldn't believe it could be as good as the American-built 512.

Love the F512, though I do not use it as much as I should; eventually tried another 1512 and..."gulp!"...I could have saved about $1500 or more. They are very good, and the neck profile is exactly the same. Any difference I find would be very subtle.

Now, I know not about the new one, but the previous maple Guilds (called F412's) are quite venerated. I HAD to have rosewood, and not that it was a mistake, but I will have to admit that the 412 "coulda been a contenda" had I been able to A/B them...

For a 12 string, a list price of $630 is REALLY cheap. The street price will be less than that. The Guild may last you many years and never NEED a neck reset, but the cost of doing so will be more than a used replacement would cost. The question is, will you ever NEED to have it done ? If you are like most 12 string players, you will either play it awhile, and give up on the 12 string sound or you will upgrade to a much nicer one. One worth repairing if it ever comes to that.

I haven't played a Taylor 12 string so I don't know how it compares. It costs more to start with. Both will probably be easy to play. Guild knows how to make a nice 12 string.

Something else to keep in mind.

The setup of a 12-string has a bigger effect on how easy it is to play. What can be tolerated in a 6 string can be too limiting with a 12-string. With the Taylor neck system it is easy and inexpensive to change the string height without messing with the saddle height. That keeps the sound / tone as designed.

And of course neck sets are easy and inexpensive to do.

I've played the Taylor 150e, but not the new Guild that just came out. One factor to consider is that all the Taylor 12 strings use a fully compensated saddle, which places all the strings on the same horizontal plane for your right hand. This makes fingerpicking considerably easier, in my opinion.

I have to throw in here that you should try out the Guild D1212 if you can. Guild does a mini demo here... (the street price is in the range of the Taylor 150)....
https://youtu.be/gU4G8HpsKNU

I don't know... I would worry more about the tone of the guitar than the repair issues down the road. I need to get a new players guitar and I think I am ruined. (The old Guild F512 that I have played the last 20 years is tough to match for what I use it for.)
I have grabbed a Taylor 150 a few times in the store... and I can't bond with it all. ( and I do like Taylor guitars)...
I would try out the D1212 if I could find one. I am liking the idea of mahogany topped 12 string these days... and a players guitar at that price sounds like a good idea to me.

I haven't tried the new Guild, but I have played the Taylor and I think it's a good bang for the buck. If you can find the Guild, I'd give it a try and compare the two.

guild has a far superior reputation than taylor on a 12 string no matter what any1 here says. They are know for the quality and playability on them. Not sure what price you paid but I bought a solid 12 string guild for under 500 last year. plays like a dream. unfortunately I have arthritis bad in my left shoulder and as of now not getting any playing in.

No points of contention intended but my understanding is that Taylor revolutionized 12-string guitar making so their guitars are easily playable at concert pitch, stay in tune, and enable easy-to-execute barre chords up-and-down the neck. I've owned three Taylor 12s, two 355ce and my current 356ce, and have found them all to be a dream to play right out of the box. Maybe other makers have kind of Taylorized their attention to their 12-string build process and, if so, that's all good! :)

Nope, Ovation 12 strings accomplished that many years sooner - and still sounded much richer and more defined than Taylors in general. Unfortunately I don't think any Ovation 12 strings are currently in production so that leaves only used ones.