NGD - Guild F-512

dhockenbury · #1 08-28-2019, 05:52 PM

After a few days of getting to know this new arrival, and in response to DenverSteve's thread on 12 string guitars, it seems appropriate to share my experience with the forum.

First, this is a very nice 12 string. Incredible tone and sound, which is why I purchased this. Having tried a number of 12's, the big Guild had the sound I was seeking. Impressive volume and size as you would expect from a jumbo. A real cannon.

I was impressed with the overall fit and finish of the 512 as it is a nicely made guitar. A minor quibble with the finish at the end of the headstock on one side as it has a bit of roughness there. Otherwise a great job.

A nice surprise was the quality of the Sitka top, as it is one of the nicest pieces of spruce I have seen on any guitar. Perfectly quarter sawn with very tight and even grain across the entire top with subtle and dense medullary lines from top to bottom. Considering the width of the lower bout, that must have been very large tree. The EIR sides and back are well figured with perfectly vertical grain.

The finish is nitro and looks very good with no faults that I can see. Having only played H&D's with a catalyzed urethane finish for the past year, the nitro finish has a different feel on the neck. Not bad at all, but a definitely different feel to me.

The action is great. Having checked this out with gauges everything is just as it should be. I will be periodically checking over the next few months to see if this changes.

Following arrival and playing for a while, the factory D'Addario strings seemed on the bass heavy side. I changed the strings last night to Plectrum 11's which have evened out the balance from bass to treble quite nicely, with the added benefit of being more tension friendly to my fingertips.

There were a few minor surprises in changing strings that are worth mentioning. The 512 uses a Gotoh tuning machine design with a unique post/capstan which has a vertical hole and a cross slot. There is no horizontal hole through the post. Normally I can't see any issue with this design as you cut the string to length, insert into the vertical hole, bend into the slot and wind to tension. However with low tension strings (TI/Newtone) it is advised not to cut these to length prior to winding to tension. There was a bit of fussing around to figure out how to do this, which necessitated forgetting the hole insertion and using the over/under wrap method using the slot. Somewhat challenging from a dexterity standpoint but it worked out fine.

The other surprise was inserting and seating the ball ends in the bridge and plate. The 512 has very nice bone bridge pins with the normal flat bottom end. The bridge plate hole diameter is quite small and it is difficult to seat the ball end tight against the bridge plate as the geometry hangs the ball end against the bottom of the pins. Not a big deal as I will likely taper the end of the pins to make that part easier.

All in all, the F-512 is a very impressive guitar. Nicely made with a fantastic sound.

Brucebubs · #2 08-28-2019, 05:57 PM

Great guitar and a really well written review.

I believe it was during the New Hartford era that the switch was first made to those unique Gotoh 12-string tuners.

AcousticDreams · #3 08-28-2019, 06:08 PM

I will really be looking forward to pictures and maybe soundclips?

Interesting about the type of posts in your new guitar. I also play Newtones roundcore. What you can do...is cut the end of the string at an angle...and then with heavy needle nose pliers...crimp the end. That should take care of the end of the string from unwinding.

Glennwillow · #4 08-28-2019, 06:48 PM

Hi DH!

Congratulations on your new Guild F512 12-string. I hope you love yours as much as I love mine!

- Glenn

Rockysdad · #5 08-28-2019, 07:03 PM

Congrats on the F512, great guitar, enjoy it for years.

dhockenbury · #6 08-28-2019, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

I will really be looking forward to pictures and maybe soundclips?

What you can do...is cut the end of the string at an angle...and then with heavy needle nose pliers...crimp the end. That should take care of the end of the string from unwinding.

Thanks for the tip. I will give that a try on the next string change.

AcousticDreams · #7 08-28-2019, 08:21 PM

I am absolutely drooling!

Do you know what year this is? And What price may I expect to pay for a used Guild 12 string like this?

dhockenbury · #8 08-28-2019, 08:28 PM

Per the dealer it was manufactured in May, 2019 at the new Oxnard factory.

I have no idea on used values for these. Perhaps others would be of assistance there.

jseth · #9 08-28-2019, 08:30 PM

Beautiful! I bet that's a LOT of fun...

My Mark Angus #58 (1983) is the next size smaller... I think that makes it more of 412? In any event, she's been in my hands since shortly after coming off the bench, and I won't part with her until I can no longer play...

AcousticDreams · #10 08-28-2019, 08:31 PM

I realize now, that this is a brand new Guild 512R? I got confused because I thought yours was a special year with that type of post. But I see on the Guild website that they are using those posts in their new guitars.

CaptRedbeard · #11 08-28-2019, 08:47 PM

Congrat's on the new Guild 12. One of those or it's brother or sister is on my guitar bucket list to replace my current one.

dhockenbury · #12 08-28-2019, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

I realize now, that this is a brand new Guild 512R? I got confused because I thought yours was a special year with that type of post. But I see on the Guild website that they are using those posts in their new guitars.

Not sure about the nomenclature but I believe the 512R is the acoustic/electric version. Mine is only acoustic.

valleyguy · #13 08-29-2019, 04:32 PM

The R in 512R merely refers to the rosewood body. The R is usually dropped as the default for the 512 is rosewood.

Stunning guitar, I love their sound. This is the pinnacle of 12 string guitars. Nothing sounds like it.

Wish I had one.

boombox · #14 08-29-2019, 06:10 PM

Those slotted tuners got me at the first string change too, but luckily you've got plenty to practice with - by the seventh or eighth string, you've got it off pretty well. Congrats on joining the 512 club - we are a very lucky bunch!

DCCougar · #15 08-29-2019, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valleyguy

The R in 512R merely refers to the rosewood body. The R is usually dropped as the default for the 512 is rosewood.

Right, the F512 has always been rosewood, but now at Oxnard, instead of the usual F412, they call it the F512 Maple.

Super major congrats, dhockenbury!!! As mentioned, Guild's F512 is the pinnacle for 12-strings! Coincidentally, I just bought one myself

- a used 2018 out of Oxnard. It was kind of a risky buy off ebay - the seller didn't have a lot of info that I would normally get before buying online. And it has a semi-serious scrape through the finish on the edge of the top, among other things, hence the greatly reduced price. Used ones in excellent condition are still up around 3 grand. I've gassed for years for a 512, but that price has always been out of reach. You are a lucky man, dhockenbury! Play that jumbo!