Guild F-2512E Maple, 12-String Review

Great starter or backup 12 string

Great starter 12 string or a backup for your main guitar. This is the one I keep out and will be the one that travels with me. It's got great tone for a $ guitar and it's well built. Sweetwater performed a great setup to my specs prior to ship. Pros: decent pickup; comfortable size and thin neck profile. Cons: flecks/dust in the finish; a little anemic on bass and it really, really… read more needs a case. Thankfully, Sweetwater sells a well-padded Guild gig bag for an additional $. Great guitar otherwise.

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Fantastic 12 String at Any Price

I've been considering purchasing a 12 string for a while now and fell in love with the looks of this guitar online. The spruce top with blonde maple back and sides is a really eye-catching combination that's even better looking in person. This isn't the first 12 string I've ever played, but the first I've owned. I found the neck to be very comfortable and the jumbo body provides… read more a full rich sound. The placement of the strap button on the neck heel seems very well thought out and the guitar hangs just right with no neck dive or awkwardness despite the size. I really like how Guild has chosen to install the output jack separate from the end pin with convenient access to the battery. It's a really smart setup and I like it better than acoustics that have the jack in the endpin. I can't believe that this guitar was only $ bucks. Sounds great, plays great, and the workmanship is top notch. Guild even includes a cloth bag with velcro closure with a truss rod wrench, the manual, 2 picks, and 2 stickers. This would be a great guitar at any price. Very impressed and will definitely consider purchasing another Guild in the future. Sweetwater as always comes through with a great deal, quick shipping, and secure packaging.

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Guild F-2512

When I first opened the box/case (an excruciating 24 hours after it arrived) I was first struck by how beautiful this guitar is. I looked it over very carefully looking for any flaws, I found none. The finish, the frets and finally the sound. I loved it from the first strum. I've heard criticism about these guitars being made in China but honestly, I've got a Guild D4 that was… read more made in Westerly R.I. in the late 1990's and the quality is at least comparable to that and maybe better. If you have been on the fence about buying this guitar, just do it. You won't be sorry.

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Hands down the best in the price range!

Right out of the box this guitar was setup perfectly (thanks to the guys at Sweetwater and their 55 point inspection). Even with shipping across the country, the guitar was still in perfect tune. I am always a little nervous about buying a guitar and having it shipped but, the folks at Sweetwater do an extra good job of adding additional packing around the factory box to protect… read more your investment. For the price range, I think this is an exceptional value. The quality of this guitar is above the $500.00 price range. The action is smooth across the fretboard and is on par with higher priced guitars. The play-ability at the higher notes (e.g when playing "Wanted Dead or Alive") is excellent. The tonal quality is also excellent for the price range of this instrument. The e-pickup sounds really good through a variety of amps including a solid state practice amplifier. However, the sound really comes through on a tube amplifier. Turn the volume down just a little bit on the guitar (on a scale of 1-10 use a 6 or 7) for great results. One thing I look for in a guitar is how good the intonation is. This is really important when you capo up on the neck (e.g. when playing Hotel California). This is the hardest thing manufacturers can get right on an acoustic guitar. Even high end guitars (e.g. Martin/Gibson) have difficulty getting this right all the time. On an electric guitar the intonation is usually adjustable but, on a acoustic guitar the intonation is set by using a special bridge piece that is either hand carved or machine carved to set the intonation of each string (see photo). Cheap guitars use plastic bridge with prefabricated molded settings. On this guitar the bridge is real bone and appears to be hand carved (although not 100% sure) to set the intonation. This is usually found on more expensive guitars. On this 12 string guitar, when I capo up to the 5th fret there was little to no re-tuning required. At the 12th fret a little re-tuning was required compared to the open string tuning. Have to say that the intonation is darn good for this price range. If you are looking for an excellent value in a 12 string without breaking the bank this is the one. On one review I read, the reviewer commented on the tuners. I feel the tuners are on par with the price of this guitar. However, if you did to install new high quality tuners this would only enhance the value and quality of this guitar. I hope this review was of value to prospective buyers. I always read every review before buying guitar or anything for that matter. Special thanks to Ted Hunter my Sales Engineer for over a decade now! Cool Hand Luke

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Wow...Just Wow!

I can't believe the quality of this instrument at this incredible price! I've owned 12 strings three to four times the price of this and they couldn't hold a candle to the Guild F-2512E Maple! The action is so low, and the neck is super comfortable to grip. This guitar will be one that I hold onto indefinitely. Thanks to Brian and the incredible staff at Sweetwater. I never have… read more a worry when I order here. This is definitely my "gateway Guild" Amazing.

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