Guild F-212 1963 - 1985

Sadly have to let go of my Guild 12 String. In great shape. Here’s the description Retrofret Guitars wrote on the guitar some months back when I got it:

Guild F-212 Model 12 String Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1970), made in Westerly, RI, serial # AN-2450, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; laminated mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.

We consider the original Guild F-212 to be easily one of the best postwar 12-strings made, and certainly a standout of its era. The narrow waisted, 16" wide mahogany body and spruce top combine to produce a warm yet bright sound with plenty of ring. The big, wide mahogany neck with a center maple strip lamination and unbound rosewood fingerboard is quite comfortable, and has an unusual double truss rod system that works quite well.

This 1970 guitar still bears a "Hoboken" label and 1960s style model-specific serial number, but was almost certainly an early product of the company's then-new Westerly RI factory. There are very few noticeable differences, although in general the construction feels a bit heavier in places. With this model that is not necessarily a bad thing, and this F-212 is in excellent structural condition for being over 50 years old.

The F-212 was the world standard acoustic 12-string when new in the 1960s, and still remains so today! It was one of Guild's signature instruments of the period, associated with many artists of the era (including Paul Simon and Tim Buckley) and has remained a classic since. This one is in a better state of preservation than many and has a big but still transparent sound.

Overall length is 43 in. (109.2 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).

This is a clean and very solid example of this classic 12-string, appearing not too much used over the past 50+ years but showing some light wear and a few discreet repairs. The finish is relatively clean overall with dings, dents and scrapes but no heavy pick wear except to the lower edge of the soundhole rim. There is a fairly large area of old strap burn on the back that has been polished out but is still visible.

One spruce grain crack running from below the bridge to the back edge has been solidly but visibly sealed up, and there is a mark through the finish on the lower back where a smaller impact mark was repaired. The back if the neck has a small repaired split below the center seam around the 5th fret area, very neatly sealed and inconspicuous. This is fairly common with this model resulting from the depth of the dual truss rod channels. There is a light overspray to the back of the neck, with another "strap burn" spot near the heel.

The instrument plays well with the uncut original bridge; the action is 1/8" both bass and treble. This is a solid and very nice sounding example of this often-requested model. Excellent - Condition.