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Description

This wonderful Guild 12-string F-212XL guitar was made in the Westerly, Rhode Island, plant in 1974, judging from its serial number (102452) and the Guild website. It features a super-sized jumbo body based on the F-47 design and is probably the most powerful factory 12-string ever made and widely distributed in America. The F-212 was discontinued in 1985 and the F-212XL was initially discontinued in 1986; however, the XL was re-issued by popular request 1998-2000, and again from 2010 to the present. It’s just too darned strong to die! As such, this particular guitar has dominated lesser instruments for over 40 years, and the resonance of its aged woods will only improve with its new generation of players. Its classic good looks make it stand out in any crowd, but it’s the huge sound that will make other players turn around to check it out.

This Guild F-212XL has a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck. The body is fully bound, top and back, with multi-stripe binding on top, and it has a large black pick guard, an ebony bridge, and a multi-stripe inlaid rosette. The three-piece mahogany/maple neck supports a 14/20 fret ebony fingerboard with no inlays which ends in a blackface headstock with Guild enclosed chrome tuners and the pearl inlaid Guild name and Chesterfield logo. It is a jumbo plus size, with a full 21” body length, 17” lower bout width, 5” body depth at the end pin, and a 25.5” scale.

This particular guitar is apparently entirely original, although after 44 years it’s not quite perfect. There is some finish crazing, and the bridge has apparently been carefully re-glued. In addition, the entire back of the neck has a dark overspray, usually indicating a repair of some kind has been made; since I neither see nor feel a repaired crack, my assumption is that there were chips in the finish by which a previous owner was bugged. Whatever, these minor issues have been professionally dealt with at one time or other, they are not cosmetically conspicuous, the guitar has been continuously played since these repairs, and my luthier certifies they are totally stable. Like all Guild 12-strings, this guy is built like a tank, good for generations to come.

Cosmetically, in addition to the slight finish “crazing” which one would expect in a hard-playing 44-year-old guitar’s finish, there a few dings, bruises, and a couple of deeper scratches. On the whole, this guitar is in very good condition: the tuners are original and work perfectly, there are no visible cracks, and the frets show relatively little wear. The neck is straight, the top is flat, and the action at the 12th fret is a tad over 3/32”—very good for a vintage 12-string.

So this tone monster is ready to rule the world—or at least your local jam. It is a truly classic instrument, a real Guild, “Made to be Played,” and it has worked hard making music and beating up on banjo and fiddle players for over forty years. While it doesn’t really show all this experience, more importantly it sure does sound like it: all that resonance released from a body which has been specifically designed to create big sound. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, this powerhouse will pass into the hands of players able to make music and turn heads for generations to come.

The included arched-top hard shell case is obviously original, and it has protected this classic well. The padded lining is soft and intact, and the pocket is even in great shape. There is no key for the locking latch, but structurally it is solid as a rock. It also fits like a glove and offers great protection for this wonderful vintage guitar.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have made every effort to describe and illustrate this vintage guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy this great guitar, as its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.

Thank you for your interest.

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

1974
Guild
Very Good
Original Hard
9 Years
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
ARTHUR H LUMPKIN
803-731-0515
Online Only
10:38 PM
24/7 by e-mail: akmgj@bellsouth.net. I'm old; I don't sleep much.

Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.

From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.

I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.