1999 Guild JF-55-12
The Guild JF-55-12 was made from 1991 to 2001 in the Westerly, R.I., plant, basically replacing the slightly smaller F-312 according to the Guild website; it is considered by many to be the greatest 12-string acoustic of all time. According to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars and the serial number (AJ520411), it was one of the last JF-55-12s produced at the Westerly plant before it closed and the model was discontinued. This particular guitar has dominated lesser instruments for almost 20 years now, and its resonance will only improve with its new generation of players. Its classic mojo, gorgeous woods, and extravagant inlay make it stand out in any crowd, but it’s the huge sound that will make other players turn around to check it out.
The JF-55-12 features Guild’s revered jumbo body style in 12-string configuration, a solid AAA spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, three-piece African Mahogany neck, scalloped bracing, abalone rosette, bound ebony fretboard with pearl block/abalone wedge inlays, gold tuners, and an ebony bridge with ivoroid abalone-dot pins. It is fully bound, top and back, with multi-stripe binding on top, and it has a large black pick guard. The three-piece mahogany/maple neck supports a 14/20 fret ebony fingerboard which ends in a bound blackface headstock with six-per-side gold Grover tuners and the pearl inlaid Guild name and Chesterfield logo. It is a full-sized jumbo shape, with a 17” lower bout width, 5” body depth, and a 25.625” scale.
There are some minor cosmetic issues to report. There is relatively little pick wear or fret wear for a hard-playing 19-year-old guitar, but there are a few visible dings and bruises, some slight finish checking, a six-inch professionally repaired humidity crack in the top lower bout, and the bridge has been re-glued. The twelve gold Grover tuners are original and work perfectly, and the action is wonderfully low—especially for a 12-string—at a bit under 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. All in all, this gorgeous tone monster is ready to rule the world—or at least your local jam. If you need even more power because you’re playing in a football stadium or something, there is a pre-amp and under-saddle pickup accessed through an end pin jack.
This 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 almost twenty years. Its beauty and great sound will make anyone else forget whatever they’re playing and envy its owner. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, it will pass into the hands of a player able to make music and turn heads for a generation or two to come.
The included deluxe arched-top hard shell case is obviously original to this guitar, in near excellent condition, and of course fits the JF-55-12 shape perfectly. The hinges and the six latches work well, the plush lining is soft and intact, and it is solid as a rock. It proudly displays the Guild logo on the top and is an excellent complement to this wonderful 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; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.
Thank you for your interest in this excellent guitar.
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.