Guild F-2512E Deluxe 12-string Acoustic-electric Guitar - Antique Sunburst Reviews

I bought this guitar recently and I have to tell you I'm blown away by it. I own a boatload of great guitars including Gibsons, Martins, Masterbilts, and Alvarez. This one came shipped with a great setup. The action on it is low. The neck is around 2" at the nut. It makes for a very comfortable guitar to play even for fingerstyle. The finish is flawless. The electronics are basic, but good. For the money ($) I don't think I could have found a better playing 12 string. It's a real pleasure to play this instrument.

This guitar is a beauty. This guitar is LOUD, sounds beautiful, full but bright, and works well for singing over or accompanying others. The quality or fit and finish out of the box was obvious. I definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for an affordable but amazing 12 string.

I purchased this guitar for myself as my first 12-string guitar. First off, I have to give it to Guild on the quality of the build. The frets weren't sharp, the neck is satin like I like it and the resonance was amazing. I went to my local music shops and played a bunch of 12-string models out there and I can say that I am very happy with the sound I get out of this guitar, even in comparison to more expensive models. Does it sound like a $3000+ model, questionable; everyone's ear is different and there are more skilled people out there that could I'm sure. But also, am I good enough to spend that kind of money on a guitar I only play for fun, not likely. This is the first Guild I've ever purchased and for sure, it won't be the last one!

I got this gtr in sunburst and it is a great traditional color. It is big and needs a big case . I got the Gator molded case and it fits snugly. My dreadnought Guild 12 is also snug in that case because the lower body is almost as wide. The binding on the neck feels smooth. This gtr is 1/4 the price of a USA Guild 12. Thank you China; thank you Sweetwater !

I can safely say this guitar is well worth the money. I've compared it to several other comparable models from an array of brands and, to my hands and ears, this had the best feel and sound bar none. I actually preferred it over some much more expensive models. With Sweetwater's 55-point inspection I purchased with confidence and it arrived in the mail ready to be played. Definitely would recommend this Guild model to a friend. The cherry on top is that it's not just beautiful to hear and play, but beautiful to look at as well.

When I first checked out my new Guild 12 string , I was impressed! I had it set up and this one was set up right ! Sweetwater did an awesome job , thank you.The chime just keeps ringing out , I mean like endless !! Just beautiful Antique Sunburst finish has a shine better than some mirrors ! This is the front line of my 12 string arsenal

I received this guitar in 3 days from placing the order. Purchased along with a solid case. the Guitar was shipped inside the case and packaged perfectly. I opened up the case and my what a beautiful instrument! I checked alignment and finish and found it to be impeccable. I spent over 2 hours playing it after dinner that night to get acquainted. The overall sound seems well balanced with the phosphor strings. I think I'll play as is for a while before looking into a proper setup, doesn't really need one, but I have a little arthritis. I have researched this particular Guild model for well over a year and have bounced this thing in and out of my cart for months. I already own the 6 String version and this 12 string model is a solid guitar. I Plugged into a Fender Champion 40 and added a bit of chorus and this thing just comes alive and gives that shimmer that Guild 12 strings are so noted for. Please don't let the fact that this is an Asian manufactured instrument cause you to dismiss this model. If it didn't have an origin sticker on it, you would never know. Sweetwaters inspection team did a fantastic job going over this instrument. Fret work well done, polished, new strings, even came with a 9v battery installed which surprised me. I found my example to be everything you should expect from Guild and Sweetwater and probably the best value for my money on any instrument I have ever purchased.

When I really started to dig into the blues, I learned about Guild guitars. One guy specifically, Mississippi John Hurt and that guitar, wow! I was never able to put out the money for one, but I recently learned about the 2512 and saw the price point and I was in! I have not been disappointed as this guitar is absolutely gorgeous in both looks and sound. A good guitar is a good guitar, don't worry about where it is made, worry about how it can be played! This guitar is made to be played as they say.

Sweetwater did an excellent job with this order as well. I ordered it while on vacation and it was scheduled to be delivered the day I got back. There was an issue with my account though as I had not updated some things. I figured it out and called sweetwater and they fixed the issue even though it was my fault AND got the guitar delivered early somehow.

I am surprised I took the time to write this because I can't put this guitar down! Buy it!

I didn't know you could get one to play as easy as this one. Got it yesterday and it's perfect.

This ax is far more beautiful than expected !!! I've owned 12 strings in the past (in this price range and cheaper), but this one is by far the BIG BANG for ur buck !!! More and MOST important is the playability and sound ... i find this baby easy to play up and down the neck and sounds good...havent tried out the fishman yet (just unboxed this mng) but not worried...never had any probs with fishmans (yet...knock on wood)..if ur still scratching ur head going back and forth reading reviews over and over like i do then u can stop rite hear and go for it !!! All the positives r every bit true !!! At least in my case...once again u guys at sweetwater get my vote for #1 in customer service anywhere...

I have had several 12 strings in the past and did a lot of research before buying this one and a lot of talking to Tom, my Sales Engineer who has always been so helpful, I was going back and forth between Taylor, Takamine and Guild and finally settled on Guild and have been playing it for a number of days now and couldn't be happier. It is a beautifully built instrument with great action and a tremendous sound and will be perfect for certain songs to go along with my 6 string Taylor and 6 string Epiphone acoustic electrics.

I've been a guitar player for nearly 60 years and, own/have owned, many fine guitars. This Guild 12 string is amazing to play and hear. The sound is so balanced it just amazes me. I can not find a single flaw on this guitar. May be made in China, but this guitar compares in tone and quality to American made instruments. Loved getting the great photo set before the guitar arrived. Thanks Nate! You the man!

Don't turn your nose up to this Chinese made Guild. The workmanship is beautiful. It boasts an arched flame maple back with matching flame maple sides and is paired with a solid Sitka spruce top that produces a sweet crisp sound. This is a quality 12 String that could be used in a professional setting with no hesitation. You get a great guitar for the bucks.

Beautiful to look at, beautiful to play. It took less than 10 minutes to become my favorite.

I was looking for a quality but affordable 12 string. After doing research I learned you cannot go wrong with a Guild. This sings. It's also a good looker. I was looking at the maple top but my wife looked at the deluxe and said it was the way to go. Stunning looks to this guitar and it's weighted really well despite the larger headstock with all the tuners. So far I cannot walk past it with out picking it up and playing a few open chords.

The service from Sweetwater was amazing. Preston was my salesperson and with this being on back order he would call me each month to update me on the status of the delivery. Preston gave good advice as I was building my accessory package to go along with the guitar. I opted for the Guild case (jumbo) with built in humidifier but I may use a third party humidification system, still it's nice to have the option.

Sweetwater really cater for their customers. Buy this guitar and you will be happy. Buy it from Sweetwater and you will be happier still.

Great 12 string, just amazing quality for the price! Sounds amazing, couldn't find a a flaw, not even the smallest cosmetic flaw. I worked for a major guitar manufacturer for over 20 years, and I am REALLY impressed with this guitar, all the way around. Sweetwater did a very nice setup, they are the best dealer, period!

This guitar sounds great - and for $... - you can't beat it. Played so easy straight out of the box. Great choice if your looking for an affordable 12 string

This guitar feels way more expensive than it actually is. I can see myself playing this guitar for a very long time.

This guitar feels way more expensive than it actually is. I can see myself playing this guitar for a very long time.

Just got mine and I love it! Arrived in perfect condition with great action. For the price, you can't beat it. The antique burst finish and flamed maple are worth the upgrade price.

Sure, it's not the vaunted F-512 but it is pretty close! It's also not $3700.00!!! Out of the box a great set-up and inspection, as usual, from Sweetwater. Beautiful finish and appointments, easy playability/action. My one and only issue is the Fishman Sonitone pickup.....not great but passable with my LR Baggs Session DI.
If you are looking to add a 12 string to your arsenal I recommend giving this Guild a try.

This gtr played well out of the box. The neck binding felt good to grip.Warm bass is better on this guitar than Takamine.

Took the family along and played several 12 string options, everyone loved the full, sweet sound of this full-bodied guitar--so we took it home!
One thing about Guild...with the massive headstock and extra-wide body, it didn't fit in my hard-case when I got it home...
Really enjoying it though!

Just got mine Saturday night and the photos dont do it justice. Excellent construction and a great price! This guitar is really easy to play, the tone is great and the jumbo really projects. This is my first 12 string and cannot wait for the workday to end so I can get back to playing!

I'm not a seasoned 12 string player, so I was looking for a workable instrument that I wouldn't have to sink a whole lot of money into. The Guild Westerly 12 strings were some of the highest rated guitars in their category, so I decided to roll the dice - and I'm so happy that I did.

Not long after unboxing, most of my immediate concerns were quickly put to rest. Being a 12 string, the nut width was a bit wider that what I'm used to, but this is to be expected with a guitar designed to accommodate twice as many strings. Furthermore, being accustomed to playing dreadnoughts, the jumbo body size threw me a little at first. However, the added size contributes greatly to the instrument's projection. The tuners were a bit stiff, but they seem to be relaxing a little after some use. A big deterrent for some may be the fact that the back and sides of this guitar are laminate instead of solid wood, but I don't care if they glued old shoe boxes together - the projection and sustain are surprisingly high quality. The electronics are decent. The guitar seems to produce a clear signal, but I haven't had the chance to really crank the volume, and I've never been a huge fan of the internal 2 dial volume/tone setup.

Overall, this guitar is an amazing value. The construction quality is quite impressive for the price . If you happen to be considering dipping your toes in the 12 string pool, the Westerly series is a great place to start. Guild has a reputation for producing quality 12 string guitars.

Many guitars have come and gone but Guild is a staple constant. This 12 string is a great guitar value. It's not the top of the line and neither is the cost. It plays well and sounds great unplugged or plugged. I did try a much more expensive model. But it just isn't worth any difference in price. It's that good.

I'd say 5 stars for look and sound, 4 stars for quality, fit and finish. At five or six bills instead of three or four grand, I'd say that's a pretty sweet deal! After a few setup adjustments mine plays like a dream. The optional gig bag is actually quite nice as well and offers decent protection—nearly a soft/hard case as compared to a dust-cover style gig bag. I've always wanted a Guild Jumbo (and it is easily the LARGEST guitar I have ever owned, out of dozens). All in all, I'm quite pleased and plan to enjoy this one for many years to come!

This guitar looks great and sounds pretty good, too. The first thing that caught my eye was the gloss finish on the top and sides. I would have liked to see it on the back of the headstock too, but that is satin like the rest of the neck.

The electronics are almost minimal. There is no onboard tuner, but there are onboard volume and tone controls. It sounds predictably so-so plugged in, as most piezos do.

There are no braces on the back, which is laminate, not solid like it says in the listing.

The setup is pretty nice. It feels good to play, though it needs a little work with the nut files to keep it from catching. The intonation isn't spot on but it's close. Sweetwater can do these things for a charge.

Overall, it's a cool guitar and worth the price. I am sure I will enjoy it.

I play a lot of 12 string, acoustic and electric. My main one is a Guild F512 and that is an awesome but expensive guitar. I also have a Martin D12 and X2E12 was looking for a decent jumbo 12 for alt tuning while on stage. This is a pretty good guitar, and it has a much fuller sound than most 12 strings that are more expensive. Fairly well balanced. Neck is as big as necks get and takes getting used to. Others have mentioned the cheap plastic nut - I agree, mine pitches and needed work immediately. Get that replaced with tusk or bone. Sweetwater will do that before they send it and the only reason I didn't was I needed the guitar for a gig. Kicking myself now. A few years ago Guild was putting out crap guitars but they seem to be back, even if it's made in China.

Bought the guitar to try it out thanks to Sweetwater's great return policies. Loved the look of it on the website. Ended up keeping it, thanks to it's great sound. The only downside so far is the pickups aren't super great so far. I'll have to do some heavy EQing for my live setup it seems.

Received my new Guild F-2512E Deluxe and was amazed at the construction and attention to detail. The finish was outstanding. I found no high or sharp edges on the frets (which is sometimes common for lower priced instruments). The binding is smooth and precise. The bridge had no unglued edges and seems very tight and correctly machined. The bone nut and saddle were cut clean and did not extend over the edge of the fretboard. Neck is typical Guild, meaning it is somewhat robust, but this does not interfere with the chordeing after playing it for a while. Bridge pins are plastic. I looked inside the guitar and the bracing is glued correctly with no extra glue to be seen, attention to detail was good. Electronics are solid and sound good for this style guitar. Neck was straight with minor relief and the guitar was set up very well, plays well out of the box. Tuners are somewhat tight and are not the highest grade, but so far they work well. Overall, for the price point Guild has a winner in this category of entry level 12 string/electric with this guitar.

Just got this guitar and I like it a lot. Beautiful finish, the sunburst over the flamed maple is sweet! The sound is great The action is okay, I will play around a little bit to see if I can get it tweaked. All in all a great deal. I agree with the other poster the upgrade is worth it. Sounds great plays well, and looks fantastic.

Bob McGowan
Milwaukee WI