Guild F-1512 Jumbo 12-string Acoustic Guitar - Natural Reviews

For the money, I think this is a great guitar. I love playing it. With all solid woods the tone comes through, beautiful and true. The sound is deep and full, I tune it 1/2 step down (old school). The quality is great, it's a beautiful instrument. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. Plus, I love that it's a Guild.

I hadn't touched a guitar since my Goya 12 string was stolen in 1976. I picked up a six string at a garage sale and started playing again a few months ago. Then the 12th string bug bit me again. This 12 string is really amazing. It has great sound and is very playable. I am enjoying it immensely, getting back into the swing of playing a 12 string guitar. I highly recommend this instrument.

I have owned several 12 strings,all of them were solid wood, this Guild however is the best sounding by far and worth every penny. A special shout out to James Wroblewski! Sweetwater has excellent service bar none and my my purchase was made very enjoyable. I was nervous about the shipping but I received my Guild double packed with no problems or damage, it was beautifully polished along with being not far out of tune. Thanks Sweetwater!

The F-1512 is a first for me in a few categories. This is my first 12-string. It is also the first time I bought a guitar online. As well, it was my first MIC guitar.

The first time I picked up a 12-string I thought, "Oh boy, how am I going to play this thing." The size - Jumbo, wide neck, etc. I've demo'd a few brands at my local store and was not expecting how easily the Guild was to play and how it sounded compared to the other brands. The local store had the F-2512 but I wanted the F-1512.

I was always hesitant to buy a guitar online for obvious reasons. Not able to pick it up and play it, not knowing how it is going to sound and feel, not knowing if it's going to arrived undamaged. Well, as my luck would have it, it arrived a little damaged, most probably from a hard knock while in transit. I contacted my sales rep, Clint Bransteter, he really has always been awesome in answering my various questions about previous orders and once again provided unsurpassed support. He apologized for the inconvenience and assured me that a replacement would go out ASAP. The replacement was expedited and arrived safe and sound. The entire team involved with the replacement - Clint, Joe, and Tony showed sense of urgency and great professionalism. Especially Tony, who pulled the exact replacement serial number that I had wanted and had it shipped out that very same day, a weekend no less.

In the past, I've been hesitant to buy overseas made guitars. The long distance container shipping of a delicate wood crafted product, the quality control possibilities, and overall quality of fit and finish. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised after pulling the guitar out of the box and thoroughly inspecting it and I have no qualms about the overall fit and finish. On my particular replacement sample, there was only a tiny bit of minor imperfection on the backside of the headstock behind the tuners and I mean minor. Actually, I found the fit and finish to be better than some of the Made In USA guitars I have recently seen, predominately coming from one of the big three USA manufacturers.

Now, if you've made it this far, you're probably wondering how does the guitar sound and play? In a word, marvelously. There is that wonderful jangly sound but with very balanced tone - not overly chimey like the F-2512, though there's nothing wrong with that if that's the sound you're after. This thing can get LOUD and projects. I got used to playing it and went back to my other guitars - dreadnought and grand auditorium style bodies and to my unexpected bewilderment bordering on near disappointment, the latter two sounded a little anemic - with one costing three times as much as the F-1512. The playability for me is excellent. I only had to make a minor adjustment to the truss rod after the guitar environmentally settled in my house. In some ways, I find the 12-string easier to play with a wider nut, though it will take a little more finger strength vs. a 6-string. I just can't get over the sound, simply heavenly. I'm giving it a solid 5-stars to show how much I enjoy playing this guitar, despite the almost imperceptible blemish on the headstock. And, of course, a SOLID-5 for the Sweetwater Team.

I am very pleased with this guitar. I have owned Taylor 12 strings in the past and I was in the market for a new 12 string since I sold my last one. With Gage's help I was able to narrow it down to the Guild F-1512 Natural. The Sweetwater techs added the electronics I needed, and they did a great job on the setup. Right out of the case it plays with ease and the sound is amazing. This is my first Guild guitar and it has been a great choice.

Playing for over 69 years; my second acoustic 12 (first was given away); had the instrument plek pro procedure! I am blown away by the richness and depth of sound coming out of this guitar. Still have my first Guild F47 1968 original owner and this 12 just completes everything I love about Guild guitars! The price: incredible value. Also bought the jumbo Guild humidifier case! Loving it!

Tom and the rest of your associates involved in my purchase were excellent! My new Guild 12 string lacked electronics. The LR Baggs Anthem was recommended and your technicians installed it to my specifications. A new set of GHS strings was also installed and it sounds amazing! I also ordered a SKB case and requested that the guitar be shipped in the case and not separately. Again, it was shipped per my request. I received shipment on Friday, Feb 18 and took it to a local open mic on the following Tuesday. EVERYONE fell in love with it and just had to play it. I have had it for about 4 months now and it just sings! Thank you, Sweetwater for once again demonstrating why you are the best!

I am just getting back into guitars after a long hiatus. I had played many 12 strings before and remembered them as tempermental and hard to play, but loved the sound. The Guild F-1512 is not that way at all. It is easy to tune and holds tune well, but better than that, it plays like a dream. The action on this guitar is beautiful from one end of the neck to the other, and I have found it as easy to play as my Taylor 6-string.
What really knocked me out is the beautiful tone it has. It is smooth across the entire band with excellent, balanced sound through the bass, midrange and treble. I'm sure this is due to the rosewood back and sides as well as the jumbo size. This is a big guitar, but it is surprisingly easy to handle, even for a small guy like me. This guitar is beautiful, and looks, sounds, and plays like a very high dollar 12 string. It is quickly becoming my favorite acoustic to play, due to the richness of the sound alone.
Lot of thanks to my Sales Engineer Ryan McKowen, who helped me through the process of choosing the right 12 string. He also encouraged me to have Sweetwater Plek it and put a set up on it. Well worth the money, because this guitar is one I will keep and cherish! I can't imagine ever dealing with anyone but Ryan and Sweetwater for any of my music needs.

This is a beautiful guitar and compares well with models costing considerably more. Well-crafted and built with care, it is very attractive as well. The 12-string sound is unmistakable for playing all of my favorite classic Beatles, Byrds, Zepplin and Nancy Wilson (Heart) songs. Could not be more pleased!

This is a beutiful guitar and compares well with models costing considerably more. Well-crafted and built with care, it is very attractive as well. The 12-string sound is unmistakable for playing all of my favorite classic Beatles, Byrds, Zepplin and Nancy Wilson (Heart) songs. Could not be more pleased!

All around great sounding Guild 12 string jumbo! Nice woods and solid build. I done the setup myself, now it plays like butter!! Extremely happy with purchase. Thanks Robby!

I just received my new Guild F-1512 Jumbo Acoustic Guitar - Natural and the guitar is beautiful. I choose to get the guitar setup by Sweetwater. The string action is perfect. Thanks Jake..
Andrew Keech my sales engineer was excellent to work with. HE is very knowledgeable and spent the time to ensure all my questions were answered. Thanks Andrew..

I have had this Guild since November 2018.

I'm writing this review now, as a retrospective as this 12 string turned out as the perfect choice for me.

Upon delivery, I did have some setup problems to deal with. There was the dreaded "hump" at the neck joint that needed attention, and some high frets in a few spots had to be delt with.

The Saddle was in need of a bit of work getting the contour to match the fretboard radios.

Nothing really out of reach to have addressed with a good setup tech, which is what I did.

Once the setup issues on the one I was sent were resolved, the guitar plays like a million bucks, and it sounds amazing.

The F1512 checks every box.

2+ years later, the neck has not moved, at all (dual truss rod in these guitars definitely was a good decision) I've not had to anything but change the strings when the time comes.

It sounds excellent, it plays excellent, it's 100% solid build wise.

And finally, if you're looking for a good hard case verses Guilds hard/soft case, the Gator Jumbo Acoustic case is a perfect fit.

Guild replaced a dream with reality And a wore out 12 from another brand This guild guitar was made just for me ( how did they know) beautiful ,quality, smooth they know what they are doing This guitar is made for players Price range on point I have been looking at more expensive other brands but no others came close to what I WAS looking for thanks Guild Long story how this guitar came about I would like to thank everyone involved Timothy VanSlyke and crew Thanks Buzz

I had bought 2 guitars from other makers from Sweetwater that were returned because they weren't what I was looking for. For me it is tough to buy a guitar with out playing it first and I was finicky. I just recieved my New Guild F-1512 with the PRO Set up. WOW!!!! Beautiful! Great set up very easy to play, thanks Jeff (the Luthier). Fit and finish of this instrument is outstanding. Sound is even, full and loud. Just what I was looking for. The whole Sweetwater team that handled me was on the money. Yuval Fuch had the patience to guide me to this wonderful instrument (many thanks Yuval, your the best).

With my apprciation,
Steve

I received my new Guild F-1512 today and I am very happy with it. It sounds amazing! It has a very balanced tone the action is great all of the way up the neck. Guild has built a great guitar at a great price and Sweetwater once again has provided customer service second to none!!! Thanks again....Joe Batterton

This is an amazing sounding instrument -took me a while to decide on this
(was trying to decide on the Yamaha or the Guild -Yamahas fret board is narrower )
Being a Guild guy from way back , i typically only buy American - and took a chance on this.
Ive played the F 512 and its always been a dream of mine , but 12 string is a secondary
instrument for me ( i dont play out any more ) so I bought the upper end Chinese version.
The interior is very clean , professionally constructed -nice bracing , arched back ( which is phenominal )
I even went the extra distance and bought the premium case ( just a little nicer than the deluxe case )
Ive done a little bit of hot rodding ( graphite in string slot at top etc. ) the only criticism i have
is that the fretboard was stained and for the first couple days of playing a little bit came off on my hands -
I solved this by wiping down the fret board -actually was a simple fix -and it didnt bother me .
Jordan is a first class guy -id buy again from him in a heart beat. their teem their is amazing
they even took extra time to pack everything up with foam at the top and bottom of the shipping box -
and by the way my daughter loved the candy !
Tony Burns

I am totally happy with my new Guild 1512 guitar!! I am also totally satisfied with the excellent service I alway get from Kyle Ratayczak. He promptly replies to all of my questions and concerns. I can feel assured I will get a well prepared guitar in just a few days. Thanks Kyle!!

Guild have always been known for their 12-string guitars, with their F-512 model reaching iconic status thanks to its use by David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and others. Of course an American-made guitar with such a pedigree comes with a wallet-obliterating price, at nearly $4000.

Fortunately Guild has been paying attention to the needs of working- class players with guitars like this model, the F-1512 from their Westerly series. The value here in the materials at this price point is tremendous: a solid Sitka Spruce top is matched to solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, something nearly unheard of at this price. Appointments are just opulent enough to give some understated elegance without becoming ostentatious, with a the soundhole rosette, fretboard dots, and headstock logo all inlaid in mother-of-pearl (and judging from appearance, the real deal, not acrylic.)

Playability hasn't been compromised either. The neck is relatively thin, wide C profile. Note the 'relatively': the neck by nature has to be somewhat chunky to accommodate 12 strings. Nut width is listed at 1 7/8". The fret job us good, nicely crowned with no buzzes or dead frets (a few fret ends are a tiny bit sharp, but nothing that bothers my hands at all and perfectly acceptable in a mid-priced instrument.) My example came with the action set nicely low. The body is Guild's F-style jumbo size, which could possibly present a comfort issue to some players of smaller stature- this is a BIG guitar (17" across the lower bout.)

The advantage of all that size becomes apparent once you start playing, though... this is an absolute cannon of a guitar, with big, rich lows nicely complementing the requisite 12-string jangle. Both open chords and arpeggios ring out clear and true. This guitar will definitely make sure you're heard in most acoustic jam settings, even without amplification (there is an acoustic-electric version available.)

In short, the F-1512 is an outstanding value. All solid-wood spruce and rosewood acoustics at a $... price point are rare to begin with, and 12- strings all but unheard of. This is a great way to get a good bit of the F-512 mojo at nearly a quarter of the price. Unless you're someone who absolutely has to have all their guitars made in 'Murica there's no reason not to give this one a try.

From Gerard Stroh In Tracy Ca.
4 Years Ago I Got The Guild F-1512 12 string Guitar and I Was Surprised How Good This Guild Guitar Was Because Of The Price I Payed For It and This Guitar Has A Big Deep & Bright Sound and I Tune This Guitar Down to Low B and I Had To Use Some Baritone Acoustic Guitar Strings With Standerd 12 Sets and Ware The B String Would Be An Octive String and This 12 String Guitar Is Great Using The Right Strings For This Tuning!!
I am A Big Fan Of The Late John Denver and He Played A Big Guild F-612 xl 12 string Guitar Desighn By Carlo Greco in The 70's and The Body Was 18 inches At The Lower Bout And The Scale Length Was 26 1/2 Inches Like A Baritone Guitar Was!!
John Denver Had A Capo On The First Fret to Be E Standed Tuning and I Wish Guild Is Made This Guitar!!!
Besides All Of That This Guild Guitar Really Sounds Good And It Is Very Good!!!
I Own 2 Other Guild Guitars One Is A USA Made Guild D-25 12 string Guitar Made In 1987 And It Stills Play's Good!!!
I Also Have A Guild B-30 Acoustic Bass Fretless Super Jumbo Guitar With An 18 Lower Bout On The Body and 7 inches Deep!!
So If You Looking For A Good Acoustic 12 String Guitar The Guild Is The Winner and It Blows The Taylor 12 String Guitars Out Of The Water Because The Guild 12 Guitars Have 2 Trust Rods In The Neck and Guild Guitars Are Better and The Sound Is Also Better Too!!!!

When the guitar arrived I took it out of the box and The guitar was absolutely beautiful far more than I expected. I tried to play it and it sounded horrible. I remembered reading somewhere I was to let the guitar acclimate for 24 hours. So I put it back in its case and went out of town for 3 days. I was so excited When I got back home and thought it would sound like on Sweetwaters demos. Well I was wrong it Still sounded horrible. I figured it could be that I live in Louisiana and the humidity is high so I Search YouTube on how to tune a 12 String. I successfully tuned it and the guitar sounds amazing. I played it for my family and they were even amazed by its sound. The case Is also nice. This guitar I will have for a long time.

I've now had my new Guild 12 string for a couple of weeks and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I bought a used Guild 12 when I was in grad school in the late 1970s and loved it. At some point, with a wife in law school and a toddler at home, I sold it to help pay the bills. I've always wanted once ever since, with the pandemic, I've started playing more again and after a long search, I settled on this one.

The quality of the wood is amazing and the guys at Sweetwater we're great to work with. For a modest set up fee, they did a great job of getting it to me in perfect shape. It rings like a bell and even with a capo up the neck, it plays perfectly with no buzzing and is remarkably easy to play for a 12 string.

I'd be shocked if anyone doesn't think it would be difficult to find a better sounding, well made guitar for the money,

Loved the specs and the price I got, but what ultimately sold me were the rave reviews. Too many not to be true. So I had high expectations when I bought it. And it does not disappoint. Easy and comfortable to play, and it projects that full dynamic sound that one wants with a good acoustic 12-string. This checks all the boxes.

I haven't owned a twelve string since my college years decades ago but I always admired the Guilds of that era. While this one is made in China, it is a remarkably well-crafted instrument, beautiful to look at, beautiful to hold, easy to play, built from what appear and sound to be top-notch materials expertly assembled. Action and intonation are great all the way up the neck. The sound is bright and full of chiming overtones and a wonderful phasing effect on big open chords but with a really solid and clear bottom end that sounds great for single note lines. It's LOUD when played hard. It responds really well to picking dynamics and compresses nicely when I really dig in with hard strumming but it also reveals sweet ringing tones and tons of subtle sustain with a lighter touch. I like the width of a the fingerboard for a twelve-string and the scale-length and neck radius feel just right in my hands. The neck works well for for playing with finger picks. The mahogany used on the neck has subtle grain and though it's a gloss finish it feels smooth and plays without any stickiness at all. The soft case it comes with is really nice, well padded, a good alternative to a hard shell case in my opinion. It fits the jumbo body really nicely. If I have one quibble it's that I wish the tuning heads had higher ratio. You can use that on a twelve string where it's good to have maximum precision. That's why I knocked of half a star. Even so, it is just a fabulous instrument. I am playing it for about an hour every day. Sweetwater's service as always was great, the packaging was fantastic (double-boxed, with foam in place padding keeping it secure) and the instrument arrived super fast. Jim Swain, my sales rep, was responsive as always.

Had this guitar about a month now and it is a beast. Open chords, especially those utilizing the lower strings, have a huge sound that is really great. It really booms out the bass, but the highs are still plenty audible and just has this awesome big full sound. Am really enjoying playing songs that are supposed to have a 12 string that just never sounded right on my 6 string; e.g., Wanted Dead or Alive, Free Fallin', etc... Really great to finally have that proper 12 string sound on those sorts of songs.

It is my first 12 string, so am adapting to having to fret two strings at a time. It requires quite a bit more hand strength than a standard 6 string acoustic, and certainly more than an electric. Barre chords are tricky to get all strings properly fretted, but that's more of a fault of me than the guitar. Imagine it will just take time. The neck width is noticeably wider than a 6 string. I have medium sized hands but can still play it fine. Some chord shapes are a bit more challenging, but is still relatively easy to play.

It stays in tune fairly well, though the high B and E strings tend to fall out of tune faster than the others. Able to play with a capo on various parts of the neck and it stays in tune pretty well regardless of where the capo is at.

Speaking of tuning, the tuners are the reason I knocked half a star off the rating. They are sufficient, but not as smooth and precise as I would expect for a guitar at this price point. I have a Martin 6 string that's about the same price as this, and a PRS electric that is lower price than this, and both of those have smoother more accurate tuners. The tuners on this one hold tuning fine, but adjusting the tuning has some initial slop before the tuners actually turn the strings. And after they do start turning, they just aren't that smooth. Maybe they need to wear in a bit more? I don't know. Definitely not a deal breaker, and a minor complaint, but still feel they should be better for what this guitar cost.

The overall fit and finish of the guitar is beautiful. No flaws that I can find and it looks and feels great.

The included gig bag is very nice, for a soft bag. Of course would have been nice to have a hard case, but oh well.

Overall I very much enjoy this Guild F-1512 and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quality 12 string that can't afford or justify the cost of an American-made one.

I purchased the F1512 about a month ago. First of all, the sound output is what you'd expect from a Guild Jumbo 12-string: loud and full and fairly balanced. There's a decent amount of low end and jangle. It really sounds great. As with many 12-string acoustics, the neck is wide and flat, and would take adjustment if you're not familiar with the feel. Guild kindly uses a very shallow neck depth, which helps my grip. As far as the detailing, it's a very pretty guitar. There are some minor visual imperfections, as I've seen on many guitars in this price range or lower. Nothing that affects sound or value. (ex. minor imperfections in the pickguard, minor finish "quirks", etc.). Now, the "eh" list. First of all, this was the highest bridge that I've ever seen on a guitar. I didn't get a Sweetwater setup. I do it myself or go to a local tech. It was challenging to even play and assess, when it arrived. Without the truss adjusted properly, and shipped in concert pitch, there was some concerning tension and bend on the neck, as well as some considerable belly for a new guitar. This made the truss stick more than I felt comfortable with. Thought about a return/exchange. In the end, I took it to my local tech to inspect and, if all was well, setup. Happy ending! With the setup and some new strings, it plays better than other similar 12-strings that I've played in this price range. The other "eh" thing to be aware of is that Guild (under Cordoba) no longer provides a hard-shell case with these guitars. It's upsetting. I own a 2012(ish) Guild D-125... It's a remarkably good all solid mahogany dreadnaught, for the price. It included a beautiful hardshell case. The F1512 is twice as expensive (equal, not twice the quality), and comes with a heather gray soft shell case. It's got a style. It looks like someone made a bag out of polo shirts. Not really for me, unfortunately. When in doubt, make it black, Guild. So, I had to buy the $180 hardshell case with a built in humidifier, which is all that Guild offers. I dehumidify where I live, but whatever. It would be nice if it were 2-way system. Oh well. In the end, I'm glad I didn't have to pay +$3000 for a decent 12-string jumbo acoustic. In spite of some of these details, I'm really looking forward to hearing and seeing how this lovely guitar grows over time. And, for now, I'm glad that I bought it. Not sure the final $... (guitar and case) is an accurate price tag, but that's capitalism for you.

I have wanted a 12-string for maybe 10 years and have been fooling around with guitars for about 37 years. I didn't want to go cheap, because I've owned and played many guitars and am confident that I know without a doubt that to a pretty great extent you get what you pay for, and truly good guitars don't come cheap. I think about one thousand is the cutoff for most any type of guitar if you really want something that was cared for at all during manufacturing. Maybe I'm naïve. But I've personally owned many cheap guitars and several really nice ones and the difference is striking. Okay, so, I unbox this thing and the soft case is probably the nicest *looking* one that I've seen. Classy. Not my idea case, especially since I think this guitar cries out for a hard shell. Nevertheless, it's certainly a comfy and cozy bed for the guitar. I'd had Sweetwater do a pro setup on it before shipment so was expecting it to be pretty well in tune and to feel great. I was not disappointed. There is a heck of a lot of graphite-like grime on the strings for some reason. I strum it and the luscious sound of 12 new strings reverberates in my living room. After picking and strumming for twenty minutes or so I am still smiling and wanting to go on. Gotta get to work and get those hours out of the way, but tonight I'm back at it and happy to pick it up again. So, first impression is a good one. It's a but more Taylor-twang sounding than I'd hoped, as the low end is not as baritone as I'd wanted, but that might also be the strings to some extent (came with .47). The neck is definitely a bit wider than any six-string I've played. It rings out nicely. I would like to have seen the tuners be more precise. Will try and update this in a month or so.