Guild D-2612CE Deluxe 12-String Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Antique Sunburst

Originally I was looking into purchasing Guild F-2512CE blonde guitar, but could not find it new anywhere. In the local store I have tried Martin DC-X2E 12 string and Guild F-2512 guitars. Martin playability was perfect for me. The Guild one had it close, but it also had much bigger sound. So, I took a chance and ordered D-2612CE online. Got it a few weeks ago. The big sound was there, but it was painful to play. The guitar had quite a relief. I had to adjust the truss rod, and it took almost full 360 degree turn to straighten the neck, and achieve desirable action. I am not sure whether this guitar was sitting in the warehouse for very long time, but it looked like no one had checked it before shipping…. With low action and big sound the guitar is perfect now. I would also definitely recommend Guild to do a better job packing a guitar. It was covered in a very thin layer of foam . The headstock ripped the foam, and even penetrated through the box. Luckily the guitar was double boxed, and was not damaged. I would recommend wrapping it into a thicker foam, or using a bubble wrap.

My choice was between the Martin DC-X2E and the Guild D-2612 CE 12 string guitars. I went to a local dealer and was able to demo Martin guitar. They did not have the Guild D-2612 CE, but they had Guild F-2512E there. Martin guitar playability was perfect with very low action. The Guild was comparable, but it also sounded bigger. I wanted to get a cutaway version, which was Guild F-2512CE blonde, but I could not find it anywhere. There were some demo ones that were slightly discounted, but I was not willing to pay almost full price for not a brand new guitar. I assume these were discontinued and replaced with the D-2612 CE. So, I ordered one online unseen and received it about a week ago. While, as I mentioned, I would have preferred a blonde version, the D-2612 CE only comes in sunburst. It is very beautiful, and the ebony sides and back are stunning. The guitar had the same big sound with great lows. It is very well built, and quite impressive. Now, the guitar I got had very high action, and when I checked the neck, it had quite a relief. It was literally painful to play. I wonder how they would send a guitar like that to a consumer. Aren't they supposed to check things like that? My understanding is that this is a new 2024 model, so even if it was sitting in the warehouse for a while, it could not be for that long. The neck had really "bad" relief, and I had to adjust the trust rod quite drastically (almost full turn) in order to straiten the neck and achieve the desired low action. Since I only have the guitar for a week or so, I cannot comment on how well it stays in tune, but I hope it will not be an issue. I do wish they included on-board turner like Martin and many other guitars had. If you put electronics in, why not include the tuner with it? This is a 12 string guitar, and having an on-board tuner would help a lot. If people from Guild are reading this, please take a note… Packing is another thing that I would say needs improvement. The guitar came double boxed, but while they wrapped the guitar in very thin foam material, the headstock made a whole in fabric and broke the cardboard on the top. Luckily there were no damages on the headstock, but I would definitely recommend using a bubble wrap or much thicker foam to protect the guitar better. Last but not least, both Martin and Guild guitars are priced similarly, but Martin comes with the gig bag, and the Guild does not. Now I have to get a bag or a case for it…

The perfect 12 string for the price, the acoustic sound of this guitar is excellent if you're searching for a good 12 string and have the money to buy this guitar is the best option

This guitar looks and sounds great. The neck is extremely comfortable for me. The strings feel smooth and are easy to play. If you're looking for a 12-string guitar in this price range - go for it!

Astonishing bass that comes out this guitar all thanks to the arched back design!

The guitar is pretty good out of the box, the action height is a bit tall but with some rod adjustment, you can make it fit your needs. The sound is premium and there is no buzz whatsoever.