Looks good, sounds great

I'll preface with the note that I'm primarily an electric player, and I usually play a variety of styles from blues to classic rock to VERY heavy metal (with a focus on the latter) on guitars with wide/thin/flat "shred" type neck profiles (think Ibanez or Jackson). So, I'll be comparing neck profiles, fretwork, and playability to these types of guitars. I'll also be considering that this is a $550 import, not a $2K+ flagship model. With all that in mind, this beast is more than I was hoping for! This is my second "real" acoustic guitar (I'm not counting the crappy classical that my parents got me at a yard sale when I was 9), and my first 12-string - I am very pleased.

First things first: IT'S LOUD! I've played other Guild jumbos before, so I was expecting that, but it's been long enough that it was still a bit of a shock to hear and feel it again. They are NOT kidding when they say that the arched-back jumbo body really projects. Even so, it's really, really responsive to picking dynamics - you can get a much gentler sound if you pick lighter, and it doesn't compress too much when you hit it hard. I've read other reviewers mention it sounding a little brighter than they expected, and I noticed this as well, but this is pretty normal for a new acoustic guitar; the soundboard will "open up" after you play it for a while. Still, there's plenty of bass on tap, and the midrange is present but controllable - exactly what I was hoping for (and one of the biggest reasons I prefer jumbos over dreadnoughts).

I got mine from zZounds, and the specs that they publish differ from what's on the Guild site in one respect: zZounds says the fretboard and bridge are rosewood, while Guild says that they're pau ferro. To me they look and feel like pau ferro, but that's not a problem; just something that zZounds might want to update for accuracy. I actually like the tiny bit of extra "zing" from the pau ferro; it's like a cross between rosewood and ebony that feels and sounds nice. Everything else is on point: spruce top, bound maple body, mahogany neck, and what looks like real mother-of-pearl fretboard inlays and rosette. The Fishman/Guild piezo pickup and volume/tone preamp are very basic, but I especially like two things about them: The soundhole-mounted controls are a lot less noticeable than the more expansive preamps that usually sit on the side of the body, and I LOVE that they put the battery box in a jack-plate near the bottom strap pin instead of using an endpin jack.

Now for the playing experience: As noted above, it's loud, but responsive to picking adjustments. The change in tone as you play closer to the bridge or neck is especially notable; you can cut back on a lot of that "zing" by playing closer to the neck. I usually don't have guitars with pickguards, but in this case, the guard is shaped perfectly to cover exactly the area it needs to and nothing else - excellent design there. I haven't even listened to it plugged in yet; I've only plugged it in so I could tune it with the TU-3, but I'm sure it's "good enough" (seriously, is anyone buying a guitar like this to hear it through a piezo pickup? I'm not). Then.....

The Neck. Dude, I am REALLY stoked on this neck! Since it's not only an acoustic but a 12-string, I was prepared for it to be a lot less comfortable than my shred machines from Jackson, Ibanez, and Dean, but I have to say I'm impressed. Yea obviously it's thicker than those, but it's surprisingly NOT a baseball bat or 2x4. I haven't put a caliper on it, but I'd compare it to the thickness of some Schecter or ESP necks, just with a more D-shaped profile. Absolutely love it! The only complaint that I could imagine some people making is that there's no cutaway, so access above the 14th fret is nonexistent - but again, that's not what I wanted this for, so it's not a problem for me.

Chinese-built guitars have a middling reputation, and I'm sure there are examples of poor QC out there, but I guess I've been really lucky so far. This one looks, feels, and sounds really solid; I haven't found any of the issues you would normally look for in a guitar at this price point. Fretwork is clean and level (even after I adjusted the truss rod for the low action that I like), no glue drip, binding is tight and symmetrical, tuners are all straight and tight, nut and bridge are cut correctly, and no finish flaws that I can find. The nut pings a little when you tune, but this is normal with a bone nut, and I'm sure it will go away after I lube it up a bit.

There ARE a couple things that some people used to more expensive guitars might object to. The bits of MOP used for the rosette aren't cut COMPLETELY clean, there are tiny sections between where you can see a bit of filler if you look really closely. The boards used for the top and body aren't totally even-grained; there are color variations across them that are noticeable, but again, that's expected at this price range and not a problem for me (I kinda like it). Finally, the ONLY thing I don't love about this guitar: Satin finish. This is something that helps keep costs down, and some people actually prefer it, but I'm a sucker for the high-gloss finishes on everything. Not a deal-breaker; I might just grab some polish and see how shiny I can get it ;)

Wow

Wow. What amazing sound for a such price. Great deal. Don t make a mistake if you buy it