#19 and #20
New acquisitons, or take two and hit to right:
Really not actively hunting in the wild anymore. Especially since I'm retired and not holding a full-time job.
But I recently decided to get a laminated big body 12 string to use in times of wicked humidity when the solid bodies don't sound so solid at the time. Not having a lot of disposable income and not wanting to sell anything, I decide to check out the inexpensive Guild F-2515 Jumbo 12 string natural. In addition, my favorite Guitar Center (the one behind Fenway Park) was having a small sale on low end items. So I went down and played one, loved the playability and sound (the tuners are a little wonky, but I can live with them), and it ended up following me home. Very happy and can put a little bow on this simple story.
But here comes the call of the wild. Spent some time with a used sunburst Sigma J-200 Jumbo clone. Was in really great shape, maybe never been played. The strings were really aged from disuse. But it was well set up and obviously needed a new set of strings. Time for a little 'net research on this bad boy.
So here I go back to GC and taking another serious look at it. Spent some more time with it and figure it was worth a shot, even if new strings didn't work out, I could always return it with the new strings gratis.
Wicked happy I took that chance. Old strings were actually extra light .011 - .052 (handy analog calipers at home) which is way understrung for a big bout Jumbo. Put some of my favorite Elixir PB HD Lights (.013 - .053) on it as soon as I got home, and that axe began to sing a sweet song or three. Strings stretching out a bit even as I write. Turns out the guy who traded it in had some Sigma catalogs in the accompanying padded Sigma gigbag. I have some conflicting info and some outright incorrect info between the catalog and the 'net. For example, the catalog implies that it is a short scale, but it measures the same as a Gibson J-200 Jumbo scale at 25+1/4". And there is some uncertainty as to whether it's a solid body or a laminate. Just on the numbers, it seems by a 3-2 opinion of the research that it is a solid maple back and sides. Not going to worry much about it, but it seems closer to my solid bodies than my laminates.
Anyway, wicked happy about my new Guild 2512 and my new-to-me Sigma GJA SG-200. And not too bad a hit to my credit card for that one either. Important for a semi-retired retiree.
I fingerpick all my instruments using my nails as picks. And this Sigma is one sweet fingerpicker I can tell you. And so is that Guild 2512 too. And as I've mentioned before, my favorite guitar body shapes are the Jumbo and Jumbo-related shapes.
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New Edit ==> Forgot to mention a couple of important things.
The Guild 12 string neck is 1+7/8" wide at the nut, same as a Taylor. Jumbo body is cut slightly different from a Gibson/Epiphone J-200 and will not comfortly fit into an Epiphone J-200 case. Currently resides in a nice Guild soft shell padded gig-bag.
The Sigma CG-200 has a nut width of 1+3/4". And the neck is carved fatter than is currently fashionable. I like the nut width better than the 1+11/16" on a Gibson/Epiphone J-200. (Most Taylors have that same 1+3/4" width.) And I like the carve a lot; feels like a natural extension of my hand. Carve reminds me of a Gibson Les Paul Custom 2 pick-up 'fretless wonder' I used to own back in the 60s. (Wonderful electric guitar, second only in sound to a Gibson flametop cherry sunburst Les Paul standard. Those were the days.)
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Be well and play well.
Don
{Originally posted in another guitar forum, in a thread titled "Thrill of the Hunt?"}