Guild indeed has been the benchmark in 12-strings for a long time, deservedly so. In more recent times, they've been getting some competition for "benchmark" status from Taylor, which makes some of the most playable 12s out there, for money comparable to a Guild. However, it ain't the brand that counts most, it's the guitar. Only you are in a position to evaluate this one and decide whether it truly plays as easy and sounds as good as you want it to.

As for hand cramps, my experience is that this is generally less a function of the gauge of strings you use, and more a function of other variables: the setup of the guitar (have you kept it "tuned up" so the action stays consistent? twelve steel strings can exert a lot of tension on the neck, causing the action to creep up over time); the width of the neck (is your fretting hand trying to do too much in too small a space? this can change as you get older); a number of ergonomic considerations (how long is your strap, what angle does the guitar hang at, how much do you cock the wrist on your fretting hand, etc.); and your playing style (do you always hold down a full chord when a partial would do? do you hold notes or chords for longer than you need to? are you working with a limited chord vocabulary, which can force your hand to hold the same position for a long time and lead to fatigue? etc.). I would suggest that you give some thought to these other variables, and if you have someone near you who is an experienced player, have him or her watch you play and make suggestions. This difficulty may have more to do with you than with the guitar. The more you know about these factors, the better basis yuou will have for selecting the instrument that's right for you. Good luck.