1998 Froggy Bottom H-12 #H431 Spruce Koa

Description

1998 Froggy Bottom H-12 #H431 Spruce Koa

Features

Tone Woods

Measurements

1998 Froggy Bottom H-12 #H431 Spruce Koa

Comments:

This happens to be a spectacular guitar.  Michael Millard is clearly among the best of acoustic guitar builders.  The guitar is brilliant, powerful, easy enough to play with 13s on her (my preference) and what a sound out of her!  Superb.  This particular H-12 is built by and signed by Michael.

Froggy Bottom Model H-12 Grand Concert Guitar is responsive to the touch, with a rich and complex voice, the H12 has been Froggy Bottom Guitar’s best-selling design for over 20 years. Small enough to be really comfortable, but with volume and tone that will surprise and delight you, the H-12 is an excellent choice for finger-style guitarists.  Brand new with Koa, this guitar would sell for $11-12K

The guitar is primarily in wonderful condition.  I found a ding on one bout, another, and a small finish problem by the neck on the treble side of the soundboard.  I take quadrant photos, adjusting lighting or exposure to clearly display any and all issues.  Find these photos closer to the end of the photo list.

A little history on Michael Millard and Froggy Bottom Guitars…

In 1970, Michael built his first Froggy Bottom Guitar in his apartment on New York’s Lower East Side. He bent the guitar’s sides on the ‘hot pipe’ – a heat riser running through his kitchen to the floors above.

In October of 1970, Michael had begun working at Gurian Guitars on Grand Street in New York City. Gurian had learned the free form craft of building classical guitars without confining jigs or forms from luthiers Gene Clark, David Rubio, and Manuel Velazquez. Gurian adapted these techniques to build steel string guitars. Michael’s skills and perspective on craftsmanship – gifts from from his mentors in the boat yard – were a good fit for Gurian’s classical free form building method and aesthetic.

Michael’s first two Froggy Bottom Guitars were essentially Gurian shapes with significant adjustments: a lighter and different bracing pattern for the top and – what has become a Froggy Bottom trademark – high, thin, and highly arched back braces, which produced two lively and active plates for the instruments.
“Every Froggy Bottom I made after that,” Michael says, “has always been my own work.”

In 1973, Michael moved with the Gurian shop to New Hampshire.

In the spring of 1974, Michael left Gurian to build Froggy Bottom Guitars full time. Over the next twenty years, in New Hampshire and then Vermont, Michael built one Froggy Bottom Guitar at a time, for customers who were almost exclusively working musicians.  For fifteen of those years, Michael was spending about half his time as a working musician. Orders came to him by word of mouth, as well as through personal contact with other players.

Michael quickly came to value the personal interaction with players who had different needs and desires for their guitars. From the very beginning he enjoyed working with players who took each guitar for what it did best and played to its strengths.

The flexibility of Gurian’s adapted classical construction techniques allowed Michael to be more responsive to the hopes and desire of his friends and customers in the design and fabrication of their guitars.

Over time, the combination of his close interaction with players and this free building process allowed Michael to correlate specific characteristics of guitar design, materials, and construction with their effects on the function and voice of the instrument.

In 1994, as Michael was considering adding a CNC machine (a Computer Numerical Controlled router) to his shop, Andy Mueller joined Froggy Bottom Guitars. Andy brought a wealth of experience working with similar machines from his background of making high speed wide-format, IMAX-type motion picture cameras with his dad.

Andy and Michael built Froggy Bottom Guitars together for fourteen years. Andy left the shop to pursue work as a classroom teacher for a few years, but he’s back.

Today, there are six people involved in the building of Froggy Bottom Guitars: Michael Millard, Eric Goodenough, Andy Mueller, Mark Burds, Leland Goodenough, and Chris Bavaria of Bavaria Finishing.

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Media

MP3 Audio – 210328-1998 Froggy Bottom H12 H431 Spruce Koa – an incredibly resonant beast of a steel string.  Low and fast, clear and brilliant!  Little bit of “Black Gum Jambo” – “Black Oak Harp” and :”Dhiana’s Playtime” – just a load of big ole fun!  You can hear the bigness of the sound across her spectrum.

Shipping:

Premium Single Arch Top or Double Arch HSC is included in your purchase price.

Your listed Price does NOT include Shipping to the 50US

Please note that as a Global Statement for my site, for Tuning machines, Accessories, and most guitars, that Shipping is NOT Free any longer.  Costs have gone up dramatically.  Regardless of what or where you might read on the site, shipping is not free any longer.  Choose the least expensive method, if available, or Expedited if you want them quicker.  My apologies.  Rich

Please DO NOT Choose USPS Media Mail to ship a guitar or a Hard Shell Case – this shipping method is designed for Media, Books, CDS, DVDs, etc.  

Please  choose FedEx Home or Ground Delivery or any Expedited Method.  The more expensive a guitar, the more likely you should choose a 1 or 2 day method.  It’s pure common sense, especially when it is too hot or too cold outside.  

 I have added numerous options for you to choose the cost and method, including USPS Priority and Express, as well as FedEx options (we can substitute UPS for FedEx, simply indicate your preference in the Notes window at Check Out).  

Thank you!

Very Important:  International Clients, including Canada…Please note that we will NOT accept PayPal or any CC as payment.  All transactions must be finalized with Bank Wire Transfers for any amount over $1000 USD. Please see our discussion found here and scroll down to Customs – Duty and International Shipping .  Thank you!

Anywhere else is subject to the most recent quote from USPS
Please write to me for a detailed quote for International Shipping.
Packaging is professionally done within its hard-shell case.
It is always preferred that you come to the Studio to play it and pick it up.
Rich

Warranty:

This guitar carries No Warranty as it is a Pre-Owned Instrument

Please read my Return Policy

Please inquire using email or phone (Contact Me)

Email me directly if you need more info: rich @ savageclassical . com