So please tell me about the F-20...

[valcotone]

I was recently smitten by the photos of Jeff's beautiful '57 F-20 from the Yacht Club.

I've been thinking that a small-body acoustic would be really nice to have around for playing fingerstyle blues, and the occasional strummy acoustic tune. I'm usually an electric gearhead and like solid bodies and archtop electrics (like my X-175), and don't know much at all about flattops.

So please tell me about the F-20... how does it respond to hard and soft playing, and what's the frequency response like compared to larger acoustics? Does it have a reasonable bass response?

Tell me about your F-20... what do you like/dislike about it? Why should I buy one (or not)?

I have a line on one made around 1980, would that be a respectable instrument for $700-800?

Thanks folks!

 

[MrBoZiffer]

umm... are you my twin? Because we seem to have similar tastes. :mrgreen:

I also play mostly electric, and I also have a X-175 among other things. I have a '58 F-20 that I love. It is really amazing and fun to play. Considering it's a spruce top with maple back and sides, it has a very warm sound with good bass response. Which is surprising and seems contradictory. But I'm not the only one to think that way. My local luthier really loves it too. He and the owner of his shop are bluegrass players and they have complimented my F-20 and have noted that it is equal or better than many old concert Martins they play. It has a great neck, it is very comfortable to play, it handles different picking styles well and it has a very sweet sound. Overall, it's just a fun guitar to play. Currently, it is my only acoustic, besides my tiple, but I'm hoping to change that soon with a D-40. I only want a dread so I can get more projection and a little more detail for flat picking.

Here's a pic...

I've never played another one, so I'm not sure how similar mine would be to an '80. But I'm sure it's close. Did they change to mahogany by then? I can't remember. I actually paid $750 for mine, but it needed a little bit of work. If the one you're looking at is in good shape and plays well, then that price seems OK. I would try to stay closer to $700.

I'm certainly not an acoustic expert, but that's just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[Jeff]

Valco,

I'll echo Boziffer's description. My 57 is also made with maple back & sides. According to Han's Book (the Bible) "58 was the last year F20's were built with maple, susbsequent models were solid mahogany back & sides. There were also some changes in scale length & headstock design with later models, I'm unclear just when & what the differences are. Mine has a slender neck, narrow 1 5/8 fingerboard, best I can describe it is it feels a lot like a Violin neck.

My sweet wife found mine in the local newspaper classifieds, for $350 about 6 years ago. I'd retired & was looking for a small body guitar. She gave it to me for Christmas. Like Boziffer's mine needed some work, actually quite a bit of work, Many do, I think. The bridge was hanging by a thread, & it needed a neck set, some binding repair & few cosmetic tweaks.

I had the bridge fixed & played it as it was for several months, took it in to several repair referrals & was advised ,universally, the guitar was worth fixing. Other than being hard to play because of the neck angle, I loved it, it's quite loud, particularly for a small guitar, has enough bass response to make you grin. The tone doesn't have the chiming complexity of, say CJD's magnificent D55, but it has character & several personalities.

I spent another $600-650 on a neck set, new frets, bone nut & saddle, some other "stuff" & another $100 or so recently on some fret dressing. Best guitar money I've spent, plays clean all the way up to the soundhole. Mine doesn't like being wailed on, hitting it hard, for me anyway, isn't what it's about. Acoustically, played within it's limits, beside bigger guitars & gentlemen, it keeps up pretty well.

Installing The Fishman PU was the Pièce de résistance. Fun to play, plugged in to a little tube amp or run thru my pedal board it's quite entertaining. Tickle it with a flat pick & it's amazing, one would never suspect the sound from such a tiny guitar.

I've played only one other F20, a later mahogany model, a couple mahogany topped M20's & one of the new GAD's. best I can say it "I'm keeping my "57".



p.s. my 57 in real life ain't quite as minty lookin as the pictures. it has some honest woobies.

........

 

[valcotone]

MrBoZiffer and Jeff, Thanks a lot for your replies, much appreciated.

Woobies are part of the attraction of older guitars.

 

[Ian]

Hey there,

Dunno if this helps, I've only played one F20 which is coasties Hoboken one. Pretty sure it was Mahoghany. Really sweet guitar, nice full sound, but quite small, certainly smaller than a 00 or OM in the Martin range. Might pay to check that this size works for you.

Cheers, Ian

 

[chazzan]

I have a 1983 f-20 solid spruce top, solid mahogany sides and an arched back- (they were putting arched backs on everything in the early 80's) it looks and sounds like a mini d25!!!! Very bright and punchy! It has good warm bass. Very comfortable to hold and play! It sounds and feels different than a 50's/60's f-20 IMO they are more folk guitars while mine sounds more modern. Still this is a guitar you could use for many styles well excepting classical and jazz.
For me it's a keeper! I have a K&K in it and it sounds great!
Let me know if I can answer any more questions.