'50s Forcillo archtop

a.modernist

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Did anyone else see this one recently up on the 'Bay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Forcillo-Gu...Collectable-/151134438654?hash=item23305084fe

I put in a respectable bid in and lost. I am kicking myself that I did not put a higher one in. I think this might have been something special.

Forcillo is almost certainly Frank Forcillo who was an early employee of John D'Angelico's that went on to own United Guitars in New Jersey. United has some tenuous Guild connections, but what struck me in particular about this guitar is how similar the finish is to really early Guild finishes. My gut tells me there is a little more to this story, but we may unfortunately never know as there is precious very little info out there it seems on Forcillo and United (or Code for that matter, which is often mentioned in the same breath as United).
 

guildman63

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Not until now. :sleeping: I don't know that brand, but it looks like it could have been nice at one time. The body itself doesn't look bad, but he binding looks like it needs to be completely replaced. What would that go for in mint condition?
 

a.modernist

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Not until now. :sleeping: I don't know that brand, but it looks like it could have been nice at one time. The body itself doesn't look bad, but he binding looks like it needs to be completely replaced. What would that go for in mint condition?

It's hard to say. I've never seen another and could not find any archived listings. Those United/Code body archtops go for $1-2k in general these days, so that is the starting point.
 

Jeff Haddad

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Never heard of them. It looks pretty nice, but the last picture appears to show some damage in addition to just the binding rot - looks like it maybe got wet? That neck looks massive though!
 

a.modernist

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It did look a bit beat Jeff. The seller was quite nice and helpful but a bit ignorant (or at least that was my impression) on archtop matters. It certainly would have needed some work, but it was a rare occasion when I threw a large amount of caution to the wind. The apparent massive neck was a big part of the appeal for me. You will of course notice the headstock which looks VERY similar to a D'Angelico. Forcillo patently the famous John D' finial design and truss rod mechanism some time in the late-'40s. No one seems to have dig much deeper on this. It could have been Frank's design or it could have been John's design that Frank copyrighted. Details that may very well be lost to the sands of time, I am afraid.
 

a.modernist

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That's the patent I was referring to Ralf. Note the finial and headstock shape in the patent illustration...unmistakably, the same shape D'Angelico is so well known for. There are a few mentions of Forcillo online but mostly in relation to United. Very interesting all around.
 

Walter Broes

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That would have looked nice with my old Franz pickups... :)
Needs re-binding indeed.

Speaking of United bodies, Franz pickups, and D'Angelico....anybody seen this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1959-DAngelico-electric-/190921744887?pt=Guitar&hash=item2c73d2a1f7


$T2eC16J,!zoE9s5nd0hVBRYItEWRk!~~60_57.JPG
 

a.modernist

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Yes! It has been posted on a few of the forums for sale over the past few weeks and finally made it back up on eBay. Just out of reach...or maybe not. I actually know the seller and have had some dialogue with him about the guitar. I've been looking around the house to see where I left that extra few grand in cash.
 
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