A big thanks to Michael Millard and his team at Froggy Bottom Guitars: this 2004 H-12 Deluxe is a dream machine for the fingerpicking guitarist! Gorgeously flamed Koa back and sides, check. Adirondack Spruce top, check. 12-fret neck for an extra dose of warmth and easy playability, check. Playing this guitar is a charged experience; the voice is crisp and energetic, and the projection is monolithic for its size.
The H-12 is one of Froggy Bottom’s more popular models, for obvious reasons. The setup is glass-smooth, and the H-12 can handle dropped tunings like a champ (we found some crackling blues in DADFAD to be particularly exquisite) thanks to the dry, articulate tone from all that beautiful Koa. As a member of the Froggy Bottom “Deluxe” family, this H-12 is bedecked with extra Abalone in the rosette and backstrip and binding the headstock–plus this one features an eagle scrimshawed into the heelcap! Perfect for a patriotic player, or anyone who appreciates top-notch craftsmanship.