The Froggy Bottom F12 Model – a full-sized 16” guitar with 4.125” depth (significantly shallower than dreadnoughts) – was inspired by the instrument resulting from the chance conversion of a broken Martin F-7 arch top back in Greenwich Village of the 1960s.
In 1965, someone brought a old Martin F-7 with a trashed top into Marc Silber’s shop in the Village, wondering if it could be salvaged. Marc replaced the original arch top with a flat top and what had been a rather pedestrian guitar got a lot more interesting. As the guitar made the rounds in the Village scene, it caught the attention of players and builders alike. People started bringing the old F-7s into Matt Umanov’s shop for conversion. Word got around.