A custom order late in the year
1922 F-4 "Special"
© Frank Ford, 2005; Photos by FF

I suppose this instrument was ordered by someone who wanted to have the extra reach and long fingerboard of a model F-5 but the tone of the classic F-4. Take a look at the body shape. The usual "cutaway" point is the droopy one used on the early "three point" F-series, which would allow an easier reach over the body to that F-5 fingerboard extending across the soundhole. The binding, including each corner piece, is of grained ivoroid. A brown sunburst completes the custom package.

There is some speculation that the neck had been replaced by Gibson, probably in the 1950s. That would explain the general heavy rounded shape of the neck, the bland coloring, and lack of back overlay and center strip inlay.

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