Resurrecting the Favilla F5: She Lives!

stephenT · #1 10-21-2018, 07:38 AM

Herk Favilla F5 from the early 60s. Once owned by Frank Moats (and many others by the looks) and was his shop guitar at his store, Atlanta Vintage Guitars. It was the last guitar Frank sold while he was in hospice. I was out of town when my friend passed and my buddy Bill Sheffield (a blues wizard and songwriter) bought it and gave it to me around 2010.

Needed a neck reset, fret work, new nut and saddle, saddle slot deepened (due to the bridge was once shaved to improve action). Surprisingly all the cracks had been glued and the old vintage Grover open backs still worked great. Due to the condition, I wasn't worried about cosmetics of the neck reset.

This lovely Favilla f5 lives! Sounds great as it always did but now is very playable. To the pics! Ugly, funky, mojo-lishous.

drive-south · #2 10-21-2018, 08:26 AM

Yup. That guit has got mojo alright. And a cool story to go with it.

Is that a pickguard, or is it just happy to see me?

stephenT · #3 10-21-2018, 09:33 AM

Thanks, it's a survivor for sure. I've toyed w/ the idea of making a pickguard but I think i'll leave it as I got it.

BTW, the original pickguard was inlayed, the area where it was is routed out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive-south

Yup. That guit has got mojo alright. And a cool story to go with it.

Is that a pickguard, or is it just happy to see me?

Ludere · #4 10-21-2018, 10:15 AM

man, that thing is singin' without being played!

she's got some serious character ... nice resurrection ...

Muddslide · #5 10-21-2018, 10:21 AM

Great thread, and I LOVE the guitar! Just looks cool as all get-out.

I have never had the pleasure of playing a Favilla guitar but have owned 6 Favilla soprano ukes and 3 of their baritone ukes over the years. Their ukuleles are excellent so I gotta imagine their guitars are very nice.

I hope you enjoy that beautiful, battle-scarred guitar for many years to come (and then sell it to me cheap should you ever decide to part with it!)

Zissou Intern · #6 10-21-2018, 10:23 AM

That's a cool guitar with a great story. I think it'd look nice with a pickguard.

Muddslide · #7 10-21-2018, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

That's a cool guitar with a great story. I think it'd look nice with a pickguard.

I dig how it looks now with the bikini lines, but I was thinking a fake MOP guard in that off-white, faux-antique shade would look cool on that.

steve223 · #8 10-21-2018, 10:37 AM

Very cool old guitar!!! I would love to hear it

stephenT · #9 10-21-2018, 10:39 AM

Thanks! I've seen a fire-striped, a tortoise style and a plain black pickguard on Favillas F5s, but I just can't bring myself to putting anything new on the guitar. I'd love to find an original pickguard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddslide

I dig how it looks now with the bikini lines, but I was thinking a fake MOP guard in that off-white, faux-antique shade would look cool on that.

zombywoof · #10 10-21-2018, 10:45 AM

Cool! I do love bringing guitars back from the dead and getting them back to the condition where they can again do what they were meant to.

Seems you are I are in the same school - get them stable and in perfect playing condition and don't sweat the aesthetics. My last project, which is just about ready to go back on the road, was a 1942 Harmony H165 Stella.

Tube Sound · #11 10-21-2018, 11:28 AM

Wow, if it could only talk. What incredible sounds it's made over the years. I like looking at the contrast between the condition of the fretboard and the rest of the guitar. What a beauty. These are my favorite threads, resurrections. Thanks for posting and the great pics.

stephenT · #12 10-21-2018, 12:21 PM

Thanks, I'm pretty good at the level, crown and polish. Also I scraped the fingerboard to get the finger wear divots and original sanding marks out and then sanded it w/ 800 to 1000 pre fret polishing. Looks like a stump wood Indian rosewood fingerboard, not very pretty grain but feels great, like a new guitar. But for all the finish chunks chipped off the back of the neck,..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tube Sound

Wow, if it could only talk. What incredible sounds it's made over the years. I like looking at the contrast between the condition of the fretboard and the rest of the guitar. What a beauty. These are my favorite threads, resurrections. Thanks for posting and the great pics.

The Growler · #13 10-21-2018, 02:54 PM

Very cool. That has character. Play in good health.

pandathumb · #14 01-24-2019, 01:01 PM

My brother has a Favilla F5 (also in Texas and somewhat close to Hill country interestingly) and I have always loved that guitar. The sound is very sweet, action is nice and it just feels great in your hands. He's replaced the tuners but otherwise it's stock. Quite a testament to the craftsmanship of this 50+ year old "budget" guitar.

My question is, does anyone have a good sense as to the value of these guitars? There are two on eBay, by the same seller, and they seem awfully expensive. One is near identical to my brother's and the seller is asking $1000. Yes the guitar plays like a guitar costing that much or more, but I still have a hard time believing that's a good value. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks
Gary