Is This Really An Epiphone?

[Ira Rubinson]

Is this an Epiphone FT-30?
I purchased this guitar around 1976. It looks a lot like an FT-30 but I can't find any pictures on the web of an FT-30 with the Logo written vertically like this.

 

[Paruwi]

Is this an Epiphone FT-30?

Can we have some more close up pics ?

and

Welcome here @ €piTalk

 

[Ira Rubinson]

Thanks Paruwi. Glad to be here. The neck appears to be 1/2 cm narrower than my Greg Bennett dreadnought.

 

[Ira Rubinson]

More Pics

 

[Ira Rubinson]

More Pictures

 

[Ira Rubinson]

More Pictures

 

[TheKat]

Hello! And thanks for the pics.
I'm not especially knowledgeable about "early Gibson era" Epiphones - which I assume it is. AFAIK Epiphone didn't build flattops before the acquisition. So I can't tell you much, but maybe help a little bit.

Did you buy that new or used? (Well, the guitar should be MUCH older than 76...)

I assume there is no label inside the guitar (and no traces that there ever was one?). Which is a bummer.

The headstock looks very similar to that of a Gibson Melody Maker ....

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

AFAIK Epiphone didn't build flattops before the acquisition.

Nope. They were making flat-tops at least as early as 1942; I'm not 100% sure, but I think there some in the '30s, as well.

 

[Ira Rubinson]

One More Picture

 

[Ira Rubinson]

I bought it use. I was told it was made in 1967

 

[Kostas Kritsilas]

I owned a 1964 FT-30. It was called the "Caballero" on the label inside. It too, had a very narrow neck, and the really long headstock. The Epiphone label was different, as was the top of the headstock, mine looked a lot like the elongated "open book" Gibson headstock. Otherwise, pretty close match.

 

[wildeman]

That is a real Kalamazoo made Epiphone, mid to late '60s. Pretty much a Gibson LG-0

 

[Ira Rubinson]

I saw the serial number for the first time in the 44 years that I've owned it. I plugged it into an online decoder and indeed it says the guitar was manufactured in Kalamazoo either in 1965 or 1968. I have not seen another where the logo is oriented along the head stock. All others have the logo oriented across the top of the head stock.

 

[RR-Ramblers]

Body an neck look in great shape, how are the tuning keys & nut?

And are those the 1976 or the 1965 stings?

 

[Ira Rubinson]

Haven't noticed any problems with the tuning equipment. Think I'll put on some lighter stings and see how it plays. Yes those strings are over 20 years old. Needless to say, I've been playing another guitar for a few decades.