1966 Gibson/Epiphone FT-30 "CABALLERO" Very Good, Hard, $595.00

I apologize in advance for telling you folks what some of you already know and others of you don’t want to know, but it’s stuff which anybody who is considering buying this guitar ought to know, so here goes:

Gibson introduced the LG-1 in April of 1943 as a kind of junior partner to the famous J-45, with the same solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck. Its smaller dimensions (14 1/8” lower bout, with a 24 ¾” scale) allowed Gibson to use straight-across ladder bracing on the top as well as the back, and to use a single piece mahogany back with no center seam. In 1958 Gibson introduced the LG-0, with similar specs but with a solid mahogany top and certain economies (such as the infamous plastic bridge used on both models from 1962 to 1966).

However, in 1958 Gibson also acquired the Epiphone trademark and equipment, lock, stock, and barrel, and as the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars says, “It was decided that Epiphone would be re-established as a first-rate guitar manufacturer, so that Gibson’s parent company, CMI, could offer a product comparable in every way to Gibson....Gibson was (in effect) competing with itself,” selling virtually identical models of guitar. All were built at the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo to the same high standards, in many cases by the same designers and craftsmen, but with different labels and model numbers. While this situation only lasted until 1969, when most Epiphone production was shifted abroad, the Epiphone guitars produced during this period look and perform almost exactly like their Gibson counterparts, and are therefore highly prized by players and collectors alike.

The Kalamazoo era is when this particular guitar was made: the label designates it as an Epiphone FT-30 Caballero, but it is the spitting image of the Gibson LG-0 described above. The serial number (428504) suggests that in the somewhat unreliable Gibson “system” it was produced in 1966. It has the tortoise pickguard which the Blue Book says was introduced with no logo in 1961. Regardless, you can tell at a glance—as well as with a chord or two—that the DNA of this guitar is 98% Gibson; it looks like an LG-0, plays and sounds like an LG-0, and is a truly cool little instrument.

I hope that you’re still with me—perhaps thinking that if it’s really like a 1966 Gibson, this thing’s worth serious consideration, and you’re right. The aged and seasoned woods are thoroughly opened up, and it sounds great, stronger than my Guild D-25, for example. Structurally, it is in good condition; any known issues have been professionally resolved. The bridge and bridge plate have been replaced, a bone saddle has been added, and the action has been set up at a very comfortable level [a hair over 3/32” at the 12th fret low E]. The 3-on-a-strip tuners work fine and are probably the originals, since they are clearly vintage and there is no sign of tampering.

Cosmetically, it is also in very “authentic” shape: the original tortoise binding and pickguard look great, there are no cracks anywhere, and only the corner dings on the headstock expected after almost fifty years (plus the original truss rod cover). As I hope the pictures indicate, the finish is another story, with elaborate crazing all over, plus a few dings and bruises and a strange discoloration of the finish around the bridge where apparently a start was made on re-finishing [and thankfully abandoned]. If crazing indeed “lets the sound out,” as my luthier says, then I guess that explains the unexpectedly big sound this little classic produces! It looks and plays like what it is: a remarkable example of 1960s American guitar-making at its best.

The case is a very good hard shell case—probably not original, but certainly worthy of this guitar. It is in excellent shape for its age, inside and out, with all hardware intact, and a very clean plush interior. It fits the smaller shape of the FT-30 perfectly, and affords excellent protection for this quality vintage instrument.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage guitar, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please ask any questions you might have before buying.

Thank you for your interest in this cool guitar.