1963 Epiphone FT-45 Cortez
The Epiphone FT-45 Cortez is a Gibson LG2 / B25 with an Epiphone headstock and pickguard. Same guitar, for all intents and purposes. Maybe a bit cooler than a Gibson B25, with a great looking edgeburst finish and Epsilon-pickguard appliqué.
This example has just recently been hot-rodded in our shop with a 1950's style drop-in saddle bridge and solid maple bridge plate. Originally equipped with a plastic bolt-on bridge with adjustable ceramic saddle and a large and thick plywood bridgeplate, it's easy to make these guitars sound a whole lot better with some of Folkway's good lovin'. With its light top bracing and perfectly made reproduction parts, hide glue assembly, bone saddle, and high quality reproduction bridge pins, this FT-45 Cortez sounds pretty darn good now, we can safely report.
The guitar is in excellent condition. The finish looks great and is fairly light on dings, dents, and scratches. No cracks anywhere, excellent neck angle and frets, original tuners, nut, and frets. There are some scratches on the headstock face, and the endpin is a screwed-on replacement. Set-up is our standard 5-6 64ths with saddle height available to lower it further. Full-feeling neck with a nutwidth of 1-11/16” and a scale of 24.75”.
With hardshell case
This example has just recently been hot-rodded in our shop with a 1950's style drop-in saddle bridge and solid maple bridge plate. Originally equipped with a plastic bolt-on bridge with adjustable ceramic saddle and a large and thick plywood bridgeplate, it's easy to make these guitars sound a whole lot better with some of Folkway's good lovin'. With its light top bracing and perfectly made reproduction parts, hide glue assembly, bone saddle, and high quality reproduction bridge pins, this FT-45 Cortez sounds pretty darn good now, we can safely report.
The guitar is in excellent condition. The finish looks great and is fairly light on dings, dents, and scratches. No cracks anywhere, excellent neck angle and frets, original tuners, nut, and frets. There are some scratches on the headstock face, and the endpin is a screwed-on replacement. Set-up is our standard 5-6 64ths with saddle height available to lower it further. Full-feeling neck with a nutwidth of 1-11/16” and a scale of 24.75”.
With hardshell case