1964 Epiphone FT45 Cortez (Gibson B-25) 00-Size Guitar

Overview: I might prefer the Epiphone-branded version of the Gibson B-25 to the "real" version just a bit because the finishes are a little different and the pickguards are more reminiscent of the older LG-series guitars. I've also had a lot of good luck with them and recorded a whole fingerpicking album on an FT45 a while back. This one sounds like the guitar that was on that album of mine -- warm, responsive, fuller than you'd expect, and yet still with that sort-of woody, plainspoken Gibson thing going-on. It's hard to find one that ticks all those boxes. Because it's a '64, the neck also has that more-desirable feel to it -- slimmer-to-medium in cut and with the wider nut.

Repairs included: I gave it a neck reset (as I recall) and Jose gave it a level/dress of the frets, made a crisp new rosewood adjustable saddle for it, cleated the top crack, and set it up. It plays spot-on and is ready to go -- with plenty of adjustment room available at the saddle.

• Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
• Scale length: 24 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 11/16"
• Neck shape: medium/slimmer C
• Board radius: 10"
• Depth at first fret: 25/32"
• Depth at seventh fret: 53/64"
• Body width: 14 3/8"
• Body depth: 4 1/2"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• Bracing type: x
• Bridge: rosewood w/adjustable saddle
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: wider/lower

Condition notes: It's, for the most part, pretty clean. It does have one, big, glaring issue -- a long crack to the treble side of the pickguard with its edges curled-up into a bit of a fault-line. Someone had squeegeed glue down into it in the past, too, so there wasn't much we could do for it, though it does now have cleats everywhere possible behind it to keep it stable and tidy. Aside from that, the guitar just has weather-check in the finish and light scratches/handling use here and there. The bridge pins are new and Jose made a beautiful replacement rosewood saddle (this had an original, terrible, ceramic one) with full compensation as well.

It comes with: It came with a gigbag but left with a spare hard case from my stash.

Consignor tag: SKWN