Epiphone FT-350

Description as noted in previous reviews: Japanese-made, Dreadnaught style, spruce top, book-matched quilted maple back and sides, enclosed tuners, 8 trapazoidal mother of pearl position markers, set neck, etc. A lovely instrument that I fell in love with at first sight one mild June day in 1975.

The sound was acceptable when first purchased. It was punchy and relatively loud with limited compression. And, as the years go by, it gets sweeter and sweeter: fuller, more balance lows, mids and highs. Either that or I'm getting more sour. It's all relative. Aside from volume, let's face it, it's not going to compete against some high end, solid sitka spruce/brazilian rosewood 000 body style Martin.

Beautiful workmanship. Fit, glue joints, etc. are most excellent considering the price point of the instrument. To this day, the triple bindings and inlays remain intact, and the finish has no noticeable checking that one typically finds on an instrument of this age. The only thing that always bugged me was the relatively loose fit (gaps) between the pearl fret markers and the rosewood fretboard.

My Epi's been to the beach, on camping trips and cross-country airline flights. It keeps going and going and going. I had its jumbo frets leveled for the first time around 8 years ago. And, I've on more than one occasion redressed the nut and bridge and replaced bridge pins.

Never needed customer support for this instrument.

I've been playing since '64 and fool with everything from chicken pickin' to jazz. My gear runs the gamut from resonator to archtop. Class A to solid state.

If I lost this guitar, I might seek another out. I'm just not sure all FT350BLs are as nice as mine is/was. It broke my heart recently to see one go for $85 on ebay. The seller made a wonderful pitch for it, too (and I know that he was telling the truth!)

This one's an all-blonde maple dreadnought with a set neck. Fit and finish was typical Japanese for the time- near flawless. Bought "new" in 73, but I suspect she was sitting in the store in Omaha a while before I found her.

Originally a nice, average, "cover all the bases" tone. Nothing outstanding in any regard. Lesser guitars with a broken neck like hers in Boise Idaho would have been quietly buried, but John Bolin was close by.
I'm not sure what exactly he did to my blondie, but she absolutely rings now, and the action rivals my Les Pauls.

This guitar has seen some stage time, back in the 80's. But I've always been meticulous about how I keep my instruments in good shape. Now, after 30 years, she's got a couple of scratches and one pencilpoint ding but still looks brand new from 10 feet.

See below.

I bought my FT-350 BL in Omaha, Nebraska in 1974. Three wives, dozens of guitars, and millions of miles later- she's still with me. Texas, Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, California, Kentucky- you name it, we've been there. Now we're in Bermuda and she spends most of the time in her case to guard from the humidity. I've played thousands of more expensive guitars- megabuck Taylors, Martins, and Guilds- none of them sound as sweet as this one.

In February 1974, after being robbed of my bass-rich Alvarez acoustic, I purchased my third guitar, a Japanese-made 20 fret Epiphone FT-350BL on installments. The salesman threw in a hard Guild case.

It was love at first sight. When we would show up at a party, the people would see "Guild" on my case, but never display disappointment when they saw my gorgeous, and very social blonde emerge. She has a solid spruce top, rosewood neck like a Gibson with abalone inlays, and the most beautiful dreadnaught bookmatched maple veneer body I've ever seen or felt. And she can sing! Love songs, Where is love? songs. Love gone wrong songs. Finally, convince her to marry me songs. She did, twenty-seven years ago. I played my blonde and sang my love for my red-headed bride at our wedding.

It has a bolted neck, which has never been adjusted.
After paying off the loan, I employed (Dr.) Mac McCormick of Ralston, NE to replace the machines with chrome Schallers, remove the blatant "e" from the head, fabricate a bone saddle, and replace the black "e"-laden pickguard with tortise shell. Ooh, baby! Now, she's one-of-a-kind! And more beautiful than ever. Did I mention she can sing? She's not much for the low notes, but the highs, the mellow sweetness, resonance, the fever-pitch when she's excited, and harmonics put a smile on my face.

Thirty-one years later, and except for one scratch (which has a story), is in perfect condition. Because she is "the other woman," I'm in a dilema as to whom I am to will her when my life on earth is over.

N/A

I started playing my first guitar, a skinny little Ventura six-string acoustic, in 1972, after someone stole my car's 8-track deck while I was living in a tipi without the luxury of electricity. I bought it at a hock shop when looking for my stolen tape deck. I also picked up a Crosby Stills and Nash songbook.

I bought My Epiphone FT-350BL I believe in early 1974, I was rear ended in my new 73 Vega and used an insurance settlement for the purchase.

It has 20 frets with 8 pearloid enlays and marker dots on the neck binding.

The top is in two pieces - spruce I think.

I'm not sure what wood the sides and back are made of but the back is beautiful with very tight grain that almost looks three diminsional when viewed at different angles. It's bound in white all roung with black stripes on top neck and headstock.

I think the neck is mahogany. It is made up of three pieces of wood
laid so that they have opposite grain. It also has an adjustable truss rod.

The headstock is black with the Epiphone logo as well as the "E" on the trussrod cover.

The entire body and neck are stained blonde with a beautiful finish.

A one ply black pickguard has the "E" on it as well.

Tuners are chrome inclosed with no name on them.

Came with a cheap case. I've since gotten a hard case and have added a Fishman bridge saddle pickup.

The sound is very rich and full even with lighter guage strings which I prefer. I've used it for just about all types of music and have never felt limited by its sound. You can tell that it's good wood. Only a Martin costing a lot more sounds better.

When I got the quitar the action was a little high. I shaved the bridge down quite a bit to get it where I liked it still with no buzz.

The fit and finish was as good as any I'd seen. No visable flaws.

The bridge although non adjustable has always had perfect intonation.

This quitar has taken a beating through years of traveling. Rain, heat, or freezing temperatures have not phased it.

There is still no cracking flaking or wearing of any kind in the finish, even back of the neck still shines.

Everything is still solid and can be trusted to perform with no reservation.

I never dealt with the company or dealer after purchase. Dont know about the warranty. Never needed repair except truss rod adjustment which it did my self.

I started playing in about 1963, bass for my fathers group.

I'm a Gibson man. I have a goldtop Les Paul, and 61 reissue SG now and have owned several others including a Gibson Dove accoustic.

After crying i would look for another 350 BL but would go for something else when I couldn't find one probably a Gibson.

I bought the quitar because I have never seen all blonde guitar before and I liked the sound. I don't remember looking at any others at the time. Just saw it in the window with money in my pocket and had to have it. Had a twelve string Epi at the time maybe a 365? Knew I couldn't go wrong with the brand.

This quitar feels good in your hands and likes to be played. Soft gentle picking or hard chords, just likes to be played. I like it when people say "nice".

Don't mean to rave about her and there are plenty of better more costly guitars out there but this Epi has given me going on thirty years of loyal service.

It was made in Japan in the mid ?70?s.

Solid spruce top.

Fully bound in white. Inlaid MOP parallelograms in rosewood fretboard.

Maple. I am told it is solid. From the sound, I believe it.

Beautiful gloss finish. Blonde and good to look at and fun to feel.

Dreadnought.

Tuners: Enclosed chrome ones. Good quality.

Mahogony neck stained to match the rest of the guitar. The curtains match the drapes.

It came with a case

I play folk, country, Parrot Head, and a little blues and rock. It is versatile enough to cover all the bases. I have heard good guitar players make it sing like a birdie.

Rich/Full sound? Bright sound? The rich full sound is most apparent with new GHS True Mediums on. It was always nice to listen to, but it has aged well, and the addition of brass pins has added enough volume, brilliance, and sustain to push the sound over the edge into the big league.

The action was set up well enough for me to play it often for 25 years before I thought it had to be adjusted.
The top was perfectly bookmatched.
The bridge was properly routed. Intonation has always been perfect.
I had it for about three years and had to have the bridge reattached.

Will this guitar withstand live playing? I played nasty little bars in Reno and Nevada City for several years in the late ?70?s. It has been hauled around the world on Military Airlift planes. A couple of times I stuffed it in the nose of an RF-4 and took it along on Low Threat, High Per-Diem TDY?s. It has been shipped all over the US and to Germany and back with household goods. It is tough. I recently had the bridge reattached and a set up job done. Not bad, after 25 years of hard travelin?.

Does the hardware seem like it will last? It has lasted, and it will last some more. My son will have to report on how long it really lasts, because it will outlast me. It is like having a parrot.

Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? It has rubbed in places, and there are a few small nicks. Regular care will make it last with heavy playing.

Are the strap buttons solid? There is only one, and it has never let me down.

Can you depend on it? Wood eye? Wood eye? You bet!

Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Did it before, when I didn?t have another guitar. I would do it again. Due to the age and rarity of this guitar, I would probably use one of my newer ones. I want to preserve this old EPI.

If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they? Maytan Music was pretty friendly. They always treated me pretty well. I never had to deal with the manufacturer.

Ever try and get it repaired? Was it under warranty? The bridge separated 3 years after I bought it. I had no clue about the warranty, but 50 bucks at Maytan got us on the road again.

How long have you been playing? Since 1965.

What other gear do you own? Alvarez AJ60S-12.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? They don?t make them anymore. I am, in fact, buying something kinda like it.

What do you love about it? The sound. The maple. The Blonde curves and the smooth touch.
What do you hate? Nothing.

What is your favorite feature? Dependability.