Product: Epiphone FT-45N Cortez
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
10/21/2006
at
05:50pm
by
Leonard
Features
:
7
Just to add to the previous post--I have had one of these for years and was able to find a case to fit using the one made for the Gibson B25 12-string which has a longer headstock. Also, I replaced the P.O.S. adjustable bridge with a professionally made bridge and saddle.
Sound
:
No Opinion
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
No Opinion
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
Product: Epiphone FT-45N Cortez
Price Paid: US $7.99
Submitted
12/13/2004
at
04:41pm
by
Louie Seven
Email: louieseven at hotmail<dot>com
Features
:
No Opinion
1965 Kalamazoo Gibby made flat-top. Has three on a strip Kluson Deluxe white-button tuners; Has super thin Tortoise Shell pickguard melted to Spruce top. All other wood is mahagony. Double bound with 'X' bracing and a rosewood fingerboard set with MOP dots. Medium Jummo frets may have been added later. Original 'screw-adjustable' bridge saddle with 6 string pins. Simple skinney binding strip around sound-hole is not elaborate or fancy. One white plastic strap button at read. Blue paper label inside sound-hole declares serial number (310xxx), model and brand.
Sound
:
10
Full, even, rich, woody tone says "Mellowed acoustic with some treble bite as well...."
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
No Opinion
Factory action was rather pedestrian. I re-cut the nut slots and raised the saddle slightly after installing Gibson Acoustic 12-52 bronze round wounds. Used guitar came with severely dry wood and a 7" crack along the top, just under the bottom edge of the pickguard. I repaired crack to my satisfaction.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Very stout and well made guitar to last this long under the abuse of the PREVIOUS owner (shame, shame..) Tuner Keys still work fine. Finish is falling off headstock due to adverse storage by pervious owner. Typical Gibson quality compromised by idiot ownship.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I am not the original owner. I am, however, the person who saved this guitar from a certian destruction.
Overall Rating
:
7
Playing 41 yeas. I'm replacing my old 1962 Harmony Sovereign Flat-Top with THIS guitar. The Harmony's finger board is as large as a Guild 12 String....I like the Cortez better, and the tone is more even (now that I've worked on it). Needs a case. This guitar is known to be a clone of the Gibson B25 flat-top, which is also a very popular vintage instrument....but the Peghead is about an inch LONGER with the Epiphone. IT won't FIT any Gibson cases. Darn.
