Vintage martin guitar case 1967 martin EPIPHONE/GIBSON guitar strings martin FT-30 acoustic guitar strings martin CABALLERO martin guitar (LG-0) Acoustic, VG'd Cond. HSC!

PLEASE READ: As you can seeby googling my on-line store ALUMPSTER’S GUITARS, I generally sell only Martin,Gibson, Guild, Taylor, Larrivee, and Alvarez-Yairi guitars. Most of thesemodels are made so well that they tend to increase in value and improve in thecomplexity and resonance of their sound as they age, regardless of theirappearance. This guitar, like all myguitars, is available at a negotiable Buy It Now price in my on-line store atany time. I will also considerreasonable offers in my store, including installment payments and trade-ins. If you have a question about this guitar, please Google“alumpster’s guitars” to ask on-line or call 803-731-0515.

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

Gibson introduced the LG-1 in April of 1943 as a kindof junior partner to the famous J-45, with the same solid spruce top and solid mahoganyback, sides, and neck. It had full body binding, a simple one-stripe rosette, arosewood bridge, a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, a blackface headstockwith a screened or decal logo and three-on-a-plate nickel tuners, and atortoise pickguard. 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 wellas the back, and to use a single piece mahogany back with no center seam. In1958 Gibson introduced the LG-0, with similar specs but with a solid mahoganytop and certain economies (such as the infamous plastic bridge used on bothmodels from 1962 to 1966).

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

The Kalamazoo era is when this particular guitar wasmade: the label designates it as an Epiphone FT30 Caballero, but it is thespitting image of the Gibson LG-0 described above. The serial number (876449)suggests that in the somewhat unreliable Gibson “system” it was produced in 1967.It has the tortoise pickguard which the Blue Book says was introducedwith no logo in 1961; however, the adjustable saddle bridge, which the BlueBook says was introduced for this model in 1963, has apparently been professionallyreplaced with a very nice solid rosewood bridge. Regardless, you can tell at aglance—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 coollittle instrument.  

I hope that you’re still with me—perhaps thinking thatif it’s really like a 1967 Gibson,this thing’s worth serious consideration, and you’re right. The aged andseasoned woods are thoroughly opened up, and it sounds great, stronger than myGuild D-25, for example. Structurally, it is in good condition; any knownissues have been professionally resolved. The new bridge is solid, two cracks inthe top have been glued and cleated, and the action has been set up at a verycomfortable level. The vintage 3-on-a-strip tuners work fine, although onestrip is obviously not original. An end pin has been installed in the too-largeend pin hole where there apparently was a pickup installed and removed by aprevious owner.

Cosmetically, it is also in very good shape: theoriginal tortoise binding is intact, the original tortoise pickguard looksgreat, and the headstock has only the corner dings expected after almost fiftyyears (plus what I am sure is a replacement truss rod cover). As I hope thepictures indicate, the finish is attractive, with a few dings and bruises, butit has apparently been cleaned and lightly oiled somehow. It still looks like whatit is: a remarkable example of 1960s American guitar-making at its best. If agingindeed “lets the sound out,” as my luthier says, then I guess that explains theunexpectedly big sound this little classic produces!

The case is a very good quality Epiphone hard shellcase—obviously not original, but certainly worthy of this guitar. It is inexcellent shape, inside and out, with all hardware intact, and a very softsilver plush interior. It fits the smaller shape of the FT-30 perfectly, andaffords excellent protection for this quality vintage instrument.

Buyer pays a flat rateof $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costselsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal ispreferred; cashiers checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitarwill be shipped.

I have tried to beperfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage guitar, so its returnwill not be accepted unless it canbe shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please checkout the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.

Thank you for yourinterest in this cool vintage instrument.