japanese made epiphone 1945

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japanese made epiphone 1945

by Elizabeth Wood
(Round Rock TX)

Low excellent condition. Acoustic.Fantastic instrument. Relatively narrow neck made it wonderful for girl hands, still sounds awesome and it has dean markley pickups on it. No other modifications. gold blonde front with two tiny narrow black edge stripes, redish mohogany color, likely rosewood sides and back. The Epiphone logo inlayed in mother of pear horizontially across the top of the tuning head. At the bottom of the tuning head is another upside down E inside the area where the strings come out of the keys and meet in the grooves at the top of the neck. This is on a raised laminate shaped like a blade with the top carved out half moon, all ridged in white. the logo there is painted embossed in white upside down. Neck is solid, not laminate. Serial number indicates post WW II 1945 japanese construction. I bought it for 90.00 at a flea in 1994.There are no markings to indicate that it is a "second". Epiphone pick guard teardrop shaped to the right of the opening. All Ephiphone one letter logos are the old style that look like a C with a line thru it. I played my guts out on it, then I got MS and my left hand doesn't chord any more. I need to sell it, because I can't play it and am going in to a facility for crips:) anyway, I have had several friends offer to steal it from me, just need your take. I know that vintage doesn't necessarily confer value, but this really is a neat acoustic and I want to know how much to ask for it. It has been extremely well cared for, I mean REALLY good shape. If I find out the pick ups worth more than the tar I am going to cry! I am in a wheelchair, lost everything, getting evicted, car got repo-ed today! If that ain't a guitar pickers story i don't know what is. My son is in the army and if it is worth anything I want to save it for him, if not it's getting sold to offset the cost of going in to long term care.

ANSWER

Hello, Elizabeth--

So sorry for your circumstances.

Without a model number, it is difficult to give accurate info. I will need either a model number or a picture.

Does your guitar have "f" holes? What shape are the inlays on the neck? What type of tailpiece?

These are some of the questions we need to answer.
Of course, a MODEL name or number would be perfect!

Please make an attempt to provide more info, as some of these guitars from this era are valued at $2500. or more.

We hope to hear from you!
Lynne

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japanese made epiphone 1945

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Jan 19, 2009
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Just for fun
by: Elizabeth

Hi Lynne,

I found a couple of interesting things. the Model according to one data base is FT 130 which is a Mohogany Dreadnaught Flattop. That source says it has to be American and made in or after 1970. HOWEVER, this is the wierd part, the inside lable and the outside lable are clearly readable and very non current in print style. The inner lable states Kalamazoo, but the lable on the back of the headstock says Japan. Were they shipping parts overseas for assembly?

The Gibson site offers serial numbers from 520956-530056 and clearly designate those as being produced in 1968. There are also no letters indicating batch numbers or factory order numbers. "1961-1970 were the most confusing as that decade contained batch numbers that were swiched and duplicated randomly throughout the decade. If it has made in america stamped on it, it is post 1970". (Apparently, more than just chesterfeilds were being smoked:)Mine isn't stamped it's labled. So, OK! Not 1945, but 1968. Just as cool.

Jan 19, 2009
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Cool!
by: Elizabeth

Lynne,

I think you nailed it. Mine is in WAY WAY better shape than his. It's good to know what it is any way and what to ask for it. Thank you for your help! Have a great day!

Jan 19, 2009
Rating

model
by: Elizabeth

Lynne,
Looks like model FI 130. I may have misunderstood but the data base I searched clearly offers the serial number as being 1945 made. This is wierd.
Maybe that helps. The printing on the serial number label is very clear. 527100 Japan. wonder if it was a custom made instrument? Keep looking baby! Thx!

----

Hi, Elizabeth--

The serial number label remains a mystery, but the model designation helped a bit. I think it may be an FT 130. Please go to:

Epiphone FT 130 and see if that is your guitar. It has everything that you describe.

The price that this one sold for is slightly lower than the Blue Book Values:

Excellent $125 - 150
Average $50 - 75

Please let me know whether or not we have found your guitar.

Lynne

Jan 19, 2009
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serial number
by: Elizabeth

Lynne,

S. No 527100 japan. Don't have a scanner, would have to snail mail you a photo. Everybody, I apologize for the mispellings! Hopefully my last post went through.

----

Hi, Elizabeth--

Can you check and see if there is a model number anywhere on the guitar?

Jan 19, 2009
Rating

additional details
by: Elizabeth

Lynne,

There are no f holes. It is a standard hollow body
acoustic. Looks like every other steel 6 string till you start to look closer.Got to looking at it even more closely according to your description of "high excellent". It comes very close. There are two tiny dings at the top of the tuning head, otherwise not a mark on her. She has fret marking inlays that look to be MOP as well. The tail peice is rectangular, rounded at the bottom and is made of a solid peice of what looks like rosewood. The neck itself is either rosewood or mahogany. The string pegs at the tail piece are original. I believe the head and tail string bars are ivory. At 64 years old they can't be celluloid. They would have disintigrated by now. There is no evidence of the instrument having been refurbished in any way. If memory serves the flea dealer said he got it from an estate sale. I am intrigued that it may have been owned or brought home by an occupying post war american serviceman. It does not have the look of an intstument that has been rehomed several times. I am only guessing here but I bet some old sailor or service man passed and the family went throught he attic and said, "off to the sale with you".

The area at the upper back of the body has a mounted place for the serial number which is labled not stamped, another differentiation between american and Japanese made Epi's.
"S. NO 527100 Japan". When I say this is awesome construction I am not kidding. I picked and strummed and whaled on it for the 15 years I had it. And the neck shows almost no hand or finger wear, front or back. Telling you it's in GREAT shape and was made to last. This isn't a catalouge or dime store knock off. I believe it plays well but probably deserves to be in a collection. I am 46 and going in to a nursing home because of MS and have very little time to find her a new home. Hope the extra details help.
Please feel free to email me back.

Hi, Elizabeth--

The problem that we are having in identifying your guitar is that Epiphone did not start making guitars in Japan until 1970.

The guitar which were made in 1945 are all acoustic archtops with F holes. When I entered the serial number, it came back as unrecognized, so that does not help us.

Do you have a picture? I am sorry, but I just cannot find a guitar of this description ANYWHERE--

Lynne

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Jan 19, 2009
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Submitted by: Elizabeth

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Comment
Lynne, There are no f holes. It is a standard hollow body acoustic. Looks like every other steel 6 string till you start to look closer.Got to looking at it even more closely according to your description of "high excellent". It comes very close. There are two tiny dings at the top of the tuning head, otherwise not a mark on her. She has fret marking inlays that look to be MOP as well. The tail peice is rectangular, rounded at the bottom and is made of a solid peice of what looks like rosewood. The neck itself is either rosewood or mahogany. The string pegs at the tail piece are original. I believe the head and tail string bars are ivory. At 64 years old they can't be celluloid. They would have disintigrated by now. There is no evidence of the instrument having been refurbished in any way. If memory serves the flea dealer said he got it from an estate sale. I am intrigued that it may have been owned or brought home by an occupying post war american serviceman. It does not have the look of an intstument that has been rehomed several times. I am only guessing here but I bet some old sailor or service man passed and the family went throught he attic and said, "off to the sale with you". The area at the upper back of the body has a mounted place for the serial number which is labled not stamped, another differentiation between american and Japanese made Epi's. "S. NO 527100 Japan". When I say this is awesome construction I am not kidding. I picked and strummed and whaled on it for the 15 years I had it. And the neck shows almost no hand or finger wear, front or back. Telling you it's in GREAT shape and was made to last. This isn't a catalouge or dime store knock off. I believe it plays well but probably deserves to be in a collection. I am 46 and going in to a nursing home because of MS and have very little time to find her a new home. Hope the extra details help. Please feel free to email me back. Hi, Elizabeth-- The problem that we are having in identifying your guitar is that Epiphone did not start making guitars in Japan until 1970. The guitar which were made in 1945 are all acoustic archtops with F holes. When I entered the serial number, it came back as unrecognized, so that does not help us. Do you have a picture? I am sorry, but I just cannot find a guitar of this description ANYWHERE-- Lynne

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japanese made epiphone 1945

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japanese made epiphone 1945