Close-up #22: 1951 FT 79 SN 62262
Epiphone repeatedly tried to get their foot into the market for flattop
guitars, however never became a serious competitor for market leaders
Martin and Gibson. The most successful Epiphone flattop model was the FT 79: Launched in 1941 as a Martin-esque 15 7/8" wide square-shoulder Dreadnought model, it was discontinued by 1944. When the model was reintroduced in 1949, specs had changed to a round-shoulder 16" wide jumbo with a press-arched laminated "tone back" (1949–50 catalog blurb, see picture below).
The model now sported the "cartouche" headstock inlay of the post-1947 Zenith archtop, and took over the distinctive "parallelogram" fret markers of the Blackstone model which had been discontinued by 1949. Although the 1949–50 catalog specified a "walnut body", most documented post-war FT 79 examples have mahogany or maple back and sides. FT models typically had a metal truss rod cover at the headstock, before changing to a white plastic cover by 1952.
The FT 79 featured here has a "blue" type label with SN 62262 – indicating a manufacturing year of 1951. The 1949–50 catalog specified a "blonde top", changed to "shaded finish" in the 1953 price list. This 1951 example is shaded – but does not look like a typical Epiphone sunburst, so it may have been refinished.
FT 79 SN 62262 would probably not raise too much interest – if it hadn't been owned and played by a legendary guitarist: ...
The guitar is actually for sale – to be auctioned at Bonhams in London in December (no affiliation). I suppose it will likely go for more than the $25 its previous owner paid ...
P.S. Dec 15, 2016: ... see the auction result below.
(Nov 18, 2016)