Ship, I just ran across your answer and will argue with you- I have an FT350BL (for Blonde) SN 35(?)833453 that I bought new in 1973 from a music store in Omaha and has not left my hands since. The first two numbers are not legible.
It was a nice guitar, but not spectacular, up until 1998 when I dropped it onto a concrete floor and a split developed in the heel of the neck where it joins the body. I sent it to John Bolin in Idaho who not only made an undetectable repair of the split, but replaced and re-set the bridge. Since his magic, I'd put this guitar up against nearly any other acoustic for action, playability, and clear as a bell tone- and yes, I've played Taylors, Breedloves, etc.
