Camdie Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Can you help me identify? Very close to a Gibson b-15 but no catalogs for Epiphone 1964-1966 has this included. Serial number: 507914 indicates 64 or 68. Solid Mohogany top no binding. b-15 headstock. No markings inside guitar. Anyone run across this guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camdie Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Do you think this is a rare guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 The bridge and pickguard scream '68 Gibson. And for all the world the guitar does look like a B15 with a mahogany top and electric Epi logo on the headstock. I guess the guitar is either rare as all get out (a protoype or a guitar made for some particular music store) or something somebody just threw together. But then ya gotta ask yerself why the electric Epi logo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camdie Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 The bridge and pickguard scream '68 Gibson. And for all the world the guitar does look like a B15 with a mahogany top and electric Epi logo on the headstock. I guess the guitar is either rare as all get out (a protoype or a guitar made for some particular music store) or something somebody just threw together. But then ya gotta ask yerself why the electric Epi logo. I know for a fact that this guitar came from one owner, a 93 year old woman who's daughter owned but never played out of Wellington Ohio. Both the case and guitar are in almost mint condition except for a slight mark at the Adj. bridge screw. along with the guitar was a blue floral Bobby Lee guitar strap that was never unfolded. The closest example I could find to this was a Kalamazoo model where the headstock was not laminated and Kalamazoo was engraved in the same position as the Epiphone label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Like the Caballero and Cortez Epi clones, this is simply the clone of a B15. These were Gibson's entry level acoustics, with very simple appointments. Regardless of how many were produced, it's a nice find, given the overall condition as described. Play & enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The bridge and pickguard scream '68 Gibson. And for all the world the guitar does look like a B15 with a mahogany top and electric Epi logo on the headstock. I guess the guitar is either rare as all get out (a protoype or a guitar made for some particular music store) or something somebody just threw together. But then ya gotta ask yerself why the electric Epi logo. Not only is the logo an Epiphone electric, the only guitar that Epiphone used that headstock on, that I am aware of, were the solid body Olympics in the 1960's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Not only is the logo an Epiphone electric, the only guitar that Epiphone used that headstock on, that I am aware of, were the solid body Olympics in the 1960's. As mentioned by the OP, the B-15 Gibson sported the same headstock. As for the decal logo, I've seen the exact same one (in the normal position) on an Epi hollowbody archtop - I believe it was a Sorrento. It seems like I saw one of these Epi acoustic clones back in the day, but can't swear to it - whereas I can definitely recall handling a number of B-15s. Similar to this guitar's relationship to the B-15, I did own a mid '60s Epi Cortez, and a '65 Gibson B-25. They were identical in every aspect of construction except for the pickguard & headstock appointments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camdie Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 I really appreciate your sharing of this interesting information. This is what I enjoy about collecting guitars. I thought I knew all there was about Gibson Acoustic guitars. You never know what's around the corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I'd hazard a guess the model no. might be FT15,and it would have a name too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Nope. There is no FT-15. IIRC, FT-26 is as low as the FT numbers go. The guys over at Gearslutz had the closest guess with FT-30 Cabellaro so far. Visually the FT-30 is very similar, but with a belly bridge and typical Epiphone acoustic headstock. This guitar really IS super close to the B-15. The only visible difference I was able to determine were the tuner plates and and the logo. There seemed to have been a few changes to the B-15 over the years, as some models had a different pickguard and extra dot inlays on the upper register. But so far it is the closest match. It is possible that this was a prototype or a non-production guitar...or even a very low production guitar. But you think there would be something about it somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Nope. There is no FT-15. IIRC, FT-26 is as low as the FT numbers go. The guys over at Gearslutz had the closest guess with FT-30 Cabellaro so far. Visually the FT-30 is very similar, but with a belly bridge and typical Epiphone acoustic headstock. This guitar really IS super close to the B-15. The only visible difference I was able to determine were the tuner plates and and the logo. There seemed to have been a few changes to the B-15 over the years, as some models had a different pickguard and extra dot inlays on the upper register. But so far it is the closest match. It is possible that this was a prototype or a non-production guitar...or even a very low production guitar. But you think there would be something about it somewhere. Wasn't there a "B" model with a plastic molded back and sides, sometimes referred to as an Oil Pan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Wasn't there a "B" model with a plastic molded back and sides, sometimes referred to as an Oil Pan? Made by Epiphone? I've never heard of such a thing by Epiphone, but that doesnt mean it doesnt exist. If it was made by Gibson, then I really have no clue. I dont know much about Gibson guitars and even less about their acoustics. But if you are saying that this "oil pan" model was made by Epiphone, I will definitely be looking in to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 The "Oil pan"was a Gibson-a J model I think. FT 23 is more likely as this is definately not an FT30 Caballero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 The "Oil pan"was a Gibson-a J model I think. FT 23 is more likely as this is definately not an FT30 Caballero. FT-23? What year was that? I see no mention of an FT with that low of a number in any catalog I have. The lowest I see is FT-27. (I know I said 26 earlier, but I was incorrect). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Then it'll be an FT27.Must have had a name too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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