The Epiphone Version of the Gibson Hummingbird

This lightweight flat-top acoustic guitar weighs just 4.20 lbs. and has a nut width of just over 1 9/16 inches and a long scale length of 25 1/2 inches. Square-shouldered dreadnought shape with two-piece laminated spruce top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fretboard with 20 frets and inlaid pearl single parallelogram position markers. Seven-ply binding on top (white/black/white/black/white/black/white) and and three-ply binding (white/black/white) on back. Two soundhole rings in groups of seven (white/black/white/black/white/black/white) and three (white/black/white). Headstock with inlaid pearl "Epiphone" script logo and pearl vertical oval inlay. Epiphone stylized "E" logo on truss-rod cover. Individual Kluson Deluxe tuners with oval metal buttons. Tortoiseshell pickguard with four screws and with Epiphone stylized "E" logo in black and silver. Rosewood bridge ("belly below bridge" design) with adjustable saddle and two pearl dots. This guitar is in mint (9.50) condition. Housed in a later Epiphone hardshell case with black plush lining (9.50). With the original tags.

"During the New York era, Epiphone made flat tops of good quality, but they never achieved the recognition of Epi archtops or the flat top guitars made by Gibson and Martin. Gibson-made Epi flat tops are better known, partly because so many were sold. They are fully equivalent in quality to similar Gibson models of the same period" (Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, p. 48).

"In 1963, the fancy Excellente led a trio of new steel-string flat-tops that included the mahogany El Dorado and maple Troubadour, all with a square-shouldered body shape" (Walter Carter, Epiphone: The Complete History, p. 67).

In the July 1, 1963 Epiphone Price List, the FT 90 ("ELDORADO, jumbo, natural top, adj. bridge") listed for $195.00, and in the June 22, 1965 Price List, for $220.00. In the June 1, 1968 price list, the FT 90N (ELDORADO, jumbo, natural top, adj. bridge") listed for $295.00 and the FT 90 ("ELDORADO, jumbo, shaded finish, adj. bridge") listed for $275.00 (see Walter Carter, Epiphone: The Complete History, pp. 120-122).