Epiphone FT-79 Texan USA Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2021), made in Bozeman, Montana, serial # 21681015, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original hard shell case.

While for the most part Gibson has relegated the Epiphone name to imported product since 1970, occasionally they do offer a real honest-to-goodness US-made versions of their 1960s Kalamazoo-made Epi classics. This 2021 "USA Collection" Epiphone Texan is one of them, built in Gibson's Bozeman, Montana workshop using all solid woods, traditional X-bracing, a bone nut, and high-end LR Baggs VTC electronics. To top it off, even though these were not built in huge numbers the price was very reasonable for the quality of the instrument, so (of course) the model is now discontinued.

The Epiphone Texan will forever be remembered as the "Guitar of Yesterday"; Paul McCartney's 1960's instrument of choice for writing, recording and performing that particular tune, and many others besides. Apart from this indelible Beatle connection the original Texan was one of Gibson's more interesting post-war flat tops, the 1960's Epi-logo version of the Gibson J-45/50 but with a longer scale which gives it a correspondingly tighter, more powerful sound.

Gibson advertised this 2021 model as "Made in the USA for the first time in over 50 years!" apparently forgetting a couple of McCartney-specific limited edition re-issues along the way, but nonetheless this is a welcome offering, "proudly handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana by Gibson's finest acoustic luthiers" featuring all solid woods, traditional hand-scalloped X-Bracing and the model's signature longer scale length. The top on this one is finished in an attractive dark sunburst, more "Gibson-like" than the lighter bursts often seen on Epiphones from the 1960s.

For modern gigging purposes this Texan USA came stock with the LR Baggs VTC electronic package, including soundhole-mounted controls and an endpin jack. Despite its very reasonable price tag this is a very fine sounding guitar, one that definitely ranks with Gibson's finest modern flat top creations. And it looks fabulous too!

Overall length is 41 1/2 in. (105.4 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 23/32 in. (44 mm.).

This guitar appears not far from new, showing mostly just light handling wear, with some minor scuffing to the top, light belt-buckle scratching to the back and a few shallow hash marks to the peghead probably from a clip-on tuner. It plays and sounds excellent and is a very fine example of the Bozeman, Montana Gibson facility's capability to turn out really fine versions of the company's classics. The guitar is ready-to-gig including the integral pickup system with an endpin jack and a strap button on the heel. This is one of the best-sounding guitars we have had from the modern Gibson operation recently, a really good bargain in a solid-wood modern flat top with a classic vintage pedigree. It comes in the original HSC with some paperwork inside and cheerful stickers on the outside at no extra charge! Overall Excellent + Condition.