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ANNIVERSARY WALTZ
I bought a new Epiphone FT-150 in the early 1970s from Norman Hackett’s music shop in Reading. I couldn’t believe how cheap it was until the shop pointed out it was ‘Made in Japan’, as noted on the label inside the guitar. This didn’t deter me in the slightest, it’s a lovely thing that plays well and looks good. Epiphone, in my mind at that time, was a revered guitar brand, looked like a Gibson but was more exclusive.
It was to replace my Gibson SG Special bought in 1966 on HP. My biggest regret is selling the SG, but it had to be cashed in at the time, probably to go towards a car, having given up my group days as other priorities came to the fore.
After a break of only 50 years, and prompted by a conversation with an old friend, I thought it was about time I played my old Epiphone. This developed into a serious GAS situation leading to another Epiphone, this time
