Epiphone Made In Japan



  • Indonesia is handling alot of big box guitars for Epiphone. The Swingster, Epiphone Broadway, Epiphone Limited Edition ES-295 Hollow Body Electric Guitar, (Samick was once the King of 'The Artist Series', being some big, beautiful boxes produced in Korea in the 80's-90's. My friend had one of their big, beautiful.
  • Vintage MADE IN JAPAN Epiphone FT-145 MPL Birdseye Maple Acoustic Guitar with the ORIGINAL Epiphone hardshell case. This is a very nice find. And is absolutely the most gorgeous vintage Epiphone Acoustic from Japan that I have ever personally owned, period.
  • From 70' and 80's era Epiphone guitars made in Japan are not supported. The reason This Module has been updated to work with the newer serial number formats.

Epiphone Acoustic Made In Japan

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Vintage Epiphone Guitars.
General Information and Specs.

EpiphoneEpiphone vintage guitars general info and collecting.Private vintage guitar collector. Pictures, history for epiphone vintage guitars.

Epiphone Made in Japan MIJ White SG '61 Reissue 1998 - YouTube Very nice Japan Made Epiphone SG. Made before the mass-production era and a great quality guitar. Very nice Japan.


Contact the Vintage Guitar Info Guy1965 Epiphone Sheraton (Route 66 Guitars)

Epiphone Banjo Made In Japan


  • Serial Numbers (How to Find the Year)

Guitar Model Information:

    Archtop (full depth) Hollowbody Guitar Models

    Thinline (Gibson-made) Hollowbody Guitar Models:

    Flat top Guitar Models:

    Solidbody (Gibson-made) Electric Guitar Models:

Introduction:
    Epiphone was a family business established in 1873 as 'the House ofStathopoulo' by AnastasiosStathopoulo, a greek violin maker. In 1923 they incorporated and at this time made mostly high quality and fancy banjos. In 1928 the name was changed to 'Epiphone' after Epi Stathopoulo, president of the company and one of the founder's sons. In the 1930's, the company changed its emphasis to guitars. Epiphone was the only banjo company to successfullyswitch to guitar production.
Made1954 Epiphone catalog with a blond
Emperor Zephyr Regent.

Epiphone Casino Made In Japan

    In 1952/1953 the C.G. Conn Company's (a band instrument manufacturer) Orphie got Epiphone distribution rightsmoved. Now most guitar production went to Philidelphia (although the labelsstill said New York). This was done partially as a 'strike break' move,as New York Epiphone workers were in conflict with the Stathopouliofamily. The Stathopoulo family regained control again in 1955, butfew if any instruments were made in 1956 and 1957.

    The Chicago Musical Instrument company (CMI), which owned Gibson, boughtEpiphone in 1957. When CMI purchased Epiphone, they got all of Epiphone'scurrent stock of parts including bodies, necks, pickups, etc. Gibson usedthese 'New Yorker' parts in conjuction with their own parts when making Epiphones from 1958 to 1961. By 1961 Gibson has used up all the originalNew York-made Epiphone parts, and then used Gibson parts made in Kalamazoo.Instruments from 1958 to 1969 are commonly referred to as'Gibson/Epiphones'.

Epiphone Korean Made Guitars


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Model Types.

Epiphone Made In Japan

    In addition to the Zephyr and Zephyr Regent models, Epiphone applied thetwo terms to other models to signify electric or cutaway:
    • Zephyr = electric.
    • Regent = cutaway.

    Contruction and Value.

      High-end acoustic archtop Epiphones are constructed of high quality, solid woods. Electric archtop Epiphones are made from laminated woods. Because of this, electric archtop Epiphones are much less desirable, and are worth considerably less than fully acoustic archtop models.

      Pre-1937 Epiphones are of very high quality and are generally much scarcerthan later models. They have a smaller body and less modern neck feel than later models, and are less collectable.

      The most collectable models are those made from 1937 whenbody sizes were increased, up to the end of New York productions (1956).Most desirable are the professional grade models on which the companybuilt its reputation: Emperor, DeLuxe, Broadway and Triumph. These models, along with Gibsons, are considered by most to be the best vintage factory-made archtop guitars produced. Mid-rangeand low-end models are generally regarded as student model instruments.

    Electric Archtop Epiphones.

      New York-made electric archtops are interesting but generally are notas collectable as equivalent acoustic models. Acoustic models aresolid carved top and back whereas electrics are plywood. In addition,the electronics on New York Epiphones are not as sonically good ascompared to Gibson of the same period or to the later Gibson-madeEpiphones. Therefore, New York electric archtop Epiphones are worthconsiderably less than Gibsons of the same period.
    1940 Epiphone ad: 'For those who prefer blonds'

      Early Gibson Epiphones with New York pickups are of interest to collectors.Most hollowbody Epiphone electrics bring less than the equivalentGibson models. Double cutaway thinbody electrics are the most highly sought after electric archtop models. The Emperor (single cutaway) is the rarest of the thinlines (66 made). The Sheraton, especially the early version with blond finish, is also very collectable. Sheratons with New York pickups are worth the most, but not for sound. The Riviera, though equal in playability and sound, is not nearly as collectable. The Casino is collectable only because John Lennon played one.

      It may seem like a contridiction in terms: New York pickups are sonicallyinferior to Gibson pickups, but models fitted with New York pickups from 1958 to 1960 are worth more than post-1960 models fitted with better Gibsonpickups. These Epiphone models made from 1958 to 1960like the Sheraton and Coronet are much more collectable (and valuable) withNew York pickups, even though everyone agrees the later models sound muchbetter fitted with Gibson pickups.

    Solidbody Electric Epiphones.
      Solidbody electric Epiphones with New York pickups are interesting tocollectors, but not for their sound. Later solidbody models with mini-humbucking pickups bring less money than Gibson equivalents with standard humbucking pickups. None are especially valuable, althoughEpiphone workmanship and playability is equivalent to Gibson of the sameperiod.
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Epiphone Model Numbers, 1953 to 1981