Epiphone and Gibson. Synonymous these days but they used to be competitors back in the 1940's & 1950's. Competitors is actually putting it nicely-these were bitter rivals and the hollow body and arch top marketplaces were the battlegrounds. By the late 1950's it is generally accepted that the smaller Epiphone production facility was able to make as good or better quality instruments than Gibson. Recognizing this, Gibson set course to do the most American thing possible: can't beat 'em-buy 'em. By 1957 Gibson was able to do just that. They chose to keep Epiphone as a separate brand although production was relocated to the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo Michigan U.S.A.
This guitar is an excellent example of the top-quality design and craftsmanship of the Gibson factory in its heyday. Their late 1950's and early 1960's production guitars are in a class unparalleled in form and function as well as desirability and collectability when it comes to vintage guitars. This example is lucky enough to be right in that zone! It retains the factory Blue label sticker on the inside and the serial matches the back of the headstock.
The 1961 model departed with the previous squatty Epiphone headstock design-which was being emulated more and more by the department store competition offerings at the time. Instead-Gibson elected to go with a Gibson sized and shaped headstock and Gibson-gold colored "Epiphone" logo. This design is the best looking Epiphone headstock in my opinion. The neck retains the desirable Gibson 1 11/16" width and the shape is classic Gibson with the quintessential "open-book" silhouette at the top. Of course having two brands with the exact same headstock shape proved to be just too confusing for the marketplace and Gibson quickly altered the Epiphone headstock once again: this time elongating the top and narrowing the middle, creating the 'anorexic' Epiphone shape. Sadly, the width of the nut and fingerboard was also narrowed to 1 9/16" for the remainder of U.S.A. Epiphone production. Although the appearance can be debated as to which version looks better-the playability clearly favors the wide version. That's what we have with this model right here: the nice wide 1 11/16" neck and fingerboard. The neck is a one-piece mahogany construction-a feature that yields incredible sustain and resonance. The body has a maple top and back with nice figuring in the grain.
This guitar has been in a collection since forever. It is 100% original and super solid with no breaks, no repairs, no rattles or funny business. The finish has very slight checking in some areas-most notably the backside and some on the front of the headstock-see photos. The original finish is "Royal Burgundy" aka "Cherry Red" and the hue is nice and vibrant. There is some really beautiful figuring in the top and backside. The body is double bound and the binding is super clean. The neck joint is solid with no issues and the neck angle is perfect. The one-piece mahogany neck is straight and smooth with no issues. It has a perfect vintage C-shape profile and the depth measures .781" at the 1st fret and .970" at the 12th fret. The tuning machines are nice and function as designed. The G string tuner shaft is slightly bent-but again, it functions fine. The headstock and logo both display excellent with some nice patina and slight checking-see photos. The nut measures 1 11/16" wide. The Brazillian rosewood fingerboard is clean and nice with minor playing evidence. The guitar has apparently had flat wound strings for the duration of its life and the frets reflect that. They have excellent height and form and have been cleaned and polished and shine like new-see photos. The guitar plays easily with a low, fast action. The string height is currently set at .010" at the 1st fret and measures .065" at the 12th fret. There are no dead spots anywhere-the playability is excellent. The neck has an amazing feel and lives up to this quote-The late Alan Rogan (Guitar tech for The Who, Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Crosby Stills and Nash and many more) maintained "they had the best neck on any vintage guitar."
The original bridge and saddle are in great condition. The tailpiece shows some patina but is structurally solid with no issues. The P-90 pickup absolutely screams! The output resistance measures 8.27 ohms and the controls operate smoothly. The pickup has excellent clarity and a big smooth tone. It is super responsive to your playing style and supports a wide array of musical genres. Even though the pickup is clearly in the neck position it can seriously rock. The full-range tone is perfect for everything from blues to jazz to rockabilly and more. The pickguard is in excellent condition and this one is notable because it is the super-rare white version with big "E" Epiphone logo. These pickguards just look killer on these instruments.
The guitar is super lightweight, only weighs 5.57lbs! It is therefore very comfortable and the thin body sits nicely in your lap or on a strap. It is a lot of fun to play whether on the couch or on stage-no shoulder fatigue issues here. Sounds great too. It even sounds awesome when you don't have an amp. The resonance is really nice and definitely the first thing you notice when you play it.
Some notable players of the Epiphone Century include:T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Black Keys, Mike Ness, Johnny Two Bags and of course James Bay.
This guitar would make an excellent gift for that special someone who needs a killer vintage guitar. That someone could be you.
Comes with a newer form-fit hard case that is nice and clean and fits excellent.
