Your Favorite Epiphone Guitar?

**Jazzchief1** · 01-07-2013, 07:19 PM

What is your favorite Epiphone guitar?

**barrymclark** · 01-07-2013, 07:30 PM

Of what I've played, the Emperor Regent. That's the only one I've played thinking, "Man, I'd love to own that." Others I was fine with but that one I just dug.

**GNAPPI** · 01-07-2013, 07:42 PM

I played a regent once... Mnnn... there's an older sunburst one in a shop not far from here, but after I got the after Christmas empty pocket syndrome... That and he wants a higher price than I'll pay.

I do have an early Samick Joe Pass that is a wonderful guitar. I also have an 80's (?) Epi Genesis, easily as good as either of my Les Pauls

**SearchForMeaning** · 01-07-2013, 08:58 PM

Les Paul Elite, semi hollow body in a Les Paul size. Pickups switched out to Duncans and all of the warmth of a 335 in the compact size of a Les Paul.
My Zephyr Regent with a new pickup is somehow even sweeter than the old vintage Gibson 175, guess I lucked out on that one.

I was in Matt Uminov's a little while back and here was an oval hole Triumph(?) Regent, I think it was. SO nice. I still remember the feel of it. Good thing I don't carry that kind of pocket change around with me, or maybe it's too bad I don't!

**mr. beaumont** · 01-07-2013, 09:33 PM

Modern Epi's? The Zephyr Regent was cool.

Vintage? Where do you start?! I'll take a blonde emperor.

**RonD** · 01-07-2013, 10:28 PM

Anything pre-Gibson. Had some very bad experiences with them. Even during the Samick years.
@Jazzchief1, what's next? What's your favorite Fender?

**SamBooka** · 01-07-2013, 11:04 PM

I will always defend my emp reg but also acknowledgeits weaknesses

that said 2009ish zephyr regent was a better guitar

**bohemian46** · 01-08-2013, 12:24 AM

I enjoy the Elitist series, Byrdland, Sheraton, and Broadway.

I, too, would enjoy an original Emperor.

**MaxT** · 01-08-2013, 12:53 AM

Got a feeling a lot of us would like a vintage Epi Emperor.

**peterpanico** · 01-08-2013, 05:07 AM

I would not want one of them (today's Epis I mean),not even as a present.....just my 2c.

**bigdaddyguitar** · 01-08-2013, 09:55 AM

My '97 Broadway . My go to guitar .

**garryrenfro** · 01-08-2013, 10:54 AM

I have a Korean made Zephyr Blues Deluxe. I don't know when it was manufactured. I bought it used at a show around 2001 or so. I dig it.

**mrblues** · 01-08-2013, 03:08 PM

Have a 2005 Japanese Broadway Elite, and a 1996 Korean Joe Pass.

Like them both!

**brad4d8** · 01-08-2013, 05:27 PM

I've owned three Epis over the years, a Masterbilt Flattop, made in CHina, a Korean (Samick) HR custom and a late 40 Zephyr Deluxe Regent. Favorite? The Zephyr, hands down, toss up between the other two, both decent enough that I'd probably replace them if anything happened to them.
Brad

**Jazzchief1** · 01-08-2013, 06:47 PM

I picked up an Emperor. It's a sunburst model with two pickups and it has a Gibson truss rod cover. It has a great sound at a realy good price but I'm having a hard time dating it . It was made in Korea.

**tfaux** · 01-08-2013, 07:14 PM

'35 Triumph. It's the year before they shifted to a larger lower bout, so maybe not as loud as the late 30s/40s Epiphones but comfortable. Anyway, I play with a violinist and don't really need to be loud.
No sizzling highs, no rib-rattling bass, no sustain, just pure midrange chunk.

Tom

**barrymclark** · 01-08-2013, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jazzchief1

I picked up an Emperor. It's a sunburst model with two pickups and it has a Gibson truss rod cover. It has a great sound at a realy good price but I'm having a hard time dating it . It was made in Korea.

Emperor Regent? I really dig those.

**garryrenfro** · 01-08-2013, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by tfaux

'35 Triumph. It's the year before they shifted to a larger lower bout, so maybe not as loud as the late 30s/40s Epiphones but comfortable. Anyway, I play with a violinist and don't really need to be loud.
No sizzling highs, no rib-rattling bass, no sustain, just pure midrange chunk.

Beautiful!

**hot ford coupe** · 01-09-2013, 12:25 AM

For me, it's got to be a non cutaway Emperor from 1936 to 1943, the years before the death of Epi. Sunburst or natural, it doesn't matter.

**Jazz Classic** · 01-09-2013, 01:21 AM

WOW, what a beauty! I thought that my 1947 Blonde Triumph (I've had it that long) was old. It is also in mint condition and looks like yours. I didn't open the case for several years and found that the mental tail piece had fatigued. I found an almost identical replacement. I tried using a De Armond pickup, but don't like it's sound. So I enjoy playing it acoustic. I put some light chrome flat wounds on it when I had it fixed and wanting to use the electric pickup. Now I wish I had tried some nylons, looking for a more mellow sound. Any ideas? My frets are in excellent condition, since I did not pick up studying guitar until the last couple of years. I would appreciate your opinion on the strings. Thanks, Jazz Classic

**tfaux** · 01-09-2013, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Jazz Classic

WOW, what a beauty! I thought that my 1947 Blonde Triumph (I've had it that long) was old. It is also in mint condition and looks like yours. I didn't open the case for several years and found that the mental tail piece had fatigued. I found an almost identical replacement. I tried using a De Armond pickup, but don't like it's sound. So I enjoy playing it acoustic. I put some light chrome flat wounds on it when I had it fixed and wanting to use the electric pickup. Now I wish I had tried some nylons, looking for a more mellow sound. Any ideas? My frets are in excellent condition, since I did not pick up studying guitar until the last couple of years. I would appreciate your opinion on the strings. Thanks, Jazz Classic

Thanks, Jazz Classic.
Actually the tailpiece on this one has developed a small crack too. These tailpieces are pretty replaceable, mine hasn't quite gotten to that point yet but it will. Also, the binding has broken in a few places--a typical issue with these oldies.

I use silk and steel strings on this one. They probably wouldn't work if I were playing with a big ensemble, but for playing with only a violinist they're perfect. I've heard some people say that s&s aren't firm enough to drive the top of an archtop but I don't find that to be the case. The silk and steel are a bit more comfortable for my hands on the big clubby neck

Tom

**JensL** · 01-09-2013, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by Jazzchief1

What is your favorite Epiphone guitar?

My 2000 Korean Sheraton with BareKnuckle Humbuckers and EVO frets!

I am playing it here:

Jens

**cosmic gumbo** · 01-09-2013, 12:21 PM

There's no denying those pre-Gibson archtops are world class, and the best sounding flat top I ever played was a 40's era model. However, my personal favorite is my Japanese crafted Scroll sc-450 in all it's weirdness. Solid maple body, 25.5" scale, 3 piece mahogany set neck and ebony fretboard with 24 frets! Leo Quann bridge and coil splitter. The damn thing weighs over 9 pounds. Neck plays like butter. But that scroll....it raises a few eyebrows. I bought it used in '79 and played it so much I wore the darn thing out, frets, tuners, pots, switches. Now it's a restoration project for my golden years. I grabbed this pic off the web, mine has a walnut finish.

**willschmid97** · 01-09-2013, 02:18 PM

Sheraton II! Great sounds for a greater price. Epiphone doesn't have the best electronics, but the instrument it self is built very well. Probably not something I'll play in the future after I get a high quality full hollow like a Sadowsky or Gibson.