1936 Epiphone Emperor Masterbilt

[skykomishone]

New Old Guitar Day:

NGD 1936 Epiphone Emperor Masterbilt
This is quite a surprise. I expected It would need a major overhaul, but instead, it only needs some finishing to be completed around where the binding has been repaired and some fret polishing and finishing on the ends to make the new frets smooth, I think. Only my luthier will know for sure, but I think I'm right about that. Some blemishes here and there, but I wish that at 80 years I'll be in as good a shape. Restrung with elixir .13's and initial setup by me and there you go, very extraordinary, the sound.

2B tried to warn me off, but, I've always wanted a '30's Epiphone (or Gibson). Can't believe it's an Emperor. I was shy of 18" guitars because I'm a small guy, but it's amazingly comfortable to play with the small upper bout. I would love it if someone on this forum can tell me how many of these were built in 1936. I was told there are no 'bad' emperors from that period. I took a risk and grabbed it, and now I'm feeling pretty lucky. I've always thought of my guitars in a female sense, like, she's a beauty, but now, Emperor. I can't call him her. Maybe. I sure do love 'it'? I'll figure it out, I'm sure. Pretty special.

[rpguitar]

Wow, a beauty s/he is!

[Rob MacKillop]

Stunning. Very jealous!

[skykomishone]

Stunning. Very jealous!

I know. I'm trying to make sense out of it myself. Thanks Rob!

[Fred Archtop]

Congrats !! You must be a very happy man.

[wintermoon]

Nice!
I'm glad someone here bought it as I was tempted myself. shame about the finish near the binding, but @ this point I'd just buff and blend it.

there aren't any records of early Epi production totals that I know of, but they're likely very small, much smaller than Gibson.

I had a '36 Emperor that I bough locally from the orig owners daughter and it was flat out the best Epi I've ever heard/played [and I've played many]

mine had the flat plate w/cuttout tailpiece [I'm guessing yours originally did as well, they were very fragile and broke even more easily than the notorious Frequensator]

congrats!

[fws6]

Coooooooooooooooooooooool !!!!!

that is so fantastic

way to go

[Stringswinger]

Big thumbs up!!!

[wintermoon]

btw, the one thing that really stood out about my '36 Emperor was how fat and round the top end was.
it seems like the vast majority of vintage production archtops have a metallic/shrill top end, but that Epi sounded like a good D'Angelico on the top, you could hit it as hard as you wanted and it was just thick and no metallic shrill.

[skykomishone]

Nice!
I'm glad someone here bought it as I was tempted myself. shame about the finish near the binding, but @ this point I'd just buff and blend it.

there aren't any records of early Epi production totals that I know of, but they're likely very small, much smaller than Gibson.

I had a '36 Emperor that I bough locally from the orig owners daughter and it was flat out the best Epi I've ever heard/played [and I've played many]

mine had the flat plate w/cuttout tailpiece [I'm guessing yours originally did as well, they were very fragile and broke even more easily than the notorious Frequensator]

congrats!

Thank you Wintermoon. That's good input. I think it's going to work out great on the finish. The original is still largely there. Thank your choice of gods for that. The tailpiece, you're right about that. They appeared on the very first ones, and I've seen a well made replacement out of brass, which appears on a museum piece in the Netherlands, the guitar purchased from Colorado last year. Pretty cool. Also saw an original on ebay for major bucks that I'll pass on.

[Max405]

sky,
oh man really nice.
one day ill branch out and experience what guitar making was like 50, 60, 70, 80!! years ago. I'm too fraidy scared.
But that is beautiful. It must sound amazing. Best of luck with it, enjoy it and thanks for sharing with us.
Joe D

[pubylakeg]

Congratulations, a seriously impressive looking guitar. The finish shading looks stunning.

[skykomishone]

sky,
oh man really nice.
one day ill branch out and experience what guitar making was like 50, 60, 70, 80!! years ago. I'm too fraidy scared.
But that is beautiful. It must sound amazing. Best of luck with it, enjoy it and thanks for sharing with us.
Joe D

Thank you Joe! It's all good! My wife said it sounds fantastic, and her opinion really counts, believe me!

[wintermoon]

NY Epi Reg - The Unofficial New York Epiphone Serial Number Registry

apparently your guitar is already registered in the Epi data base.
can't remember the serial #, but the one I had was the second known earliest Emperor @ the time

[teleman3726]

That's a nice one.
I love them lines of the Emperor.
Congrats and enjoy.
Chris

[skykomishone]

NY Epi Reg - The Unofficial New York Epiphone Serial Number Registry

apparently your guitar is already registered in the Epi data base.
can't remember the serial #, but the one I had was the second known earliest Emperor @ the time

That's it! 10460. It's #5 in the list. Glad someone did that. The case needs some attention too. It's still pretty solid, but needs a bit of attention, which I think I can do. The hinges are loose, and they used these brass split rivets. I'm developing a plan in my mind (that's scary), and I have a decent carpenter's shop. The cover material in a couple of small spots needs replaced. Don't have a clue where you get that sort of thing. I can restore it, I'm sure.

You're awesome. Thanks Man!

[neatomic]

congrats..and beautiful guitar..classic...

& absolutely no offense meant, but... i don't get why you'd take a beautiful vintage 30's guitar like that and slap post modern fluoropolymer (ex- teflon) coated strings on it...that guitar should have 80/20's or monels...or pure nickels at the very least

strings made by a fine old string company..

elixirs = gore-tex

same tech..same owner..("not that there's anything wrong with it") hah..but not on a 30's epi!

cheers

[wintermoon]

That's it! 10460. It's #5 in the list. Glad someone did that. The case needs some attention too. It's still pretty solid, but needs a bit of attention, which I think I can do. The hinges are loose, and they used these brass split rivets. I'm developing a plan in my mind (that's scary), and I have a decent carpenter's shop. The cover material in a couple of small spots needs replaced. Don't have a clue where you get that sort of thing. I can restore it, I'm sure.

You're awesome. Thanks Man!

if it's the orig case it should be real leather on the outside and 'fitted' on the inside [the case pocket area isn't squared off, but contoured around the neck heel]
the one I had was.

[skykomishone]

if it's the orig case it should be real leather on the outside and 'fitted' on the inside [the case pocket area isn't squared off, but contoured around the neck heel]
the one I had was.

That's it. My first impression. It looks like leather to me. Very thin, like kid leather on the outside. The guitar fits inside the case like a glove. Nice bronze latches and hinges.

Also, OK Neatomic, I have some 80/20's, I'll give them a go on the next round.

All I know now is that I thought I was in Nirvana with my '44 L7 Gibson, which a good source tells me is one of the best he's heard. One of the best guitars I've played, no doubt. It was another guitar no one wanted because it didn't look pretty when I got it, but I took the chance. Turned out beyond belief.

The Emperor definitely is in a league by itself. Can't wait to get the frets smoothed up.

[sgcim]

That's the model that Johnny Smith used to play Schoenberg, Berg and Ibert on.

[skykomishone]

That's the model that Johnny Smith used to play Schoenberg, Berg and Ibert on.

That's intense. I didn't know. Good thing that you do and that knowledge gets passed around.

[AlohaJoe]

Stunning! Big, bold and beautiful!

I've had my hands on a few Emperors and they're rhythm monsters. I have a friend who plays great swing rhythm (acoustically) on her "empress" with a firm enough hand to be be heard through horns... not too surprising since that's what it was designed for. And I second your experience with the size... even with the 18.5" lower bout the smallish upper bout makes it easier to play than an 18" Super 400.

For fretwork I've had a Broadway, a Triumph and an L4 set up and gone over by Mike Lull in Bellevue. He's a little pricey, but the best in the area and he knows old archtops. I'm not aware of anyone else in the area I'd trust with an instrument of that quality and vintage. The last time I was there I saw two different guys drop off old L5s and another guy was picking up a Favino.

[Greentone]

The old Emperors are stunning guitars--both visually and, of course, in terms of sound. Most people don't realize how comfortable they are to play. You put the small, upper bout over your right leg and let the big "bell" of a lower bout project out beyond your lap. Heck it could be a 20-inch guitar, at that point, and it wouldn't matter--given the way you hold it. That's the way most guys held their Emperors, and it let the lower bout really speak--and cut through the band.

The old Emperors do have a full, round tone, as opposed to a cutting mid-range sound. Yet, they are quite loud. I think that the big band guys preferred them to Super 400 guitars back then, although the L-5 remained a favorite.

Congratulations.

[rabbit]

Very lovely in a Gina Lollobrigida (damn good) way.

Congratulations!

[citizenk74]

Zowie! That's a truly magnificent instrument! Congratulations, and play it in good health!