Epiphone Elite Byrdland

[telephone]

^ Original ES-350 was long scale, 25.5". Short scale came in '56, with the introduction of the ES-350T. Regardless, I agree with your other observations.

[Jimmy blue note]

^ Original ES-350 was long scale, 25.5". Short scale came in '56, with the introduction of the ES-350T. Regardless, I agree with your other observations.

Right you are! I forgot about that wonderful predecessor. The ES-350T was a thinline laminate (more pocket friendly) counterpart to the Byrdland after that high end guitar became popular. Then they reissued the 350T with a standard scale sometime after.
Ah those days of the Gibson Heyday... got a good idea, let's make new guitars!

[Sam Sherry]

Note that this is an ELITE model which probably predates the ELITIST series.

It did. Gibson / Epiphone stopped using "Elite" because of conflict with either Ovation "Elite" acoustics and/or Fender Japan's Robben Ford Elite model. (Or maybe both. We will never know.)

The sound, of course, is not that of an L-5 or other carved-top Full-Hollowbody but it is still very good and engaging.

The "Elitist" shipped with US-made pickups, the 50SR/ST set. AlNiCo 5, medium-hot at 8.5k Ohms.
Next time you're changing strings consider unscrewing your pickup rings to see what your pickups say.
Don't mess with the height-adjustment screws; just take the four attach-to-top screws and you can lift the whole pickup out.

As to whether "the sound is as good," don't sell yourself short. The most critical component in guitar sound is the operator. Play it long and well!

[Jimmy blue note]

Don't mess with the height-adjustment screws; just take the four attach-to-top screws and you can lift the whole pickup out.

As to whether "the sound is as good," don't sell yourself short. The most critical component in guitar sound is the operator. Play it long and well!

But DO feel free to play around with the pickup height screws (on the sides of the pickup and on the individual strings) when getting used to the guitar. Each guitar, each player has a different touch and relationship with sound. Get a good setup for your optimum comfort and expression and explore the range of sound offered by those pickups by raising and lowering them to customize the sound and responsiveness. The closer you are to the strings, the more responsive but harsher the signal is going to sound, the farther down, the more forgiving and 'even' the sound is. In this way, you can make a real assessment of what you've got there. A well set up instrument can easily be a better fit than something that's 'perfect' for someone else. Make it yours and then own it.

[radiofm74]

I finally bought this beautiful Epiphone Elite Byrdland.
The guitar of my dreams is the Gibson Byrdland (sunburst with Venetian cutaway) but as we know, this guitar has reached exaggerated prices.
In addition, in Italy there are very few arched/carved-guitars compared to other European countries and therefore the prices are even higher.
After reading a lot about Epiphone Elite/Elitist guitars and watching many videos on the web, I thought an Epiphone Byrdland could be a great alternative to the “Made-in-the-USA” Byrdland.… definitely cheaper.

I have to say that the short scale didn't bother me as I have very small hands, plus I had a wonderful memory of the only Gibson Byrdland that I had tried in the mid-nineties: that guitar was very, very worn but it sounded great.

It is likely that this Epiphone Byrdland is the only one in Italy and before me it had 2 other owners.
However it is in absolutely perfect condition and has a very high level of finish.
Frets are like new, no scratches and perfect paintwork.
I think only the original Tune-O-Matic bridge was changed (now is in Rosewood), however, this change is excellent for me.

The serial number indicates that it was made in the Terada factory in Japan in 2003. Note that this is an ELITE model which probably predates the ELITIST series.
The sound, of course, is not that of an L-5 or other carved-top Full-Hollowbody but it is still very good and engaging.
The fretboard and neck are extraordinary.
I hope to make a video in a short time, for now these are the photos.

Bye!

ettore

Grande Ettore! That's a spectacular guitar. I'm keeping an eye out for one myself since I heard Anthony Wilson's sound in Diana Krall's 2001 Live in Paris. My only hesitation is the short scale – I like some tension on my strings and am a big man with big hands – but the sound? I'd say on par with the very best electric jazzboxes out there! Do let us know about your experience a few weeks in! And congrats, happy NGD!

[Sleeko]

I've been enjoying mine for quite a while.

[Woody Sound]

I'm wondering if it's harder to finger complex chords high up on the neck?

[sgosnell]

No. The difference in the distance between frets high on the neck is minimal. It's nearly the same as playing just one fret higher on a longer scale. Mandolinists can play chords with much tighter fret distances.

[vinnyv1k]

A Byrdland also has 22 frets. That’s why the pu’s are so close to each other.

[Spook410]

Great looking guitar. Also quite the interesting instrument. Thanks for the pictures.

[Boze]

great looking guitar and the pics were nicely done too

[bohemian46]

I bought my blonde new.
After 2 years of trying to like the guitar, we parted company.
The issue was the pickups being so close together.
Otherwise a fine guitar.

[equenda]

I forgot about a video my friend Mario made when we went to buy the Epiphone Byrdland.

The sound recorded by the video-camera is of low quality but gives the idea.

The strings mounted on the Epiphone were old and too thin for me (0.11?) …..however the guitar is really good.

The video also shows a Johnny Smith (1973) that I tested without an amplifier…..but it's too expensive and too big for me.

Ciao!

[DMgolf66]

Not to hijack, I just posted the 2003 Blonde Epi Byrdland that I mentioned earlier in the thread that I would be posting for sale.

Thanks

[Boze]

Nice playing. Love me some jazz guitar Jobim and the Byrdland sounds great.

[equenda]

I've just find a video of a beautiful Epiphone Byrdland almost identical to my guitar.

2011 Epiphone Elitist Byrdland Vintage Sunburst | Guitar Chimp

The only big difference is the headstock shape: Open-Book-Gibson-Style in the Epi in the video and Epiphone-Original-Shape headstock in my guitar.

Other (not so small…) difference is the serial name: Elitist vs. Elite in my guitar.

With this on-line tool:

The Guitar Dater Project - Epiphone Serial Number Decoder

….. I have found that the guitar in the video (S/N T107994) was made at the Terada Plant, Japan in 2001. Production Number: 7994

My guitar (S/N T302614) was also made at the Terada Plant, Japan in 2003. Production Number: 2614

Several experts (?) says that Epiphone had to change the name because the name Elite was already in use by Fender and Ovation for a series of guitars.

So an an Elitist guitar should have been built after the year 2003.

It's a small detail but for me it's quite interesting.

ettore Quenda.it - Jazz Guitar - Chitarra Jazz

[SOLR]

here's a gibson birdland for sale on facebook in the Montreal area....$8500 cdn :Log into Facebook