Home / Instruments /Accessories / Ordering / Tips
archtop.com
1935 Epiphone Olympic
Status: Pricing and hold status for all instruments currently available is shown on our Instruments page here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold, and is no longer available. Photos and descriptions of Previously Sold instruments may by found here. To be notified of examples of this model or similar instruments in the future, please contact [email protected],. Please be specific on which instrument(s) you're looking for, and we'll be happy to contact you as soon as they become available.
Serial #: 9991, Long Island Masterbuilt label
Body size at lower bout: 14 1/2" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Original sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type
Materials: Hand carved solid spruce top; arched figured curly mahogany back and sides; one-piece mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; single-bound body, solid bone nut.
Hardware: 100% original hardware includes contoured bakelite pickguard; adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge; nickel trapeze tailpiece; nickel open back three-on-a-plate tuners with ivoroid buttons.
Notes: One of the first flight of Epi archtop models, the Olympic first appeared in 1932, and remained in the catalog until 1949. This outstanding example from 1935 shows exceptionally vivid figure in the satin striped mahogany body. Unlike the Gibson archtops of comparable size, the Olympic has a true long scale neck and suspended fingerboard, enhancing its formidable projection, and permitting installation of a floating pickup if desired.
We'd assumed for years that these models would be fairly plentiful, but once alt-country guitar hero David Rawlings adopted a '35 Olympic as his all-purpose touring and recording guitar, we began getting requests for them that we just couldn't fill at any price. And when collectors began searching them out in earnest, it quickly became apparent just how seldom these rarities come to market, much less in such fine condition.
An all original guitar from the dawn of Epiphone archtops, this wonderful example has been preserved in wonderful shape, with an exceptionally figured back showing long satiny rollers of rare curly mahogany. The guitar shows no cracks in body or neck, and has all its original gleaming sunburst finish intact, along with all its original hardware, including its contoured pickguard shaped from brilliant black bakelite. The neck has smooth low action over fresh precision fretwork, with a gentle C profile contour. The voice is bright, forward and punchy as they come. Apart from a few pick dents near the pickguard, and some honest thumb and knee wear, this little powerhouse has been preserved in rtemarkably fine condition, complete with a rarely seen original black faux-alligator fiber case in amazing shape. A rare find from the heyday of the acoustic archtop guitar.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted as required; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridgewheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.013-.057). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original black fiber case.
