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1942 Epiphone Broadway

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Serial #: 16691, New York label

Body size at lower bout: 17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2". Nut width: 1 11/16"

Finish: Amber blonde finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type

Materials: Solid handcarved highly figured bubble maple back and sides; solid bookmatched handcarved spruce top; solid maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl inlay; ornate vine style mother-of-pearl peghead inlay and block fingerboard inlays, triple-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock.

Hardware: Original hardware includes gold-plated Frequensator tailpiece and 16x1 epsilon logo tuners, compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, hex-key adjustable truss rod. Vintage correct bound tortoise pickguard.

Notes: Introduced in 1932, the Epiphone Broadway has been one the company's most popular models, and has remained in production, in various versions, on and off to this day. Built with the same body size and scale length as the Deluxe, the Broadway sports the same gold hardware, powerful voice and playable neck of its costlier cousin. Many feel the Broadway peghead vine is among the most graceful inlays ever designed, and this example is no exception. Upsized to 17 3/8" inches in 1935, the Broadway was first offered in a natural blonde finish (for a premium price) just a year before this guitar was built.

This outstanding example is in fine shape, with a particularly handsome bubble-figured birdseye maple back, and a handcarved, quartersawn bookmatched solid spruce top. The guitar is fitted with all original gold hardware, including original Epsilon logo 16X1 tuners, the original "Patent Pending" Frequensator tailpiece and an adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, along with a vintage correct bound pickguard of thick true nitrocellulose tortoise. The original blonde finish is deeply ambered, with characteristic fine checking. A well-played, well-kept example, the guitar shows no cracks, and is largely free of pick, buckle or fingerboard wear. The original multiply binding is all tight to the body, and the tailpiece bend has been soundly brazed to reinforce it.

Showing only light normal thumbwear and some scattered lacquer dings, the guitar has been maintained in wonderful playing condition. With fine recent fretwork, the action is smooth and low, with the classic Epi light vee profile, very easy in the hand. The voice is wide open, with the clarity and force only years of play can give. A stunning example, this beauty has looks like honey, and a voice to match.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as necessary; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; 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 bronze 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: Worn original brown Epiphone plush hardshell case.