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1943 Epiphone Deluxe
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Serial # 18093, green 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: Extravagantly figured tiger maple back and sides; solid bookmatched handcarved Adirondack spruce top; solid flame maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl "cloud" style fingerboard inlay; fancy vine style mother-of-pearl peghead inlay, five-ply body binding, bound fingerboard and headstock.
Hardware: Original hardware includes Pat. Pend. Frequensator tailpiece, bound tortoise pickguard, hex-key adjustable truss rod. Hand antiqued Grover Sta-Tite 18x1 tuners with butterbean keys, adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge.
Notes: Introduced in 1932 at the debut of the Epiphone archtop catalog, the Deluxe was the top of the line in every respect. From the vine peghead inlay to the signature clouds in the fingerboard, the Deluxe represented a pinnacle of art-deco design, with power to burn on the bandstand. The maple body shows the spectacular figured maple typical of the model, and especially so for the blondes, for whom the builders reserved their most dramatic tonewood.
This handsome wartime instrument was built in one of the rarest years for all US production, so scarce that this example is the only Epiphone Deluxe from this model year we've seen to date. The guitar shows extravagant tiger flame maple in the body, with a particularly finely carved solid Adirondack spruce soundboard. The fingerboard is fitted with prewar Masterbilt style segmented cloud (or "fan") inlays, a rare and particularly eye-catching motif, and a very attractive bound pickguard in rare firestripe tortoise.
The guitar shows original deeply ambered blonde finish, with only moderate playwear and checking. At just 5lb 9oz. the guitar is notably light in weight, and powerfully resonant, with a exceptionally fine hand graduated soundboard. Not surprisingly, the instrument has huge acoustic projection, clarity and cutting power, with volume to burn. Smooth low action over comfy gentle C neck profile, full 1 11/16" Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, and a long 25 1/2" scale for extra snap and volume. The neck has been reset and an ebony heel cap added, with several inches of finish fogging visible on either side of the neck heel, and a few inches of the back centerseam soundly resealed at the endblock. The instrument remains fitted in its original brown Epiphone hard shell case, well worn but still serviceable.
An exceptional example of one of our most sought-after models, at our best price in years. One only: call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished; 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-.056). 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 browm Epiphone plushlined arched hardshell case.
