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1944 Epiphone Olympic
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Serial #: 50185, blue New York Epiphone label
Body size at lower bout: 15 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; maple back and sides; one-piece mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; pearl script peghead inlay, single-bound body, bone nut
Hardware: Original nickel open back three-on-a-plate tuners, original Brazilian rosewood bridge foot stamped with matching serial # and recent compensated rosewood bridge. Vintage correct contoured thick tortoise guard, hand-antiqued recent Frequensator tailpiece. K&K Pure Archtop soundboard pickup with endpin jack installed.
Notes: One of the original Epi archtop models, the Olympic was introduced in 1931, and remained in the catalog until 1949. Originally sporting a 13" mahogany body, the Olympic was upsized twice to it's final 15 1/2" body design. Unlike the Gibson archtops of comparable size, the Olympic and its other Epi cousins all had long scale necks and suspended fingerboards, thereby enhancing their formidable projection and bark.
Like many, we'd assumed for years that these models would be fairly plentiful. However, after alt-country guitar hero David Rawlings adopted the 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 stupendous condition like this.
From one of the leanest production years, this gleaming example has 100% original factory finish in virtually unplayed condition, without pick, thumb, buckle or fingerboard wear of any kind. The original rosewood bridge base has the instrument's serial number stamped in the underside and the original three-on-a-plate tuners with black keys are attached. The guitar has a vintage correct contoured dark thick tortoise guard, and a hand-antiqued recent Frequensator tailpiece. The Brazilian rosewood fingerboard has smooth low action over fine original fretwork, and the gentle light V neck profile sits easily in the palm. The guitar has the bark of a true 40's Epi, bright and forward with lots of punch, which the K&K Pure Archtop soundboard pickup amplifies most accurately. Waiting undisturbed since the time of the Normandy Invasion, this stunning trouper is finally ready to campaign in earnest.
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: Deluxe arched plushlined hardshell case.
