Home / Instruments /Accessories / Ordering / Tips / Friends
archtop.com
1946 Epiphone Blackstone, Blonde
Price and Status: For pricing and hold status of this instrument, please check here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold. To be notified of examples of this or any other model in the future, please email your specific requests to [email protected].
Serial #: 55242, blue New York label
Body size at lower bout: 16 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Amber blonde finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type
Materials: Hand carved solid Adirondack spruce top; figured maple back and sides; solid one piece cherry neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlay; bound body and fingerboard.
Hardware: Original hardware includes original maple and rosewood bridge with serial # stamped in foot; original nickel open-back tuners; original nickel trapeze tailpiece with Brazlilian rosewood crossbar; original bone nut; hex-key adjustable truss rod. Vintage correct dark tortoise thick true celluloid pickguard.
Notes: The Blackstone was introduced in Epi's original archtop line of 1931, with a 14 3/4" body that was upsized to 15 1/2" in 1934. By 1936, the Blackstone took its final form with the 16 3/8" lower bout, and the center-dip headstock appeared in 1939. Examples in natural finish sold at a premium, and are much scarcer than their sunburst counterparts, typically featuring highly figured tonewoods in the body.
This handsome example shows a dramatically flamed tiger maple back, and a solid carved Adirondack red spruce top. The hardware is 100% original, with the serial number stamped on the underside of the bridge foot, and all factory nickel hardware and pickguard. This example is in wonderful condition, without pick, buckle or thumbwear, and the original natural finish has ambered to a deep glow. Binding is all original and tight to the body, and the rare wartime Brazilian rosewood trapeze tailpiece has been brazed and reinforced. The neck and fingerboard are straight and true, with smooth low action over fresh professional fretwork, and the instrument is nestled in its original brown Epiphone hardshell case.
The neck profile is contemporary and comfortable, with a fully adjustable truss rod. The solid carved Adirondack spruce top and long scale neck produce exceptional volume and projection, in a body size that sits very comfortably in the lap. A rare and lustrous example of one of Epi's most popular models.
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-.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 brown Epiphone plushlined hardshell case.
