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1946 Epiphone Emperor
Status: For pricing and hold status for this instrument, please check 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 or any other model in the future, please contact [email protected].
Serial: #55680
Body size at lower bout: 18 1/2". Body depth: 3 1/4" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut: 1 11/16"
Materials: Highly figured bookmatched flame maple back and sides; hand carved solid spruce top; 7-piece maple-walnut neck; 7-ply ivoroid body binding; triple-bound heel cap, neck binding, f-holes and head stock; solid ebony fingerboard with "split-block" mother of pearl and abalone inlay; ornate pearl tree-of-life peghead inlay.
Hardware: Original gold Frequensator tailpiece; original gold epsilon-logo 16X1 tuners; original adjustable rosewood bridge, hex-key truss rod at fingerboard extension; correct bound leopard shell pickguard.
Notes: The glory of the Epiphone line, the Emperor was the largest and most costly instrument produced in the New York factory. With its massive 18 1/2" lower bout, this top-of-the-line instrument is the largest production archtop made. Yet due to its slightly smaller upper bout, many players find the Emperor profile markedly easier to hold than the somewhat bulkier Super 400. The back of this spectacular instrument is hand carved of handsome tight fiddleback flame maple.
Typical of the model, the guitar has massive acoustic volume with exceptionally warm lower and middle register and the clear, brilliant highs of dry aged spruce. The gold Frequensator tailpiece is in excellent condition, and the fingerboard is illuminated with abalone of exceptionally vivid color, and sports superb pro frets with smooth low action. The top is hand-graduated from solid quarter-sawn bookmatched spruce, and the neck profile is remarkably contemporary, sitting very smartly in the palm. Masterfully restored, with several grainline cracks near the bass f-hole artfully splinted, the guitar sports a superb recent vintage style sunburst finish showing no checking, pick, buckle or thumbwear. An instrument of exceptional performance and remarkable value, this guitar is a rare opportunity for the demanding player seeking the biggest tone in the room.
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; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
Case: Black plush lined hardshell case.
