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1947 Epiphone Deluxe, Van Eps 7 String Custom

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Serial #: 56323, blue NY label Body size at lower bout:17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2". Nut width: 2 1/8" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .90/1.01

Materials: Solid handcarved tiger-flame figured maple back and sides; solid bookmatched handcarved spruce top; solid flame maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl "cloud" style fingerboard inlay; ornate tree-of-life mother-of-pearl peghead inlay, five-ply body binding, bound fingerboard and headstock.

Hardware: Original gold epsilon-logo tuners, vintage triple bound Epiphone tortoise pickguard, solid ebony tailpiece, adjustable compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, adjustable truss rod. L.R. Baggs handbuilt piezo bridge saddle pickup, with 1/8" jack.

Notes: The Epiphone Deluxe was introduced as the company's top-of-the line model in 1931, and upsized to 17" late in 1935. The direct competitor with Gibson's L-5, the Deluxe sold for the same price, though more ornate and typically louder and somewhat brighter in tone. With its tremendous cutting power, the Deluxe was a perennial favorite of big band guitarists who had to face down an entire horn section without an amp. Though cataloged through 1955, few examples are seen after 1951.

In 1938 noted studio guitarist George Van Eps commissioned Epi Stathopoulo to graft a custom seven string neck onto his 1931 Epiphone Deluxe, thus creating the first 7 string archtop guitar. Van Eps continued to record and teach on this guitar until his passing in 1998, pioneering the modern 7 string fingerstyle chord melody guitar style. Though Epiphone never produced another 7 string guitar, Van Eps was instrumental in the creation of one another lone example, modeled directly after his own distinctive guitar.

In 1964, one of George's students, Los Angeles guitarist Bob Mero, acquired this exceptionally fine 1947 Epiphone Deluxe. Under Van Eps exacting supervision, a young luthier named Lloyd Baggs was closely vetted to replicate George's groundbreaking instrument. In Baggs words: "After an hour and some tire kicking and some guitar playing by George they gave me the green light. The idea was to clone the dimensions of the neck on George's guitar down to a gnat's hair. So, from scratch, I created a new neck with the dimensions and feel of George's neck but designed all of the inlay to be representative of the period that the guitar was actually made...I did not refinish the body. I also made the tailpiece. The job took me half a year and I honestly feel that it was the best work of it's kind that I ever did. I really liked George and it was important for me to impress him but I'd be surprised if I ended up making $2.00/hr. on it! " A brief photo history of the project may be seen here.

In addition to the custom neck, Baggs crafted a D'Aquisto style ebony tailpiece, and a custom bridge with a handbuilt piezo saddle, a forerunner of the many innovations that have made L.R. Baggs a music industry colossus. With the addition of a genuine period vintage Epiphone Deluxe bound tortoise pickguard, the project became complete. Babied by its proud owner and his family since its creation, this sparkling example has remained in stellar condition, without pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear. A California guitar, it's absent even the typical finish checking common to instruments of its vintage, with only a small patch of knee wear, and a few incidental finish nicks in its all-original dark sunburst lacquer finish. All original multi-ply binding is tight to the body as well, with excellent neck angle and bridge height, affording ample room for adjustment up or down, and smooth low action over a fresh high-precision setup.

At just 6lb 5oz. the guitar is nicely lightweight and well balanced on the lap or the strap. The back is graced with bubble figure maple of remarkable depth and intensity, and the soundboard shows the earmarks of fine Adirondack spruce, now aged over seven decades. The voice is rich and vibrant, with the added warmth and range of a nice tight .080 gauge low A string. Kept snugly in a bulletproof ultra-premium Mark Leaf molded fiberglass flight case, this guitar is unique masterwork, from the meeting of two creative legends, at the very dawn of the modern 7 string guitar. Don't miss it: one only, call now.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; 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 nickel roundwound strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" 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.

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