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 1950 Epiphone Triumph Tenor

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Serial #: 60337, blue New York label Body size at lower bout: 17 3/8" Scale length: 22 3/4" Nut width: 1 1/4" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .88/1.03

Materials: Hand graduated solid spruce top; solid birdseye maple back and sides; 3-piece bound cherry neck with walnut centerstripes; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; triple-bound body, polished bone nut.

Hardware: Original nickel hardware includes epsilon logo 16:1 tuners, Pat.Pend Frequensator tailpiece; adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge; adjustable truss rod at fingerboard extension. Vintage correct contoured tortoise pickguard.

Notes: Throughout the Roaring 20's, the tenor banjo had been synonymous with the hot bands of the Jazz Age. But by the end of the decade, improvements in recording technology and changing musical styles led to the widespread adoption of the archtop guitar in the rhythm sections of the Big Band era. Warmer in tone than its banjo counterpart, the tenor guitar's identical tuning made a convenient transition for many former banjoists into four-beat Swing.

Epiphone had been a leading banjo manufacturer, and by 1931 introduced a line of tenor guitars, in parallel to their roster of archtop guitars. In that debut lineup, the Hollywood was the tenor version of Epi's popular Triumph model six string archtop. By 1937, the Hollywood was renamed the Triumph Tenor, which remained in production until 1958. Small production made Epi tenors exceedingly rare, especially in the postwar era: in fact this remarkable example is the only full size Epi tenor we have ever had the pleasure to offer.

Built in 1950, this guitar is crafted of all solid, hand graduated tonewoods, including the handsomely figured birdseye maple back, the rarest variant of this lustrous tonewood. Well maintained, the instrument has all original finish, binding and hardware, with the addition of a vintage correct polished tortoise pickguard. Notably free of pick, buckle and fingerboard wear, the instrument shows no cracks, with all original tight to the body. Playwear is mostly confined to some smooth thumbwear near the lower frets, and some faint dimples in the finish where an old coil cord once rested across the upper treble bout. The original blonde finish has ambered to a deep honey hue, with the footprint of an old DeArmond control box still visible near the bridge

The guitar has smooth low action over fine original frets, comfy gentle C neck profile, and a clear, brilliant acoustic voice with powerful volume and cutting power. An exceptionally rare find, and a versatile treasure for trad jazz, western swing, or Celtic player alike. One only: call now.

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 phosphor bronze 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 light relief. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Original deluxe brown Epiphone plush lined hardshell case.

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