E-252
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1959 Epiphone Broadway E-252
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Serial #: A-1585 Factory order #: Z8034-24
Body size at lower bout: 17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2" Fingerboard width at nut: 1 11/16"
Finish: Original sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Slab cut birdseye maple top, back and sides; maple neck with walnut center stripe; rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl block inlay; compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, pearl peghead inlay, three-ply body binding, bound peghead; bone nut.
Hardware: 100% original nickel hardware includes twin New York pickups with cream plastic surrounds; New York style Frequensator tailpiece and pickguard bracket; bound tortoise pickguard with epsilon logo; white octagonal 'Carousel' knobs; 3 way pickup selector switch; adjustable truss rod, original medium jumbo frets; double ring Kluson Deluxe tuners.
Notes: From the first year of Gibson production, this pristine 1959 Epiphone Broadway is one of just 68 examples built in its debut year. In stunning museum quality condition, the guitar shows a number of unique features unseen on later models, evidence that at least some New York Epi hardware survived the transition to Gibson's Kalamazoo factory. In particular, this guitar is fitted with the older style Frequensator tailpiece with the pointed tip below the endpin, original adjustable single coil 'New York' pickups and white octagonal 'Carousel' knobs. Finally, the peghead logo is hand inlaid with the traditional Epiphone script logo and retains the shape and size of the New York headstock, later to be elongated by Gibson designers.
The deep Epiphone cutaway (2 frets more than L-5C) allows unrestricted access to the uppermost reaches of the fingerboard, and unlike later examples from the '60s, this early example sports the generous 1 11/16" nut for easy playability. The neck has an easy profile, gently rounded and notably comfortable in the hand, and the original medium jumbo frets play effortlessly with a sleek low action over a fresh high-precision setup. The body and neck are without cracks of any kind, and the original sunburst finish is without pick, buckle or thumbwear, showing just a few wisps of light checking to validate its authenticity. Remarkably, even the original bound tortoise pickguard and multiply binding remain in perfect condition.
The guitar that time forgot, and surely one of the finest examples of this rare and desirable model to be found anywhere. One only: call now.
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.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge 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 black arched plush lined hardshell case.
