ca. 1945 Epiphone Deluxe

ca. 1945 Epiphone Deluxe
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Serial number: 75257, Epiphone Zephyr series number, stamped in back of headstock

Body size at lower bout:17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2". Nut width: 1 10/16"

Finish: Blonde finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type

Materials: Extravagant tiger-flame figured maple back and sides; solid bookmatched handcarved spruce top; solid flame maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe; mother of pearl "cloud" style fingerboard inlays; fancy vine style mother-of-pearl peghead inlay, five-ply body binding, bound fingerboard and headstock.

Hardware: Freshly gold-plated hardware including original Epiphone Frequensator tailpiece, compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge with gold bridgewheels; correct triple-bound dark tortoise pickguard; Gold Grover Imperial tuners with stairstep keys;

Notes: We have have often gazed covetously at the jawdropping 3D flame maple used by Epiphone in their early electric models, known as the Zephyr series. And given their high visibility and higher cost, the blonde finish instruments received the most highly figured wood of all. Noting that the luxurious looks of the Zephyr Deluxe was not always matched by its electronics, we have wondered in idle moments what would result if the original laminated top could be replaced with a solid handcarved top, as found on the acoustic Deluxe. We wonder no more.

This remarkable instrument, number 75257, started its career as a Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe, made sometime between 1945 and 1950. Built with the same measurements as it's acoustic cousin, the Zephyr Deluxe was equipped with a magnetic pickup and controls, all set into a laminated body with spruce top and maple back.

On this guitar, the presence of a Gibson truss rod in the peghead suggests the instrument was sent to the Kalamazoo factory, where it was expertly converted with an acoustic soundboard of the type found on an acoustic Epiphone Deluxe. Materials include a strikingly clear solid handcarved bookmatched quartersawn spruce top, hand fit parallel braces, and an immaculate transparent blonde finish with deep amber highlights to the maple back, sides and neck. Other improvements include freshly plated gold hardware, smooth new frets, and a Kent Armstrong floating humbucker wired to the pre-existing jack in the side. The effect is completed with the factory correct triple-bound tortoise pickguard, and massive, gleaming Art Deco Grover Imperial tuners.

The mother of pearl clouds float lazily up the fingerboard, to shade the ornate rainbow colored abalone headstock vine and script logo. The flamed maple of the back, sides and neck is relentless in its intensity. The pristine nitrocellulose lacquer finish is unruffled by scratches, nicks, dents or checking. The voice is smooth and mellow, and nicely feedback resistant through the pickup. The neck is slim, fast, and comfy with a gentle C profile with smooth low action. Exquisite in fit and finish throughout, a masterpiece reborn to sing with a new voice.

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: Deluxe black arched hardshell case with plush lining.