More about Epiphone
All About Epiphone Guitars
As one of the electric guitar’s most prolific brands, it’s no surprise why Epiphone is a name known around the world and all across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Epiphone truly represents a worldly musical experience as it has connected with so many people from the highest profile to most humble stages imaginable. With an American legacy spanning back to a completely different era entirely, Epiphone has remained a steady force in music globally.
The Epiphone story is lengthy and lands today with historic lines of instruments. Always capturing the spirits of the musicians who take them up, Epiphone guitars meet the needs of players at any stage of their musical journey. Truly a line of instruments for passionate players, Epiphone instruments today embody a legacy of stardom from the most modest of origins.
The History of Epiphone
There’s quite a bit of history behind one of the electric guitar’s most enduring names. Though the roots of the brand reach all the way back to the nineteenth century with the Stathopoulo family emigrating from the Ottoman Empire into New York City, the Epiphone story starts proper with Epaminondas Stathopoulo and his Recording line of banjos. Stanthopoulo’s banjos, made successful due in part to the instrument’s popularity following the First World War, established the family as a mover in the twentieth century music market. Epiphone, a combination of the Greek word for sound and Epaminondas’s nickname “Epi”, soon became a staple of musical instruments nationally.
In the early decades of the twentieth century, the two big names that occupied this newfangled acoustic instrument space were Epiphone and Kalamazoo’s Gibson. These two prominent names engaged in an arms race of acoustic and electric instrument design. Effectively spurring on massive developments in technology and culture, Epiphone and Gibson’s war over the guitar market ultimately concluded with World War II material scarcity and the death of Epi Stathopoulo. Epi’s brothers lost hold on the market and eventually sold the entirety of the company to Gibson, who in the 1950s gained massive traction through their association with rising star guitarist Les Paul and his signature solidbody electric model.
With Gibson’s popularity worldwide in the twentieth century, Epiphone became an arm of manufacturing, producing more budget-friendly versions of Gibson models, while still producing their own models like the Coronet, Emperor, and Texan. The latter half of the twentieth century brought Epiphone guitars around the world with Paul McCartney’s left-hand strung Epiphone Texan on The Ed Sullivan Show, John Lennon’s tan Epiphone Casino on the Apple Corps rooftop, and Noel Gallagher’s Epiphone Union Jack Sheraton on Maine Road stadium’s stage.
What Epiphone Is Known For
Epiphone is a brand known for compatibility with a wide range of players. Their slogan, “For Every Stage,” refers to the brand’s expertise in meeting players where they truly land, whether that stage be physical or metaphorical. The name specializes in quality electric guitars for players of all stripes, whether just starting out or mastering the instrument altogether. Due to the reach of Gibson during the twentieth century, Epiphone guitars can be found in music circles from the Americas to Europe to Asia and everywhere in between.
While Epiphone prominently produces more entry-level and budget-friendly versions of Gibson classics, their catalog also involves standby models from their own history. Epiphone shares some DNA with Gibson guitars in that their mid-twentieth century feud spawned quite a few concurrent innovations in solid and hollow guitar design. Because of this, Epiphone and Gibson guitars play with a similar spirit with humbucking pickups and fine selections of woods.
Epiphone Guitars Today
The Epiphone brand today offers a wide spectrum of experiences for players to take part in. For one, Epiphone electric and acoustic guitars capture the spirit of many Gibson icons like the Les Paul, SG, Hummingbird, and more. Epiphone also stands by with their own historic models like the Coronet, Crestwood, Casino, and Sheraton. Under Gibson’s eye, Epiphone was reorganized into Original and Modern collections where players have the opportunity to discover and rediscover these instruments for themselves.
In addition, Epiphone’s list of signature artists stretches all the way from the origins of classic rock to today’s cutting edge. Such artists that have aligned with the Epiphone brand and all the musicality it represents include Slash, Toni Iommi, Adam Jones, Emily Wolfe, Joe Bonamassa, and Billie Joe Armstrong. Today’s high-end Epiphone guitars are produced in Nashville, Tennessee and Bozeman, Montana alongside Gibson.
The Best Epiphone Guitars
Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar
An archtop for the rooftop. You’ll likely recognize the Epiphone Casino in John Lennon’s arms during the Beatles’ last public performance. Its resonant, hollow body, warm pickups, and smooth playability make it a classic.
Epiphone Sheraton Electric Guitar
A semi-hollow for the stadium. Noel Gallagher of Oasis frequently looked to the Epiphone Sheraton for its commanding tonal qualities and uncompromising presentation. Its centerblock construction keeps its resonance on course for taking on any stage at any volume.
Epiphone Coronet Electric Guitar
A solidbody for the stage. 1958’s debut of the Epiphone Coronet brought with it a new look and sound for Epiphone with its punchy pickup and compact, solid construction. Matching the later rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities of guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Marr, this guitar is an icon all its own.
Epiphone Texan Acoustic Guitar
An American for the audience. Paul McCartney’s left-hand strung Epiphone Texan is a television icon by itself for its starring role in the Ed Sullivan performance of “Yesterday.” The large-bodied Texan played with warmth and authority for the Beatles classic and is sure to do the same for you.
Epiphone SG Electric Guitar
A devilishly delightful solidbody. Epiphone’s SG (“solid guitar”) follows in Gibson tradition faithfully. Its double-cutaway form and dual-humbucker design make it as potent a rock guitar decades later as the day it was introduced.
Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar
An icon for the ages. Since premiering in 1952, the Les Paul has taken on a number of forms with Epiphone’s models staying true to the original magic that made it all work. The single-cutaway body and warm humbucking pickups have made it a classic so many times over.
Epiphone Firebird Electric Guitar
A bold, beautiful bird. Landing among Epiphone’s extensive Gibson-inspired collections, the Firebird soars with a reverse-offset body and bright humbuckers, making it one of rock’s most enduring offsets.
Like what you see? Not sure which Epiphone electric guitar is for you? Curious about if we carry your favorite Epiphone model? Drop us a line and let us lend a hand - our crew is always ready to help.
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