Epiphone bass guitars | Low end to love
If you like a little more low-end in your sound, Epiphone also has a wide range of bass guitars. The popular Thunderbird is a solid-body bass with a unique shape that’ll be the talk of your next gig. The EB and SG basses take the iconic shape of the SG electric guitar and bring it down into the bass clef.
Of course, Epiphone doesn’t always have to follow Gibson models. The Embassy bass was first introduced in 1963 still remains one of the most popular Epiphone bass guitars in their lineup.
Epiphone acoustic guitars | Not just a pretty face
Ditch the amp and cable with Epiphone acoustic guitars. These high-quality instruments follow the legendary Gibson acoustic specs but with more affordable pricing. The Epiphone EJ200 and EJ200CE take the iconic Gibson J200 look and feel and bring it into the intermediate and beginner price range.
For a little more flare, the Epiphone Hummingbird acoustic adds a floral pickguard to the ever-popular dreadnaught body shape, so you can look as good as you sound.
To help beginners get started in the wonderful world of guitar playing, Epiphone also put together complete packages, like the PR4E player pack, that come with everything you need to get started, including a guitar, amp, gig bag, tuner, picks, and more.
Exclusive runs from Epiphone
Everyone likes to feel exclusive, and that includes Epiphone guitars. For a limited time, you can grab exclusive runs of Epiphone’s most popular guitars, like the Olive Drab Series of the Flying V, SG, and ES335.
They have also put together a limited run of Epiphone 1959 Les Paul reissue guitars. These amazing instruments are built based on specs from the legendary Les Pauls that changed the rock and roll scene almost 70 years ago.
If you hurry, you could also snag an Epiphone guitar from the limited Korina line. These unique guitars are built with Korina wood, reminiscent of the ultra-rare Gibson models made back in 1958. But don’t wait around; this limited run is about to run out!
Epiphone bluegrass instruments | Where it all began
Epiphone isn’t all about big city rock and roll electric guitars. They also make some of the best and most affordable bluegrass instruments this side of the Appalachian Mountains! For many years, the company was officially called the Epiphone Banjo Company.
You can find a wide range of high-quality Epiphone banjos, mandolins, and dobros/resonators to satisfy any bluegrass itch.
A brief history of Epiphone
In the modern world, Epiphone is mostly known for being the budget brand of Gibson. But did you know that Epiphone was actually founded first?
Epiphone was first founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulous in the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). He started the company building fiddles and two Mediterranean folk instruments called the oud and the laouto.
The company grew and eventually moved to New York City in 1908. In 1909, Anastasios filed his first patent in the U.S. for an Italian-style bowl-backed mandolin.
Anastasios passed away in 1915, leaving his son Epaminondas in charge of the thriving business. Epi, which was his nickname, started to take the company in a new direction by phasing out many of the old-world mandolin designs and focusing on more popular modern instruments like the banjo. He even developed a patent for a new type of banjo tone ring and rim construction, which helped distinguish the company as a leader in the musical instrument space.
In 1928, Epi renamed the brand by blending his nickname and the suffix “-phone,” which means voice. Thus, the name Epiphone was born!
As guitars became more popular in the 1930s, Epi began a line of Epiphone Masterbuilt archtop guitars, which included the De Luxe, Broadway, and the Triumph, to directly compete with Gibson. And a few years later, Epiphone launched their own line of electric guitars with patented TrueBalance pickups.
As any good guitarist knows, Les Paul built ‘The Log’ in 1939, which is widely credited as the first solidbody electric guitar. But did you know the “wings” on each side of The Log are from an Epiphone archtop? Les Paul actually cut an Epiphone guitar in half, added the center block with pickups, and put it all back together. After years of competition, Epiphone and Gibson joined forces in 1957 and have been developing high-quality guitars, basses, and bluegrass instruments ever since.
With a storied history of over 150 years, and 50 years in the U.S. before joining Gibson, Epiphone has been a major influence on modern music and technology. They continue to produce high-quality yet affordable instruments for beginner and professional musicians alike.
