One of the greatest vintage guitar sob stories belongs to the Epiphone Company. Epiphone has a history of downturns and difficult situations, resulting in its ultimate purchase by the Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson; the latter company eventually absorbed Epiphone completely. Epiphone’s vintage acoustic guitars, though, are among the most widely sought after, in many cases because of the company’s struggles. There are a few models in particular that you’re probably interested in.
Epiphone was founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos, who named the company after a combination of his son Epaminondas’ nickname and the Greek word for sound. The company suffered greatly beginning with the second World War, however, and shortly after that, it was purchased by the Chicago Musical Instrument Company. Even so, it continued to struggle into the 1970′s. It was not until 1983 that it began improving again, after several structural changes within the company.
But the models from the very same years – the 1940′s through the 1970′s – are the rarities that collectors so desperately want. Especially when it comes to acoustic guitars, these are the model years, when the company was at its weakest and producing its least, that collectors everywhere want. Vintage collectors especially want the Professional Class models, which helped the company stay afloat even as the times threatened to force it under.
Epiphone has many collectible vintage models. One example is the EJ-200CE, which has the melody of an acoustic with the power of an electric, providing the best of both worlds. Epiphone also has many traditional acoustic guitars, such as the DR-100.
If you’re a collector of vintage acoustic guitars, don’t give Epiphone a pass. In fact, you probably can’t retire from guitar collecting until you’ve gotten your hands on at least one Epiphone. Don’t let their troubled history stop you: these guitars are excellent investments.
