J4T5 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epiphone-Elite-Elitist-Country-Deluxe-Prototype-made-in-Japan-Market-650-/121401909844?pt=Guitar&hash=item1c441e2254 Pretty cool....Elitist so it is up there in price but pretty sweet. Personally it would look better without the arm rest but everybody has their own take on these things......I'd love to own this sweetheart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffery Smith Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epiphone-Elite-Elitist-Country-Deluxe-Prototype-made-in-Japan-Market-650-/121401909844?pt=Guitar&hash=item1c441e2254 Pretty cool....Elitist so it is up there in price but pretty sweet. Personally it would look better without the arm rest but everybody has their own take on these things......I'd love to own this sweetheart. I was tempted to pull the trigger on this one about 10 years ago when they were still available, but the longer scale length wasn't for me. I eventually went with a used Gretsch Country Classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Wasn't this version, the "Available only for Japan's domestic market," model? I didn't think they allowed exports, of the versions with the "Gibson" open book headstock shape?!! I know they didn't on 335's, SG's, and Les Paul's... the export versions all had a different style headstock shape. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffery Smith Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I think they had it in the US, calling it the "Country Gentleman". AS I recall, it came and went in a relatively brief flash. If memory serves me, it left with the Elitist line going down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aster1 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Nice looking guitar. I guess for that $$ I would go for a Gretsch G6120 Chet version. I believe used would be about the same $$ and you get "that great Gretsch sound" too. I do like the thumbnail inlays (also the camel hump too) but there's something about Filtertron's that win me over vs. standard humbuckers. Aster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I think they had it in the US, calling it the "Country Gentleman". AS I recall, it came and went in a relatively brief flash. If memory serves me, it left with the Elitist line going down. Yeah, they had that model "Elitist" here, Jeffrey, but it didn't have the "Gibson" "open book" headstock. All the ones I saw, in shops, and advertisements, had the more common "Elitist" head stock shape. I don't think Gibson allowed that "Gibson" headstock to be exported, from Japan. But, it's possible, I suppose? Like this: http://www.gibson.com/Files/productImages/epiphone/_guitars/thumbs_and_details/elitist/Les%20Paul%20Custom/headstock.jpg\ CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffery Smith Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Oops! I went to the ebay posting and didn't see the headstock. My bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I bought one of these new in 2004. ..back ordered for about 5 months but it was worth it.. note the Epi Elitist head stock (sort of hard to see in this photo, but it looks like the photo posted above) I think CB is right, the ones with the Gibson "open book" headstock were not available out side of Japan The TRC reads Chet Atkins but I think it was referred to as the Chet Atkins Country Deluxe. I believe Epi eventually renamed them to the Country Gent prior to discoing them. Very cool guitar, a bit on the heavy side, pickups are pretty good, but I think classic 57s would probably KILL in this, but I don't know if I will modify it. The stock pickups do a good job. I don't play it a ton, but this one that I don't see myself ever parting ways with. Here is another cool rockabilly equipped Epi I scored a few years ago when Sweetwater had a sneak attack sale one weekend, (no case, $569!! I simply had to pull the trigger! they are usually $750 - again case not included) The Swingbuckers (MIC) are actually pretty good. They are wired with an out of phase setting (tone puts pushed in) that give you a good bit o-twang! Pull the tone puts out, and you get two PAF style humbuckers, pretty good about resisting feedback, and the bridge is pinned, so you can rock out with this one, it's a blast to play. they are STILL in production and not crazy money. !!cool!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnappi Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I played one recently, and liked playing it and the sound quite a bit. The issues that made me put it back on the wall were; 1. The tremolo it was loose as a goose, and due to the extreme bend in it I couldn't see how anyone could ever keep it tight. 2. The neck was gorgeous... except the butt had a jointed piece where they skimped on a bit (3/4") of maple. Gads on a $2200 guitar I never expected that. While it wasn't exactly shopworn, it was used as a demo for quite some time and the price was higher than a comparable used Gibson. But, maybe I'll keep my ear to the ground for another. To the group here in general, I know they haven't been made in a while but what was the retail on them? Anyone have one now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I still have mine, (posted a picture in an earlier post) the sales slip: $1,438, October of 2004. The "Chet Wire" (bar) on mine is not loose, it stays in position, not everyone likes them however. regarding that piece of wood at the neck, I know it's there, but it's never bugged me. Nice guitars tho, I've been very happy with it, don't think I'd ever part ways with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnappi Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I still have mine, (posted a picture in an earlier post) the sales slip: $1,438, October of 2004. The "Chet Wire" (bar) on mine is not loose, it stays in position, not everyone likes them however. regarding that piece of wood at the neck, I know it's there, but it's never bugged me. Nice guitars tho, I've been very happy with it, don't think I'd ever part ways with this one. Yeah, if that was the price I might have considered it. With tax it was $2200 It's not that the neck bugs me but that's what $500 guitars have to save a bit of wood. It REALLY surprised me seeing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 The last one of these I saw was going for around $1400 a couple of years ago. The armrest had been removed & if I remember correctly, there were two mounting holes drilled into the top. I have a bright red 1990 Chet Atkins Gibson Tennessean. This was the first year of production (no armrest and a silver pickguard & truss rod cover). Like the Elitist above, it sports Chet's preferred long scale & 1-3/4" nut width, with 16 frets clear of the body. Nice guitar, worth trying out if you happen to run across one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yeah, if that was the price I might have considered it. With tax it was $2200 It's not that the neck bugs me but that's what $500 guitars have to save a bit of wood. It REALLY surprised me seeing it. The rest of the cost story. when I ordered the guitar, it was $1,199 (Before Tax) and they were back ordered. While waiting out the back order, (a few months) Gibson/Epiphone did a price hike. from $1,199 to $1,599 The store agreed to eat some of the price hike but I still wound up +$200 (OUCH!) About the wood block on the neck, have you seen a Gibson issue of the same model? I've honestly never even given it a second thought. just wondering if the Elitist verses the USA Gibson are done any differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pu Custom Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 It's funny - just yesterday I was listening to some early Stray Cats stuff, and thought to myself 'Maybe I need a good rockabilly guitar'. I went to Guitar Center to look at some semi-hollow Epi's, and a couple of Gretsch's, but didn't find anything that float my boat . . . but if I had seen something like that, it would have been a whole different story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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