pohatu771 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 In the early 80s, Gibson introduced a limited Epiphone USA line, with three guitars - the Spirit, the Special, and the USA Map. They were made in Kalamazoo - the last Epiphones to be made there. The Spirit was a double-cutaway Les Paul-style slab body with humbuckers. It was produced as the Spirit I and Spirit II - indicating the number of pickups. They weren't very consistent - some later models were bound, though most seem to be Spirit II in sunburst. The USA Map, of course, was a guitar shaped like the continental United States. It appeared on the 1983 Gibson catalog, though the headstock isn't visible and the knob layout is different. I'm not sure if it was a production model Gibson, or if it was made just for that photo shoot. The Special was an SG-shaped version of the Spirit. I have no evidence to support this, but I believe the Special became the modern incarnation of the SG Special. It had existed since the SG was introduced, of course, but by the mid 70s had fallen out of production after transitioning from P-90s to mini-humbuckers. Around the same time the Spirit and Special were discontinued (1984), the current incarnation of the SG Special appeared. They didn't sell well, so the Spirit and Special were re-branded as Gibsons. Production continued in Nashville, though only as Gibson models. The USA Map was revived twenty years later as an import model. There are examples of each on eBay at the moment - a rare occurrence. It's hard enough to find any of them (though Spirits are most common), and all three - especially the earlier Epiphone models - is a thrill. I'm currently looking to buy a stock Spirit to accompany my heavily-modified Spirit. I'm not picky about Epiphone or Gibson, though an Epiphone would be nice. Allow me to introduce: Epiphone Spirit II - A fairly nice example, for a fairly nice price. I would love to buy this one right now, but finances are prohibiting it. I hope it doesn't sell so it can be relisted later on. I wouldn't pay $600, but I would definitely pay $500. There's no year on this one, but since it's an Epiphone, it's probably a 1981 or 1982. The listing is also incorrect, since no Epiphones were produced in Nashville. (As a note, this is what my Spirit started out like this - as a black Gibson, but structurally the same.) Epiphone Special II - A nice example, from the limited picture. Unfortunately this one is overpriced - partially because it's in Europe, I'm sure. These are less common, so they generally command higher prices on the rare occasions they do pop up for sale. I can't remember seeing one in a finish other than black, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I'd like one of these too. Epiphone USA Map Guitar - Surprisingly, these are the most common, probably because of the high price they fetch. It's also possible that they're easy to find simply because they're easy to find. The other two models can blend in and be harder to find - they're often listed online as Les Pauls and SGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennyman Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Thanks for the history. I've actually seen one of those USA map Gibbies (or was it an Epi?), in Seoul, if you can believe it. It had a darker brown finish, if I remember rightly. Same store had a Sonex, too. I'll be back in Seoul in a couple of weeks, maybe I should hit that little shop again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungrycat Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Very very nice, except no Epiphones were produced in Nashville. The recent run of USA Wilshires were Nashville made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Very very nice' date=' except The recent run of USA Wilshires were Nashville made. [/quote'] Taken out of context, my statement is incorrect. I was referring, however, to the Spirit/Special/USA Map guitars. Any Spirit or Special produced in Nashville (as mine was) was a Gibson instrument from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Unfortunately this one is overpriced - partially because it's in Europe' date=' I'm sure.[/quote'] Yes, and partially because of this seller, who always overcharges. I'm surprised anyone buys anything from them. I frequently see their listings on ebay and they annoy me. . Ahem. Sorry, rant over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungrycat Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Taken out of context' date=' my statement is incorrect. I was referring, however, to the Spirit/Special/USA Map guitars. Any Spirit or Special produced in Nashville (as mine was) was a Gibson instrument from the start.[/quote'] I think I was very sleepy when I wrote that. I'd look at the post time, but it's like 17 hrs, 23 min. off. Besides, there's no fun to be had quoting people in context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legs Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I think I was very sleepy when I wrote that. I'd look at the post time' date=' but it's like 17 hrs, 23 min. off. Besides, there's no fun to be had quoting people in context.[biggrin'] It's that damn hypnotoad! Probably an Ibanez toad! Legs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosetree Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-GIBSON-EPIPHONE-MAP-GUITAR-UNPLAYED-NOS-/110564845175?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item19be2da677 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 That's a more recent reissue... I was under the impression they had bolt-on necks, but I see I was wrong. I've never played one, but I'd be interested in seeing how well they play... of course, I haven't played the 80s model either. There's an 1982 Epiphone Spirit on eBay right now I'm waiting for... hopefully it stays low so I can buy it. [EDIT] Here's an interesting example on eBay... it's a Gibson, of course, but I've never seen one before. The Spirit XPL had the features of this guitar, but on a symmetrical, carved-top body. http://cgi.ebay.com/1983-Gibson-Custom-Shop-Spirit-Guitar-w-Kahler-/200502145192?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item2eaedbf0a8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Someone on Craigslist was selling an Epiphone Spirit for something like $300 a few weeks ago. I would have liked to snatch it up, but I'm in "saving" mode right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Someone on Craigslist was selling an Epiphone Spirit for something like $300 a few weeks ago. I would have liked to snatch it up' date=' but I'm in "saving" mode right now.[/quote']I'm in saving mode also, but it wouldn't have stopped me. I paid $300 for mine in its original condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I'm in saving mode also' date=' but it wouldn't have stopped me. I paid $300 for mine in its original condition.[/quote'] Wow. Thats a great price! This one was a little more "used", but still in great shape. There is a Gibson Spirit going for $750 on CL right now. I've currently switched from having GAS to having HAS (House Acquisition Syndrome). All of my extra money goes into savings. After we purchase a home, I'll go back into full-effect GAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Wow. Thats a great price! This one was a little more "used"' date=' but still in great shape. There is a Gibson Spirit going for $750 on CL right now. I've currently switched from having GAS to having HAS (House Acquisition Syndrome). All of my extra money goes into savings. After we purchase a home, I'll go back into full-effect GAS.[/quote'] "Original condition" wasn't the right choice of words... I meant the condition I got it in, rather than its current condition. It was spray-painted yellow, routed for P-90s inside the original humbucker routes, and rewired with an additional control. Someone wanted it to be a Les Paul Special, basically. I cleaned up their modifications. My current search is for an original condition one - I want another 1983 to match mine, but I also want an Epiphone since it's a bit odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amino Moore Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Pohatu, Thanks for the history. I worked at Gibson briefly and remember seeing several of the unfinished "Map" guitars in a storage area piled up in the corner and forgotten about. I remember thinking the only thing I could do with one of those is hang it on the wall. Maybe Epiphone could produce one of these as a limited edition model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilf0 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I have a Gibson Spirit XPL which is the most versatile guitars I've ever played. This model has an Explorer-like headstock with six inline tuners. It has a Kahler Flyer tremolo and locking nut, with the body routed to accommodate the tremolo. It has a S/S/H pickup configuration with separate mini-toggle on/off switches for each pickup. The volume knob has a push-in switch which taps the humbucker for single coil pickup at the bridge. I've read that his model was produced from 1985 to 1987. My XPL has ser #82335542 which I believe makes this guitar a 1985. The finish on my guitar is a very dark green with metal-flake that looks black until you have it under bright lights. It's a very playable guitar and I always find myself using it as my main guitar in a band format. Love that single coil in the neck position sound and the double humbucker at the bridge covers the rest of desirable tones for me. The on/off toggles for the pickups allows me to kill the signal to the amp as fast or slow as you can flick the switch which can produce a tremolo type effect. One volume and one tone control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xylonix Guitars Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I'd been hauling this around for years, in pieces. A previous owner had disassembled it completely, removed the neck, and sanded it very roughly. Finally got around to rebuilding it. It sold as soon as it was done. No, it's not original. It's way better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hayden Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Thanks man, never to old to learn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZie Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 The Spirit was a double-cutaway Les Paul-style slab body with humbuckers. It was produced as the Spirit I and Spirit II - indicating the number of pickups. As far as I can see, the curvature of Spirit II cutaways reminds a little Tak Matsumoto DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.