Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

emperor II


macoshark

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi- Hows it goin. It's been awhile since I posted. I need some info on the Emperor II. Lookin at one that has a TRC with Gibson on it? I looked on our wiki and that model seems connected to Joe Pass and should have Joe Pass on TRC. Also the epiphone script on headstock has the"n" with an extended tail. If anyone might have a clue if there were Joe pass models with a gibson TRC would you please help me out. Thanks

Posted

Apparently it's a "pre-Joe Pass" model made in the (early?) 90s in Korea. There are a few of those on ebay, along with numerous later Joe Pass models.

Posted

thnx cougar- Correct, I went back into epi wiki and found it. It's a pre J.P. emperor not sure how it compares to the Joe pass Emperor II

 

In Guitar Land, anytime you can say "...pre-<insert anything legitimate>!!!...", it's better.

 

rct

Posted

1 of the differeces between Emp II and JP is that the p'up selector switch was moved from lower bout on Emp II to the top bout JP

Posted

Right....switch was put on bass horn instead of treble on the emperor II. Not really a lot of difference between the one I'm looking at and the Joe Pass signature aside from that except according to Wiki the Joe Pass, not the

emperorII,began in only a sunburst and was offered"91-93". This one was 84-92 and no mention of Mr. Pass.

Gonna play that tomorrow, not really sure if that is what I want at this point but want to try her.Photos looked very nice.

Posted

Played the Emperor and it was very clean sounding and it near mint condition. I'm going to sell a couple of Yamaha acoustics and see what else is out there. Maybe a Casino or Emperor at this stage.

Cougar-- I thought you had an Emperor?

Posted

Right....switch was put on bass horn instead of treble on the emperor II. Not really a lot of difference between the one I'm looking at and the Joe Pass signature aside from that except according to Wiki the Joe Pass, not the

emperorII,began in only a sunburst and was offered"91-93". This one was 84-92 and no mention of Mr. Pass.

Gonna play that tomorrow, not really sure if that is what I want at this point but want to try her.Photos looked very nice.

 

Nope, I have a 1986 and a 1987 "EMPEROR" and they both have switches on the Bass side. A few were made on the treble side but not many. My 86 does not have Grovers and the 87 does.

 

The EMPEROR II is a Joe Pass model with JP badges, the pre JP Emperor label in the body says EMPEROR the JP has Emperor II which are the only differences between the two models.

Posted

Hi- Hows it goin. It's been awhile since I posted. I need some info on the Emperor II. Lookin at one that has a TRC with Gibson on it? I looked on our wiki and that model seems connected to Joe Pass and should have Joe Pass on TRC. Also the epiphone script on headstock has the"n" with an extended tail. If anyone might have a clue if there were Joe pass models with a gibson TRC would you please help me out. Thanks

 

The TRC on any guitar is a meaningless identifier. Anyone with a few bucks and a screwdriver can change it. My Emperor II Has had the badges removed from the pickguard and TRC by the PO.

 

HEY GIBSON!!! LOok at EBAY and note that 80+% of the JP's either have no PG or the idiotic (JP and Epiphone) badges have been removed from the PG. Just put a plain vanilla PG on and save everyone from having to do it?

Posted

gnappi-Glad to hear about your Emperors,there a beautiful guitar. I referred to Epiphone wiki here and noticed the Emperor picture on the early Emperor,the one right before the Joe Pass and Emperor II, it had THE Gibson on the TRC and the PU switch on the bass horn like you have.Wiki has that model 84-90. right after that model, wiki here shows a Joe Pass signed Emperor that also has the PU switch on lower bout 91-93. Yeah the TRC is iffy and just takes a second to change so that's not very reliable. The whole thing with the Emperor PU switch is, when you come across one with the lower location it makes it gives it a little different personality,plus helps to identify it as an earlier Epiphone.

By the way do you have any pics of your 86 and "87. I was hoping the one I was looking at was from Japan but if wasn't. It had a sticker on the back of the headstock with the serial number dating it as a 91,pretty sure it was made by Samick.thnx

  • 1 month later...
Posted

gnappi-Glad to hear about your Emperors,there a beautiful guitar. I referred to Epiphone wiki here and noticed the Emperor picture on the early Emperor,the one right before the Joe Pass and Emperor II, it had THE Gibson on the TRC and the PU switch on the bass horn like you have.Wiki has that model 84-90. right after that model, wiki here shows a Joe Pass signed Emperor that also has the PU switch on lower bout 91-93. Yeah the TRC is iffy and just takes a second to change so that's not very reliable. The whole thing with the Emperor PU switch is, when you come across one with the lower location it makes it gives it a little different personality,plus helps to identify it as an earlier Epiphone.

By the way do you have any pics of your 86 and "87. I was hoping the one I was looking at was from Japan but if wasn't. It had a sticker on the back of the headstock with the serial number dating it as a 91,pretty sure it was made by Samick.thnx

 

Sure, here's a pic:

 

From left, 87, 86 (both Samick) , 05(Unsung) All three have 3/5 piece maple necks like Gibson does.

 

emperors2_c.jpg

Posted

Sure, here's a pic:

 

From left, 87, 86 (both Samick) , 05(Unsung) All three have 3/5 piece maple necks like Gibson does.

 

emperors2_c.jpg

 

 

Nice collection. They look like a fun bunch! [thumbup] Notice any obvious differences between makers?

Posted

Nice collection. They look like a fun bunch! [thumbup] Notice any obvious differences between makers?

 

The three I have are very close. The Unsung is a bit less lively acoustically and the pups are weaker by a bit, more sharp, less mellow but quality and playability are excellent on all. They are different from current manufacture, I don't like the new ones, or at least I haven't played one I liked... yet. The 86 I got without a PG, which I found a nice wood one on Ebay, the Unsung had that silly GIGANTIC "E" and the JP signature removed from the PG before I got it, which I like.

 

Why the Epi's have that stuff on the PG is a mystery. Seems like many either throw away the PG, replace it or play it without one.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...