jmendoza Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Being the Regent fan that you are, I wanted to ask if you have noticed that the later models have the controls in a different location on the pick guard? The pictures of your sunburst version, which you said was a mid 1990s model, have the controls on the bottom edge of the pick guard, ahead of the Epi Epsilon. My 2005 has the controls to the rear of the epsilon, more towards the bridge, and stacked one atop the other. I'm assuming this was done to move them away from being struck by your pick or palm during a vigorous strumming follow-through a-la Pete Townsend. Although the binding on the pick guard is a nice touch, the tortoise shell material looks cheap in my opinion and I would prefer a black one with 3-5 laminations and a beveled edge, plus the elimination of the epsilon, which also looks cheesy to me. Have you ever seen the awful pick guard on a late 1980's Sheraton? I made a new one for mine, and am thinking about doing the same for the Regent. Epiphone/Gibson is very nebulous about exactly how the Regent top is made. They say "select" spruce, but they don't mention if it is carved, solid, pressed, or laminated. I have heard it is solid, but pressed, with a thin layer of veneer on the inside to help it hold it's shape. I did notice it seems to be the same thickness at the edges as it is towards the middle, indicating it is not graduated (carved). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 The Emperor Regent's top --- like the Broadway, which is essentially the same body --- is certainly not carved solid spruce. That would be next to impossible at the Emperor Regent's price point. My hunch is it is pressed and laminated, though perhaps, as you said, with only a single lamination on the back to help it keep its shape. The Elitist Broadway and Byrdland, on the other hand, do advertise carved solid spruce tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeko Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Hey there J thanks for the shoutout. Yes the control placement is different in the older models. I believe Epi switched the placement in '99. These older pick guards are a little wider as well to try and compensate for the volume knob placement. In past years I owned two newer models and I noticed the pick guards seemed a bit narrower. Personally I like the tortoise and specificly the E as it has been an Epiphone symbol from way back. I wouldn't dream of removing it as I feel it makes the instrument.The nice part is that it is easily removed if you don't dig it. As for the top, the old catalogs I have specify select spruce which is code for laminated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza Posted April 8, 2016 Author Share Posted April 8, 2016 Sleeko, thanks for that. Do you mean the pick guard is easily unscrewed, or the Epsilon itself comes off? The Epi styling just seems a little Garish for my taste. I'll do a post of pictures of the Regent, and the Sherri for you, and you will see how the pick guard I made for the Sherri is more subtle, a-la-Gibson. I need to take the Regent pick guard off anyway, to clean the scratchy pots. Am planning to do a little fret leveling, crowning, and polish the fret ends just to make it feel nicer. I bought an ebony bridge for it too, so it needs fitting and notching. Was lucky to find the guitar locally and therefore test drive this Regent before buying it from the original owner. Got it w/ HSC for $500.00. How much did the retail for when new? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeko Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Sleeko, thanks for that. Do you mean the pick guard is easily unscrewed, or the Epsilon itself comes off? The Epi styling just seems a little Garish for my taste. I'll do a post of pictures of the Regent, and the Sherri for you, and you will see how the pick guard I made for the Sherri is more subtle, a-la-Gibson. I need to take the Regent pick guard off anyway, to clean the scratchy pots. Am planning to do a little fret leveling, crowning, and polish the fret ends just to make it feel nicer. I bought an ebony bridge for it too, so it needs fitting and notching. Was lucky to find the guitar locally and therefore test drive this Regent before buying it from the original owner. Got it w/ HSC for $500.00. How much did the retail for when new? The Epsilon can be removed pretty easy. As for price the older ones retailed for $1200.00, street price for mine was $995.00. I remember because the salesman winced and remarked that that was starting price for the Martins they had. When I traded my '98 in I noted that the street price of a new one on display was $675.00 and mentioned it to my salesman. He said production had moved to lower the price and the newer ones were noticably lighter in weight. My '98 was quite hefty as this '94 is as well. The newer ones I had were as light as a feather but still sounded quite nice. I just prefered the heavier built ones. Here's a shot of the collection at it's largest including the newer Emperors - a blond and a sunburst. My name is Steve . . . and I had a problem! LoL As it stands now excluding the new addition . . . Yooo Hooo . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza Posted April 9, 2016 Author Share Posted April 9, 2016 Sherri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeko Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Hmm I can't see it. Speaking of the pickguard, I observed the ones on the older models are not only larger width wise but also thicker and darker. The one on my '94 Emperor looks comparable to the one on my Elitist Broadway. I noticed when I had my newer models the guards were a bit thinner and lighter in color. I'm thinking with the repositioning of the knobs the extra width wasn't necessary. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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