Epiphone Ea250 1972-1974 missing badge on headstock

[Zoot Mo]

Hi 

I wonder if anyone has any info to help me.

This old guitar belonged to my late father and has huge sentimental value, though I appreciate not so much commercial value.

I seem to remember there being a badge on the headstock when I was a kid in the 70’s but as you can see from the pics it is missing.

There are two tiny screw holes which held it in place. I was wondering if anyone would know what it looked like (as I can’t remember) or where I might find out. Ideally finding a replacement would be good.

Funny thing is the other examples I see online don’t have a badge, but a printed decal instead.

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Gralst]

If I recall correctly the Epiphone head stock logo was a pearloid inlay/decal and the Epiphone head stock itself was more squat in shape. My guess is that guitar wasn't branded as an Epiphone but more probably as an Aria, Lyle or Westone , all  brands which were made by Matsumoku the parent company of Aria et al  These were all the same guitar as the Epiphone version ,an Aria 5102T, with some cosmetic differences and finish options. The first year they were sold (1971) the Epiphone nomenclature was "5102T (and some 5102 "E")" The guitar on the top is an Aria version and the guitar on the bottom is the Lyle version . I noticed that the Aria version has an inlaid head stock logo so yours is probably one of the many Matsumoku models branded otherwise.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Gralst

[Gralst]

For some reason the edit function is giving me a problem but I wanted to add that if I recall the Epiphone EA-250 only came in cherry red which supports my thinking that your guitar is one of the other Matsumoku 5102T guitars...more than likely a Lyle since the Aria uses the pearloid inay/logo on the headstock.