Looking to find out the model number for a guitar i was given in 1998

[dunner004]

Hello,

I'm looking to find an acoustic Epiphone Gibson I was given as a gift in 1998. It was given to me by my cousin and it sounded wonderful. I want to see if I can find the model number so that maybe I can track down another

1998 or around that time
It had a pale top - similar to the J45 Studio
Cant remember what the binding were like
Not sure if it was a rosewood / mahogany / cherry neck
It had a satin finish
Dark fretboard with a slight curve
Simple dots on the fretboard

Black scratchplate with the Epiphone letter symbol

Any model or picture suggestions would be really appreciated.

Thank you all,

CD

Edited March 31, 2021 by dunner004
forgot some info

[pohatu771]

That describes about half of all Epiphone acoustic guitars ever made. The PR series (many different models) was offered in the late 90s. Many were available with satin finishes, and most had dot inlays.

Was this a new guitar when you got it, or used?

[QuestionMark]

There was an AJ10 and an AJ15 around that period.  Round shouldered guitars with a teardrop shaped pick guard.  Dots on the fretboard.  Had a nice J-45 type vibe to it, except they were king scale not short scale like a Gibson J-45.  The AJ10 may have had a laminated top, the AJ15 a solid top.  Not sure.  But, I recall they had a gloss finish, not a satin finish.

Try doing an internet search of those and see if they are what you had.  

Just what comes to mind.

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

[dunner004]

6 hours ago, pohatu771 said:

That describes about half of all Epiphone acoustic guitars ever made. The PR series (many different models) was offered in the late 90s. Many were available with satin finishes, and most had dot inlays.

Was this a new guitar when you got it, or used?

It was brand new at the time. I know it probably describes a lot of guitars, but that at least gives me something to chase. Once I see one I will know. Once I see the wood used for the neck I will be pretty sure of it

[dunner004]

5 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

There was an AJ10 and an AJ15 around that period.  Round shouldered guitars with a teardrop shaped pick guard.  Dots on the fretboard.  Had a nice J-45 type vibe to it, except they were king scale not short scale like a Gibson J-45.  The AJ10 may have had a laminated top, the AJ15 a solid top.  Not sure.  But, I recall they had a gloss finish, not a satin finish.

Try doing an internet search of those and see if they are what you had.  

Just what comes to mind.

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

Thank you. I will go have a look at those. Hopefully I will find something. Pity I dont have any photos of it. I might look through my parents old photo albums to see if there is anything showing it in the background

[diskotekno]

Have a look here:

http://www.epiphonewiki.org/index/Acoustic_Guitars.php

I''m sure you'll find it in there somewhere.

 

 

[QuestionMark]

Also.  There is a book by Walter Carter that covers the history of Epiphone guitars into the modern era (circa into the first decade of the 2000s.). It had a lot of photos in it and guitar listings from catalogs.  Might be a good book to locate on e-bay or maybe Amazon if it’s still in print.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

[QuestionMark]

14 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

Also.  There is a book by Walter Carter that covers the history of Epiphone guitars into the modern era (circa into the first decade of the 2000s.). It had a lot of photos in it and guitar listings from catalogs.  Might be a good book to locate on e-bay or maybe Amazon if it’s still in print.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

ps.  There are two versions of the Walter Carter Epiphone book.  The first/older version stopped at about 1993/4.  The second/later version version stopped in the early 2010s.  If you look for the book, look for the later version (published circa 2013) not the earlier version of the book.

 

QM aka "Jazzman" Jeff

[QuestionMark]

I found a 1999 Epiphone catalogue.  It shows the following acoustic guitar models:

Bell shaped/round shouldered
AJ 28SE

AJ 35S

AJ 30 CE (cutaway)

AJ-40TLC Cutaway

AJ -45SE (sunburst)

AJ-2812 -SE (12 string)

AJ-185SCE

AJ15E

AJ-1512 (12 string)

EJ-200CE (black)

John Lennon EJ-160E

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter 

PR-7E

PR-5E

PR-350CE

Don Everly SQ-180 (black)

Texan (Sunburst)

Excellente

Frontier (sunburst)

Hummingbird (sunburst)

Dove (sunburst)

PR-350-12 (12 string)

PR-200

PR-350S

PR-100

PR-100C (cutaway)

PR-100A

PR-100M (Mahog)

 

I can’t believe they offered so many acoustic flattops in 1999.  Might be similar to 1998’s line up.  If your old guitar was J-45 like, maybe it was the AJ-45SE.  The catalog says it was a short scale neck and that it had a solid spruce top.

Hope this helps.

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

 

[dunner004]

I thought it might have been a DR-90 from what I can find, but the truss rod cap piece just had “GIBSON” on it
I thought it might have been a PR-100, but it didn’t have a clipped ear headstock, and open back tuning pegs. Nor did it look pale enough. But I did see a second hand one online here that looks extremely close, but I discounted it because it didn’t appear to have any bindings around the edge.

I thought it might have been a PR-150, but the years don’t match, and they don’t seem to have text on the truss rod plate, but the pale complexion looked close.

AJ-100 looks close, but it didn’t have a strap button at the base of the neck, and the scratch plate doesn’t ring a bell. I suppose I am trying to remember a guitar I had for about 4 years, but haven’t had in 18 years
 

AJ-10 & AJ-15 are close I think, buit the E on the scratch plate wasnt embossed. It was flat white in the black scratchplate. Tuning pegs on the AJ-15 are right. AJ-10 are not right.

I suppose I will have to keep on looking and get a copy of that book to see if it helps.

I doubt no more than 200Euros or dollars were spent on it either, but it was one of my first guitars, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe more was spent, but not too much.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by dunner004