Cole Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hello, I'm new to this forum, I spend most my time on the Amps Forum. My dad has this old Epiphone he bought a long time ago. He doesn't remember when or where he bought it and doesn't know what it is. A friend told me that the last two #s of the serial code is the year it was made. If this is true it was made in 1982. I was just wondering what it was. I can't get a picture on here. So i will try to describe it. It is a natural finish hollow body with one cutaway, two gold humbuckers, one three-way switch on the treble side, and four knobs 2-vol, 2-tone. It's tailpiece is gold and kind of intertwiney viny looking (if that made any sense). It has two F-holes. The headstock has a vine pattern on it and Epiphone written near the top and on the truss rod cover it has Gibson. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what model it is and if the manufactured date '82 is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxst1281733995 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 That sounds like a Joe Pass Emperor... Or a Broadway... The Broadway has the switch on the treble side, but it has a frequensator tailpiece... The Joe Pass has the tailpiece you described, but the switch is on the bass side of the strings... I don't know how the serial numbers went back in the early 80's, but (I think since '89 at least), the first 2 numbers are the year... There are other users on this forum who could tell you more about serial numbers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hello' date=' I'm new to this forum, I spend most my time on the Amps Forum. My dad has thisold Epiphone he bought a long time ago. He doesn't remember when or where he bought it and doesn't know what it is. A friend told me that the last two #s of the serial code is the year it was made. If this is true it was made in 1982. I was just wondering what it was. I can't get a picture on here. So i will try to describe it. It is a natural finish hollow body with one cutaway, two gold humbuckers, one three-way switch on the treble side, and four knobs 2-vol, 2-tone. It's tailpiece is gold and kind of intertwiney viny looking (if that made any sense). It has two F-holes. The headstock has a vine pattern on it and Epiphone written near the top and on the truss rod cover it has Gibson. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what model it is and if the manufactured date '82 is correct. [/quote'] Does it look like this Joe Pass Model??? Is the serial # engraved on the back of the headstock or is it on a sticker??? The last 2 digits have nothing to do with the year. If it's on a sticker, there's no real way to tell exactly, but it would be late 80s / early 90s. After 93, the serial would be engraved and start with a letter (probably S for Samick). The next digit(s) will indicate the year, so S95xxxxxx would be 1995. It could also be one digit like this S5xxxxxx. The next 2 digits (01 - 12) indicate the month, so S9511xxxx would be made in November 1995. The last four digits indicate the number of the guitar made that month. Hope that helps, if not provide a little more info and we'll see what we can do. Kreskin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 It looks exactly like the Joe Pass only the Pickup switch is on the treble side. also on the pickguard it doesn't have the joe pass sig. It does have the E but it is a diff. shape sorta. The serial # is on a white sticker on the back of the headstock and has 7 #s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 It looks exactly like the Joe Pass only the Pickup switch is on the treble side. also onthe pickguard it doesn't have the joe pass sig. It does have the E but it is a diff. shape sorta. The serial # is on a white sticker on the back of the headstock and has 7 #s. That's an early Emperor II approximately late 80s - 93. Made by Samick in Korea. The Joe Pass endorsement was approximately 1995, I believe that's when they moved the switch. The sticker serial # don't seem to have any pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 If i was to take this to a local guitar store and give them the serial # do you think they could tell me the exact model and year it was made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 If i was to take this to a local guitar store and give them the serial # do you think theycould tell me the exact model and year it was made. No, those serial numbers are not a lot of help. Emperor II made by Samick in Korea late '80s / early '90s is probably as close as you're going to get. Based on your ID of the Joe Pass and the position of the toggle switch, I am certain it's an Emperor II. The serial # on the sticker is random, there's no date code. But we know when Epiphone started making these Korean models and we know when they stared the current serial #s. So 1988 - 1993 more or less. Not 1982. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13yguitarman Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 call gibson and they'll tell you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnretired97 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I have the same problem. I found a nice white or pearl hollow with the lined E and with the exception of a broken switch, it is in pristeen condition. I cannot tell the model and yes I am new. It is made in Korea and is roughly 85. THe case is in great shape. The gold plating on the pickups is poor. I just can't figure out what model it is or if it is worth 450.00. Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 guitar detective jerrymac on the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 call gibson and they'll tell you Epi nor Gibson either one have done a very good job of keeping up with what they made, and/or when they made it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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