Ricochet Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 While perusing some Japanese guitar-auctions I stumbled on this Epiphone. "Elitist" stamped but with an "Epiphone Japan" open-book headstock. So what is this then? A transitional model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Can't see your pic Ricochet but I think that I've heard that some Elitists were produced with the open book headstock for the Japanese market. Could be wrong but thats what I would think anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Can't see your pic Ricochet but I think that I've heard that some Elitists were produced with the open book headstock for the Japanese market. Could be wrong but thats what I would think anyway. I hope I fixed the pic? Well... Elitist LPs have their own narrow headstock and the Elitist stamp. The Epiphones intended for the Japanese market had the open-book headstock but no stamp. This has a bit of both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I haven't seen that combo. I think that Spud might know something about it. You might check with him over on the banned members forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Those were early Elitists, for the Japanese Market, only. Not to be exported. They later changed to the headstock we are more familiar with, here...even for the Japanese Elitists. There was a Japanese website, for awhile, that had a LOT of those particular "Elitist" and "Orivlle" and "Epiphone Japan" versions. All had that same "Gibson" headstock. Not sure it's still on line. Might try Googling Epiphone Japan, or Epiphone Elitist (Japan)? CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Those were early Elitists' date=' for the Japanese Market, only. Not to be exported. They later changed to the headstock we are more familiar with, here...even for the Japanese Elitists.[/quote'] Tnx CB. You're not talking about the Epiphone Elite line or are you? They were Epiphones, Japan-made, with open-book headstock but again no Elite/Elitist-stamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I've got an Epiphone Elite (Byrdland), and it has an Epiphone head. There must have been several transitions in these high-end instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Gibson didn't allow the "Gibson open book" headstock on Elitist that were to be exported, here especially. I think (not entirely sure, about this) that some earlier "European" exports may have had that Gibby headstock as well, but it might have been before Gibson found out, they were being exported, and put a NIX on that? I've seen some that were bought and owned by people in Europe and England, even. But, they're not very common, obviously. But all those early Elitist and Epiphone Japan/Orville instruments are very, very good quality! And, very accurate, to the original specs, on the models they were fashioned after. Long neck tenons, and the whole bit. You may have noticed, too...that a lot of those early Japanese Burny, Dillon, and Tokai Gibson clones are edging ever higher on their resale value/market, simply because they are so well made, and accurate to the Gibson models. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 It's one of those "LQ" Les Pauls you used to be able to see in Epiphones Japan site. Lacquer finish, Gibson Specs, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 I've got an Epiphone Elite (Byrdland)' date=' and it has an Epiphone head. There must have been several transitions in these high-end instruments.[/quote'] Does it have a Elite stamp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 But all those early Elitist and Epiphone Japan/Orville instruments are very' date=' very good quality! And, very accurate, to the original specs, on the models they were fashioned after. Long neck tenons, and the whole bit. You may have noticed, too...that a lot of those early Japanese Burny, Dillon, and Tokai Gibson clones are edging ever higher on their resale value/market, simply because they are so well made, and accurate to the Gibson models. CB[/quote'] Can't believe how much prices have gone up in one year. I was contemplating buying one last year. Didn't have the green. Now I'm paying at least a $150 premium over the same model guitar. It's getting well within used Gibson range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Lister Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 TRC is odd also. Scrolled print? Elitists were block print "Elitist" and Elites were block print "Gibson." Maybe photos are of an Orville? My 2003 Elite LP standard + honeyburst has the Elitist headstock (narrow, not open book). Also, mine and other Elites I've seen have witch hat knobs and that is also different from the photos you posted. Elite photos for reference. Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby, I'm going to play on:-" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 TRC is odd also. Scrolled print? Elitists were block print "Elitist" and Elites were block print "Gibson."Maybe photos are of an Orville? My 2003 Elite LP standard + honeyburst has the Elitist headstock (narrow' date=' not open book). Also, mine and other Elites I've seen have witch hat knobs and that is also different from the photos you posted. Elite photos for reference. "[/quote'] Looks like someone simply changed the TRC to one from a USA LP Standard, and changed the knobs. I know I almost always change the amber bonnet knobs to speed knobs, myself. I just don't like the looks of the darn things... The guitar itself looks every inch an Elitist otherwise, from what I can tell from the small photos. Nice! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 "but it might have been before Gibson found out" This view gets expressed often, and I am not sure it is entirely accurate. I don't believe anything is happening / has happened (in recent times, at least) in Japan without the Gibson corporation's prior approval. Therefore, it is not a case of Gibson having "found out", but rather maker a prior decision not to produce the open book headstocks for the US market... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 "but it mighthave been before Gibson found out" This view gets expressed often' date=' and I am not sure it is entirely accurate. I don't believe anything is happening / has happened (in recent times, at least) in Japan without the Gibson corporation's prior approval. Therefore, it is not a case of Gibson having "found out", but rather maker a prior decision not to produce the open book headstocks for the US market...[/quote'] Yeah, that's why I mentioned prior to that statement, that I wasn't sure it about it (which you didn't bother using). But, I do think you're probably right. And, of course, the "European" ones could have been purchased by some dealer, from Japan, and sold in Europe, with that headstock. Who knows? Unless/Until Epi-1 or some other Epiphone/Gibson rep chimes in, to let us KNOW what's going on, with these type things, we have only our suppositions, and speculations....accurate, or otherwise. ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrmatt Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Ricochet, was there any way to make out the sn# from the original source of the photo? mgm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Does it have a Elite stamp? Forgot to get back to you on this. Yes, the back of the head has an Elite stamp. It looks pretty much like the Elitist stamp, but says Elite instead. The head is not as huge as the typical Epiphone head. It has a hump in the top center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Ricochet' date=' was there any way to make out the sn# from the original source of the photo? mgm[/quote'] There were some other pics, but I didn't bother since it was like $1200 bucks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Forgot to get back to you on this. Yes' date=' the back of the head has an Elite stamp. It looks pretty much like the Elitist stamp, but says Elite instead. The head is not as huge as the typical Epiphone head. It has a hump in the top center.[/quote'] Tnx Jeffery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Tnx Jeffery! You need to snap up that axe post haste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 TRC is odd also. Scrolled print? Elitists were block print "Elitist" and Elites were block print "Gibson."Maybe photos are of an Orville? My 2003 Elite LP standard + honeyburst has the Elitist headstock (narrow' date=' not open book). Also, mine and other Elites I've seen have witch hat knobs and that is also different from the photos you posted. Elite photos for reference. [img']http://www.12fret.com/new/epiphone_elite_les_paul.jpg[/img] Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby, I'm going to play on:-" This is similar to my Elitist and Elite Byrdland heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 You need to snap up that axe post haste. For $1200? I only wish... might pull the trigger on another tho... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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