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Is this an Epiphone EM-1? Or what? Help identify my guitar!


matsamune

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Hey guys. I'm new to the forum =D

 

So I got this guitar off my brother.. And I have no idea what it is. The little barcode thingamajig says it's an Epiphone EM-1:

img0588z.th.jpg

 

BUT, using Google I came up with images of EM-1s and they look NOTHING like my guitar (headstock the other way, gold accents, my guitar has 3 sets of pickups)

From google: 42163_l.jpg

My guitar: img0586j.th.jpg

 

Now, upon stumbling onto this random forum, I had leads that it was an Epiphone EM-1 Rebel. But this was the ONLY forum that had any information about the Rebel, but the resemblance is uncanny - in fact, it looks EXACTLY like my guitar, save for the colour of the body (headstock points the same way, gold accents, 3 sets of pickups) :

 

The forum: http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=14895

 

The image: em1rebel.jpg

 

And another thing that has really got me stumped is that my guitar has BOTH the Gibson and Epiphone branding on it:

img0587va.th.jpg

 

So tell me forum, is my guitar fake? Why does it have both Gibson and Epiphone on it? Why can I only find one image of it on the whole of google? What else can you tell me about my guitar?

 

Thanks guys =D

 

And on a possibly ubrelated topic, I found the guitar on sale on eBay, and it has the reverse headstock, both gibson and epiphone on it, gold accents, and three pickups, except it's green:

The eBay listing

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...Now' date=' upon stumbling onto this random forum, I had leads that it was an Epiphone EM-1 Rebel. But this was the ONLY forum that had any information about the Rebel, but the resemblance is uncanny - in fact, it looks EXACTLY like my guitar, save for the colour of the body (headstock points the same way, gold accents, 3 sets of pickups) :

 

...And another thing that has really got me stumped is that my guitar has BOTH the Gibson and Epiphone branding on it:

 

...So tell me forum, is my guitar fake? Why does it have both Gibson and Epiphone on it? Why can I only find one image of it on the whole of google? What else can you tell me about my guitar?

 

And on a possibly ubrelated topic, I found the guitar on sale on eBay, and it has the reverse headstock, both gibson and epiphone on it, gold accents, and three pickups, except it's green:

[/quote']

 

You answered your own question, it's an EM-1 Rebel. They were made 1991-1998. Gibson owns Epiphone, it was common for Epiphone TRCs to say Gibson in the '90s. No it's not a fake, why would anyone want to make counterfeit EM-1s??? They're not highly desirable, and it would probably cost more to make one than they could sell it for. It would be like counterfeiting pennies.

 

Welcome to the camp

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Awesome! At least now I know what my guitar is.

 

So another question' date=' if you don't mind. What are these 'rebel' models all about? Are they a reissue of some sort?[/quote']

 

They were an attempt to modernize the Epiphone line. Epiphone underwent a lot of major changes late '80s early '90s.

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Nice guitar. I definately like the 90's EMs over the new models. Much more deluxe than the recent incarnation. I really like the old EM-2s with the Floyd Rose trems.

 

Jerrymac, Any idea what 'EM' stands for? I'm guessing 'Epiphone Mark'? And the bass version may be 'Epiphone Bass Mark'? - which sounds kind of silly...

 

Here is a Gibson Mark-III

efaa_1.jpg

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Jerrymac' date=' Any idea what 'EM' stands for? I'm guessing 'Epiphone Mark'? And the bass version may be 'Epiphone Bass Mark'? - which sounds kind of silly...

[/quote']

 

Doesn't sound silly to me, that's what I figured as well. There was a EM-III as well, it had a limba (???) body and a Jam-Trem locking tremelo instead of the Rose. The Gibson M IV Deluxe also had a limba body.

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Her ya go Robin' date=' this fancy enough for ya?

[/quote']

 

Holy cow! $1500??? A little too fancy, if ya know what I mean. I'll be honest though, I still like the looks of the 90's EMs over most of the the Gibson M-IIIs. I think its the lack of pickguard and the trap inlays that do it for me. Although, I'm sure the Gibbys were more high-end - with the set necks, better PUPs and all that. Still a nice guitar, for sure. I wouldnt turn it down if someone wanted to gift it to me.

 

 

Doesn't sound silly to me' date=' that's what I figured as well. There was a EM-III as well, it had a limba (???) body and a Jam-Trem locking tremelo instead of the Rose. The Gibson M IV Deluxe also had a limba body.

[/quote']

 

Its settled, then. Epiphone Mark.[biggrin]

I didnt know about the EM-III or M-IVs. Very interesting. Gibson is always full of surprises, as usual. I'll have to look those up. Thanks!

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