Matt the Cat Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 Haven't seen any Texan posts for a while. Few months back there seemed to be nothing but! Anyway, I have had my Inspired by... for a few months now and still can't get over how great it is. Here's some pics of my two Epi's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I've had mine for a few months now, too. Not posting about it because it is time for a string change. When acoustic strings go on a guitar, that guitar sure isn't worth posting about. I've been playing my J-160E a heck of a lot more than my Texan lately. Newer strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epietheridge1 Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Just posted new pics of mine. Nice camera so it bring outs the cherry burst very well. Very nice guitar. What strings to you use, please do not say Elixir? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Strings: EJ-160 -- Pyramid flatwounds with a plain G. Gives it a real pinging Beatley acoustic tone Texan - have two Martin Marquis sets and a Gibson set in my case. Haven't decided which. Gibson set is the exact strings and gauge that's on it now; the Martins I have to mix and match sets to get that exact gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I got the chance to jam with some relatives around the campfire a few weeks ago. My Texan played beautifully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I got the chance to jam with some relatives around the campfire a few weeks ago. My Texan played beautifully. looks like a great night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I believe I reconnnize that young feller in Red: Wasn't he over on the Gibson board trying valiantly to hold up a silver/black Les Paul? Good trio there. 3 generations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 and here she is with my old faithful Alvarez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Cat Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 Just posted new pics of mine. Nice camera so it bring outs the cherry burst very well. Very nice guitar. What strings to you use, please do not say Elixir? Hi mate, I have to say I string mine with Phos-bronze Elixirs. Can't beat them, I gig quite regularly and they last forever. Also very resistant to my sweaty fingers! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaysEpiphone Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Hi every one, I too have an Epiphone Texan! Mine is the FT 145SB model but, I have some thing I'd like to share and maybe even get cleared up about it. Here are some pictures... This side shot shows that this guitar is not the dark red "cherry looking" finish of this model guitar you always see. It's more of a rich Mahogany looking finish if I do say so myself. This shows the neck joint, I've not ever seen this sort of set up, if you think it's not very strong then your wrong, there's a huge block (about 5" X 5" square) under the joint in the inside of the body where the neck mount's (bolt on) to it. Old style machine's that stay in tune fairly well but some are tight making re-stringing a bit of a pain. Not sure about the "Epiphone" stencil design, this maybe an old style or not. OK, here is where thing's get tricky (I think), I read in the "History of Epiphone" thread that they started making guitars in Japan from 1973-1980 with the old style Kalamazoo MI. label on the inside (some where actual US made left-over stickers). This guitar has a label on the inside but it's white, not blue. It has "Made in Japan" on it and the info about the guitar as well but it should be blue, yes? After 1980 they started to make them in Korea so it has to have been made in Japan from the 1973 - 1980 time frame. Here's the plastic plate on the back with the SN and "Japan" on it. Here is a good shot of the front, again you can see that it is a different color than most of the one's you'll find. And it's not a round shoulder model ether. Here's a look at the back again you can tell it's more of a brownish red than a cherry red stain. Who know's! I've not had this guitar for very long (only a few month's) so maybe it was on the road a long time with a band/act that had a lot of light's and it's finish faded. Or maybe some one left it out of the case all the time and it was exposed to sun light through a shaded window and it faded that way. I don't think it could have been exposed to direct sunlight as it would have been warped badly and it plays/sounds/looks to good for that kind of deterioration to have occurred. Maybe it was a defect and the paint ran low on the paint line or some thing and they sent it out any-way's, or, perhaps it was a model that didn't get shipped to the states (or my area) much or was brought to the states buy some one traveling or in the military. It's a good sounding guitar and it play's very well too I must add. The action is quite high if you run up the neck towards the sound hole but I don't do much more than open chords so that don't bother me at all. The bridge was very noisy so my guitar tech guy had it re-worked to accept a bone bridge instead of the busted-up adjustable metal one it came stock with. That got rid of almost all of the noise and it sound's better as most people that have heard/played it before and after have told me, I think it was an improvement too. Glad to be here Raymond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epietheridge1 Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Yes, use the same string ha. Elxir did their homework on these string this go around ;) Hi mate, I have to say I string mine with Phos-bronze Elixirs. Can't beat them, I gig quite regularly and they last forever. Also very resistant to my sweaty fingers! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I got a sunburst Inspired by a week ago & played it last night at a rehearsal/session. It's a refurb with different electrics which I prefer.Great for the money-it'll be a go-anywhere guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Strings?-I tried Fender light 12-52-too light! D'darrio medium light 12-54-stiff-didn't sound new. Darco PB Light 12-54 brought it to life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Still playing and loving mine, but... ...I may be on the verge of doing something to fix one of my complaints about it, mainly that it looks Too Damn New. It has a nice vintage vibe and sounds great plugged in, but it just looks too "nice" and with that poly finish, it's never going to show any wear, no matter how much I play it. While I know I am opening myself up to abuse and ridicule for even mentioning this, I talked to a friend of mine who is in the instrument repair school down in Red Wing, MN. The school is fairly well known and has produced some talented graduates. Anyway, I showed him the guitar and asked him about the possibility of turning it into a "relic" -- I thought maybe it could be a class project or something -- and the wheels started turning in his head. He consulted some real repairmen and others and he thinks it'll be possible to make the poly finish look like an aged nitro one and even give the binding a slight yellow hue. I may even have him add a few minor nicks and scratches like you'd see on a guitar that's been played for a few decades. Yeah, I know it is vain and stupid and it won't affect the guitar's sound and I fully expect folks to heap abuse and ridicule upon me. But like I said, as much as I like the guitar, it just looks Too Damn New. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 ...he thinks it'll be possible to make the poly finish look like an aged nitro one and even give the binding a slight yellow hue. I may even have him add a few minor nicks and scratches like you'd see on a guitar that's been played for a few decades. Yeah, I know it is vain and stupid and it won't affect the guitar's sound and I fully expect folks to heap abuse and ridicule upon me. But like I said, as much as I like the guitar, it just looks Too Damn New. Go for it. It's yours to enjoy in whatever way pleases you. Be sure to take some before and after pictures for us if the project progresses! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 I'm sure he'll take plenty of photos along the way. In fact, I'll have him do it -- if we go ahead with the project. He said he can't launch into it until mid-December because of school and work (he also runs a recording studio) and maybe I'll change my mind between now and then. But we've been looking up photos online of vintage Texans to get an idea of what could be done. Were I wealthy, I'd just buy a vintage Texan. But I'm not wealthy, and even if I were, the number of vintage Texans out there with left-handed pickguards is, well... I've never seen one. I'm sure they have to exist, but I've not seen one. So I'll just vintage-ize my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Not a Texan but the pre-Gibson version. Cosmetically challenged but then again it ran me less than a new IB Texan and the guitar is perfectly playable and the work needed ain't a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Nice guitar, except for what I'm guessing are holes left from screws holding down a oversized pickguard. I guess the previous owner believed that if you're going to go with an oversized pickguard, you might as well use screws to hold it down.... Looks aside, how does it sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Nice guitar, except for what I'm guessing are holes left from screws holding down a oversized pickguard. I guess the previous owner believed that if you're going to go with an oversized pickguard, you might as well use screws to hold it down.... Looks aside, how does it sound? Yup, some wingnut at sometime removed the pickguard (which on old Epis is actually set into the top wood)and replaced it with a big old ugly double scratchplate. I originally bought this guitar with the intent of fixing it up and selling it. But I guess it just kinda grew on me as it is still hanging around. I would say the sound is a bit on the dark side. A warm lower end with a pretty crisp upper end. It is loud but not overpowering. As best as I can describe it - the sound is concentrated which I always assumed has something to do with the body shape. The serial number and dot markers on the board indicate that this is one of the very last Epis made before the sale to Gibson. Having the pickguard replaced and screwholes filled in are still on my "to do" list - just not in a hurry I guess. What is kinda cool though is the original wood saddle, bridge pins, and epilson pickguard logo were all in the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Nice guitar! Love the headstock-very John Lee Hooker! Filling the holes,spot re-finishing,replace pickguard. Then you'd have a serious vintage Epiphone flat-top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el capitan Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 dhanners, My IB Texan VC arrived with the E on the pickguard loose,so I TOOK IT OFF & THREW IT AWAY! It also had no E on the TRC ,so already was looking understated,rather than flashy. I also "distressed" the label,as the labels on all my US Epi FT's are barely legible. A luthier(not MY Luthier)advised me that leaving a guitar out of the case will help it age. OK if no kids or dogs around.The other thing is to play it hard & often & if you're really brave let other people play it. Keep us posted as to what happens to your guitar, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Last night I chatted with the guy who is going to "relic" my IB'64 Texan and he's getting pretty excited about the project, which he hopes to start mid-month. For one of his class projects in lutherie at Red Wing, he's been having to call repairmen and builders around the country to get information on another matter, and while he has them on the phone he asks them their thoughts about aging a poly finish. He said several of them have given him some good tips and insights on how to age the finish and yellow the binding and create authentic-looking nicks and scratches. He said -- perhaps with too much glee -- that he can't wait to "F*** up your guitar." Hopefully, I can get him to take some photos along the way to document the transformation. This is kinda the look we're going for: http://elderly.com/vintage/names/epiphone-ft-79-texan-%281967%29--20U-11914.htm I'm not sure I want as much bare wood around the pickguard, though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 I understand why you'ld wanna mess up the gloss-candy a bit. For me there would be a limit before it got 'phony warn'. If you have the surplus, please click in some tips - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 It's not really a matter of surplus. The guy is doing it largely to try out some techniques. Yeah, I'll pay him some because he'll be spending some hours on it and I wouldn't expect him to do it for free. Plus, it's the holiday season and I'm sure he could use the dough. It's not a lot. But since it is my guitar, I feel I have a right to have it look anyway I want, and if I think the beat-up look is cooler, then I don't see why I shouldn't go for that. And don't worry. I play the guitar plenty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 It's not really a matter of surplus. The guy is doing it largely to try out some techniques. Yeah, I'll pay him some because he'll be spending some hours on it and I wouldn't expect him to do it for free. Plus, it's the holiday season and I'm sure he could use the dough. It's not a lot. But since it is my guitar, I feel I have a right to have it look anyway I want, and if I think the beat-up look is cooler, then I don't see why I shouldn't go for that. And don't worry. I play the guitar plenty. Yes, yes, of course. I meant surplus to inform me/other readers 'bout the process. Got an IB here and find it way too glossy. A trick or 2 would be welcome. (Don't know if I use the term surplus right - it's new to me and I had to look it up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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