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64-69 Newport questions


Firefighter225

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I have an epiphone Newport in poor condition that I'm restoring(trying). It has two pickup's one I don't know about with a batwing headstock. It also has a switch for the pickups. I've looked through hundreds of pics and only seen a few with the switch. I want to know what model it is and what is the correct electronics and hardware.

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I'm not aware of any Newports after 1963 that have two pickups. You may actually have the Embassy Deluxe. Epiphone discontinued the two-pickup Newport Deluxe in 1963 and replaced it with the Embassy Deluxe. Its basically a Newport Deluxe with a 34" scale....which is the major difference between the two basses except for the name-change. However, I'm not aware of the Embassy Deluxe having a pickup switch. That doesnt mean they didnt put one in at some point though. It could also be a modification.

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It is for sure a short scale. The one pickup is right on the neck basically touching it. I wonder if someone cut a hole fir another pickup? Like I said I've seen one in google pictures just like it with the switch too.

 

Could you post some pics? That may help a bit.

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Yes tonight I will figure out how to and put up a few. Read some other forums that said there were some batwings in 63 but i've only seen one and the date could have been wrong. what website would have some used parts?

 

I'm not sure about used parts. Typically, you have to fabricate parts for guitars thats old...or get lucky and find them somewhere offline.

 

I suppose it is possible that there was a cross-over with the headstocks, and yours is a 63 Deluxe. Epiphone's production changes were/are never cut and dry. Most dates you see referring to changes are usually more of an estimate with cross-over possibilities. No one really knows 100% for sure and Epiphone didnt really keep records back then...so its anybody's guess. The most anyone has to go by these days are old catalogues and the occasional old-timer that has knowledge of these things.

 

If you take out the pickup and look at the cavity and wiring, you may be able to determine if it was original or a modification....maybe. But it might be worth examining. The neck cavity will be 100% stock. Try and compare the two...look for paint overspray or jagged routing edges. Compare the wiring of the two pickups..etc.

 

If its all original, you just may have a batwing Newport Deluxe. That would be a rare bird for sure!

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I do remember seeing orig. cherry in the bridge pu but the hole has been made bigger on one side. I think we're going to take it to a wood shop and have a lay put in and bring it back to original. I've been working on sanding off a very unprofessional paint job by some moron it is now blue and purple. Do you think the switch is an add on?

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If it is a Newport Deluxe, then no. There should be a toggle switch in front of the Vol. & Tone controls. There should also be four control knobs. A volume and tone for each. If it only has two control knobs, then the bridge pickup would most likely be a modification. The Embassy Deluxe had three control knobs. I believe it was a 2 volume, 1 tone configuration...which would eliminate the need for a pickup selector switch.

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If it is missing control knob holes, look for filler after you remove the paint. The control postitions on the Newport classic headstock, batwing and Embassy Deluxe are all positioned a litle differently from each other, as well as the input jack. Even a pic of the current hole positions could be helpful, providing that they havent been redrilled and moved to different positions.

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I'm not entirely sure, as it may have been optional. Both the Newport and Newport deluxe had the bar bridge, but I havent seen pics of the mute on any Deluxes. I see pics of the Newport with and without the mute though. All of the models with the mute seem to be batwing as well. The Embassy Deluxe had some type of Tune-o-matic stopbar bridge.

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