aspenAD28 Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hi, has anyone a clue what model tis "Epi" is. The sign is removed inside its body. thx Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I think these were made in Tiawan by Norlin for Epiphone in around 1979-80. Model numbers were like A-10, A-12 and D-12. Think this is of the A series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 But the Headstock is quite different on the As as i found on the web. Still weird http://media.beta.photobucket.com/user/Davo17b/media/EpiA-12.jpg.html?filters[term]=Epi%20A12&filters[primary]=images&filters[secondary]=videos&sort=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Got me. I have seen late 1970s A10s and A12s with just the "Epi" logo but the headstocks looked more like what you would expect to find on an Epiphone. The one in the pic is downright Martin-esque. Maybe it was cut down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 This is the closest model i could find: http://vintagejapaneseacoustics.blogspot.de/search/label/Bluebell http://oldguitar.jp/catalog/catalog.htm All is the same but the piece on the back. Seems to me anyone has ordered a Epi-labeled version from suzuki. Also identical tuners of the Kiso Suzuki rsw200 http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mxl25ow2d8E/UGL2GUlk4_I/AAAAAAAACkk/R5Dc7lRTaAY/s1600/rsw200%2Bheadstock2.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 This is a very rare Epi D-14. I dont even have this one in the wiki yet. This one may be even more rare than normal because of the flat headstock instead of having the traditional Epiphone headstock. Moreso, the logo is typically silkscreened, whereas yours is pearloid. Very cool! Ebay Japan link. Get it while its hot (the link, that is). There is a description on the bottom half of the page. http://translate.goo...&tbb=1&ie=utf-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Cool. Thanks for the Info RTH. I'll take more pro-like pics the next days for your wiki if you like. br Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Some pics for the wiki would be very cool. I should also mention that the flat headstock for the Epi models was used on the classical guitars and I've never seen the pearloid logo on any of these models. You have a very unique Epiphone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 My suggestion is that Norlin ordered this model from Suzuki before they produced their own entry-line and this model was a low numbered pre-version or a dealer-presentation model. Maybe somebody knows an employee of Norlin from this Area. There were a sticker insinde but it's missing. damn I bought it without. You'll get your wiki-pics soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 That seems like the most likely scenario. Pre-production and show models pop up here every so often and are usually similar to the production models with a few variations. I've just never seen an Epi pre-production model before. I think that many people probably find this stuff boring because it an Epiphone and a comparatively low-budget Epiphone at that. But I think it is fascinating. Thanks in advance for the pics. If you like, you can send them to epiphonewiki@gmail.com. Its probably easier than trying to upload them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 definately Low-budget for me to get it But absolutely fascinating. Also my first Martin-Copy was a perfect find. A 30+ year old Aspen AD28. These Guitars sound great. I love those lawsuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 These Guitars sound great. I love those lawsuits The whole Martin lawsuit thing is, of course, a myth. While Gibson did go after Ibanez, Martin never sued anybody. There was some sabre rattling aimed at Takamine in particualr but it was over the headstock shape and Martin-esque script logo. It had nothing to do with copying Martin design features. Tak ended up just quietly going along with Martin's request. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Thanx for the info. Didn't heard of it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 Just found a number inside the body 33550979. Maybe that helps for further informations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 RE: the RTH link: Close inspection of the inside the sound hole label reveals it to be a Norlin era guitar made in Taiwan. I believe this brand was somewhat concurrent with Matsumoku Epiphones. Probably to be sold in a different market. Either it just made logistical sense or it was for the Indonesian/Australian/Indian Ocean rim countries for customers who still hadn't gotten over that whole invasion and occupation thing by the Japanese during WWII. The particular sample linked by RTH appears to be on a par with a top of the line Matsumoku FT 150. Some of these have shown up in the United States, but may have been brought back by private citizens, or may have been actively exported to the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Just for the record "Aspen", where is this guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspenAD28 Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 I bought it here in germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The whole Martin lawsuit thing is, of course, a myth. While Gibson did go after Ibanez, Martin never sued anybody. There was some sabre rattling aimed at Takamine in particualr but it was over the headstock shape and Martin-esque script logo. It had nothing to do with copying Martin design features. Tak ended up just quietly going along with Martin's request. Takamine did a copy of a Gallagher after Doc Watson started using them. First time I saw one, I wondered what in the heck this low end music store was doing with a Gallagher! It was a nicely done copy, and you had to look hard at the stylized T on the peghead to realize it was not a G. Those Martin copies were also very close, but it was easier to spot the name change in the logo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linutisp Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I got one with a similar headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 How about a ft-550 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linutisp Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 The head is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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