Got me a new guitar (Epiphone Crestwood)

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:01 am

I just picked up an Epiphone Crestwood the other day. I haven't been able to date it yet, but the guy I got if from said it was maybe 70's (but I'm thinking it could be a reissue too).

I haven't done much homework on it as I traded off an amp that I didn't use and it played great. It's got a great feel and the neck is super comfy. It has an SG feel to it for sure.

The pickups sound good too my hears. The bridge is very twangy and the neck has a lot more output....very good with some dirt/fuzz.

Here's a couple shots....also does anyone know much about these guitars?

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g62/nuwrassler/IMG_0276.jpg[/img]]Web Page Name

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g62/nuwrassler/IMG_0279.jpg[/img]]Web Page Name

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:08 am

your's is 70's bolt on version. congrats. very nice gutiar.
they go for about 400-500 on ebay in good shape.

you cant beat the fret access on these gutars. i think they blalance alot better than an SG. it doesn't flop down face forward when you let go of it.

i got a 2006 RI and a 2008RI set necks.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB !!!!

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:18 am

Right on, thanks for the info.

It absolutely sits better than an SG. It really is one of those guitars that begs to be dug in and beat upon.

I'm still debating swapping the pickups out as I've got old set from a 90's Les Paul, but we shall see....I want to give it some time first to before doing anything.

It's got a weird looking heel/base of the neck. Almost like it's short or something.

How are the pickups in your two?

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:25 am

white one: seymour duncan JB in bridge wired normal, JagStang humbucker wired split in the neck so it sounds like a single coil. i have the 3 way wired up normal.

red one: stock

red ones stock pickups sounded better than the white ones stock pickups for unknown reasons. the pickups i took out were labeled made in USA - DOT/LP CUSTOM. so i guess they are actually pretty high up on the foot chain pickups as far as epiphone parts go. now they lay in a box because i couldn't get the fucking covers off of them with my solder gun.

i made videos with epic lulz when i first got the guitar let me find them

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:29 am

white
pt 1
pt 2
pt 3

red
pt 2
pt 1

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:49 am

That solder is fucking nuts...you got a blow torch?

When you said it needs lighter strings....it reminded me that my fingers were dying from the high action. I'll need to adjust that shit for sure.

Very rocking guitars my friend....proud to be part of the Club.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:58 am

I think Rob's beeen waiting years for someone to buy one of these so that there can be a club.

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:05 am

Well it's very exclusive you see....and it's not for everyone.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:06 am

hahaha.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:09 am

with the ridiculous strength solder on those pickup covers, I think people must use like a screwdriver or something and just work it until the solder breaks. I mean 'cause people do take em off. all those vintage PAFs you see with no covers, they didn't come like that, someone took them off.

Will · Post by **Will** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:18 am

mage wrote:with the ridiculous strength solder on those pickup covers, I think people must use like a screwdriver or something and just work it until the solder breaks. I mean 'cause people do take em off. all those vintage PAFs you see with no covers, they didn't come like that, someone took them off.

I made a tool out of a bit of scrap metal and a scroll saw blade - I just cut the solder. I opened up some cheap HBs to put in an alnico magnet for MOJO TONES.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:31 pm

My girl has been jonesing hard for one of those Wilshires. Espesh the white ones. We went out and tried a few and I must say that I kinda want one now. I think I'm gonna get me her one for Christmas.

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:34 pm

What are the differences between Wilshires and Crestwoods?

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:49 pm

Chicago Mike wrote:What are the differences between Wilshires and Crestwoods?

This is how I understand it:

Wilshires have a set neck always with the 6 inline heastock and generally did not come with a trem system.

Crestwoods generally had the trem unit installed, came in many aesthetically different configurations depending on the year, but generally, they were bolt-ons and had a 3x3 headstock, altough I have seen some with Wilshire style headstocks before. (I think there might actually have been sub-models here that were being produced simutanously, but I cannot confirm this)

There is also the Coronet which is kind of like the 'junior' of the line, single pickup type deal.

Only the Wilshire remains in modern production.

Edit: Woah no... It`s WAAAAY more complicated than that!

I assume most of you don't read French but scroll trough these pages and you'll see what I'm saying:
http://epiphone-crestwood-wilshire.over-blog.com/

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:21 pm

i want to find some old radio knobs for my red one like this

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:28 pm

the main difference between the coronet and the others is that it had a giant white pickguard. sometimes p90's

the first run olympics were the ones with one and two single coils. very much like the early versions of the gibson melody makers

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:29 pm

BONARDS

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:35 pm

so there were 4 guitars with the same body style. the wilshire, crestwood, olympic, and coronet.

the olympic went thru a change half way thru its run and by the end it turned into what we now know as a first run gibson melody maker.

late epiphone olympic (modded obviously)

early gibson melody maker

the melody maker is an interesting story in itself as it has taken the shape of the olympic, SG, and Les Paul in countless variations, but all with its slim headstock that it stole from the epiphone olympic back in the day.

the olympic is actually now still being produced by gibson as the heavy modified joan jett signature model.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:42 pm

just knowing that there are inverness green olympics out there like this will keep my bonar going long into the night

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:54 pm

the best thing about these gutiars is that they came in so many variations.

the thing that sets crestwood deluxes apart are the oval inlay

but wait you could get the oval inlay on the coronet too!!!

it seems like all these guitars had interchangable parts at one time or another and changed year by year.
early models all had batwing headstocks, later models, had big 3x3 headstocks, the olympic had the batwing, the big 3x3, and what we know know as the melody maker headstock.
some had dot inlay, some had square, some had oval, all the early models were set neck, even the lowly one pickup single coil green olympic that i posted above.
later on they got bolt on necks, also at some point in the 70's they experimented with making the bottom horn match the top like the one laterallateral posted,
then they went back to the normal look after that. the olympic turned into the melody maker and never looked back.... the story of these guitars has a million branches