Trying to ID an Epiphone

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:43 pm

So last week I took in a Squier CV 50s Strat as partial payment for some freelance graphics work. It's a very nice guitar, but I have a pretty love/hate relationship with strats. Usually hate.

I cleaned it up, restrung it, set it up, and listed it locally on CL/FB/Offerup, as FS/FT.

Someone earlier today offered me an Epi, and while I'm waiting for the person to get off work and send me pics, this is how they described it:

It's similar to a 175, but:

"the color is different, a red burst. The hardware is gold instead of silver, and the bridge is all wood."

Any ideas what that could be?

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:48 pm

I'm going to guess that "red burst" is a poor way to describe what I would assume is a Joe Pass Emperor-II. They're lovely players, and I'd certainly take one in trade if I wanted a hollowbody.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:56 pm

Ah, that's a good guess. I was gonna warn it could've been one of those oddball 70s things but only the base of the bridge is wooden on those.

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:02 am

Looks like a Joe Pass is the winner!

Seller says he has the pickguard and mounting hardware put away.

Anyway, I saw that it has a floating bridge, which scares me, since I play somewhat hard and tend to hit the bridge. I suppose I could just glue it down?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 3:17 am

or y'know, put jazz strings on it and don't play it as hard as your rawk guitars.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 3:20 am

Edit: Haha, ^ that. It's never gonna be good for anything heavier than rockabilly type stuff.

Never knew they came in that color. Maybe an early model (which isn't a bad thing). My dad has one we got in 2003, and at that time (and even today) the only colors available were natural and vintage burst. In terms of low action and "speed", it's seriously one of the best playing guitars I've ever picked up. Especially if you put flatwounds on it.

Anyway, I wouldn't glue down a floating bridge unless you plan on never selling it. It floats partially so you can tilt it for intonation if necessary. I never had a problem with it moving...the string pressure is enough to hold it in place. But I don't play hard either.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:55 am

If Epi made a Tele, it would be called Telephone

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:28 am

Dillon wrote:It's never gonna be good for anything heavier than rockabilly type stuff.

I GUESS SOMEONE FORGOT TO GIVE NUGE THAT MEMO.

(Clearly, Ted Nugent is a massive arsehole, but man I love his tonez on this):

[youtube][/youtube]

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 5:29 pm

I used to play hard as fuck on an Emperor Regent with I think 10s or 11s. They're fine. I'm an aggressive player.

That was great with a lot of overdrive and a big loud amp. It would howl a bit (a lot) sometimes, but it was a lot of fun and you had to be careful. It felt really, really lively.

I stuffed mine with newspaper and placed a balled up sock between the bridge and the tailpiece.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 5:35 pm

sunshiner wrote:If Epi made a Tele, it would be called Telephone

Actually they called it the T-310.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:10 pm

I'd take that swap...

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Thu Mar 15, 2018 4:44 pm

Fakir Mustache wrote:
sunshiner wrote:If Epi made a Tele, it would be called Telephone

Actually they called it the T-310.

Wow, I didn't know they made teles

This one is fugly

But with the batwing headstock it looks great

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 4:41 pm

In my experience, floating footy bridges tend to get kinda stuck in place. Just get the best intonation possible and only ever change one string at a time. I have wooden shortscale bass ones (Beatles style violin) and plastic guitar ones (Kent Polaris) that do fine with light strings, I always mark where the bridge is meant to be and they never seem to have slid away.

Heavier strings actually pose more of a risk to it moving back & forth or side to side by now, like if you bend strings (which the old jazz guys didn't).