Product Description
Back in the day when Gibson and Epiphone were major competitors, Gibson had the slogan "Only a Gibson is Good Enough?". Epiphone responded with ads that proclaimed "When Good Enough isn't Good Enough, get an Epiphone". When Gibson introduced their extra large 18? wide Super 400, Epiphone countered with this 18 3/8" behemoth, The Emperor!
Here we have a beautiful example of the ?Golden Age? of guitar making? with Its tight-grained carved spruce top and highly figured maple back & sides. Every edge of this instrument is highly decorated with multiple bindings and its rosewood fingerboard is inlaid with large rectangular blocks of mother-of-pearl with an abalone notch in each one. The peghead is inlaid with the mother-of-pearl Epiphone script logo and a spectacular flower & leaf design, crowned with the original double-tab tuners. The seven-piece flame maple neck is straight with superb action.
The tone of this guitar is rich and full, with all the power and projection needed to be heard in any big band of the 1940s. There are a few minor blemishes and two professionally sealed back cracks, a 3" center seam just below the neck heel and a 5" crack near the original Frequensator tailpiece. The pickguard had previously installed volume and tone controls, which have been professionally restored, and the bridge has been changed to a tune-o-matic saddle. With original embossed Epiphone hard case.
