We went to a family reunion and all I got was this old guitar.
Actually, I inherited it from my Grandpa who passed away almost two years ago now. This is truly a treasure beyond price for me. My grandfather played in a country western band in his younger years and this was the guitar that he performed with. It's a '47 or '48 (as near as I can tell) Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe. It has his name stencilled on the top (Eddy) and it has seen a lot. He preformed as "Eddy and the Rocky Mountain Playboys in Colorado from 1947 to about 1952, and then solo in Arizona for a number of years after that. I grew up watching him sing and play on this guitar and some of my fondest memories of him are of that.
My second cousin from Texas picked it up when my Grandpa passed away and sent it to the Gibson plant (they purchased Epiphone in 1957) and had it restored. They told him they could repair the crazing and scratches on the top, but they would have to take off the "Eddy" stencil to do it. My cousin told them "if you do, I will personally come down there and take off your head!" I wouldn't have it any other way.
From my research I found the following details:
Body: Hollow; solid 2-piece spruce top, laminated 1-piece flamed maple and flamed Maple sides; triple bound top and back
Finish: Sunburst, nitrocellulose lacquer
Neck: 5-piece maple/mahogany, set-in; single bound, maple headstock overlay with pearloid logo and vine inlay
Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood, single bound; mother-of-pearl cloud markers
Number of Frets: 20
Pickguard: Tortoise, celluloid; single bound
Bridge: Ebony on ebony base with gold Frequensator tailpiece
Tuners: Epiphone, sealed, gold
Pickups: One, Epiphone Master Pickup single coil
Controls: Master tone, master volume (replaced by Gibson)
Scale Length: 25 1/2 inches
Neck Width at Nut: 1 11/16 inches
Body Width at Lower Bout: 17 3/8 inches
Body Depth: 3 3/8 inches
Value: Priceless
posted by randall at 10:16 AM
7 Comments:
Hi Bro,
It sure is nice to be able to come to your blog and learn about our family. That sure is a beauty you got there! I guess i will have to make a trip to Boise to see it. oh and i got a kick out of what cousin Wayne said about Gibson tryin to take off grandpas name.
If you know Cousin Wayne, it's not much of a stretch of the imagination ;)
Hi there,
How are your lessons coming? What song did you learn the 1st week?
xo Mom
ps. what year is the old Ford you are sitting in the back of on your answer? I think you will know :)
Lessons are going well (although I'm not playing like Eric Clapton yet like I had hoped I would after practicing all week! ;). The song I'm learning is called "Hungry (I fall down to my knees)."
You must think I am more of an expert on old cars than I am, especially considerining it was junked! I would guess about 49-50. Am I close?
Dear Rand,
Thanks for the answers... I am still researching the year. I will fwd it to Lynda Hein & ask her to fwd it to her dad, that will do it I think (if it works, which I doubt). xo Mom
5/18/06
Good Morning,
I am fwd'ng your blog to Benjamin, I told him about your research on your gituar & he could do same w/his. It is a Lark, he said the sound is great & everyone who knows gituars comments on it. Funny happenstance, his worship leader's nickname is 'Lark', as in flying up to Jesus.
Hi,
I recognize 'anonymous' and am glad he responded to you.
xo Mom, ps. never found the year of the Ford but it is after 60 I think. Maybe Ginny would know, of course Woody or Mike would.
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