Home Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar Does anyone know anything about an Epiphone EW-1?

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  • #23880
    mac
    Participant

    I found this site while trying to locate some info on an Epiphone acoustic guitar I have. Strangely, I can’t even find a mention of the model on the Internet anywhere, so I’m hoping someone here will know how old it is, and maybe even how much it cost originally.

    It’s got a beige sticker inside with dark brown lettering and border on it. The sticker identifies the guitar model as “EW-1”, and reads “Epiphone, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Made in Japan”. The serial number is 811213.

    Any info would be appreciated…

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    Replies
    • #66964
      Michael
      Participant
    • #66916
      1bassleft
      Participant

      GNW – Guitar News Weekly, is right here on Guitarsite. From the main index, look down a bit and you’ll see the section to click on. The thread on your Epi is right there 🙂

    • #66957
      mac
      Participant

      Very interesting! Thanks – I really appreciate the info! What’s the url for the GNW web site?

    • #66946
      Guitar Expert
      Keymaster

      A post from the GNW forum:

      This is an early ’80’s Epi manufactured in Japan. This is the transition period when Norlin was moving production to Korea. However, the tan label is the giveaway.
      Check Gruhn’s Guide 2nd edition page 28. I’ve had a ton of these cross my bench. BTW, these are pretty well made when compared to the Japanese production a decade earlier.

    • #66948
      1bassleft
      Participant

      EDIT – I’ve just deleted a para on pic-posting now that I’ve seen Tim’s just covered it. On a bulletin board like Guitarsite, there isn’t a lot of image manipulation. The pic you select is the pic that appears here – and that goes for its size, too.

      Secondly, I’d like to add my thanks to Syl for contributing so much to this thread. I try to help out with IDs where possible but acoustics are not my area and it’s a real pleasure to see “the knowledge” freely contributed. Hope you can stick around and chime in with other threads, Syl 🙂

    • #66922
      Tim
      Participant

      No worries.

      [quote=”Tim”]Look at photo, right click, select ‘Properties'[/quote]

      Man, must have been tired when I wrote that!

      I don’t know if this is the case but it looks like you’ve posted up the Thumbnails. If you go into the large pic then follow the steps you will get a different location address which will post the full size pics. Which is what I should have said originally instead of ‘Look at photo’ 🙄 sorry!

      Needless to say huge pics are a hassle on the board but most are fine.

      Tim.

    • #66951
      mac
      Participant

      Thanks, Syl. This DOES get “curiouser and curiouser”. I’m still interested in tracking it down as far as possible, so maybe I’ll get it to the guys at Gibson, if they have any old-timers around who might know anything about it.

      I have a much better camera, so I can post better pictures, if it would help at all. Or, if I can take pictures of some other part of the guitar that would reveal anything, just let me know.

      Thanks again for all your help…

    • #66961
      Syl
      Participant

      This has been a tough one. I can only guess it’s somebody’s clone of an old Epiphone FT-200 (currently, the model DR-200S…(see a larger pic at musiciansfriends.com). WHY anyone would have cloned that guitar is beyond me. However, Mac, (and I’m a Taylor person, too) I have an Epi of the FT series from the early 70s that also has great tone and is a dream to play.

      There are so many things wrong with the picture:

      The serial # for one… but because there are both “8”s and “3”s in it, it’s confusing. If it were a true 81xxxx series, it would have been made in 66 or 69. For even more confusion, go read about Epi serial #s here:

      https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/AGuitar/ASerialization.pdf

      If anyone else wants to follow along, i’ve posted larger pics at:

      http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/fstop1955/

      Here’s what I’m seeing as “wrong with this guitar:”

      The headstock is not finished in black, as Epis are and is missing the “slash C” Epi logo just above the nut. The same logo is missing also from the pickguard.

      The rosette does not resemble the Epi model, either vintage or current.

      The label is obviously fraudulent, and the site I mentioned earlier about serialization backs this up.

      I really wonder what the story is behind this animal! This HAS been fun!

      Best,

      Syl

      Thanks Tim for the Photobucket referral… Yahoo just screwed up their whole photo site. Photobucket took about 5 minutes to figure out and post the photos. Cool.

    • #66965
      mac
      Participant
    • #66954
      Tim
      Participant

      Syl or Mac, the sticky at the top of Guitar cat. explains all. But I’ve never had a problem with photobucket, basically:

      Set up free account

      Upload photo

      Look at photo, right click, select ‘Properties’

      Put your cursor in the text after the ‘Location’ title, hit ‘Ctrl A’ then ‘Ctrl C’

      Then in your post click ‘URL’ button (‘message body’ section, just below title bar) hit ‘Ctrl V’ then click URL* (same section)

      Hit ‘Submit’

      Should do the job.

    • #66930
      Syl
      Participant

      Check your inbox for address… I have to figure out how to get a photo on the board for all to see…

      Syl

    • #66945
      mac
      Participant

      Hmmm. It’s a very good job of faking a label, if so. That WOULD be interesting…

      I’ve taken the pictures, but I don’t know where to post them so you can see them. Can I e-mail them to you, or what?

      Thanks…

    • #66950
      Syl
      Participant

      Very interesting indeed. Please post a photo and we can tell you what you REALLY have. Your label is a fake. Serial number 811213 belongs to a 1966 Epi Granada and you can view it here:

      http://www.webcorral.com/Epiphone_Granada_fullfront.jpg

      The serial number tells us it is from either 1966 or 1969, according to:

      http://www.provide.net/~cfh/epiphone.html

      Another discrepancy is that the labels of the Japanese Epis from the 60s and 70s were blue, according also to provide.net.

      “Gibson made, rectangular label, blue paper, slashed C logo and “Epiphone Inc, Kalamazoo, Michigan”: 1958-1970.”

      Please post a photo of what you have!

    • #66960
      mac
      Participant

      Thanks, Michael!

      I figure it’s either very, very rare and therefore priceless, so I’ll get rich selling it (HIGHLY unlikely), or very uncommon because it was considered junk.

      In any case, it’s got a very decent tone. I’ve got a couple of Taylors, and I wouldn’t say it compares very favorably to them, but it sounds a lot better than an old Yamaha FG-300 I’ve got…

    • #66912
      Michael
      Participant

      Mac,

      Interesting. I’m gonna post a message in todays GNW and see if it catches anyones attention.

    • #66924
      mac
      Participant

      Not only have I drawn a blank here so far, but I called Gibson and they don’t have any record of an EW-1 being produced. They suggested I call Gruhn in Nashville, but they don’t know anything about it either, mostly because they’re only interested in US-made instruments.

      I just don’t understand how a major player like Epiphone could produce a guitar that nobody’s heard of…

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