I realize the thread is pretty cold, but I just got here. As for the Epiphone, I used to pronounce it Epi-fone. Then I realized it was probably Epif-oh-nee, and felt like a minor idiot. Today I went to the Epiphone site and discovered I was right the first time. The company was at one time operated by Epimanondas (Epi) Stathopuoulo, a Greek. Ergo, Epi, from his given name, and phone from the Greek for sound.