Epiphone basses

[neepheid]

I was surprised to find a lack of a dedicated Epiphone gear thread in this forum so here it is!  Makes sense for me as at the moment I'm all Epiphone in the fleet just now.  Here they are:

 

2007 Jack Casady Signature 20th Anniversary:

 

 

2020 Embassy Pro

 

 

And the daddy of them all - 2004 Les Paul (not so) Standard

 

 

My first bass was an Epiphone EB-3, have also had a Thunderbird and 2 other JC Signatures (a gold one and a blue royale one).

Time for you to show off your Epiphones now

 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[bagsieblue]

Lovely - tell me more about the the daddy of them all - 2004 Les Paul (not so) Standard please.

2 of those are wearing TI Flats too are they?

[neepheid]

31 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Lovely - tell me more about the the daddy of them all - 2004 Les Paul (not so) Standard please.

2 of those are wearing TI Flats too are they?

 

The Les Paul was wearing TI Flats in that photograph but they're all on rounds these days.

 

The LP started off as a regular, passive, VVTT instrument thus:

 

 

I replaced the pickups (guitar sized humbuckers with chrome covers) with EMG-HB pickups (fit directly into the pickup rings of the LP).  That was better, but I still thought I could improve it further so I crammed an EMG-BQC 3 band EQ into the control cavity.  Because I needed concentric knobs for the BQC, I used some black John East knobs.  To finish off the modding, I found out that the routing for a pickup selector was there, they just didn't bother adding one to the basses at the time.  So I added one to it to finish off the proper Les Paul look, and because I like a switch.

 

I got the bass back in 2009, I sold it locally years later but regretted it so I tracked it down and bought it back from the guy I sold it to.  Whilst it was away from me it had Shaller straplocks added.  It's the bass I did my first proper gigs with:

 

 

Pictured here during a gig at the Lemon Tree in April 2009 with my first originals band Panda Eyes in a partially modded state (its got the EMG pickups but not the EQ - the knobs got changed from to barrel ones with abalone tops because the EMG pots are solid shaft so the original amber knobs wouldn't fit (press fit) and I was feeling fancy).

 

And I think that's all the shaggy dog story to tell about this bass

 

[kristo]

I love Epiphone basses. My two Rivolis (both in the Classifieds as one needs to go 😩😞

My previously owned archtop basses:

I’ve also had an EB0 in the past which was great fun.

Edited July 27, 2021 by kristo

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[EssentialTension]

I had an Epiphone Embassy in ivory finish, which I liked a lot but I had to give up long scales due to health issue.

 

..... but I can't find a picture of it.

Edited July 27, 2021 by EssentialTension

[MM Stingray 62]

My Epiphone Jack Casady with a Babicz bridge.

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by marleaux62

[Kazan]

'64 Embassy:

 

 

 

 

 

It was defretted and the brass nut and fabricated wide-travel bridge added in the 70's. My intention was to refret it but whoever did the work REALLY knew what they were doing. It plays and sounds so good as a fretless I had to leave it as is and actually ended up selling my F-Bass BNF-5 in the classifieds here as a result.

 

[neepheid]

Ooft, nice batwing, sir!

[Kazan]

9 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Ooft, nice batwing, sir!

 

Thank you, sir! Such a pity they left it off of the reissues - I do understand why both for balance and to reduce costs - but it is such a distinctive characteristic of the originals. Also the reissues went for a wider neck when the 60's ones were very slim. This is thinner than a Jazz Bass (or more like the very first Jazz Basses which were 1 7/16" at the nut).

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, Kazan said:

 

Thank you, sir! Such a pity they left it off of the reissues - I do understand why both for balance and to reduce costs - but it is such a distinctive characteristic of the originals. Also the reissues went for a wider neck when the 60's ones were very slim. This is thinner than a Jazz Bass (or more like the very first Jazz Basses which were 1 7/16" at the nut).

 

I know, I would have loved a batwing on the new one too, but I don't know if the longer top horn would have cancelled out the batwing and the full size tuners.  I mocked it up for amusement's sake:

 

 

Looks awesome, but I got a deal on mine that took the price below the point where I cared about the headstock any more, and I do appreciate how well balanced the new one is for being such a retro design.  Wider neck is a plus for me, I don't get on too well with skinny necks.

[Kazan]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

 

I know, I would have loved a batwing on the new one too, but I don't know if the longer top horn would have cancelled out the batwing and the full size tuners.  I mocked it up for amusement's sake:

 

 

Looks awesome, but I got a deal on mine that took the price below the point where I cared about the headstock any more, and I do appreciate how well balanced the new one is for being such a retro design.  Wider neck is a plus for me, I don't get on too well with skinny necks.

 

I love the look.  The 2+2 headstock clearly makes sense for balance, cost, overall size and reduced risk of breakage (and I still find the batwing design iconic even if it's a compromise of sorts).

 

The new ones are clearly a great bargain! As are the Vintage Pro T-birds (I have a '64 T-bird as well....)

[pst62]

There you go!

Two Classic Pro's and a Vintage Pro.

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by pst62

[Maude]

My Jack Casady from a few months ago, on unboxing day. I realised it was a perfect match for the cushions in the garden. 😄

 

 

 

Then I went on the hunt for a strap and found a perfect match a Canadian company, Perri's. 

 

 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

I had a classic pro thunderbird and thought it was great, except I don't play 4 strings. But if I did, I would still have it!

[MothMan]

I've got a Viola, it's a nice enough bass, but not one that I use much. Used to have an EB-0, but I sold it awhile back to another student of my bass teacher.

[Baxlin]

The only Epiphone in my stable is a fairly boring gloss black long scale EB3, wearing black tape wounds, just to keep the black theme going.

[Aliwobble]

Happy Monday!

Here is my silver burst Jack Casady. 

 

[EssentialTension]

Ivory Embassy with two creamy cousins - all now gone to new homes.

 

[blyn]

1970 ET280

[BassAgent]

Recently acquired this late '70's ET-285 that desperately needed a new pickguard. So I got it one, just put some new DR flats on it, gave it a good setup and it's a really awesome bass now.