{"product_id":"epiphone-deluxe-arch-top-acoustic-guitar-1931-14055","title":"Epiphone Deluxe Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1931)","description":"Epiphone Deluxe Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1931), made in Long Island City, NY, serial # 5016, sunburst lacquer finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; laminated maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar is an extremely rare find, a VERY early \"first generation\" Epiphone MasterBilt Deluxe. This top-of-the-line guitar was obviously a working professional's instrument over the decades, probably here in the New York area where it surfaced recently. The guitar has seen some substantial changes from its initial 1931 form but is a fantastic piece of history and truly superb player's instrument nonetheless. The instrument has some stories; it was re-topped by Epiphone probably around 1935, and at some point in that era the guitar was also almost certainly re-worked by John D'Angelico at his Kenmare street shop.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original high-end Epiphone archtop guitars were popular among professional users when new but good examples are exceedingly hard to find today. The serial number of this Deluxe is 5018; the series started at 5000 so that gives some idea how early in production this example was made! These earliest Masterbilt instruments had no label, just the number die-stamped into the inside back. One earlier numbered Deluxe is known (#5009) but this is clearly one of the first few of this seminal model ever built.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the time this guitar was made, the Stathopoulo family operation (still known as the Epiphone Banjo Company) had their factory in Long Island City, only recently pivoting from building banjos to guitars. After a couple of years dalliance with their oddly shaped \"Recording\" model guitars in 1931 Epiphone launched a full line of archtop instruments with f-hole tops based on Gibson's L-5, at the time the only such guitar in existence. What is not widely known is that for a time these first \"Masterbilt\" instruments did NOT have fully carved tops, but solid spruce arched and held in place by elaborate multi-part bracing, similar to what Stromberg in Boston was then doing. This early Deluxe WAS one of them, which is what complicates its story. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the time the Deluxe was the top of Epiphone's new line, competing directly with the Gibson L-5 at the same $275 price. Epiphone guaranteed these guitars to the original owner for life, which is why the secret of their early tops was lost for so long; nearly all of them have been replaced. The few early Masterbilts we have seen that retain their first-pattern tops have them sunken noticeably; this likely was evident within a few years of construction. Based on the carving pattern and contour of the \"cello pattern\" soundholes we believe the top on this Deluxe was replaced at the Epiphone factory around 1935-6. The later top is fully carved from fairly wide-grain spruce with the typical angled twin longitudinal braces, and of course the guitar would have been refinished at the same time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhoever owned this guitar was apparently not done though. The 5-piece laminated maple neck is VERY slim, thinner at the nut and shallower back-to-front than any Epiphone neck we have encountered. (and yes, late '30s Epiphone necks do get pretty slim). Based on the distinctive shape of the heel and the carve pattern we believe a reshaping was done in the same period by John D'Angelico, the angel of Kenmare Street. The guitar carries an engraved tailpiece bearing his name that dates to that era, and at one point also had one of his celluloid pickguards that unfortunately outgassed and deteriorated badly so is long gone. Farther along the fingerboard was later refretted and rebound in a more Gibson-like style with noticeable fret nubs, probably in the 1970s. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe finish is a fairly dark sunburst overall showing off some flame figure on the maple back. The body of this early Deluxe is 16 1\/2\" wide, with a flatter dish to the back than later Epiphones. While from the outside the back shows a center seam, the inside is a single piece indicating these wear pressed from laminated wood like a banjo resonator, not carved to shape. The body is bound in 4-ply celluloid with a strip of half-herringbone marquetry around the top. The headstock is the original \"offset peak\" design with a beveled-edge engraved celluloid overlay with floral pattern pearl inlay on the face and \"EPIPHONE DELUXE MASTERBILT\" engraved on three separate pearl blocks. The back of the peghead is veneered with beveled celluloid and has a large volute. The bound rosewood fingerboard has a rounded end and features a shaped pearl inlay pattern specific to the early Deluxe. The single rectangular pearl block inlay is at the 14th fret; later it was moved to the 15th. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen this guitar was built (and rebuilt) the company was headed by Epaminondas (\"Epi\") Stathopoulo by all accounts an extremely fastidious and dedicated man who personally inspected every instrument. One can only imagine he insisted on the earlier instruments bearing his name being rebuilt to the improved standards the company maintained after 1932, when they got their carving chops together! High-end carved-top Epiphone guitars in general are fine instruments, but earlier models produced under his watch are among the very best and often preferred by the era's top players to anything else.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sound of this guitar is both rich and surprisingly sweet, with less of the sheer power many old Epiphones are known for but a somewhat transparent if still well defined tone that does not get harsh even when pushed. We are always pleased to offer original 1930s Epiphone archtops, but this extremely early one is not only a great guitar but carries its own unique stories of swing-era history and our New York area musical heritage.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 41 1\/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 16 1\/2 in. (41.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3\/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1\/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9\/16 in. (40 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis early Deluxe has seen some obvious wear, re-working and repair over the years but remains a fine playing and sounding guitar. As noted above we believe the guitar to have been re-worked more than once early on; the fully carved top and thus the finish likely date to the middle 1930s. The guitar has been played extensively and probably in some interesting places back in the swing era! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe top finish has some noticeable blushing from a previous outgassing pickguard as well as fine checking and a collection of dings, dents, and scrapes. There is less pick wear than many. The back and sides have comparable wear with micro-checking, dings dents and scratches and some moisture wear and flaking to the center area of the back. The back of the neck was re-finished when slimmed long ago, and likely re- or certainly overfinished again later. The celluloid headstock overlays remain original with some wear. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe outer layer of binding on the body has been replaced; the inner layers remain original. There are two sealed grain splits to the top, one running back from the front edge below the fingerboard extension hidden by the pickguard and a second running from the front of the treble side F-hole under the lower foot of the bridge. Both are sealed up solidly but visibly with minimal touchup. There is a jack hole in the lower side that can be patched if desired; as there are signs of a previous DeArmond installation (including small \"vampire bites\" on the bass side of the fingerboard extension) this has been left for convenience in case a pickup is to be mounted again. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSeveral of the lamination seams on the back of the neck have been resealed; this can be felt in a few spots but all are solid. At least some of this work post-dates the last finish on the neck, with a light French polish done. The neck was rebound and refretted along the way in a more '70s Gibson like style with fret nubs and slightly larger wire than the period style. The nut is newer as well. The neck has been reset (possibly more than once) and has a very strong angle for an older Epiphone. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 1930s D'Angelico tailpiece has most of the plating worn away but is intact, the adjustable bridge is original to the period; the saddle has been very neatly shimmed from the underside to add height. The openback Waverly tuners are the correct style and date to the period but are not original to the guitar; other sets have been mounted in the past. The pickguard is a modern repro of a period Epiphone style guard plainer than the Deluxe would have originally sported; the bracket is handmade. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar has had an interesting journey through the swing era and beyond. It is something of a historic piece as one of the very first of its kind and survives as a very easy player with that extremely slim neck. Epiphone truly cared about their instruments in the early days, this factory re-built guitar maintains a truly excellent sound and despite a perhaps checkered past is a very good example of this extremely rare New York area classic. It resides in a very worn but solid slightly later period NYC area case that is a good fit an likely has stories of its own! Overall Very Good + Condition.","brand":"Epiphone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50486053109900,"sku":"14055","price":9500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_244d7d3d-b3dd-448c-9657-6734386603b2.jpg?v=1780777989","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/epiphone-deluxe-arch-top-acoustic-guitar-1931-14055","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}