Please Help ID My First Guitar

[Kneegloc]

Hi! I'm new here. Please be gentle. I picked out this Epiphone for my 15th birthday, because I loved the way it felt in my hands. 30 years later, I still don't know what to call it! Parts have been lost since then, and it's got a few dings, but it still plays wonderfully, imho. I can't find a serial number anywhere! It has a bolt-on neck and the plate states "Made in Japan." (Since then I've bought a G-200, Les Paul, and a DR 212, but I'm getting off subject.) Thank you!

Epiphone Headstock2

• Kneegloc
• Jan 26, 2019

Epiphone Body

• Kneegloc
• Jan 26, 2019

 

[Cam.man67]

Hi there! And welcome. nice guitar you’ve got there. The headstock is interesting to me because I thought Epi didn’t start using the batwing style until like ‘96 or so. Not seeing anything on the Epi wiki like it, either, so hopefully somebody else can chime in.

 

[Kneegloc]

Thanks! I always called it the "batwing" or something like it... I always thought it was cool...

 

[Paruwi]

I still don't know what to call it!

Hi,

Welcome here @ €piTalk


https://web.archive.org/web/20150316025633/http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/S-Series

The neck seems to be from the S-Series,
the headstock is called 'Batwing-Style'
was used on the Korean Samick made S-Series from 96-04

I guess the body and the neckplate isn't made by Epiphone

 

[Kneegloc]

Hi,

Welcome here @ €piTalk




The neck seems to be from the S-Series,
the headstock is called 'Batwing-Style'
was used on the Korean Samick made S-Series from 96-04

I guess the body and the neckplate isn't made by Epiphone

Whoa! So, do you think it was a hybrid? I did buy it at a new/used shop. The year was 1988, I believe. The body had a 5-spring tremolo that I tightened-up to make it a fixed bridge (for some odd reason--I was young lol). The tremolo bar was a bent one, but didn't have a plastic screw-on end. It had 2 round string guides (broken by my jerky friends). (Just a little more info for your perusal.) Thanks!

 

[Paruwi]

So, do you think it was a hybrid?

I don't know for sure, couldn't find any similar body (non pickguard and flamed veneer top) on all the old epi catalogs

 

[John]

Welcome in @Kneegloc nice looking guitar you have there. Never to young to tighten up the trem springs, I have 7 Strats and they all are tightened or blocked.

 

[Kneegloc]

I don't know for sure, couldn't find any similar body (non pickguard and flamed veneer top) on all the old epi catalogs

So, do you think maybe it's a knockoff? But who (except a time traveler lol) would have the hindsight in 1988, or before, to give it a batwing headstock? And, match the burst colors with the body? I'm racking my brain and still searching the interwebs but nothing makes any sense! Thank you for your input.

 

[Kneegloc]

Welcome in @Kneegloc nice looking guitar you have there. Never to young to tighten up the trem springs, I have 7 Strats and they all are tightened or blocked.

Thanks!

 

[Cam.man67]

So, do you think maybe it's a knockoff? But who (except a time traveler lol) would have the hindsight in 1988, or before, to give it a batwing headstock? And, match the burst colors with the body? I'm racking my brain and still searching the interwebs but nothing makes any sense! Thank you for your input.

This is kind of where I’m at. The batwing headstock is so odd to me; Epiphone just didn’t use them on production models til ‘96 IIRC. The body *sorta* resembles some of the S-series or X-1000 guitars, but none of those had the HH configuration and they certainly weren’t finished natural. And again, headstock.

Another thing I was looking at was the Spotlight...but those all had Steinberger trems and were neck-through. Again, the body is close and is HH, but the other things rule it out.


I think it’s down to two options:

1. Pre-production or concept Epi that never went to production, which wound up being sold to you

2. Partscaster. The neck is still a source of confusion since the headstock logo and contours appear to more closely mimic 60s batwing proportions, yet I don’t recall Epi making a bolt-neck guitar that far back.

In other words, I’ll keep looking.

 

[Kneegloc]

This is kind of where I’m at. The batwing headstock is so odd to me; Epiphone just didn’t use them on production models til ‘96 IIRC. The body *sorta* resembles some of the S-series or X-1000 guitars, but none of those had the HH configuration and they certainly weren’t finished natural. And again, headstock.

Another thing I was looking at was the Spotlight...but those all had Steinberger trems and were neck-through. Again, the body is close and is HH, but the other things rule it out.


I think it’s down to two options:

1. Pre-production or concept Epi that never went to production, which wound up being sold to you

2. Partscaster. The neck is still a source of confusion since the headstock logo and contours appear to more closely mimic 60s batwing proportions, yet I don’t recall Epi making a bolt-neck guitar that far back.

In other words, I’ll keep looking.

Wow. Thanks for your help! Lots of weird stuff going on lol! I hope we can find an answer... Thanks, again!

 

[Paruwi]

1. Pre-production or concept Epi that never went to production, which wound up being sold to you

This is what I think....

 

[Kneegloc]

This is what I think....

Wow, wouldn't that be fun! But I'm wondering how something like that could end up in a family-owned shop in Pittston, PA. Still, anything's possible! I took a pic of the back of the guitar, in case that helps.

Epiphone Back

• Kneegloc
• Jan 29, 2019

 

[Kneegloc]

This is kind of where I’m at. The batwing headstock is so odd to me; Epiphone just didn’t use them on production models til ‘96 IIRC. The body *sorta* resembles some of the S-series or X-1000 guitars, but none of those had the HH configuration and they certainly weren’t finished natural. And again, headstock.

Another thing I was looking at was the Spotlight...but those all had Steinberger trems and were neck-through. Again, the body is close and is HH, but the other things rule it out.


I think it’s down to two options:

1. Pre-production or concept Epi that never went to production, which wound up being sold to you

2. Partscaster. The neck is still a source of confusion since the headstock logo and contours appear to more closely mimic 60s batwing proportions, yet I don’t recall Epi making a bolt-neck guitar that far back.

In other words, I’ll keep looking.

I had some other thoughts... All the batwings that I found from the 90's look like they have a natural-wood cutout along the edge, where mine is solid. I've seen 60's Epiphones with the batwing that are solid, but aren't quite shaped like mine.
Also, if there was a serial # on this thing, where would I find it?
And what does HH mean? Sorry, I know a little about guitars, but not a bunch. lol Does it mean double humbuckers?
Oh, and what's a Partscaster? I have a feeling it means someone put it together themselves, or it's a Frankenstein-like guitar?
Thanks, again, for your help and insight!

 

[Supersonic]

And what does HH mean? Does it mean double humbuckers?

Oh, and what's a Partscaster? I have a feeling it means someone put it together themselves, or it's a Frankenstein-like guitar?

Yes and Yes

 

[Kneegloc]

Yes and Yes

Wow, I never scored 100% on a 2-question test! lol Thanks! Also, whoever made this "monster" must have been pretty obsessed to "fade" (Idk if that's the right word) the back just like the front... I hope someone finds something! Thanks, everyone, in advance!

 

[Cam.man67]

I had some other thoughts... All the batwings that I found from the 90's look like they have a natural-wood cutout along the edge, where mine is solid. I've seen 60's Epiphones with the batwing that are solid, but aren't quite shaped like mine.
Also, if there was a serial # on this thing, where would I find it?
And what does HH mean? Sorry, I know a little about guitars, but not a bunch. lol Does it mean double humbuckers?
Oh, and what's a Partscaster? I have a feeling it means someone put it together themselves, or it's a Frankenstein-like guitar?
Thanks, again, for your help and insight!

You are right about the batwing shapebeing “off” compared to 90s models...that’s why I m thinking factory one-off or prototype is the most likely choice. Another thing that points to prototype: at the time the older batwing shape was used (60s, maybe early 70s) Epi didn’t make any bolt-on instruments that used that headstock.

Also,serial number on older Epi bolt-one should be on the neck plate, right guys?

 

[Kneegloc]

You are right about the batwing shapebeing “off” compared to 90s models...that’s why I m thinking factory one-off or prototype is the most likely choice. Another thing that points to prototype: at the time the older batwing shape was used (60s, maybe early 70s) Epi didn’t make any bolt-on instruments that used that headstock.

Also,serial number on older Epi bolt-one should be on the neck plate, right guys?

On the neck plate, like, under it, do you think? It's not in the electronics, and it wasn't on the back plate, or the truss rod cover... ugh... lol

 

[Kneegloc]

OMG! Everyone, I have to admit, I've been double-dipping... please forgive me... But, it is very rare, as everyone thought it would be... my heart dropped when I saw the pictures! It won't let me post the URL, but I'll give you a hint. It's a forum. It's at Gibson. (Just put them together with the periods.) Anyway, just search for my user name and you'll find it, in sold listings. I managed to snip a pic of it. It's not identical, and the knobs are different...

My Epiphone Sold

• Kneegloc
• Jan 29, 2019

Thank you ALL for racking your brains for me!!!

 

[Supersonic]