Epiphone Electric Guitars...
Epiphone Rises From The Ashes

Epiphone Electric Guitars Take The Stage...

Epiphone electric guitars, in fact all Epiphone guitars, didn't stay in the shadow of Gibson for long. When the new lines began hitting the streets in 1958 it was clear that the brand had three separate identities. There were the budget versions of existing Gibson models, recreations of classic Epiphones like the Emporer and Triumph as well as totally new Epiphone models. These included electrics like the semi-hollow bodied Sheraton, the solid-bodied Moderne Black and flat-topped acoustics like the Frontier which had a square-shouldered design never before seen on a Gibson. It was clear that Epiphones were going to have their own identities and not just be "Gibson-esque" knockoffs as most expected them to be.

Boom Times...

The 1960's were a boom time for Epiphone. Folk music exploded and Epiphone responded by re-releasing their Seville classical guitar both with and without pickups. They complemented the Seville with three other models - the Madrid, Espana and Entrada. In 1962 they introduced a 12 string called the Bard. They followed that in 1963 with a series of steel-stringed flattops called the Troubador.

Epiphone electrics also thrived during this time. Adding to the strength of their offerings were a number of electric classics such as the double-cutaway Casino, played by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison of the Beatles. It seemed that Epiphone had completely recovered from the bad times. Their lineup now boasted fourteen electric archtops, six solid-bodied electrics, seven steel-string flattops, six classicals, four acoustic archtops, three banjos and a mandolin. In addition, Epiphone's sales increased fivefold between 1961 and 1965. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end.