DeLuxe Archtop Electric
Debuting in 1931, the Deluxe was introduced as Epiphone's top-of the line guitar. The Epiphone Masterbilt Deluxe was the fanciest, most powerful archtop guitar of its day. Late in 1935, Epiphone introduced a totally redesigned line of bigger, more powerful guitars engineered to meet the demands of the big band era. Originally christened the Super Deluxe, this guitar was the top of the 17" line, and featured the asymmetrical Masterbilt headstock with an ornate tree-of-life inlay, segmented f-holes, mother of pearl cloud fingerboard inlays, extra binding at the edges of the fingerboard, a new streamlined bound tortoise pickguard, and bound cello-style f-holes. Regarded by many as the pinnacle of Epiphone design, the DeLuxe are almost invariably excellent sounding and playing guitars as well. Introduced in 1941, the Zephyr Deluxe was Epiphone's top-of-the line 17" instrument. The Zephyr Deluxe Regent was the electric cutaway version of their legendary Deluxe model archtop |
The DeLuxe series included:
- DeLuxe - Acoustic Non-cutaway
- Deluxe Regent - Acoustic Single-cutaway
- DeLuxe Empire - Acoustic 4-String Tenor
- Zephyr DeLuxe - Electric Non-cutaway
- Zephyr DeLuxe Regent - Electric Single-cutaway
- Zephyr DeLuxe Tenor - Electric 4-String Tenor
See Also: DeLuxe Acoustic Archtop
Contents |
Models
Zephyr DeLuxe
- 1941-1954
Body:
- Non-cutaway body
- Flame maple back and sides
- Spruce top
Neck:
- Set maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe
- Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with inlaid perimeter stripes
- Pearl cloud fingerboard inlays
- "Vine of Life" inlay on headstock
- Bone nut
- 25.5" scale
- 1.68" nut width
Binding:
- 5-ply body
- 3-ply neck, headstock & pickguard
Electronics:
- Epiphone Pickups (1941-1949)
- New York style pickup (1950-1954)
Controls:
- Volume and Tone control on 1 shaft on "MasterVoicer" control plate (1941-1950)
- "MasterVoicer" control plate discontinued (1951)
- Control knobs parallel to strings (1951-1954)
Hardware:
- Gold hardware
- Individual enclosed Epsilon "E" stamped tuners
- Hex-key adjustable truss rod
- Elevated nitrocellulose tortoise pickguard
- Maple bridge with rosewood saddle
- Frequensator tailpiece
Zephyr DeLuxe Regent
- Model E211 & E212
- Named Zephyr DeLuxe Regent (1948-1957)
- Renamed to Deluxe Electric (1958-1970)
Body:
- Single-cutaway body
- Flame maple back and sides
- Spruce top
Neck:
- Set maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe
- Ornate vine style mother-of-pearl peghead inlay
- Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard
- Abalone/Pearl "V' block fingerboard inlays (1948-1970)
- Mother of pearl Cloud fingerboard inlays (1948-1957)
- Hex-key adjustable truss rod
- Bone nut
- 25.5" scale
- 1.68" nut width
Binding:
- 5-ply body
- 3-ply fingerboard & headstock
- 3-ply pickguard
Electronics:
- Epiphone pickups (1948-1949)
- New York pickups (1950-1957)
- Johnny Smith pickups (1958-1970)
- 1-pickup in neck position
- 2-pickup version available with blade switch
Controls:
- "MasterVoicer" control plate 1948-1951
- 1 Volume and 1 Tone control 1951-1957
- 1 Volume control and mini-jack 1958-1970
Hardware:
- Gold hardware
- Epsilon-logo tuners
- Frequensator tailpiece
- Maple bridge with rosewood saddle
- Elevated nitrocellulose tortoise pickguard
Colors:
- Blonde (E211)
- Shaded (E212)
Zephyr DeLuxe Tenor
- 4-string configuration
Body:
- Single-cutaway body
- Spruce top
- Flame maple back and sides
- 2 non-segmented f-holes
Neck:
- Set maple neck with 3-ply walnut/maple centerstripe
- Ornate vine style mother-of-pearl peghead inlay
- Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with V-block inlays
- "Vine of Life" inlay on headstock
- Hex-key adjustable truss rod
- Bone nut
Binding:
- Deluxe 5-ply body binding
- 1-ply fingerboard and headstock
- 3-ply nitrocellulose tortoise pickguard
Electronics:
- Epiphone pickups
- "MasterVoicer" controls
- 3-way selector switch
Hardware:
- Gold hardware
- Adjustable maple bridge with rosewood base
- Frequensator tailpiece
- Epsilon-logo tuners
Zephyr Blues Deluxe
- 1999-2005
- Based on the Gibson ES-5
Body:
- Single rounded cutaway
- Maple body & top
- Flame maple veneer
Neck:
- Set Maple neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with block inlays
- "Vine of Life" inlay on headstock
- 20 frets
- 25.5" Scale
- 1.68" nut
Binding:
- 5-ply body, neck & headstock
Electronics:
- 3 P-90 Pickups
- Middle pickup reverse polarity for hum cancelling
- 3 Vol. 1 Tone controls
Hardware:
- Gold hardware
- Tune-o-matic bridge with rosewood base
- Frequensator tailpiece
- Gold speed knobs
- 3-ply evelvated pickguard
Colors:
- Natural (NA)
- Vintage Sunburst (VS)
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