ID this Epiphone

[jalimando]

I just sold this Epiphone, which did not have any label. It was sold as a MM-50 but after looking around the web, I could'nt seem to find an exact match in terms of inlays on the headstock or fingerboard.
I've tried to get some history of varient batches from Epiphone but have come up empty handed.
Could it be an early MM-70 from the early 80's? hmmmmm.

Please take a look, and help me solve my mystery.

-Jalimando

http://www.jeffalipit.com/mm50/images/605.jpg
http://www.jeffalipit.com/mm50/images/618.jpg
http://www.jeffalipit.com/mm50/images/614.jpg

[Michael H Geimer]

MM-50 all the way.

I always thought my old Epi would make a good fit with a pick-up, as it really played great ... but just couldn't cut it acoustically.

Afterthought:
That headstock isn't something I've seen before. Weird, but I'll stick with an MM-50 ... IMO.

[Doug Edwards]

It looks just like my MM50. Headstock and all. Mine has a solid back and ebony fretboard. Is yours the same? I really think they substituted an Alvarez A800 at the Sammick plant on mine.

[jalimando]

Solid back, but rosewood fretboard. The fretboard on the A800 is virtually identical. Likely the same factory.

[odeman]

My MM-50 "LOOKS" like it has a solid back ( it does have a solid top ) but every expert and piece of literature I've seen says otherwise - that it has a solid top only. For a SRP of $829 and coming out of the same Korean factories as other similar-looking mandos with all solid wood / carved tops, it puzzles me.

[Michael H Geimer]

odeman,
I agree with you. I am pretty darned sure my MM-50 had both a solid top and a solid back as certain distinctive grain patterns matched up when viewed through the F-holes and then compared to the back ... or course, that didn't mean it had any volume. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
- Benig