Has anyone played one of the old epiphone em-50s

[fiddlinfool]

Has anyone played one of the Epiphone EM-50s (A style) that were manufactured in the late 1960s and 1970s? #I`m just wondering as I see them for sale occasionally for a couple hundred, but have never had the chance to try them - I am looking for a decent sounding campfire mando - and was thinking of getting an old Harmony Montrey, but wanted to ask#if anyone had and expereince with the Epiphone Em-50 first.

thanks and best regards from Canada # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[billkilpatrick]

they look beautiful ...

haven't played one but i don't think you can go wrong with an epiphone. my mm-30 might not have what my other mandolins have but it's always a pleasure to play - it never disappoints. i'm taking mine on holiday so i guess that makes it a "beater." if you plan to use the em-50 in this way it will be a "vintage beater" ... what class!

if the price is right, go for it ...

[MikeEdgerton]

The recent and late 60's/early 70's vintage Epiphones are totally different animals. The Epiphone instruments of that era could get a little sketchy.

[johnl]

Specs:

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/epiphone/catalogs/1974/pg6.html

Not to be confused with the earlier Venetian:

http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/epiphone62p21.php

[billkilpatrick]

... pssst! - of the two of us, i'd listen to mike.

[MikeEdgerton]

That earlier model has a carved top and was probably made in Kalamazoo (and thus it will be more expensive). The later one was very close to the move from Japan to Korea. It was imported and looks like a few dozen other mandolins imported under other brand names. Either way I'd guess there's a big chance the top isn't solid on the later one. I bought several Epi guitars from that era in a lot one time assuming they were solid tops, none were. We're in a golden age of lutherie right now. You can buy well built inexpensive mandolins with solid tops cheap.