Epiphone Two Point Oval BG-440

[i-vibe]

i own a 1977 Japanese made Epi BG-440. there is suprisingly little to be found anywhere on the web about these.

can anyone share some info w me?

i remember seeing one on ebay that looked similar to mine w an ARIA label on the headstock though it looked to be made a little cheaper w painted black neck.

i suspect these prolly came out of the plant.

[Tim2723]

I have a 1978 BG-440. My first 'serious' mandolin. Still love it and have even recorded with it. Moderator Mike will probably chime in with lots of historical details.

[i-vibe]

a '78, eh? wow....mine will be pleased to learn of it's younger sibling!

btw...i really dig mine too.

[i-vibe]

some pics

[Tim2723]

Yup, that's it. I took the pickguard off mine, but that's the baby.

[Tim2723]

a '78, eh? wow....mine will be pleased to learn of it's younger sibling!

btw...i really dig mine too.

Actually, yours is a year older than mine.

[i-vibe]

Actually, yours is a year older than mine.

and mine being older....making your's it's younger sibling, no? :)

i took my pickguard off too. but then a cpl mos later after installing an ebony armrest i had an ebony pickguard and trussrod cover made for it. i'm no doubt prejudiced but i think it really looks cool.

[Jim Nollman]

Looks an awful lot like an Ibanez, except those are often red.

[DMosher]

It's interesting that I should find this post today. Just last night I posted my first ever you tube video of me playing my own BG 440.

1978 must have been a good year for this model. Oddly enough, I first saw, played and purchased mine on my 27th birthday in 1978. It was used, and you could tell that the pickguard had once been removed and reattached. (A good job, but you could see a bit of the epoxy.)

My experience is that this is a solid well built mandolin. It plays easily and sounds pretty good in my opinion. Of course it would sound a lot better if I played better. But I do enjoy this mandolin a lot. In fact I play this one more than any of the others that I have. I also have an Eastman 615, an old Kay that was my father-in-law's, and a Gypsy mandola. I leave the BG440 at my office, so if I have a minute at work, I'll pick it up and play a bit.

I'm primatirly a guitar player, but I got this--my first "serious mandolin" as well--and played it a little in a band I was in at the time. I remember it sounded really good with a little Barcus Berry pickup puttyed to the bridge.

My first video was posted last night on the "Original Music" Social Group.

That's my story.

[DerTiefster]

You could also look here:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?36072-Need-help-on-identification-of-mando...
(assuming the link passes successfully)
and at the pics on my album here:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=755
also showing a '77 mandolin. There are more photos of BG-440s floating around on the cafe, as well as some of an Aria ff-hole of the same 2-point body style.

Michael

[Tim2723]

Michael, yours is shown in what looks like a chipboard case. Mine came in a CB case with the Epi logo on it, but that is long gone of course. Is that an original case as well?

[DerTiefster]

The story that came with the mandolin indicates that the Grandma of the seller was the original owner or very, very close to it. The BG-440 that I bought in about '97 and "lost" in about 2003 had a CB case with Epi label. This case looks identical (as far as I remember) to the one I had before but for the absence of the label. So I'd say it's quite likely original with the mandolin, but I can't guarantee it. I'm pretty confident that the Epi-labeled case would be original, but you -can- still buy them, I think. I can't speak for the relative construction materials/quality, etc, though. These serve as a -great- secondary mandolin, to my ear, and would be a perfectly marvelous starter instrument.

[i-vibe]

i got mine in what i assume was it's original soft EPI case with the "E" epsilon. it's in good shape but i got myself a nice Access III rectangular hard case for it.

maybe i should put that Epi case up on EBAY or list it in the classifieds since i don't use it.