Closet epi pics

[oldplinker]

Some pics to see of old epiphone

Thanks for the help

https://docs.google.com/folderview?i...1VGM&usp=gmail

[Jess L.]

... Thanks for the help

https://docs.google.com/folderview?i...1VGM&usp=gmail

Not sure what the question is, but in any case the link is not accessible here, it gives the following error message:

"You need permission. Want in? Ask the owner for access, or switch to an account with permission."

Any chance you could post the pictures at MandolinCafe (in this thread) instead of the Google Drive site, so everyone can see them?

[oldplinker]

Not sure what the question is, but in any case the link is not accessible here, it gives the following error message:



Any chance you could post the pictures at MandolinCafe (in this thread) instead of the Google Drive site, so everyone can see them?

Sorry . Having I T problems and can't upload. email me . oldplinker@gmail.com

I will send pics to you

[MikeEdgerton]

You need to reduce the size of the pictures and they will upload. Your links were going to a location that isn't accessible to everyone.

[oldplinker]

Hopefully what the Mrs. did to pictures will work. Unfortunately, she couldn't remove flash.

[oldplinker]

Have been able to post pics today. See new thread. If you want to see more, just ask.

[Dave Richard]

Hi oldplinker, can you tell us more about the Epi? What year & model, and how does it sound? I'm a big fan of their old archtop guitars.

Dave

Ahh! Just saw the previous posts with model & date...never mind the above. The Rivoli looks like a beaut.

I may be interested if you decide to sell it.

[oldplinker]

Hi oldplinker, can you tell us more about the Epi? What year & model, and how does it sound? I'm a big fan of their old archtop guitars.

Dave

Ahh! Just saw the previous posts with model & date...never mind the above. The Rivoli looks like a beaut.

I may be interested if you decide to sell it.

Dave. Thanks for your interest. I'll play it a bit for a couple of days to open the
sound and let you know what it is like and get back to you. We have more pics available if you are serious. Maybe you can research how much these go for in reality and we can talk.

[Jim Garber]

As far as I can tell this is a 1940s Epiphone Rivoli. it would have a carved spruce top and laminated walnut back and sides.

Here is one on gbase that was sold. I don't know if the buyer paid $1250 (probably not).

[oldplinker]

Jim, thank you for your input; you've been really helpful. Here's a dating website according to serial number: http://wiedler.ch/nyepireg/database.html#SNlabel
Photos:
Does having the OHSC make a difference in value? Bill

[Masterbilt]

Jim, thank you for your input; you've been really helpful. Here's a dating website according to serial number: http://wiedler.ch/nyepireg/database.html#SNlabel
Photos:
Does having the OHSC make a difference in value? Bill

Hi oldplinker - very nice Epiphone Rivoli made in c. 1939. Since you have found my Epiphone research website I included it...

The back is 2-piece carved walnut (not laminated). Nice original case, too.

Felix

P.S. I would be interested to see a picture of the tuners!

[Jeff Mando]

Very nice and something you don't see everyday. I saw one once at a guitar show, many years ago.

[oldplinker]

Hi oldplinker - very nice Epiphone Rivoli made in c. 1939. Since you have found my Epiphone research website I included it...

The back is 2-piece carved walnut (not laminated). Nice original case, too.

Felix

P.S. I would be interested to see a picture of the tuners!

Hi Felix . I had no idea this "closet cutie" would cause a stir.
I have never heard of an epi that old or that there was any at all.
I took a series of pics and when my tech savvy wife can upload them
I will send them to you. The red spot on the back is a camera issue(me)
bill

[oldplinker]

Hi Jeff . It caught my eye as soon as I opened the case.
bill.

[oldplinker]

Am posting the balance of photos:

[Loudloar]

Felix,

This case has the raised "E" inside the lid. Do you know when this feature began? As far as I can tell it wasn't much before 1940, but that's a guess. We were discussing Epiphone cases recently on the Vintage Musical Instrument Case group, and identified some that were Harptone, others were Geib, and Lifton as well. So apparently they changed case suppliers quite a bit.

Steve

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vint...strumentcases/

[oldplinker]

Steve and Felix. Just so you know. When I got this the case was missing the handle.
It just had the loops. I had an old leather handle from another old case and I put it on
the case thinking it was better than no handle. I hope this info is relevant. The instrument
is as was found , cleaned, restrung and intonation set.

bill

[Masterbilt]

Felix,

This case has the raised "E" inside the lid. Do you know when this feature began? As far as I can tell it wasn't much before 1940, but that's a guess. We were discussing Epiphone cases recently on the Vintage Musical Instrument Case group, and identified some that were Harptone, others were Geib, and Lifton as well. So apparently they changed case suppliers quite a bit.

Steve

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vint...strumentcases/

Steve - Epiphone first promoted the "E under the lid" cases in the 1939 catalog: http://wiedler.ch/nyepireg/docs/1939_cat.pdf (see p.43). The Dutch Archtop Guitar Museum lists examples that came with a 1939 Blackstone and a 1939 Emperor: http://dutcharchtopguitarmuseum.nl/vintage-guitarcases/.
I haven't analyzed my image database (yet) to narrow down the exact years for cases. I know there are instruments that came in cases made by Geib, Lifton and Harptone. I noticed that in the 1937 and earlier Epiphone catalogs the cases had different order numbers - possibly this may hint to a change in case supplier in the late '30s (?). (See Epiphone catalogs: http://wiedler.ch/nyepireg/catalogs.html)

Felix

[Masterbilt]

Steve and Felix. Just so you know. When I got this the case was missing the handle.
It just had the loops. I had an old leather handle from another old case and I put it on
the case thinking it was better than no handle. I hope this info is relevant. The instrument
is as was found , cleaned, restrung and intonation set.

bill

Bill - thanks for the additional photos. Very nice engraved Waverly tuners.
Regarding your earlier question in your other thread: (1) are there many of these out there?
I think not too many, my guesstimate: not more than a few hundred in total, and even less with f-holes. The Rivoli model was discontinued by c. 1944, and revived in 1949 with an oval soundhole.

Felix

[oldplinker]

Felix. Lots of good info. Thanks. Would you like me to take any more pics
or were those enough? I have the instrument here still.

[BradKlein]

Felix. Lots of good info. Thanks. Would you like me to take any more pics
or were those enough? I have the instrument here still.

Are you trying to sell the instrument? You may want to try the classifieds section here at the Cafe.

[oldplinker]

Thanks Brad. I just now decided that I'm going to sell it.
I just have to figure out how much and word the ad then
it's a go ahead. bill

[Loudloar]

I noticed that in the 1937 and earlier Epiphone catalogs the cases had different order numbers - possibly this may hint to a change in case supplier in the late '30s (?).

Felix, I did the tedious job of looking through all available Epiphone catalogs, from 1932-1954. The numbering for hard shell cases seems consistent. They use three digit numbers for their hard shell cases, 4xx to 9xx from lowest to highest quality. For chipboard cases they use four digit numbers (2xxx) prior to 1939 then it changes to a 4xx series number. I couldn't see any similarity between their numbering and any known model numbers by Geib, Lifton, or Harptone. So I think it was Epiphone's own scheme, and they had various suppliers build to their specifications.

Steve

[Jeff Mando]

I will ask the opinion of the researchers.....Did Epiphone during this time period not sell in the same numbers as Gibson, Martin, etc.? Or is it that mandolins in general were sold in less numbers in the late 30's through the WWII years? Basically, asking why we don't see more of these on the used market.

[Masterbilt]

I will ask the opinion of the researchers.....Did Epiphone during this time period not sell in the same numbers as Gibson, Martin, etc.? Or is it that mandolins in general were sold in less numbers in the late 30's through the WWII years? Basically, asking why we don't see more of these on the used market.

I think both: Epiphone generally was a much smaller operation than Gibson or Martin; and they launched their Masterbilt mandolins in the early 1930s when the mandolin boom was well over. In the '30s-early '40s Epiphone was a major player in the archtop market, and also quite successful with early electric guitars, especially lap steels. Mandolins and flattop guitars however were only produced in relatively small numbers: My guesstimate: Probably not more than a few hundred Epiphone mandolins built in the 1931-1944 period.

Felix