Building off of the popularity of their
banjos in the 1920s, as well as lessons
learned from a brief experiment in the
guitar realm with their smaller Recording
models, Epiphone released their Masterbilt
series of guitars in 1931. Guitar body size
was king in the ’30s, and these models
were produced to compete with Gibson’s
Master Model range, further fanning the
flames of rivalry between Epiphone and
Gibson. Over the next few years, the two
companies continually modified their lines
in an attempt to outdo each other in the
guitar size and volume game. In 1935,
Epiphone pulled their trump card and
released the Emperor archtop. At 18 1/2"
wide, the Emperor reigned supreme, finally
solidifying Epiphone’s position as one of the
world’s most popular guitar manufacturers.
The 1953 Zephyr Emperor Regent (also
known as the Zephyr Emperor Vari-Tone)
seen here is a stunning example of the next
round of innovations Epiphone made,
this time in the electric guitar market. In
Epiphone-lingo of the time, “Zephyr” and
“Regent” denoted an electric model and a
cutaway, respectively. This guitar features
three original New York pickups—some
models came with three DeArmond pickups—
and the 6-button switching system
allows all possible pickup combinations,
save all three together. The original Bakelite
pickup mounts and carousel control knobs
are in great shape, and the Frequensator
tailpiece is still holding strong, a rare sight
for such an old example. With a flame
spruce top, 7-ply body binding, bound
rosewood fretboard, and pearl block
inlays, one can see why the Emperor was
Epiphone’s top model before the company
merged with Gibson in 1957.
Thanks to Greg Mayo at Greg’s Guitars
for listing this guitar on Gear Search.
Whether you’re looking for a vintage jazz box
or the latest shred machine, there’s a great
chance you’ll find it at Gear Search. More
than 47,000 pieces of gear are listed, including
some of the rarest gear in the world.
Head to
premierguitar.com/gear
to find your dream instrument!