"Epiphone unveiled the Recording series of guitars in 1928. The unusually-shaped acoustics were named with the letters ""A"" through ""E,"" and were built with spruce and laminated maple. Higher-end Recording guitars featured an arched top. The Model E pictured was the high-end of the line, retailing for $175 in 1929. The Recording series wasn't successful, due to lack of celebrity endorsements as well as a size discrepancy in comparison with the popular (and larger) Gibson L-5. "