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Epiphone Excellente'...does anyone know anything about these?


Midcitysaint

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Hey guys my dad gave me an Epiphone Excellente' acoustic guitar that he had for years. It sat in my old bedroom closet at my mom's house for about 5 years and I forgot I even had it until he reminded me of it. At first I didn't believe him but then I dug and sure enough, amidst boxes of junk that I have no idea why I kept for all these years, there sat a very dusty cardboard/fiberboard hardshell case. I opened her up and found this inside.

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It's very beautiful and sounds like nothing I own, very, very musical and full. But what is the story on these? I cannot find anything on Epi's website on them.

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look's like a gibson hummingbird copy... but a very nice one- here are a few reviews i found...

this review from 2001 list's the price as $399.00 as a close out price and listed at over $1600.00

http://www.musicgearreview.com/review-display/733.html

here is a history of epiphone- with an excellente' shown and mentioned about 1/2 way down the page...

http://www.epiphone.com/history.asp

and from a page about collectible epiphones...

Epiphone FT120 Excellente flat top.
Collectibility Rating: B.
The fanciest flat top produced during this period by Gibson. Brazilian rosewood back and sides makes it collectible. 1965 to 1970 models worth less than 1963-1964 models with bigger necks. Too bad this model didn't have "slope shoulders", or it would be top in it's class (most collectors don't like Gibson's square shoulder dreadnought designs).

Square shoulder dreadnought shape, rosewood back and sides, tune-o-matic bridge, large pointed pickguard with engraved eagle, multiple bound top, back, and ebony fingerboard, cloud fingerboard inlays, large pearl and abalone peghead inlay, single bound peghead, gold plated parts, natural top finish. Introduced in 1963. Discontinued 1970.

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/epiphon2.html

about 3/4 of the way down the page...

nice guitar... hope this info helps...

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Mine is Korean and I've been the owner of several other Epiphones, Seagulls, Art & Lutherie and even a hand full of Ovations and a Takamine and this one smokes them all with the exception of the Art & Lutherie which is a 12 string and definitely in a class of it's own. But if the job calls for a six string I by default go to this guitar.

The one thing that drives me nuts however is the width of the fretboard towards the nut which is tapered. The Seagulls that I have become accustomed to playing are much wider.

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Darn. I was going to offer you two thousand bucks for it. Original 60's USA Epiphone Excellentes are probably the nicest flattop guitar Gibson ever made. Especially the 60's ones. Not only are they Brazilian rosewood, but they are Gibson made. They're also extremely rare.

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Quote Originally Posted by jd-drafter View Post
look's like a gibson hummingbird copy... but a very nice one- here are a few reviews i found...

this review from 2001 list's the price as $399.00 as a close out price and listed at over $1600.00

http://www.musicgearreview.com/review-display/733.html

here is a history of epiphone- with an excellente' shown and mentioned about 1/2 way down the page...

http://www.epiphone.com/history.asp

and from a page about collectible epiphones...

Epiphone FT120 Excellente flat top.
Collectibility Rating: B.
The fanciest flat top produced during this period by Gibson. Brazilian rosewood back and sides makes it collectible. 1965 to 1970 models worth less than 1963-1964 models with bigger necks. Too bad this model didn't have "slope shoulders", or it would be top in it's class (most collectors don't like Gibson's square shoulder dreadnought designs).

Square shoulder dreadnought shape, rosewood back and sides, tune-o-matic bridge, large pointed pickguard with engraved eagle, multiple bound top, back, and ebony fingerboard, cloud fingerboard inlays, large pearl and abalone peghead inlay, single bound peghead, gold plated parts, natural top finish. Introduced in 1963. Discontinued 1970.

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/epiphon2.html

about 3/4 of the way down the page...

nice guitar... hope this info helps...
ATTENTION:

YOUR METAL CUTAWAY LOOKS TERRIFIC!
DOES IT HAVE A DOBRO SOUND?
HOW AND WHERE CAN I ORDER ONE?
APPRECIATING HEARING FROM YOU

MOOSE

EMAIL: d.dogs@verizon.net
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Quote Originally Posted by Midcitysaint View Post
Hey guys my dad gave me an Epiphone Excellente' acoustic guitar that he had for years. It sat in my old bedroom closet at my mom's house for about 5 years and I forgot I even had it until he reminded me of it. At first I didn't believe him but then I dug and sure enough, amidst boxes of junk that I have no idea why I kept for all these years, there sat a very dusty cardboard/fiberboard hardshell case. I opened her up and found this inside.

<aguitarstuff004tk3.jpg>

<aguitarstuff006qr3.jpg>

<aguitarstuff007iz1.jpg>

<aguitarstuff047qa5.jpg>

<aguitarstuff048jz4.jpg>

It's very beautiful and sounds like nothing I own, very, very musical and full. But what is the story on these? I cannot find anything on Epi's website on them.

Been looking for a Korean copy. Hit me up if you want to sell it
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Hello, there is quite a bit of Mis-imfomation on these guitars.Even the Gibson factory in Bozeman Montana has their wires crossed up as to the actual info on these "Hidden Gems".First let me dispell the rumor that they sell anywhere around 399.00 used.Well, the latest price which was on eBay 3 months ago,the guitar actually sold for 1250.00 with a hardcase.They are xBraced and forward shifted too and produce a beautiful rich, full sound not unlike a new D28 Standard.Your guitar is a natural top and Gibson first produced only natural finish Excellente's in 1984 which came from their plant in Japan. In 1989 Gibson again produced the Excellente'but this time made in Korea and in a Tobacco Sunburst only and this guitar was a dog because they(Gibson) buried the tone with a gaudy heavy duty Poly finish thus keeping the guitar from ever producing any type of a tone other than a "dead fart" thump!!!Enjoy your guitar its a beauty and really one of the best kept secrets out there, I know, I own one too....Fred

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I started digging for the photo's....mine was not an Excelente, it was an Elite. Heres the pix anyway ( I spent 15 minutes digging in my Photobucket list!
The one I had was a Japanese J200 Elite. It was a wonderful blond Bomb Shell. Huge tone, also a bout over 17". To big for the couch. Nice Nice guitar.
epi200full.jpg
epi200d.jpg
epi200b.jpg
epi200e.jpg

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We'v heard a lot of opinions about what you should do with this guitar. Where and when it was made, by whom, out of what. But if I were in your place, I'd have it set up and I would keep it. It's a good guitar, and it was your father's. Buy, sell, trade, you'll never get that back again. Keep it. Maybe you can sell it for a lot of money. Maybe you can get a "better" modern guitar. It's VALUE to you might be greater than it's WORTH on the market. Heck, I'd never sell my Dad's guitar. And he never owned one as good as you got.

Man, I gotta go check my closets.

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Hey man,

The only time they made those in Korea was from '96-'99... As a reissue. There were several models before it, the model history is significant.


Original:1963-1970. Manufactured in Kalamazoo, MI. Woods used were Adirondack Spruce, Brazilian Rosewood, maple/ rosewood (7pc) neck, porcelain saddle (thru '65) and later an ebony saddle. Kluson tuners, real mother of pear inlays. That guitar, for historical/ material value alone would be worth quite a bit!

They did a '93 (Gibson Custom, Epiphone brand) and a '94 (100th anniversary model) out of the Bozeman factory under the Epiphone name as well. This had Indian Rosewood/ Sitka spruce, and some cheaper materials (non- metal tuners... still Kluson)

The Korean made reissue ran from '96-99 and consisted of all solid woods, same spec as the American ones, but made in a large-box factory.

Important notes: The '93 model was made by 2 luthiers and had a smaller production run.

All guitars are made with solid woods and it seems like they will all be great players. If you happen on the Kalamazoo model or the '93 handmade, you will probably have some collectors value in there as well.


Figure out what it is, set it up, and play it!

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