The first appearance of the Epiphone Texan - c.1958

These guitars baffled me for some time with their odd features.  I tried to get my hands on one but I just couldn't find an early example.  This 1958 Texan ended up coming to me.

What makes these so special

is the fact that they are an enduring example of Epiphone and Gibson history.  The body and the neck on the early Texans were made in 2 different factories.  When Epiphone sold to Gibson they shipped all the leftover parts to Philadelphia to Kalamazoo.  Gibson began building guitars out of them using everything they could.  This guitar uses two parts from Philadelphia and the rest from Kalamazoo.

The first part from Philadelphia is the mostly finished neck.  The back of the neck shows off the 5 piece laminate construction and subtle V shape found on 1950s era Epiphones.  It appears that Epiphone used Mahogany-Maple-Mahogany for the main neck structure and glued Walnut wings on the sides of the headstock.  The thrust rod cover is direct from Epiphone as well housing the hex nut on the end of the rod.  These covers must have run out early because many of the Philadelphia necked texans have a plastic cover that was most likely made by Gibson.  It's rare to find these with the shaped brass cover.

The second part that Gibson decided to re-use from Philadelphia is the laminate, unkerfed lining.  I had heard stories of solid lined Texans but I had never seen it up close.  My 1954 Epiphone FT-210 Deluxe Cutaway has the same lining so it must have been in the parts shipment from Epiphone.  

The tone

One major tonal difference in these Texans and a similar year J-45/50 is the fact that these necks are designed for a longer scale length.  A longer scale length means that the strings have to be tighter in order to sound the same note.  A higher string tension generally results in 2 things: a slightly stiffer feel and a bit more volume.  

If you haven't played many late 50s J Gibsons then this difference will be unnoticeable.  Even if you have played a lot of them the feel and tone is very familiar.  The biggest difference in player experience is the smaller nut width and subtle V shaped neck.  I found the neck to be very comfortable but a bit smaller than what I'm used too.

Is a buyout era Epiphone Texan for you?

If you interest in vintage guitars find its roots in history, design and the search for great tone then they definitely deserve a hard look.  I joke with friends about how having an American made Epiphone is the quickest test for people who like guitars.  The majority of players will see the name one the headstock and associate it with the current day market.  That guy will keep on walking and buy him a Taylor.  But every once in a while this guitar will stop someone in their tracks and make him question whether it was made in New York, Philadelphia or Kalamazoo.

Artist Spotlight: Shovels and Rope and Old Gibson Guitars

Shovels and Rope

My dad quoted a "statistic" the other day about how 1/3 of kids these days primarily get their news from Facebook.  "That's crazy" I said, not feeling convicted at all.  Then I thought to myself that isn't that bad, after all, Facebook is what brought on the musical- albeit one-sided love affair between myself Shovels and Rope.  Exhibit A:

If you have just spent the past thirty minutes watching other S&R youtube videos then you are not alone.  Shovels and Rope are a husband and wife duo out of Charleston, SC.  "Rowdy" is how I described their sound to my brother as he reluctantly listened to me ramble about how much I enjoyed their music.  Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent also have a inclination towards old Gibson acoustic guitars.  This pair of multi-generational Kalamazoo- born six strings frequent both the videos and live performances of Shovels and Rope.

Cary Ann's Gibson LG-0

Cary Ann is playing a Gibson LG-0 made most likely between '58 and '62, judging from the straight bridge missing its pearl dots.  This was Gibson's most affordable model from about '58 to '67 (in this general configuration).  The LG-0 was ladder braced and made from solid Mahogany.  The model didn't receive a Spruce top until around '68.  These guitars have that great old guitar feel and don't commonly need repair other than a bridge reglue.  The tone is usually less desirable than one would expect from an old Gibson but with an average retail price of about $550 for one in good condition, they are a pretty good deal.  They are also good stage guitars since the bodies are a bit less resonant and therefore a bit less prone to feedback.  Cary Ann's LG-0 sports a refinished (or maybe unfinished?) headstock.  She doesn't seem to mind all that much.

Michael's Gibson ES-150

Michael Trent is often seen playing his Gibson ES-150 made between about 1940 and 1942.  I've been trying to come across this version of the 150 because of that single "P-90-esque" pickup in the bridge position.  Gibson started used this pickup on the 150 around about 1940 but discontinued it sometime in '42.  A similar pickup appears in '55 on the Silvertone Espanada.  I've seen this pickup called the Gibson "P13" pickup, which was supposedly a precursor to the P-90.

The ES-150 features an arched, solid Spruce top with tone bar bracing.  Some say that the tone bars are a bit heavier than normal Gibson archtops of the time to limit feedback.  I doubt that it is enough to tame this feedback beast.  That pickup is hot and full of tube saturating power.  I have never had the honor of playing one of these but maybe one is in my future.

"Oh, Be Joyful"

Look for for the first Shovels and Rope full length album, "Oh, Be Joyful" and give it a listen.  You may enjoy the first single of that album titled "Birmingham" which happens to be the name of my home town. I'm quite taken with this oldie, "Hell's Bells."

Here is a link to their Tumblr:  http://shovelsandrope.tumblr.com/

TVG