The Epiphone Company
A Division of Gibson Musical Instruments
645 Massman Drive
Nashville, Tennessee
37210-3781 USA
© 2003 The Epiphone Co.
Owners Manual
For Your Records
Model_______________________________________
Serial No._____________________________________
Date Purchased__________________________________
Dealer Address__________________________________
__________________________________________
Dealer Phone___________________________________
Remember to keep your purchase receipt. It is necessary for warranty coverage.
The Epiphone Story
Late in the 19th century, a Greek luthier and violin maker
named Anastasios Stathopoulo moved his family to New
York in search of a better life. He found it - and built a company that became one of the greatest names in instruments.
The “House of Stathopoulo” was opened in 1873 and
Anastasios brought his 17 year old son, Epaminodas (also
known as “Epi”), into the company in 1910.“Epi”and his
father soon named some of their new instruments Epiphone
and the legend began.
After 47 years of Epiphone production, Gibson USA
acquired the rights to the Epiphone name in 1957 and began to build Epiphones
in 1959. Under the guidance of Gibson USA, Epiphone continued to set new
standards for quality, value and innovation.
Today, with dedicated Epiphone engineers, product specialists, and skilled
craftspeople at our facilities in Nashville, Tennessee, we continue to design and set
rigid quality and performance standards for each Epiphone instrument.
Every Epiphone employee is committed to producing the finest musical
instruments available and ultimate customer satisfaction. Our Limited
Lifetime Warranty* is a symbol of that commitment and your assurance
that this Epiphone will give you years of trouble-free enjoyment.
“Epi” Stathopoulo
Care Of Your Instr ument
We recommend that you always keep your instrument in a case when transporting or
storing it. This reduces the possibility of damage due to nicks and jams, and sudden changes
in climate or atmosphere.
Carry the case with the lid towards your body. In the event that you have not properly
fastened the latches and the case opens, the lid will fall against your leg and prevent the
instrument from falling on the ground. Never put your instrument in the trunk of your car or
place anything on top of it.
Perspiration can damage the finish of your instrument so always wipe down your guitar
after playing or before storing with a clean soft cloth. Polishing it with some high gloss guitar
polish or a good quality carnauba wax polish will prolong the durability of the finish.
Tuning Your Instrument
Many individuals have their own method of tuning their instrument. We recommend the
following method.An Epiphone guitar is tuned to A-440; utilizing a tuning fork, electronic tuner
or pitch pipe.The following chart shows how different instruments are tuned. The first string,
for this purpose, is considered to be the smallest diameter. Tune the two outside strings first,
then tune towards the center. This equalizes the pressure on the bridge and allows rapid
Guitar
6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
E A D G B E
Bass
4th 3rd 2nd 1st
E A D G
tuning. Check
intonation.
Action Adjustment
Action is the distance that a string must be depressed before it meets the fret. Action
measurements are taken in 64th’s of an inch, and are calculated from the top of the 12th fret
to the underside of the string. we set the action on all instruments at the factory to the
optimum playability setting.On occasion, lower than standard settings are desired by the
player. This can be achieved by adjusting the bridge studs (See Tune-o-matic Bridge).Lower
than standard action can often result in “buzz” or “rattle”.This is caused by the string vibrating
against the fret. Buzz or rattle caused by lower
than standard action is not considered a defect
of the instrument.
All Epiphones are set at the 1st fret.
Treble strings are cut to 1/64” and the action
progresses up to 2/64” on the bass strings.
Be sure that the truss rod is properly adjusted!
Action at the 12th fret
Treble Side Bass Side
Electric Guitars 4/64 6/64
Acoustic Guitars 5/64 7/64
Bass Guitars 5/64 7/64
Trussrod Adjustment
All guitar necks are subject to great stress as a result of string tension, humidity or
changes in climate. Occasionally there are times when the neck may need adjustment.
The truss rod is adjustable at the headstock, using an allen wrench or an adjustment wrench.
NOTE:This adjustment should be performed periodically and only by qualified repair
personnel. Over adjustment can result in damage to the instrument and will not be
covered under warranty.
Intonation and Saddle Adjustment
for a Tune-o-matic Bridge
Your Tune-o-matic Bridge equipped Epiphone guitar comes to you pre-adjusted. But several
adjustment options are available to you:
1. String Height or Action*
The height adjustment of the bridge can be set by using the two slot-head screws on either
side of the Tune-o-matic Bridge. clockwise to lower, counter-clockwise to raise.
2. Adjusting The Intonation *
Intonation adjustment is usually only necessary when different gauge strings are fitted
(it can also be affected by the angle of a tremolo unit). The saddle positions are adjusted by
the individual slot-head screws located on the front of the bridge, sliding the saddles forward
or backward.To check the intonation: Use an electronic tuner and tune the guitar to a
standard pitch.
NOTE: All Epiphone guitars use A-440 for standard pitch. Play the harmonic at the 12th
fret, compare it to the fretted note at the 12th fret, these notes should read the same on
the tuner.
Before adjusting the intonation, first determine the direction that the saddle needs to be
moved.If the 12th fret harmonic pitch is lower than the fretted note, slide the saddle back.
If the 12th fret harmonic pitch is higher than the fretted note slide the saddle forward.
* (Adjusting the intonation and string height will affect the playability of your guitar.If you
are unsure of any of the above operations please take your guitar to an Authorized Epiphone
Dealer or experienced guitar technician.)
The Tune-o-matic Bridge
Slot-Head Height
Adjustment Screws
Saddles
Slot-Head Saddle
Adjustment Screws
Restringing Your Instrument
As simple as it may sound, proper string installation is critical to the playability of your
instrument. An incorrectly installed string can slip and cause the instrument to go out of tune.
1. At the Bridge
The lower end of the instrument is strung as shown on the left of the page. Different
instruments are strung according to the bridge and string type.
The bridge end is always strung before the string posts at the headstock.
2. At the Headstock
To fasten a string on the post and prevent slipping, bring the string up the center of the
instrument to the post desired. Put string (A) through the hole or slot in the post at (B) to (C);
around the upper side of the post (D), and under the string (A) at (B), back again around the
string post (D). Now when you wind the string
it will lock itself against the post.
NOTE:
Notch
should
face the
headstock
Control Knobs and Switches
Your Epiphone electric guitar is capable of producing a variety of sounds by manipulating
the controls.
Volume Controls
The volume knobs, an all models, control the amount of volume each pickup is putting
out.Turning the control clockwise produces more volume.Turning the control counterclockwise produces less volume.
Tone Controls
The tone controls on all models are “Treble Cut” controls. This means that as you turn
the knob counterclockwise you reduce the treble output of that pickup and produce a darker
tone.Turning the control fully clockwise will produce the brightest sound.This means that
the pickups full range of harmonic frequencies are being passed on to your amplifier.
Selector Switch
The Selector Switch permits you to turn pickups on and off. On most guitars with two
pickups, the middle position turns both pickups on.When the switch is “up” the neck or
“Rhythm” pickup only is turned on. When the switch is “down” only the bridge or “Treble”
pickup is turned on.
SG Bass: Uses
3-position rotary pickup selector
1 – Bridge Pickup, 2 – Both Pickups, 3 – Neck Pickup
Thunderbird Bass: Uses
1- Neck Pickup Volume, 1- Bridge Pickup Volume,1- Master Tone.
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, Two Volume, Two Tone and
Pickup Selector)
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, Two Volume, Two Tone and Pickup Selector)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Bridge Pickup Volume (Treble)
Neck Pickup Volume (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup Tone (Treble)
Neck Pickup Tone (Rhythm)
Shown: Casino
™
Bridge Pickup Volume (Treble)
Neck Pickup Volume (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup Tone (Treble)
Neck Pickup Tone (Rhythm)
Shown: Les Paul®Standard
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, Two Volume, Master Tone and
Master V olume)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Master Volume
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, Two Volume, Two Tone,
Pickup Selector and Vari-Tone Control)
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Neck Pickup Volume (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Bridge Pickup Volume (Treble)
Neck Pickup Volume
Master Tone
(Rhythm)
Shown: AlleyKat
™
Bridge Pickup Volume (Treble)
Vari-Tone Control (Works through a reduction
of the following fundamental harmonic frequencies)
1 - Bypass 4 - 16db at 620 hz
2 - 5db at 1950 hz 5 - 18.5db at 360 hz
3 - 12db at 1100 hz 6 - 21db at 120 hz
Neck Pickup Tone (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup Tone (Treble)
Shown: B.B.King Lucille
™
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, One Volume, One Tone and Pickup Selector)
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Neck Pickup Volume (Rhythm)
Control Layouts
(Two Pickup, One Volume, One Tone and Pickup Selector)
Neck Pickup (Rhythm)
Bridge Pickup (Treble)
Volume Control
Bridge Pickup Volume
Master Tone
Shown:‘58 Korina Flying V
(Treble)
Pickup Selector Switch
Up-Rhythm Middle-Both Down-Treble
Tone Control
™
Shown: Special™II
Control Layouts
(Three Pickup, One Volume,Two Tone and
5-Way Pickup Selector)
Neck Pickup
Middle Pickup
Bridge Humbucker Pickup
5-Way Pickup Selector Switch
(From 1,down to up,5) 3 - Middle
1 - Bridge Humbucker 4 - Middle,Neck
2 - Bridge, Middle 5 - Neck
Master Volume
Control Layouts
(One Pickup, One Volume, One Tone,
3-Way Impedance Control)
Low Impedance JCB-1 Pickup
3-Position Impedance Control
1 - Lowest, for truest tone
2 - Middle, solos or slight dynamic shift
3 - High, solos, distortion or triggering effects
Master Volume
Tone Control
Switch Pos.4 & 5
Tone Control
Switch Pos.2, 3 & 4
Shown: Fat 210 Shown: Jack Casady Signature Bass
Master Tone
Thank You for choosing Epiphone!
Epiphone Limited Lifetime Warranty
As you can see, we’ve put a lot into every Epiphone instr ument so that you can get a lot
out of it - night after night… day after day… year after year. Thank you again for choosing
Epiphone!
T
o register your new Epiphone instrument, visit our website at:
www.epiphone.com
For further information: Write:
Warranty Dept.
The Epiphone Company
P.O. Box 100087
Nashville,TN 37210-0087
For consumer or dealer service: Call:
1-800-444-2766
Returns: All retur ns must have a Return Authorization Number issued by customer service before shipment. If for any reason the instrument needs to be returned, please include
this Owners Manual.
Shipment Damage: If instr ument arrives damaged, please keep shipping carton intact
and contact the freight carrier for inspection.
This new Epiphone instrument is warranted to be free from defects in materials and work-
manship for life of this instrument, subject to the limitations contained in this warranty.
If at any time this Epiphone instrument malfunctions as a result of faulty materials or workmanship, Epiphone will repair the defect(s) or replace the instrument, as it deems appropriate
at its sole discretion. Epiphone reserves the right to use materials regularly utilized at the time
of repair in the event that original materials are no longer available. If replacement of your
instrument is deemed appropriate by our staff, Epiphone will replace the instrument with one of
the same or most similar style of a value not in excess of the original purchase price of your
instrument.
In the unlikely event that your instr ument is destroyed, lost or damaged beyond repair,
while in the possession of Epiphone for repair, Epiphone will replace that instrument with one
of the same or most similar style of a value not in excess of the original purchase price of your
instrument. Any insurance cover ing the instrument, including but not limited to collector's value
insurance, must be carried by owner at owner's expense.
THIS WARRANTY IS EXTENDED TO THE ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASER ONLY AND
MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED TO SUBSEQUENT OWNERS. IN ORDER TO
VALIDATE YOUR WARRANTY, AND AS A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO WARRANTY
COVERAGE HEREUNDER, YOU MUST RETURN YOUR WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD
WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE. YOUR
PROOF OF PURCHASE OR SALES RECEIPT MUST ACCOMPANY ALL REQUESTS FOR
WARRANTY COVERAGE.
This Warranty Is Subject To The Following
Limitations
THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER:
1. Any instrument that has been altered or modified in any way or upon which the serial
number has been tampered with or altered.
2. Any instrument whose warranty card has been altered or upon which false information
has been given.
3. Any instrument that has been damaged due to misuse, negligence, accident, or
improper operation.
4. The subjective issue of tonal characteristics.
5. Shipping damages of any kind.
6. Any instrument that has been subjected to extremes of humidity or temperature.
7. Normal wear and tear (i.e; worn frets, worn machine heads, worn plating, string
replacement, scratched pickguards, or damages to or discoloration of the instrument
finish for any reason).
8. Any instrument that has been purchased from an unauthorized dealer, or upon which
unauthorized repair or service has been performed.
9. Any factor y-installed electronics after a per iod of one (1) year following the original date
of purchase.
EPIPHONE MAKES NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WHATSO
EVER. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EXCEEDING THE SPECIFIC
PROVISIONS OF THIS WARRANTY ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED AND EXCLUDED FROM
THIS WARRANTY. SOME STATES AND/OR COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES SO THAT THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO
YOU.
EPIPHONE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT CONSEQUENTIAL,
INCIDENTAL OR OTHER SIMILAR DAMAGES SUFFERED BY THE PURCHASER OR ANY
THIRD PARTY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS OR
BUSINESS OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE
INSTRUMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT, EVEN IF EPIPHONE OR ITS
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND EPIPHONE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY
EXPENSES, CLAIMS, OR SUITS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY OF THE
FOREGOING.
How To Obtain Warrant Service
In the event of malfunction of your Epiphone instrument, you should notify your nearest
Authorized Epiphone Dealer.
The Dealer or Owner must ship the instrument, freight and insurance pre-paid, to the
nearest Authorized Epiphone Service Center.If there is no Authorized Epiphone Service
Center near you, contact or have your dealer contact Epiphone for information and
authorization to return the instrument to Epiphone. No instrument may be returned to Epiphone
without such prior Return Authorization.
Only Authorized Epiphone Service Centers may perform warranty service and any
service performed by unauthorized persons will void this warranty. Epiphone disclaims
liability for defects or damage caused by services performed by unauthorized persons or
non-warranty service not performed by Epiphone or an Authorized Epiphone
Service Center.
When contacting Epiphone, you must include a complete written description of the
malfunction of the instrument. If non-warranty work is required or recommended by
Epiphone, a quotation will be issued and must be approved by you before any non-warranty
work is commenced. You should consider quotations obtained for non-warranty work
immediately and advise the Authorized Epiphone Service Center or Epiphone of your
wishes. You are not required to purchase non-warranty work in order to obtain service on
materials covered by this warranty. Following its inspection of an instr ument upon its arrival,
Epiphone or the Authorized Epiphone Service Center will advise you or your dealer of the
approximate date of completion.
The repaired instrument or part will be returned to you or your dealer, freight collect
insured.
No representative or other person is authorized to assume for Epiphone any liability
except as stated in this warranty.This warranty gives you specific r ights which vary from
state to state.
Pre-Pack Checklist
Exterior Finish Playability
( ) Top ( ) Bridge/Saddle ( ) Action ( ) Electronics
( ) Back ( ) Peghead/Nut 12th L___ H___ ( ) Cleaning
( ) Sides ( ) Binding 1st L___ H___ ( ) String Change
( ) Neck ( ) Hardware ( ) Intonation
( ) Fretboard ( ) Buzzing
Inspected by _________________________________
Final Pack Checklist
( ) Warranty Card ( ) Tremolo Arm (if applicable)
( ) Electronics Info Sheet (if applicable) ( ) Case Inspection
Packed by ___________________________________
In order to continually improve the design, quality and performance of our instruments
and to make use of the best available materials at all times. Epiphone reserves the right to
change specification and price without notice.
Model ______________________________________
Serial No.____________________________________ Date ( / / )
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