| Epiphone had its true beginnings in Greece | | | | is considered a subdivision of Gibson, though |
| where Anastasios Stathopoulos started out by | | | | it maintains its own original line. |
| making traditional stringed instruments such | | | | |
| as violins, lutes, mandolins, and a Greek | | | | Epiphone has its own line of acoustic guitars |
| instrument called the lioutos. The family | | | | as well as electric. The first instruments |
| then moved to Smyrna in Asia Minor but later | | | | the Stahopoulos family created, after all, |
| fled to New York due to persecution. | | | | were acoustic instruments. The acoustic |
| | | | models include the Paul McCartney Texan, the |
| After moving to New York, Anastasios son, | | | | Dove, the DR-100, the AJ-100, the AJ-200S, |
| Epi Stathopoulos, inherited the family | | | | and the EJ-200. For more information and a |
| instrument making business. During the early | | | | more complete list of their guitars visit |
| years of Epi s running of the business, the | | | | |
| company was called the House of Stathopoulos. | | | | Epiphone also lists a lot of players who use |
| But, Epi changed it from that to Epiphone. He | | | | their guitars on the website. They include |
| filed for the change in advance, but it did | | | | Paul McCartney, Moby, Glen Maxey of Brother |
| not become official until 1928. The new | | | | Cane, Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick, Chris |
| company was named for Epi, the owner, and | | | | Chaney of Jane s Addiction, and Marty Roe of |
| phonos, the Greek word for sound. At this | | | | Diamond Rio. The site doesn t seem to specify |
| point, it was called the Epiphone Banjo | | | | whether they play an acoustic or electric |
| Company. | | | | guitar. |
| | | | |
| Epiphone launched their first guitars in | | | | Here is what one person has to say about |
| 1931. They had a full line of what is known | | | | their Epiphone acoustic: |
| as the archtop style of guitar which are | | | | |
| popular with jazz and blues players. After | | | | About the Epiphone AJ-100 EB |
| their launch they become one of the biggest | | | | |
| guitar companies with Gibson being their main | | | | Overall this guitar astonishes as a |
| rival. | | | | bang-for-the-buck item. So far superior than |
| | | | what was available to me in this price range |
| Things changed after Epi died of leukemia. He | | | | than when I picked up guitar in the mid |
| left the business to his brother Orphie and | | | | seventies. Computer-programmed, manufacturing |
| another brother, Frixo, became the president. | | | | has spawned some really accurate, cheap |
| This was not a lucrative partnership. The two | | | | guitars. What a blessing really. I must |
| brothers had a disagreement and Frixo sold | | | | commend the builders or factory workers as |
| his stocks in the company. After that, | | | | the case may be in making these instruments. |
| Epiphone fell on hard times both because of | | | | Affordable, inexpensive guitars are better |
| the war and because of poor management. | | | | and more plentiful than ever. Overall, this |
| | | | guitar is good enough to warrant all the word |
| The fate of the company changed in 1957 when | | | | I have spent glowing about it. I have written |
| Chicago Musical Instrument, Gibson s parent | | | | maybe three reviews in my life, because I |
| company, purchased Epiphone. Now, the company | | | | usually don t bother. |