1949 Epiphone Blackstone Carved-Top Archtop Guitar

A customer of mine sent-in this pretty, curvaceous, New York-made box. Its 58489 serial places it at 1949 via the NY Epi Registry and, aside from the strings, it appears to be 100% original. It's also about as clean as it gets for an old Epi carved-top -- it's shocking how little wear this has. Tone-wise it's punchy and forward with a good snap. I've got it strung 54w-12 and the long scale definitely gets some leap out of those notes.

Work was light -- it got a fret level/dress, cleaning, minor compensation at the bridge/saddle, and a good setup. It's playing on-the-dot, has height adjustment room at the bridge, and the neck angle is good. The trussrod in the neck works as it should and the neck itself is nice and straight.

Specs are: 25 1/2" scale, 1 11/16" nut width, 1 7/16" string spacing at the nut, 2 1/16" spacing at the bridge, 16 1/4" lower bout, 11" upper bout, and 3 1/4" side depth. Action is 3/32" EA and 1/16" DGBE at the 12th fret. The top is solid, carved spruce while the back and sides are ply, flamed maple. The neck is two-piece maple with a center stripe and the board and bridge are rosewood.

The ebonized headstock veneer has faded and finish-crackled all over. I love that inlay, though!

The marbled tuner buttons are beginning to get cracks in them but are still going strong. Don't you love the look, though?

A hard case comes with it.