The Beatles bassist Paul McCartney chose an Epiphone Casino as his first American-made guitar, and John Lennon and George Harrison followed suit soon after. Nowadays, Epiphone guitars can be heard on albums by Joe Bonamassa, Nirvana, Jeff Waters, Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, and Paul Simon, among others. Do you want to purchase an Epiphone guitar? Then you have come to the right place at The Fellowship of Acoustics!

History of Epiphone

The history of Epiphone could easily be the subject of a novel. The story began in the mountains overlooking the ancient Greek city of Sparta, with the birth of Anastasios Stathopoulo. His eldest son Epaminondas, who was called Epi, was only 22 when his father died and he took over his father's instrument repair shop. The production of instruments was moved to Long Island. After his mother's death in 1923, Epi introduced a new Recording series of banjo’s, at that time the most popular musical instrument in post-war America. Epi gave the growing company a new name: Epiphone. This not only referred to his own nickname but also to the Greek word for sound, phone. It was also an echo of the Greek word epiphonous, which means "one sound upon another" and refers to the son who builds upon his father's dreams. In 1928, Epiphone introduced its first series of acoustic guitars. With this, Epi wanted to take on the company he considered his biggest competitor: Gibson. In the following decades, the rivalry between Epiphone and Gibson went from "friendly sparring" to a true guitar war. The two manufacturers constantly tried to outdo each other with new, innovative models, and provocative advertising campaigns.

Epiphone is now considered one of the best guitar brands in the world, and Epi became friends with many highly respected guitarists. The rivalry between Epiphone and Gibson continued to flare up repeatedly. In 1939, both brands introduced similar Hawaiian guitar designs, predecessors to the pedal steel. Gibson released a series of violins, and Epiphone struck back with a series of double basses. It wasn't until the outbreak of World War II when both brands were forced to temporarily stop guitar production due to a serious shortage of materials that they seemed to catch a break. When the war ended in 1945, Epi had died of leukemia, and the shares and control went to his younger brothers, Orphie and Frixo. They quarreled over the future of the company. The great reputation that Epi had built up in the 1920s and 1930s began to crumble. In 1953, the factory moved to Philadelphia, losing many guitar builders as they refused to leave New York. It was also around that time that Gibson teamed up with Les Paul. It was Les who suggested to Gibson CEO Ted McCarthy to contact Epiphone. "Epiphone always made a good guitar," said Les Paul. And that's ultimately what every musician is looking for. McCarthy took his advice and contacted Orphie, expressing interest in taking over Epiphone's highly acclaimed double bass series. Orphie, who was now on his own after his brother had sold his shares to him, offered McCarthy the entire company, including the remaining inventory of the Philadelphia factory, for $20,000. McCarthy accepted the offer, and from that moment on, the Stathopoulo family business became part of Gibson. Although McCarthy originally planned to include Epiphone bass models in the Gibson catalog, he changed his mind. It was clear that the two brands had very different identities. That same year, McCarthy announced that he was reviving the Epiphone brand with a new series of instruments. The acquisition by Gibson was, in fact, the salvation of Epi's life's work. Today, 150 years later, the brand still has the pioneering spirit and unparalleled passion of Epi Stathopoulo.

The Epiphone range at TFOA

The Fellowship of Acoustics offers an extensive range of Epiphone guitars. Whether you're looking for an Epiphone acoustic or electric guitar, a new or vintage model, there's something for everyone. You can filter the selection by price, neck width, and type of pickups, among other features. This way, you can quickly find your ideal Epiphone guitar!

Buying an Ephiphone electric or acoustic guitar

You can easily order an Epiphone guitar through The Fellowship of Acoustics' online shop. However, as true guitar enthusiasts, we understand that most people prefer to see and try out multiple models up close before making a purchase. Therefore, we invite you to visit our store in Dedemsvaart. We're more than happy to provide you with personalized advice!!