Epiphone acoustic guitars were eventually manufactured by a company founded in 1837 by a man named Anastasios Stathopoulo. A Greek timber merchant’s son who was not to tread in his father’s footsteps. He instead crafted musical instruments such as violins, lutes, and the lioutos, a traditional Greek instrument. His creations were to eventually bear his name, A. Stathopoulo.
In 1917 the company came to be known as The House Of Stathopoulo. Its name was changed by Epimanonodas Stathopoulo, or Epi, as he was known, the son of Anastasios. By that time he had been in charge of the company for two years due to his father’s death. He was just 22.
After the end of World War One when Epi realized that the mainstay of his company, the mandolin, did not have the popularity it once had he made the decision that the company was to manufacture banjos for the first time. This adaption of his product line was prompted by the growing popularity of the banjo and the need to change with the times. He carefully ensured that the high quality of workmanship that the company was noted for would continue in the manufacture of the new product line.
The name Epiphone became officially registered in 1924. Epimanondas, who was now president in addition to general manager, united his nickname Epi and phone, the Greek word for sound, to give the company a name reflected the change in its identity.
The recorder series of guitars were the first ones Epiphone manufactured. The guitars were not too popular. 1928 was the first year they were produced. Sales were not strong because the guitars were thought to lack volume, be overly ornate, and not large enough in size. Another essential factor for sales of the series that was critically lacking was celebrity endorsement.
Three years later, in 1931, the new archtop guitars, in contrast, became very popular. The earlier flaws were not a factor as the guitars did not lack celebrity endorsements, were made larger, and had volume desired.
The switch from banjos to the manufacturing of guitars happened at just the right moment in time as the banjo’s popularity started to decline. Thus Epiphone was able to escape the fate of the majority of the other banjo manufacturers. This was thanks to Epimanondas Stathopoulo and the keen business sense he possessed. In fact it was one of just a few banjo manufacturing firms to make the transition successfully to guitars.
Epiphone acoustic guitars made from 1937 to 1956 are among the most desirable of instruments to today’s collectors. They are considered to be among the highest quality vintage archtop guitars of factory manufacture ever made. Among these most desired of collector’s the guitars that are the most coveted are the professional class models that the reputation of the company was built on.
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