bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/04/2018:  13:57:06

I wanted to start a topic where current (and past) owners of fully extant Kalamazoo-made Gibson Epiphone EB-88s can post photos of them, and also share their likes and (dislikes?) of them. 

The Gibson Epiphone EB-88 was and is a great bluegrass banjo if you can get ahold of one. They are extremely rare (421 total produced) and rarely for sale. You will have to search a LONG time before you find one. They are also highly undervalued.

 I believe that most of them are in collectors' homes. Please correct me if I am wrong. Mine is one of only 36 made in 1966, with serial number 427538. There are also a few of these Epiphones that are featured on the Banjo Philes website.

 Some of them have thin black rims (like the RB-100), and some have thick brown rims (same as the RB-250), as mine does. A number of them also came with Faulkner tone rings, which, in my opinion, give the banjo an absolute spectacular and truly "killer" (as Ron Stewart labels it) tone. If anyone here ever runs across one for sale, there is no reason to pass it up. They may not look as fancy as ESS's, or Golden Eras, but are just as good. I would not hesitate to say that they are the "ultimate banjo" as the Florentine in the Classifieds is purported to be.

I will start off the photos by re-posting the photos of mine. Past and present owners, by all means feel free to add your photos and opinions to this topic! 

Edited by - bluegrassbanjopicker on 05/04/2018 14:30:25

 

Culloden - Posted - 05/04/2018:  16:32:24

It's especially rare if it has a peghead like this.

 

Ron Stewart - Posted - 05/04/2018:  17:27:28

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

It's especially rare if it has a peghead like this.

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Does it have dot inlays or epiphone inlays? I have what I believe to be one of the first ones with epiphone peghead but dot inlaid fingerboard and very small frets, which are original to the banjo. 

These are amazing banjos! Not just good banjos but wicked great banjos. I've played them a LOT on the road and in the studio. 

Culloden - Posted - 05/04/2018:  17:46:50

It has dot inlays and no binding. I have no idea what make of tone ring, I just know it's a flat head, Mastertone style.

revellfa - Posted - 05/04/2018:  19:08:03

Should sound about like a bow tie from the same era. Bow ties are VERY underrated banjos IMHO.

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/05/2018:  15:24:40

I thought surely someone else would have photos they wanted to share!

Concerning mine in particular, I am almost certain that the banjo was custom ordered with a non-sunburst RB-100 single-binding resonator. I have found no indication whatsoever of any previous finish having been altered. 

mikehalloran - Posted - 05/05/2018:  16:05:18

quote:

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Originally posted by bluegrassbanjopicker

I thought surely someone else would have photos they wanted to share!

Concerning mine in particular, I am almost certain that the banjo was custom ordered with a non-sunburst RB-100 single-binding resonator. I have found no indication whatsoever of any previous finish having been altered. 

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No. It wasn't custom ordered that way. Epiphones that shipped out not quite to spec seem to outnumber those that did. It is certainly original.

eljimb0 - Posted - 05/06/2018:  02:43:21

Min has an original brown and white hardshell case with fuzzy pink lining

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/06/2018:  15:41:47

I have thought about making a website specifically designated to these rare banjos, and those who wanted, could contribute their photos and stories of acquisition to the site. 

Anyone here have a story they would like to share about their Epiphone? You are more than welcome to share it! These banjos were rightfully made at the "epiphany of Epiphone."

They should have made a slogan about these banjos, thus: "Epiphone -- Epiphany!"

Edited by - bluegrassbanjopicker on 05/06/2018 15:42:39

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/06/2018:  16:03:31

I have just created a group called "The Epiphone Club."

banjohangout.org/group/theepiphoneclub

Membership is open to anyone who is a fan of the 1960s-era Epiphone longnecks and normal five-strings, or anyone who personally owns either kind of Epiphone. 

Edited by - bluegrassbanjopicker on 05/06/2018 16:04:23

Ron Stewart - Posted - 05/07/2018:  08:38:20

Any interest in one mine? I might part with one. It's a MONSTER and I've played it tons live and in the studio.

mikehalloran - Posted - 05/07/2018:  09:49:01

Every Gibson made Epi I owned had an issue that can only be explained by "that's what was on the shelf the day they put it together". All were guitars, though. I never owned a banjo from that era, however, though I've seen many. Floorsweep doesn't really do justice though that's what too many were.

I'm especially interested in ephemera. I'd be happy to host .pdfs of those catalogs and flyers so that we know what Gibson thought the specs should have been and can compare the instruments that actually shipped.

Edited by - mikehalloran on 05/07/2018 09:49:46

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/07/2018:  13:58:55

"Monster" is correct, as Ron puts it. These have just oodles of generous tone and zing.

Every single time I pick my Epi up, it delivers. If there was a banjo that fit the description of "no complaints" it would be the Epiphone. The actual Gibson-made Epiphones (Kalamazoo, MI) were tone cannons!

I could fill a page on how good they are if I wanted to.

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/07/2018:  14:02:12

Concerning the serial number "427538," would that mean that my Epi was made on April 27, 1966, as the five hundred and thirty-eighth banjo built that year? Is there a "427539" hiding out there somewhere? 

Edited by - bluegrassbanjopicker on 05/07/2018 14:09:58

LNP - Posted - 05/09/2018:  19:58:22

Here's one that I got in 1966. As you can see it has been played a bunch and was my only banjo until I found The Banjo Hangout and got that awful BAS disease but it still is
my go to player.
Wyatt Fawley refretted it for me about 20 or25 years ago. Other than that, and several sets of tuners and heads, it is all original including the 19 hole tone ring.
I agree with all that has been said here. It is an awesome banjo.
I have had many many compliments on the tone and sound over the years and several offers to buy but I can't see me ever letting it go.

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

1963 Epiphone

bluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 05/10/2018:  04:07:36

Thanks for those pictures! Comparing between them, it looks like those frets on yours are the standard thin ones, not the wider guitar-like frets on mine. I could be wrong, though.

Edited by - bluegrassbanjopicker on 05/10/2018 04:10:27

 

LNP - Posted - 05/10/2018:  05:33:36

Luke, mine had the wide frets originally but when Wyatt refretted
It he he only had medium size in stock so we went with that. I may
put the wide back on at some point in time, I really liked them.

I also changed out the resonator brackets for stewmac brackets.
Makes the pot sit a little higher in the resonator,got that tip from
Ron Stewart at the Pennyroyal Opera House.

You may have noticed the holes for the cam D tuner's,they were on it
when I got it. I still have the tuners.

Brett - Posted - 05/10/2018:  20:24:02

Wow the action is sure high on the first one posted and the inner skirt of the tone ring appears to be floating and not touching. If you like it now, you’d love it even more with a shim in the neck pocket to get reasonable action, and with the tone ring fitted. The inner skirt to rim fit is very important.

gugger - Posted - 05/11/2018:  18:24:47

I have a few of them in my collection including a "left-handed" EB-88 and the only "plectrum" EB-88 that was made. The plectrum one has Epiphone inlayed in pearl rather than the decal on the peghead. They are all great sounding banjos . One of the "sleepers" out there in my opinion.