epiphone zephyr steel?

John Rosett · From: Missoula, MT

intermountain guitar and banjo has a '39 epiphone zephyr 7-string lap and a '42 epiphone zephyr 8-string lap for sale.
i've searched this site and google, and i can't find any info on these. all the pre war epi's that i've seen are electars. does anyone have any info?

John Rosett · From: Missoula, MT

okay, i've now seen pictures of these guitars, and i have more questions.
they have "electar" in large script, and "zephyr" in smaller block letters underneath at the end of the fretboard. they have one tone control called "master voicer", and one volume control. i've read that the guitars with the horseshoe style pickup are alot better sounding than the later pickups. these guitars both have a steel cover over the pickup with a little steel knob that holds it down on either side. i couldn't see the pickup, but the cover looks kinda rick-like.
so, would anyone like to comment on these guitars? IG&B is asking $800 for the 7-string, and $650 for the 8-string. what do you think?

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

They seem a little pricey to me. I'm certainly no expert, but I've got a 1937 Epi style M with the horseshoe pickup. It's the only known 8-string of that model, and I paid what I felt was top dollar 1 1/2 years ago and it was 650. It had never got bid up that high on ebay, and I bought it personally from the owner. Hard to really say without hearing one of these, though. They might be just what you are looking for tone-wise.
You are right that it's generally considered that the non horseshoe models are worth a little less. The epi horseshoe on mine sounds nothing like a ricky. I think a lot of the ricky horseshoe magic actually comes from the bakelite body.
Maybe you can get them to send you a sound bite. Intermountain seems to move a lot of instruments thru their store, so maybe their prices are in line with what the market will bear. If you are concerned about getting the best deal investment wise, I would say hang out on the forum some more and do some forum searches to get a better feel what guitars have appreciated the most in the last few years.
A store will always have to charge top dollar just to stay in business.
Good luck. Maybe some other forumite that knows more than me (could be any other forumite for that matter) can shed some more light on the matter.
Let us know what you find.

-Paul
(edited for typing accuracy)

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 05 September 2005 at 07:38 PM.]

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado

I have done business with Intermountain Guitar before. He is a straight up guy. See if he will give you a 72 hour return option. He did for me. Most companies do as long as you pay up front and offer to pay the shipping back.

Price is always relative to desire.

------------------
JCFSGC,RMSGC,HSGA member
Boyett's Glass Bars

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I own two Epiphone lap steels. one a Century from 1940 and another, a Zephyr, from 12939.
both have single coil pups.
Lindy fralin rebuilt the pup for my Zephyr.
both are six stringers.

Epiphones like mine sell for 350$ max.
yours should be in that ball park.
here is a pic:

[This message was edited by Randy Reeves on 06 September 2005 at 06:12 AM.]

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I agree with Paul that the body material is what makes a horseshoe pick-up work. I think they are way over-rated for tone and performance, but they sure look cool.

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