Epiphone’s History, Fender Drama, and Vintage Chorus Magic!

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Segement 1: Epiphone
Hi folks, welcome to the new CME variety show! This is a new idea that we're trying here. There's going to be lots of different things going on in each of these episodes, but of course, please let us know what you think in the comments below. In our first episode—very exciting—we're going to be chatting about vintage Epiphone and the story of Epiphone itself. Also, we're going to be checking out a particular Fender finish, which divides opinion (let's put it that way). And then, we're going to be looking at probably the most famous chorus pedal of all time with Dan Lump. That's up for debate as well, so make sure you stay tuned. Epiphone—an often misunderstood brand with a history just as storied as Gibson's. It's a story with many chapters that continues to evolve to this very day. It's a story that reflects a passion for sound, design, and innovation. Epiphone was there to see the electrification and amplification of guitars. They were there to see the evolution of music through the 20th century, and they're still here today. From the forefront of instrumentation to bridging the gap between artistry and accessibility, Epiphone has no doubt earned its place in the annals of rock and roll history. When you think of Epiphone, right, what's the first thing that comes to mind? I think of a beginner guitar player, right? Which, that's a fair thing to arrive at because that's kind of what the name became synonymous with—entry-level or inexpensive Gibsons. But the reality is that their history is super interesting, and it's not that at all. Yeah, now, I only say that because, obviously, I'm much wiser now, but when I was learning to play, like 13 or 14, it was like, "Oh, Epiphone is the cheaper version of Gibson," as, you know, Squier is the cheaper version of Fender. It's an entry-level thing. But clearly, it is not.I'm glad you brought up Squier because let me ask you a question. Which company do you think was founded first—Epiphone or Gibson? I would have thought Gibson. Which company do you think was founded first—Squier or Fender? I would have thought Fender. In both cases, you would be wrong, if you can believe that. What? Squier was invented before Fender?Well, not invented. The company Squier, as an instrument-related manufacturer, was actually around before Fender was around. Wow. They made violin strings.Yeah, I had no idea. And it's the same with Epiphone. 
Correct. Epiphone was founded by a Greek family in Turkey—just to make things as confusing as possible—in the late 1800s, before Gibson. Before Orville Gibson started making instruments at all. And of course, none of these people started by making guitars. Guitars weren't really that popular back then. But they were in the business of making the instruments that were popular at the time, like mandolins. In fact, there was a point in time where if you were, like, a badass banjo shredder, the ultimate machine you could buy was an Epiphone banjo.Really? Yeah. So, I mean, it's... There's some incredible models here. And I mean, the Sheraton—Yeah, I mean, that's arguably the standout of the bunch that we've got here, right?
Out of all of these guitars here right now, I would say that's the fanciest, the highest in the pyramid that we have here right now. We've had a lot of amazing Epiphones here, and the cool thing about Epiphone is that before Gibson bought them—and how that happened is kind of interesting; I've heard a couple of different stories, and we'll go back to that later—but before Gibson bought Epiphone, Epiphone and Gibson were competing to get jazz players to play their guitars. Gibson would come out with a huge-bodied, very loud, beautifully ornate jazz guitar. And there would be Epiphone right next to them with their own version of a giant-bodied, awesome jazz guitar—whether it had pickups in it or not. They were neck and neck, making really, really great instruments in that era. What are some of the highest-end Epiphones out there? Some of the highest-end ones would be, like, the Emperor or—I forget the names right now—but the equivalent to, for example, the Gibson ES-5 or the Switchmaster that had three P-90s with all the switches and all that. Epiphone made their version, and it was more ornate and fancy. So, when did things change? Like, when did Epiphone become associated more with entry-level guitars? Well, that shift really happened after Gibson bought Epiphone in 1957. Initially, Gibson kept the brand alive as a separate line, and they used it to experiment with new ideas and models. But over time, especially as production moved overseas in the 1970s, the focus shifted to making Epiphone the more affordable counterpart to Gibson.It’s fascinating because Epiphone didn’t start as the "budget" brand. They were innovators and major players in the industry, right?Exactly. For example, Les Paul himself played an Epiphone in the early days. He actually used an Epiphone archtop as the foundation for building "The Log," which is one of the first solid-body electric guitars.Wait, are you saying that one of the most iconic guitars ever started as an Epiphone?Yeah, that’s right! Epiphone has always had that legacy of innovation. They were there for a lot of pivotal moments in guitar history. That’s incredible. I feel like Epiphone deserves more credit for its role in shaping music. Absolutely. I think that’s one of the reasons we wanted to do this segment—to highlight how much of an impact they’ve had. So, what about now? What’s Epiphone doing today to reclaim some of that legacy? Well, in recent years, they’ve been doing a lot to bring back their vintage-inspired models and collaborate with artists. They’ve released reissues of classic designs and worked with people like Noel Gallagher and Joe Bonamassa on signature models. They’re really leaning into their heritage while keeping things accessible. It’s like they’re finding a way to blend that rich history with the modern market.Exactly. It’s a tough balance, but I think they’re doing a great job of it. And for someone just getting into guitars, Epiphone is a great way to own something that feels tied to that iconic legacy without breaking the bank.Yeah, and that’s the beauty of it. You can get an Epiphone Les Paul or an Epiphone Casino and still feel connected to all those moments in music history. That’s awesome. I think a lot of people are going to walk away from this with a whole new appreciation for Epiphone. I hope so. There’s so much more to their story than most people realize, and it’s a story that deserves to be told.That’s a wrap on the Epiphone story—for now. We’ve covered so much, from their early days as a family business to their pivotal role in shaping music history. Is there anything else you’d like to add?Just that Epiphone’s story is still being written. They’re constantly evolving, and I think that’s what makes them so special. Whether it’s a beginner picking up their first guitar or a seasoned pro going back to their roots, Epiphone has a place for everyone.It’s been such a pleasure diving into this with you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion.Thank you! It’s been great to help shed light on a brand that means so much to so many.All right, let’s sign off. If you enjoyed this segment, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a comment. Tell us your favorite Epiphone guitar or share a memory of playing one. We’d love to hear from you.And remember: whether it’s Epiphone, Gibson, or any other brand, the most important thing is making music and keeping the spirit alive.

Segment 2: Antigua Finish
We’ve got some very interesting guitars. Uh, we’ve got Antigua guitars. Yeah.First of all, are you okay?Um, yeah, we’ll see.You going to convince me, right?Yeah. Um, I don’t know if there's... I don’t know if you can convince people of Antigua.Yeah, but obviously, it kind of divides opinion.Yeah. I will say that the black pickups and the black knobs and all that, it looks quite sharp.Squier decided to do this as a European run—these four.Yeah.Um, and I’m just going to say right now, this was my idea that we eventually didn’t go with, and so they picked it up and they were like, “Okay, we’ll do that, and we’ll do the rest of the ones as well.”Wait, they took your idea?I’m glad they did because we were like, “I don’t know if we can sell that many,” and then, I mean, you’ve seen the pre-order numbers—they’re absurd.Yeah. So, I mean, essentially, obviously, this finish and color kind of divides opinion.Yeah.It’s a kind of a Marmite thing.Yeah. And I mean, it is a historic color. I think that’s sometimes forgotten.When Fender was first doing the Coronado, that was a guitar that had binding on it, and the way that they applied the binding, they actually kind of burnt the finish around there. So rather than just kind of having to go back to the drawing board, they just decided, “You know what? Let’s try to spray this puke green,” or whatever color you want to call it.It’s almost like a very light olive on some instruments. It’s more of a gray on others—or like a green-gray. But for the most part, they fixed that problem and then decided to paint that color on a lot of other instruments as well. Still relatively short-lived, but an interesting part of Fender’s history, for sure.[Music]Now these, I believe, are already pre-orders, right?Uh, yeah. We are the exclusive U.S. dealer of them. They’re available for pre-order. A lot of the first shipments are already sold through, so if anybody’s really wanting to get one, I would pre-order sooner rather than later because it appears to be like a one-time thing.What’s the difference with the one you’ve got in your hands?So, this one is actually made in Ensenada, in Mexico. This is a 70th Anniversary Antigua Stratocaster. This is for the 70th anniversary of the Strat.I mean, first of all, hardtail, which I love and is very kind of characteristic of the ’70s Strat. And, um, obviously, a lot of Antigua guitars have maple boards, both vintage and all four of these guys. But they did put rosewood on this one, with the larger kind of post-CBS dots. So, just kind of a cool look.And you got your big headstock and the, um, more 70s-oriented logo.These are obviously going to be on the floor for people to check out.Yeah. Even though they’re pre-orders, we’ll have these out for anybody who wants to give them a whirl. And, um, the 70th Anniversary Antigua Strat is available, ready to go. Could be this one, could be the other one.If you want the one with my DNA in it, you know, mention that skill. You’re going to want serial number ending in 861.861, folks. Come get it. That’s right.

Segment 3: Boss CE-1
Hey, what's up everybody? This is Dan from Chicago Music Exchange, one of the vintage buyers here. The CE-1 is one of my favorite pedals. This is my personal one here, and I just want to talk a little bit more about it because it's such a cool effect and piece of Boss history. The CE-1 was one of the first pedals to be released under the Boss brand. It was released in 1976 and is technically the first Bucket Brigade pedal ever made. The Electro-Harmonix Memory Man came out the same year, but this circuit is based on the chorus from the JC-120, which came out a year earlier. So, on a technicality, it's the first BBD device.It was part of their compact pedal series, which it is anything but—but, you know, for the day. It has been used by dozens of artists on hundreds of songs and albums. Pretty much anyone you can think of from back in those days used one of these. Big names include Fripp, Brian May, Andy Summers... I mean, the list is extensive. One unique thing about it is that it was actually designed to be used with both guitar and keyboard, which is what this switch here is for—high and low impedance. This particular unit has been modified by Analog Man to be a little bit more friendly for guitar specifically. The only thing they do is change the input impedance to better match a guitar signal and reduce the input gain a bit. These pedals have a preamp in them, and when overloaded, it can distort. Despite its huge size, there's actually only one control for the chorus, which is this one here. It controls both the rate and the depth simultaneously. On the other side, you have separate controls for rate and depth on the vibrato. If you run it in stereo, it recreates the exact same signal path you'd get with the JC-120—except you’re running it into two amps instead of the stereo speaker setup. All right, so just running through the single chorus control: [Music] As you can hear, as it gets faster, it also gets deeper. Another unique thing about this pedal—and what makes it special—is that, unlike most chorus pedals, which modulate the signal in a smooth sine wave, the CE-1 uses more of a triangle wave. So instead of the frequency sweeping smoothly, it jumps up and down. And the other unusual part is that it’s not an exact amplitude; it’s not always jumping between the same frequencies in the same way. There's a bit of randomness, and that imperfection, in my mind, is what gives it such a great, unique sound. I haven’t been able to find another modern pedal that truly replicates it. You can get close, for sure—the CE-2W does a great job, and there are a few other options—but to really nail that sound, this is what you want. On the vibrato side, you have separate controls for speed and depth. Running through that sounds like this: [Music] In my mind, this is one of the most legendary pedals ever made, and for me personally, it’s the best chorus pedal ever made. Like I said, I haven’t looked at another chorus pedal since I bought this one. If you’re looking to find one, they’re out there, but they are expensive, they are big, they plug straight into the wall, and they’re inconvenient. But the sound is unparalleled.Now, you could just buy a Jazz Chorus. The new ones have a different chorus circuit, but the old ones honestly go for around the same price as the pedal itself—and you get an amp too! So, yeah, it’s about the same price as the pedal, and it comes with an amp.The benefit of the pedal, though, is that you can use it with whatever rig you have, and you can run it in stereo to two different amps, giving you a wider chorus sound.