Comments on: Epiphone Byrdland

By: John [JohnnysJazz] Bernays

John [JohnnysJazz] Bernays — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:21:42 +0000

I find your “Blog?” great! I play a 1998 Eptphone Emperor-Regent, Natural. Now, the Guitar has been played & Loved in My Hands & Other Jazz Guitarists are Always Encouraged to Play her…now, I am wondering, the TOP is SO VERY GREAT SOUNDING, and folks like GEOFF LUTTREL at SF Guitarworks & Gary Brawley at Real Guitars (Where I Bought her) In SF say “This Guitar Sounds Much Better that most Epiphones!” Of course, 1998 is a KOREA-Peerless mfg. but COULD it have the HYBRED TOP as described Above, as a Guitar Builder once went all ENTHUSED trying to explain the UNIQUE method of SAW CUT used in the TOP after pointing out the DIMPLE by the Floating Bridge & the TIGHT GRAIN of the Spruce Top…
I use Daddario EJ-17 Bronze strings with the ACTION set EXTREMELY LOW, and play through a “CLEAN” Street Cube, or a Micro Cube. (At Home I Use a FENDER Pro-Jr. with EMINENCE “Little Buddy” Spkr.
I really love the Big Fat Sound, & with 2 Knobs on Guitar & Two on Amp I can get ANY TONE + SUSTAIN while I cmb my Hair & Pick my Nose, to the VAST AMUSEMENT of fans! (Started playing in ‘58) TNX

By: Kenny

Kenny — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:57:27 +0000

Hi Andre. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for the additional information.

Kenny

By: Andre Weigand

Andre Weigand — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:47:28 +0000

Hi Kenny,
Like many others you describe the Epiphone Byrdland as a guitar with a carved solid spruce top. But in fact, this guitar has a laminated top, be it that there are only two layers and their grains run in the same direction, one is 4 mm thick, the other 1 mm. This is confirmed by Gibson/Epiphone. They sent me the following statement:

Is it a carved top in the same sence that the original Gibson Byrdlands were?…No. If it were, the price would have to be significantly higher and no longer fill the role of a high quality affordable alternative in the market place.

It is also not a laminate top in the classic sence. The industry standard of veneer material is about .025”(.635mm). Laminate tops are generally 5-ply with cross grain orientation, which get the thickness to about .125”, which is pretty standards thickness for musical instruments. This makes for a strong, durable and attracting top or back plate for a musical instrument, but are not particularly designed to enhance the tone of the instrument..

The Elitist might better be described and a “Hybrid” top, as it is certainly not a laminate top by industry norms. By using 4mm spruce as partially pressed, partially sculpted top, with the addition of the 1mm parallel grain veneer to add strength and rigidity, you get the best of both schools of construction. The nearly solid top with the supporting veneer which has the same grain orientation allows for much better top movement and tone, while maintaining durability and affordability.

I have an Elite Byrdland, and indeed, it is a very fine instrument, but I couldn’t resist telling you about the top.

Andre Weigand, Warnsveld, The Netherlands