Elitist Archtops (Japan)

http://www2.epiphone.com/elitist

The Elitist Series was made at the Terada and Fuji-gen factories in Japan. Originally called the Elite Series, Epiphone was forced to change the name because of a conflict with an Ovation line of guitars already bearing the Elite moniker. The same Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories that made all of the Orville by Gibson and Orville guitars were used to make the Gibson/Yamano Gakki Epiphone Elite and Epiphone Elitist series with the Terada guitar factory mostly making the semi acoustic models and the Fuji-Gen guitar factory mostly making the solid body models The Elitist guitars were made to very high specifications. Most of the parts were made in Japan but some parts were made in other countries, including the USA and Germany. These guitars cost more than twice as much as a standard Epiphone guitar. The Elitist series was discontinued in 2008, with the exception of the Casino model. The Epiphone Elitist Series includes features such as real Abalone and Pearl inlays, bone nuts and saddles, hand-rubbed finishes, USA strings and meticulous adjustment and set-up. Japanese Domestic Market Elitists use the Gibson-style open-book headstock instead of the Tombstone-shaped headstock. The Epiphone Elitist guitars are not related to the Epiphone Les Paul Elite, which is a Korean-made semi-hollow guitar similar to the Les Paul-ES.

See Also:

• Elitist Archtops
• Elitist Electrics
• Elitist Electrics (Japan)
• Elitist Acoustics
• Elitist Acoustics (Japan)
• Elitist Basses

Contents 1 Models 1.1 Elitist '63 ES-335 Dot (Japan) 1.2 Elitist Byrdland (Japan) 1.3 Elitist Country Deluxe (Japan)

Models

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Elitist '63 ES-335 Dot (Japan)

• Japan Domestic Market only
• 2002-2008

Body:

• 5-ply maple top, back & sides

Neck:

• Set mahogany neck
• Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
• Bone nut
• Open-book headstock with holly inlay
• Elite or Elitist logo on back of headstock
• 2-ply truss rod cover with Elitist engraving
• 24.75" scale
• 1.625" nut width

Binding:

• Single-ply neck & body
• Unbound f-holes

Electronics:

• USA Classic humbucker pickups
• 2 Vol. 2 Tone controls
• 3-way selector switch

Hardware:

• Nickel hardware
• Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
• 3-ply raised black pickguard
• Die-cast 14:1 ratio Grover tuners
• Gold reflector knobs

Colors:

• Cherry (CH)
• Vintage Sunburst (VS)
• Natural (NA)

Includes:

• Hardcase

See Also:

• ES-Series

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Elitist Byrdland (Japan)

• Japan Domestic Market only
• 2002-2008

Body:

• Solid spruce top
• AAA Flame Maple back & sides
• 17" body width
• 2.375" body depth

Neck:

• 5-Piece Maple/Rosewood set mahogany neck
• Ebony fingerboard with block inlays
• Open-book headstock with Flower Pot inlay
• Elite or Elitist logo on back of headstock
• 2-ply, 2-screw truss rod cover with "Elitist" engraving
• 23.5" scale
• 1.68" nut width

Binding:

• 7-ply body
• 1-ply f-hole
• 3-ply neck
• 5-ply headstock

Electronics:

• USA 50SR & 50TR humbucker pickups
• 2 Vol. 2 Tone controls
• 3-way selector switch

Hardweare:

• 24K Gold hardware
• Grover tuners with Imperial Buttons
• Tune-o-matic bridge with ornate trapeze tailpiece
• Ebony bridge base with pearl inlays
• 5-ply raised tortoise pickguard
• Gold bell or black reflector knobs

Colors:

• Natural (NA)
• Vintage Sunburst (VS)

Includes:

• Hardacse

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Elitist Country Deluxe (Japan)

• Japan Domestic Market only
• 2004-2008

Body:

• 5-ply Flame Maple/Birch top
• 3-ply Flame Maple/Birch back
• 2-ply Maple/Birch sides

Neck:

• 3-Piece set Maple neck
• Ebony fingerboard with thumbprint inlays
• Open-book headstock with holly inlay
• Elite or Elitist logo on back of headstock
• 2-ply truss rod cover with "Country Deluxe" engraving
• 25.5" scale
• 1.75" nut width

Binding:

• 7-ply body binding
• 1-ply f-hole binding

Electronics:

• USA 50SR & 50TR humbucker pickups
• 2 Vol. 1 Master Tone, 1 Master Vol. controls
• 3-way selector switch

Hardware:

• 24K Gold hardware
• Grover tuners with Imperial Buttons
• Tune-o-matic bridge with Bigsby vibrato
• Ebony bridge base with pearl inlays
• 3-ply raised tortoise pickguard
• Tortoise arm rest with 3-ply binding
• Gold reflector knobs

Colors:

• Sunrise Orange (OR)
• Wine Red (WR)

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