Triumph
The Triumph model was built in a 16" body size in the mid 1930's, before upsizing to the more familiar 17" guitars and was Epiphone's best-selling guitar. The Masterbilt Triumph is a rare example of the very first Triumph design, with a number of features seen only in Epis earliest years. The fingerboard inlay is composed of pearl diamonds in an alternating diagonal pattern. The peghead has the classic hand inscribed pearl banner and gold leaf engraving of the earliest Masterbilt instruments. |
Contents |
Models
Triumph Masterbilt
- 1931-1934
Body:
- Walnut (1931-1933)
- Maple (1934)
- Carved, book-matched spruce top
- Arched back
- Hand-bent hard maple or walnut rims
- Segmented F-holes
Neck:
- Solid maple neck with triple-ply center
- South American Rosewood fingerboard with celluloid double diamond inlays
- Maple headstock with plastic engraved veneer
- Bone nut
- 25.5" scale
- 1.70" nut width
- 16.375" body width
Binding:
- Pearl pyralin body binding
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Adjustable rosewood bridge with trapeze tailpiece
- Raised black pickguard
Colors:
- Sunburst
Triumph
- 1935-1957
Body:
- Carved spruce top
- Maple back and sides
- Standard F-holes
- 16.375" body width (1935-1936)
- 17.375" body width (1937-1957)
Neck:
- Set solid maple neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond inlay
- Tombstone headstock with floral inlay (1935-1939)
- Open-book style headstock with Column inlay (1940-1957)
- 25.5" scale
- 1.70" nut width
Binding:
- 1-ply body & neck
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Raised pickguard
- Three-per-side tuners
- Adjustable rosewood bridge
- Trapeze tailpiece (1935-1938)
- Frequensator tailpiece (1939-1957)
Colors:
- Blonde
- Sunburst
Triumph Regent
- Triumph Regent (1948-1953)
- Renamed to Triumph Cutaway (1953-1957)
- Renamed to Triumph (1958-1969)
- Available by special order only in 1965
Body:
- Single round cutaway body
- Carved spruce top
- Maple back and sides
- Standard F-holes
Neck:
- Set solid maple neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond inlay
- 25.5" scale
- 1.70" nut width
Binding:
- Body & neck
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Raised tortoise pickguard
- Adjustable rosewood bridge with frequensator tailpiece
- Three-per-side tuners
Colors:
- Blonde
- Sunburst
Hollywood Tenor / Triumph Tenor
- 1931-1957
- 4-string tenor guitar
- Masterbilt Hollywood Tenor (1931-1934)
- Renamed to Triumph Tenor (1935-1957)
Body:
- Walnut (1931-1933)
- Maple (1934-1957)
- Carved & book-matched spruce top
- Carved back
- Hand-bent rims
- 16.375" body width (1931-1934)
- 17.375" body width (1935-1957)
Neck:
- Mahogany neck with center stripe
- Rosewood fingerboard with celluloid inlays
- Double diagonal diamond inlays (1931-1934)
- Single centered diamond inlays (1935-1957)
- Bone nut
- 25.5" scale
Headstock:
- Masterbilt with banner inlay (1931-1934)
- Tombstone style headstock (1936-1939)
- Open-book style headstock (1940-1957)
Binding:
- Ivorine body & neck binding
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Ebony adjustable bridge with rosewood base
- Trapeze tailpiece (1931-1934)
- Frequensator tailpiece (1934-1957)
Colors:
- Sunburst
Masterbilt Special Tenor
- 1931-1933
- 4-string Triumph tenor guitar
Body:
- Carved spruce top
- Carved walnut back
- Hand-bent walnut rims
- Segmented f-holes
- 16.375" body width
Neck:
- Mahogany neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with celluloid double diamond inlays
- Masterbilt headstock with "Special" banner inlay
- Bone nut
- 25.5" scale
Binding:
- Ivorine body binding
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Adjustable ebony bridge with rosewood base
- Trapeze tailpiece
Colors:
- Walnut
Electrics | Archtops | Acoustics | Basses | Bluegrass | Amplifiers | Promotional Guitars