See a video demo of this guitar on our youtube channel at this link.
 
This 1940 Epiphone Emperor has one of the biggest, fullest voices of any Epiphone I have ever had the opportunity to play.  As expected for a big bodied guitar like this, it has a great bass response, but it also is very even through all registers and has a very quick response.  It's very bold and punchy, but also has a great singing quality.  It's not necessarily the prettiest Emperor I've ever seen, but for a player it's easily among the best.
 
The guitar appears to have had an interesting history.  Like most Epiphones of this era, the original binding clearly had decayed badly and was replaced.  This appears likely to have been done by Epiphone, likely in the 1950s, which would explain why it has its 1940 serial number, but has a blue inked label, rather than green, consistent with 1943 or later.  To go along with that point, the top has pointed tip f-hole shape that Epiphone began using in 1949 instead of the cello style that had been used in 1940.  I think Epiphone most likely put a new top on this guitar in the 1950s.  This top is a beautifully carved, crack free piece of tightly grained spruce.  The 7-ply laminated maple neck is in beautiful condition with a full C-shaped carve and a roomy 1.78 inch nut width.  The back has a repaired center seam separation and there is a light lacquer overspray over the original finish with some additional finish touch ups around the replaced binding.
 
The guitar comes with an era correct Geib case which is rough around the edges, but does have all working hinges and latches.
 
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