Catalogs, flyers, price lists, adverts
Original Epiphone catalogs, flyers, price lists and adverts are key documents that help to understand the company's product history. However one has to keep in mind that actual production models/examples often differed from catalog descriptions and specifications.
Last updated: 13 Jul 2019
1. Catalogs, flyers, price
lists:
Below a selection of Epiphone sales literature from the 1930-50s period.
This list is not complete – there are some important Epiphone pamphlets we know they exist but haven't been able to locate a copy, most notably:
- 1931 Masterbilt instruments flyer
- 1937 Electar electric instruments flyer
If you own (or have pictures of) one of these or other pamphlets that are not listed below please let me know. Thanks so much!
| Year approx | Cover
image |
Description |
| 1930 |  |
Recording Guitars Catalog Continental Music Co, p 192-194 Download PDF (Collection Dutch Archtop Guitar Museum) |
| 1930 |
|
Seville
Model Guitars Catalog supplement Continental Music Co Download PDF (Collection Noah Miller) |
| 1930 |  |
Seville
Model Guitars Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1932 |  |
Masterbilt
Fretted Instruments Catalog, 24 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1933 | 
|
Masterbilt
Guitars Flyer, 4 p / 2 versions 1933 version "Boosters": Download PDF 1934 version "Sundries": Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1934 |
 |
Masterbilt
Fretted Instruments Catalog, 36 p Download PDF (from Acousticmusic.org) Updated 1935 copy: Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1935 |  |
Sorrentino
Guitars Catalog Chicago Musical Instruments Co, p 115–122 Download PDF (Collection Dutch Archtop Guitar Museum) |
| 1935 |  |
Electar
Electric Music Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1936 |
 |
Instrument
Builders Since 1873 Catalog, 32 p Download PDF (Collection Dutch Archtop Guitar Museum) |
| 1936 |
 |
The Emperor Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (from Acousticmusic.org) |
| 1936 |
 |
Electar
Electric Musical Instruments Catalog, 20 p Download PDF Updated 1937 copy: Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler / Antony Hendrix) |
| 1937 |
 |
Instrument
Builders Since 1873 Catalog, 32 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1937 |  |
Instrument Builders
Since 1873 Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (Collection George Gruhn) |
| 1938 |  |
Hints to Guitarists by George van Eps Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1939 |
 |
Musical
Instruments Catalog, 48 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1940 |
 |
For Those
Who Prefer "Blondes" Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1940 |
 |
Basses Flyer, 2 p Download PDF (Epiphone Jim Fisch Archive) |
| 1940 |
 |
New
Prices: Oct 10, 1940 Flyer, 1 p Download PDF (Source unknown) |
| 1940 |
 |
A Picture
Story Of The Making Of A Guitar Oil-Power, October 1940 Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1941 |
 |
New
Prices: Feb 1, 1941 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1941 |  |
Epiphone Varichord:
April 1941 Flyer, 6 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1941 |
 |
New
Prices: Oct 7, 1941 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1941 |
 |
Price
Changes: Dec 1, 1941 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection George Gruhn) |
| 1942 |
 |
Musical
Instruments (Catalog V) Catalog, 48 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1942 |
 |
New Prices
(Catalog V): Mar 15, 1942 Flyer, 6 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1946 |  |
New Prices
(Catalog V): Apr 1, 1946 + Notice sheet Flyer, 6 p + 1 p Price list: Download PDF Notice sheet: Download PDF (Collection George Gruhn) |
| 1947 |  |
Epiphone Strings: Feb 20, 1947 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1947 |  |
New Prices
(Catalog V): Jun 1, 1947 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1948 |  |
New Prices
(Catalog V): Mar 15, 1948 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1949 |  |
Price
List: Mar 15, 1949 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1949 |  |
Basses Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1949 |
 |
Acoustic
Guitars and Mandolins Catalog, 8 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1949 |
 |
Electar
Electronic Instruments Catalog, 8 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1950 |  |
Price
List: Jul 15, 1950 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1950 |  |
Masterbilt
Strings: Oct 15, 1950 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Mark Anagnostopulos) |
| 1950 |  |
Price List: Nov 15,
1950 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Mark Anagnostopulos) |
| 1951 |  |
Zephyr Emperor Vari-Tone Flyer, 1 p Download PDF (source unknown) |
| 1953 |
 |
Retail
Price List: July 1953 Flyer, 4 p Download PDF (Collection Rod McDonald) |
| 1954 |
 |
Dedicated
to the best… Catalog, 16 p Download PDF (Collection Felix Wiedler) |
| 1955 |  |
Harry Volpe Model Flyer, 1 p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
| 1955 |  |
Professional Amplifiers Flyer 6p Download PDF (Collection Anthony Hendrix) |
Click images to enlarge (ad photos by
Anthony Hendrix)
