Close-up #7: 1933(?) Triumph SN 7039
The Triumph was part of Epiphone's original 1931 lineup of Masterbilt archtop guitars and stayed in production until the sale of the company to CMI/Gibson in 1957 (and even after that). According to our research, the Triumph was one of Epiphone's bestsellers – with likely more than 5000 units produced during the years of the original New York company.
The photos here (received from the owner) show an instrument with the typical features of the earliest version of this model, as shown in the 1932 catalog pictured below.
The 1932 Triumph held rank 3 in Epiphone's model hierarchy, with a price of $125. It had an Auditorium size body (=15 1/2" wide) with a carved spruce top and (typically bookmatched) walnut back, both highlighted with a sunburst finish, ...
... and sported the iconic asymmetrical Masterbilt headstock with engraved pearl banners, a feature reserved to Epiphone's higher models.
| The tuners on this example are modern replacements. However I found older photos of this very guitar when it was for sale at archtop.com, one of the world's leading sellers of archtop guitars. Those photos show the original clipped-plate tuners with metal buttons which look similar to Grovers but bear no name. These machines are believed to have been manufactured by Waverly. These tuners were used on different Epiphone models from 1931 until 1936 – gold-plated on high-end models, with plastic buttons on lower models. |  |
The label inside the guitar is the "silver oval" type which was used on Masterbilt instruments until 1934 – a label not bearing any model info or serial number. On early Epiphones, the serial number is usually stamped into the wood next to the label. The SN of this Triumph is clearly readable: "7039" – which is rather a surprise! Why?
According to our research, a SN around 7000 indicates a manufacturing date of late 1933. Now, when looking at surviving Triumph examples of the early '30s we notice that the model specs changed significantly: Around early 1933 the Triumph got "upgraded" to the Grand Auditorium size (16 3/8" wide) of the higher models DeLuxe and Broadway, Triumph SN 6437 being the earliest documented example. At this occasion the headstock design was "downgraded" to the simpler rounded peak shape with engraved banners instead of pearl inlays, a feature of lower models. Also the fretboard inlays were simplified, from the distinctive paired diamonds in a "zigzag" pattern to plain dots. And the back of the Triumph was now a 1-piece laminated plate stained brown instead of bookmatched walnut with sunburst. Furthermore, the trapeze tailpiece changed around the same time on all models, from the early "reverse" type with the strings wrapping over the bar to the design which became standard for decades.
All documented Triumphs in the SN range 6437 to 7259 show these changed features – except two: The example with SN 7039 shown here, and also Triumph SN 7038 (just one SN lower!) has the same early features. (Interestingly, there is also Royal SN 7013 "close by" which similarly sports an headstock with white banners and a "reverse" tailpiece typical for a 1932 example.)
How can this mismatch of features and SN be explained? We can only guess: We are convinced that these unusual Triumph and Royal examples were actually built in 1932 and were intended to have a 60xx serial number – however we imagine that the Epiphone worker stamping the serial number mistakenly grabbed for a number punch with a "7" instead of a "6" ...
How many 1932 instruments received a 70xx serial number until they noticed this glitch we don't know, but it wouldn't be a surprise if a few more show up in the future.
ADDENDUM: Meanwhile, another one of these possibly mis-numbered guitars has surfaced: Royal SN 7023 – again featuring the white-banner headstock and "reverse" tailpiece of an example built a thousand serial numbers earlier, in 1932. But the great surprise: We also have documented Olympic SN 7023 – stamped with the exact same serial number!
Same serial number "7023", but likely manufactured a year apart: 1932 Royal (top) and 1933 Olympic (bottom).
Interestingly, this Olympic shows all the correct features of a late 1933 example: Masterbilt banner decal on a marbled celluloid headstock veneer, semi-opaque top finish, and a standard trapeze tailpiece. (For comparison: In 1932, the Olympic had a plain wood headstock, translucent top finish, and an early "reverse" tailpiece - as present in example SN 6192)
These duplicate serial numbers are pretty strong evidence that the numbering in that range contains some "mistakes". For me it is obvious that the Olympic is the "true" SN 7023 from 1933, while the Royal dates from 1932 and most likely should have been stamped SN 6023 ...
(Oct 7, 2016 – with later edits)