EE – QingDao (China) = Epiphone Electric.ED – Dongbei (China) = In Chinese “Dongbei” means Northeast.EA – QingDao (China) = Epiphone Acoustic.B – Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic).The following is a comprehensive list of factories and countries for serial numbers that start with at least one letter. Vintage models may be made in Japan or the USA Older guitars may be made in Korea at Un Sung Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. Alternatively, at the new factory Bohemia Musico-Delica PlantĬzech Republic which makes Epiphone for the European market. Established Daewon China factory in Dalian, Northern China In 2001. Newer guitars may be manufactured in China at Daewon Musical Instrument Co. The Epiphone brand is now owned by Gibson through The Chicago Musical Instrument company which owned Gibson at the time and purchased Epiphone in 1957. Over the years, Les continued to work closely with Epiphone luthiers, reviewing new product ideas and offering suggestions. He built his first, the legendary “Log,” at the factory in 1941. This also was the era when Les, inspired by the stinging sustain heard in electric steel guitars, began dreaming of making a solidbody guitar. Epiphone guitar history dates back to the late ’30s and early ’40s when Les Paul and fellow guitarists such as Charlie Christian and George Barnes were at the forefront of jazz guitar.Įpi Stathopoulos and Les were good friends and Epi would let Les use the Epiphone factory on 14th Street in New York City at night after hours to experiment on guitar and pickup designs. In 1923 they incorporated and at this time made mostly high quality and fancy banjos. Epiphone was a family business established in 1873 as “the House of Stathopoulo” by Anastasios Stathopoulo, a greek violin maker.

Epiphone serial numbers korea