1995 Epiphone Emperor II Joe Pass Archtop Electric Guitar w/ Case, Korea Samick

Up for sale, a 1995 Epiphone Emperor II Joe Pass Signature archtop in exceptional, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. Produced in Korea by Samick, this iteration of the Emperor II is a well-crafted instrument and an exceptional value, elevated above current Indonesian/Chinese factory output. Featuring a spruce top, figured maple back and sides, and original Alnico Classic humbuckers, this Pass is strung with flatwound 12-52 strings, ideal for a range of smooth, articulate Jazz tonalities. Naturally, the bridge pickup offers more bite and sparkle, while the neck pickup has a distinctive oomph and roundness while maintaining enough snappy definition to accentuate complex chord voicings and authoritative lead work. The guitar weighs a mere 7lbs, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, ensuring optimal action and intonation.

The three-piece maple neck has a medium C profile carve at the nut with nicely rounded shoulders, measuring .840” deep at the 1st fret and 1.010“ at the 12th. The rosewood fretboard boasts multi-ply binding, pearloid block inlay, and stock medium jumbo fretwire. The frets are practically perfect with well-rounded crowns with plenty of meat, showing just a hint of wear on the crowns of frets 1-2, playing cleanly up straight neck with a responsive, ideally adjusted truss rod. The scale length is 24 3/4", and the nut measures 1 11/16" in width. The headstock face features the "tree of life" pearl inlay, as well as an inlaid Epiphone pearl logo and gold Schaller-style tuning machines which turn smoothly and hold pitch well.

All of the electronics work as they should, with Volume and Tone knobs for each humbucker and a three-way pickup selector toggle. The gold hardware has ample shine with only a hint of patina, and plastic parts include the original quartet of amber bonnet knobs and the raised transparent tortoise pickguard with Joe Pass Signature and Epiphone "E" epsilon. The gloss Vintage Sunburst finish highlights the grain of the spruce top and bookmatched flame figuring on the maple back, with dimensional ripples of curly flame extending all the way to the edges of the 16" wide lower bout. Cosmetic wear is limited to light scuffing in the pick path, a couple shallow finish scratches and minor marks on the body as a whole, and faint stand rash at the neck heel. The neck profile sports a pristine smooth gloss finish.

The original hardshell case is included.