 | | Epiphone Emperor. This instrument is a 1966 American-made Gibson Epiphone |
 1961 full line catalog
 Epiphone's finest guitar and proudest achievement - a choice of famous artists for its unrivalled tone and superb response. A thin-body, three-pickup, cutaway model it allows full fingering freedom to the 20th fret - with rhythym, lead, and special effects available at the flick of a toggle switch |
 1962 full line catalog
Three adjustable polepiece pickups provide perfect string balance - with master tone control and separate volume controls. Tune-O-Matic bridge and Frequensator tailpiece provide perfect intonationand frequency response |
 1964 full line catalog
The 1964 catalogue was the first to show the Epiphone Emperor in colour. |
 1966 full line catalog
Today the electric Spanish guitar is found everywhere... orchestras, combos, jazz bands and as a featured solo instrument. Epiphone electric Spanish guitars suit the need of every player, from the top professional, to the semi-pro, to the amateur. |
| Model |
1951 Zephyr Emperor Vari Tone,
1952-54 Zephyr Emperor Regent,
1954-1957 Zephyr Emperor Electric,
1959-1968 Emperor E112T |
| Available | Manufactured in small numbers from 1951-1968. |
| Pickups | 1951-1961 Three gold New York pickups, 1961-1968 three gold mini humbuckers |
| Scale | 25 1/2" |
| Body | Maple sides and back with a maple or spruce top. 18 1/2" wide (lower bout), 21 3/4" long. Full depth body pre 1957 (3 1/2"), thinline (1 13/16") once Gibson took over manufacture in 1959 |
| Neck | Maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone and pearl inlays. Oak leaf design. 20 frets, body meeting the neck at the 14th fret. |
| Hardware | 2 volume and 2 tone controls. Tune-o-matic bridge with frequensator tailpiece. |
| Finishes | Natural, Shaded (burst) |
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Acoustic versions of the Emperor had been available since 1936, however the electric version was not launched until 1951. This was one of the instruments that Gibson kept in production after they bought Epiphone in 1957. The Epiphone version had quite different controls, but was quite similar to the later Gibson made model.
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| 1953 Epiphone adert for the E112 Emperor, and its endorser Harry Volpe |
The main change was the reduction in depth from a full body to a thinline. Initially they still had the old Epiphone New York pickups, although this changed to minihumbuckers in around 1961. Some early Gibson-made Emperors also had 7-piece laminated necks; Gibson bought Epiphones entire stock of instruments and parts and used them over several years. In 1959, the name Zephyr Emperor became just Emperor and the Epiphone Zephyr became a model in its own right.
It was the most expensive Epiphone guitar, and by 1963, it was available by special order only. The 1966 price list estimates a 120 day waiting time from order to delivery.
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