A Blast from Epiphone's Glorious Past!

In 1957 Gibson purchased New York’s Epiphone Guitar Company and moved production to Kalamazoo, Michigan. With plans to expand retail distribution by differentiating Epiphone dealers from Gibson dealers, Gibson began production of a new line of “Kalamazoo-made and designed” Epiphones in 1959. For over a decade, Epiphone solid body guitars and basses were produced right alongside Gibsons. These Epiphone guitars represented some of the highest quality and best sounding instruments of their generation. They provided unique shapes, pickup arrangements, and tonal signatures not seen on comparable Gibson models of the day. Under appreciated at the time of their release, numerous artists through the years have recognized the unique appeal of these guitars. Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Paul Gilbert and Steve Marriot are but a few of the artists that have embraced the tone and build quality of these Kalamazoo built Epiphones. One such Epiphone instrument was the Wilshire.

As with all Epiphone’s, the Wilshire PRO is backed by Epiphone’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service. Original Wilshires are selling today for $10,000 or more depending upon condition. Pickup up the new Wilshire PRO today and who knows? Maybe it will be worth that much in 40 years too!

Retro Looks!

Also unique, the Wilshire features Epiphone’s own “batwing” headstock. A classic design that improves tuning ease and accuracy by offering a straight string-pull design, the headstock is adorned like the original with the vintage “Epiphone” logo in gold. Other features include a 1960’s SlimTaper™ neck profile with rosewood fingerboard, premium 14:1 die-cast tuners and individual Volume and Tone controls for each pickup.

PRO Electronics!

Utilizing Epiphone's 4-wire humbuckers, each volume control is a push/pull potentiometer that allows you to coil-tap each pickup seperately for more twangy "single-coil" sound and a wide range of different tonal combinations.

While 1960's earl Wilshires were fitted with Epiphone's own mini-humbuckers (see 1966 Worn Wilshire), the new Wilshire PRO harkens back to Wilshires made in the 1970's and features full size humbuckers. The neck pickup is Epiphone's Alnico Classic(tm) that provides warm and subtle tone with a full, even response that doesn't hold back when you need that classic humbucker crunch! An Alnico Classic Plus(tm), which is the perfect companion to the Classic, is overwound for a slighter higher output without sacrificing its rich, vintage tone. Both feature Alnico-II magnets, enamel wire and are double vacuum waxed.

Presenting the NEW Wilshire PRO!

Like an SG guitar, the Wilshire’s double cutaway mahogany body with a glued-in mahogany neck that joins the body at the 22nd fret gives you ultimate upper fret access. Lightweight and comfortable, the Wilshire has excellent resonance and natural acoustic tone – even unplugged! Featuring Epiphone’s LockTone™ tune-o-matic/stopbar combination, the transfer of string vibration is improved even more giving this guitar excellent sustain and clarity.