Epiphone Announces Guitar of the Month series for Winter NAMM 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…Nashville, Tennessee., December 21, 2004… Metallic Wildkats, chrome Les Pauls and a map of the USA highlight Epiphone’s new “Guitar of the Month” series for 2005. The 13-guitar, limited-edition collection features favorite Epiphone and Gibson models with special finishes, hardware and pickups. Each of these highly collectible guitars comes with a “Limited Edition” logo on the back of the headstock. The first guitars will appear in stores in April and the series will continue into 2006.

Here are the guitars of Epiphone’s 2005 Guitar of the Month series:

1. The Wildkat-Metallic has the same traditional f-hole archtop design as the the popular Epiphone Wildkat series, but with the customized look of a gorgeous Red Metallic finish.

2. The Les Paul Custom “Chrome” adds a flashy, glamorous touch to the “Black Beauty” with chrome pickguard, chrome mounting rings, chrome hardware and chrome insert knobs. Open-coil Alnico Classic pickups complete the package.

3. The USA Map guitar is based on early ’80s promotional Epiphone and Gibson guitars with bodies cut into the shape of a map of the United States. The new USA Map model has a solid mahogany body and a three-piece maple neck, and it comes with a gig bag.

4. The“Worn” SG-Special Zebra creates a vintage vibe as it brings the popular “worn” finish to Epi’s top-selling SG Special, with the extra attraction of Zebra-coil (cream/back) humbucking pickups.

5. The Les Paul Studio Deluxe dresses up one of the favorite Les Paul models with gold-plated hardware and covered humbucking pickups.

6. The Thunderbird IV bass, one of the most recognizable body shapes in the guitar world, features a gleaming, eye-catching Alpine White finish.

7. The Twisted Sister Elitist Les Paul Standard pays tribute to infamous glam rock band with a unique Twisted Pinkburst finish, Bone logo on the headstock and guitarist Jay Jay French’s name on the truss rod cover.

8. The “1965” G-400 with Maestro Tremolo harkens back to the first wave of SG-style guitars with an original-style Maestro tremolo, complete with pearloid tip.

9. The “Midnight” Les Paul Custom takes the “Black Beauty” to a new level with a translucent black finish over a flame maple top, black hardware and a pair of black, EMG-81 pickups.

10. The Les Paul Custom 3-Plus sports three Alnico Classic pickups and chrome hardware.

11. The Special-II “Zebra” is a truly special version of Epi’s best-selling model, featuring Wine Red finish and Zebra-coil pickups.

12. The “Black &White” ’67 Flying-V makes a striking visual statement, and its set-neck construction will make it a player’s favorite.

13. The Wildkat Deluxe brings the series full-circle with another beautiful Wildkat treatment, this time featuring the flame maple top through a TransWhite finish, enhanced by gold-plated hardware.

Epiphone fretted instruments, amplifiers, strings and accessories are known worldwide for offering the best combination of quality and value. One of Gibson’s most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson in 1957. Headquartered in Nashville, Epiphone is part of the Gibson family of brands that includes Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton, Chickering and Wurlitzer.

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Press contacts:

Caroline Galloway, 440 338-3469, caroline.galloway@gibson.com

Jim Rosenberg, 831 469-4955, jim.rosenberg@gibson.com

Walter Carter, 615-871-4500, walter.carter@gibson.com