PRESS RELEASE – WINTER NAMM 2005

Flavour of the month

Nothing beats the feeling of showing up at rehearsals with an exotic guitar. And there’s nothing cooler than telling your bandmates that only 500 were ever made. In the past, this hasn’t always been realistic. Limited production runs tended to equal crippling expense, making quirky models the reserve of the well-heeled international rock star – and resigning everyone else to more traditional models. This year, Epiphone plans to change all that.

For 2005, Epiphone will be launching its Guitar Of The Month models. Each month will see the release of a different guitar, every one totally unique and available in strictly limited numbers. While based on legendary models from the past, Epiphone will customise each instrument with special finishes, hardware, pickups and trimmings to make them genuine collector’s items.

So we’ll get a stunning red metallic version of the WildKat, a Les Paul Custom with chrome hardware, and an SG Special with vintage ‘worn’ effect and Zebra-coil (cream/black) pickups. There’ll be a Les Paul Studio finished with gold hardware and covered humbuckers, an Alpine White version of the classic Thunderbird-IV bass, and a Twisted Sister signature Les Paul finished in Twisted Pinkburst. You’ll be able to buy a ‘1965’ G-400 SG with authentic Maestro tremolo (and pearloid handle), a ‘Midnight’ Les Paul Custom with black hardware and EMG-81 pickups, and a Les Paul Custom with 3 Alnico Classic pickups. There’ll even be a Black & White ’67 Flying-V, a Wine Red version of the top-selling Special-II (with Zebra-coil pickups), and a WildKat finished in translucent white – complete with flame maple top and gold hardware. But, perhaps the most bonkers of all is the USA Map guitar – based on the shape and styling of the 1980s Map model, and sure to turn heads.

Each guitar features the ‘Limited Edition’ logo on the reverse of the headstock and will be available through selected retailers only. Make sure you check out www.epiphone.com regularly to check availability. When they’re gone, they’re gone…

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Performance Is Our Passion

EU press contact – Gibson Europe BV

Silvia Kleton – email: silvia.kleton@gibson.com Telephone: +31 (0)347 32 40 10

UK press contact - The Big Fish

Mick Calvert - email: mick@tbf2.com Telephone: +44 (0)1206 382224

For more information on all Epiphone products please contact:

Rosetti Ltd, 4 Tamdown Way, Springwood Ind Est., Braintree, Essex, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1376 550033 www.epiphone.com