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★★★★☆

“The Epiphone Emperor Regent is a traditional-shaped...”

written by Max T on 09/03/2011

The Epiphone Emperor Regent is a traditional-shaped hollow body archtop guitar at a budget price. It is a single-cutaway with a mini-humbucker floating bridge, and is constructed of laminated woods. I bought mine new in August 2010. Maximum width is 17" and depth about 3".

These guitars are aimed at the jazz guitarist, the big band chord player, as well as perhaps some western swing and whoever else finds out that they actually do sound well. Although mine needed a setup when it arrived, I was happily surprised at the sound of the guitar.

The most easily available finish these days is the Natural finish, but the Antique Sunburst can be found if you look around. They were also made in Vintage Cherry Sunburst, but this will be hard to get. They also made a black one years ago and possibly other colors.

(The reader of these lines needs to take notice, Epi also makes the similar Broadway and Sheraton and Emperor II models, but mine is the single pickup one, the Emperor Regent.)

Playing in big bands feedback has been nonexistent for me, maybe I'm lucky but I think it speaks well for the guitar. Try hard enough and anything will feed back, but this one just doesn't. (I made two matchbook-sized felt baffles to go between the metal fitting of the tailpiece where strings hook in and the body. That was to stop a resonating "D" tone through the body. Maybe it also stopped feedback).

The guitar has the Frequensator tailpiece, a holdover from Epiphone's early days. That means be careful about the string brand you choose, with some brands the A string will not be long enough. The Frequensator actually does add a smidgeon of tonal fidelity. Try playing in a quiet room acoustically, then play again with some cloth between the tailpiece and body as a damper. Listen carefully and you'll hear the difference.

Mine is a Korean built instrument, it seems durably built and not heavy. Binding was impeccable and overall presentation quite good, apart from needing the setup I mentioned.

There are very few guitars of this type in the price range under the 1000 dollar mark. It could cost several times that for a solid-face carved top instrument, maybe 5 or 6 grand or more. I own such a guitar, but the Epiphone is nearly as good when amplified and it is now may main gigging axe. If it's the kind of configuration you're looking for in a guitar, definitely worth a look. I think Epiphone scored with this one.

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