Epiphone Deluxe 1932

In the early 1930s, it was built with a 16-inch body, giving the Deluxe a compact yet powerful tone that was very popular with jazz musicians of the time. A distinctive feature of this 16-inch Deluxe is the neck volute, a reinforced section of the neck designed to prevent breakage at the nut, although it also served a decorative purpose. This volute was discontinued in 1935 when Epiphone switched to a larger body size, making the 16-inch models with volutes a rare sight. 

This 1932 Deluxe is a beautiful example of Epiphone's craftsmanship from that period. The back and sides are made of two-piece arched maple with a two-piece arched spruce top, resulting in a bright and resonant tone. The five-piece maple and mahogany neck has a comfortable soft V-profile with a rosewood fingerboard, featuring beautiful mother-of-pearl triangle, diamond, and block inlays. The headstock is also decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays. The guitar also features quadruple black and white binding, rope purfling, and cello-style F-holes, which together create a refined vintage look. 

This Epiphone Deluxe has undergone several modifications over the years. It has been refinished in a dark Cordovan sunburst finish by Lemuel Guitars in Seattle. The neck has also been reset, and the tuners, bridge, and nut have been replaced. Despite these modifications, the guitar is in excellent condition and retains its authentic character. The guitar was purchased by the Dutch Archtop Museum from Blue G Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, in March 2010, after previously being offered for sale through archtop.com in Seattle. The guitar comes in a hardshell case.