Epiphone Devon 1953

With its 16 3/8-inch body and signature Frequensator tailpiece, the Devon represented Epiphone's traditional construction methods from the final years of their New York production. The model featured maple back and sides and cello-style F-holes, and was equipped with refined details such as white binding with black and white purfling. 

This 1953 Devon comes from one of the last years of Epiphone's autonomous operations, before Gibson took over the brand in 1957, making it an interesting piece of history from the end of an era. This 1953 Devon features maple back and sides and a two-piece arched spruce top with a dark cherry sunburst finish. The three-piece mahogany and maple neck has a comfortable C-profile with a rosewood fingerboard featuring pearloid oval inlays. The white binding with black-and-white purfling on the body and neck, combined with the bound tortoiseshell pickguard and cello-style F-holes, gives the guitar its classic archtop look. The original Frequensator tailpiece and adjustable rosewood bridge complete the look. The guitar is equipped with a Benedetto Floating Jazz Humbucker pickup with volume and tone controls, making it suitable for both acoustic and amplified playing. 

This Epiphone Devon has an interesting Dutch history. A few years before 1999, the guitar was purchased by Dutch luthier Hans de Louter from Nello Weiss, better known as Nello Mirando, guitarist in the Mirando Gypsy Orchestra. De Louter refinished the guitar in 1999, matching the original dark cherry sunburst finish, and replaced the worn original tuners with modern Schaller tuners. He also installed a vintage-correct bound tortoiseshell pickguard and a floating Benedetto humbucker pickup with volume control. 

In 1999, De Louter sold the guitar to guitar teacher Steven Faber from Apeldoorn, who sold it to the music store 't Speeltuygh in Zwolle in 2009. In November 2009, the guitar was taken to Eric van der Hoeven's workshop, who repaired some binding on the top of the right upper bout and installed new pickup controls. The guitar is in very good condition and was purchased from 't Speeltuygh by the Dutch Archtop Museum in May 2009. The guitar comes in a hardshell case.