Elitist Acoustics (Japan)

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Epiphone Elite Logo Epiphone Elitist Logo
Epiphone Elite Logo
Epiphone Elitist Logo
Hand selected and kiln-dried woods Custom-wound Made In The USA Pickups
Hand Selected and Kiln-dried Woods
Custom-wound Made In The USA Pickups
Precision Grover Machine Heads Real Abalone and Mother of Pearl Inlays
Precision Grover Machine Heads
Real Abalone and Mother of Pearl Inlays

http://www2.epiphone.com/elitist

The Elitist Series was made at the Terada and Fuji-gen factories in Japan. Originally called the Elite Series, Epiphone was forced to change the name because of a conflict with an Ovation line of guitars already bearing the Elite moniker.

The same Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories that made all of the Orville by Gibson and Orville guitars were used to make the Gibson/Yamano Gakki Epiphone Elite and Epiphone Elitist series with the Terada guitar factory mostly making the semi acoustic models and the Fuji-Gen guitar factory mostly making the solid body models

The Elitist guitars were made to very high specifications. Most of the parts were made in Japan but some parts were made in other countries, including the USA and Germany. These guitars cost more than twice as much as a standard Epiphone guitar. The Elitist series was discontinued in 2008, with the exception of the Casino model.

The Epiphone Elitist Series includes features such as real Abalone and Pearl inlays, bone nuts and saddles, hand-rubbed finishes, USA strings and meticulous adjustment and set-up. Japanese Domestic Market Elitists use the Gibson-style open-book headstock instead of the Tombstone-shaped headstock.

The Epiphone Elitist guitars are not related to the Epiphone Les Paul Elite, which is a Korean-made semi-hollow guitar similar to the Les Paul-ES.

Also:


Contents

Models


Elitist J-200 (Japan)

Epiphone Elite J-200
Epiphone Elitist J-200 (Japan)
  • 2003-2005
  • Super Jumbo body style

Body:

  • Solid spruce top
  • Solid maple back & sides

Neck:

  • 3-piece set maple neck
  • Ebonized rosewood fingerboard with crown inlays
  • Open-book headstock with pearl holly inlay
  • 2-ply black/white truss rod cover
  • 25.5" scale
  • 1.68" nut width

Binding:

  • 7-ply body binding
  • Single-ply neck & headstock binding
  • Multi-ply 2-ring rosette

Hardware:

  • 24K Gold hardware
  • Ebonized rosewood moustache bridge with pearl inlays
  • Black bridge pins with white dots
  • Bone saddle & nut
  • Die-cast Grover with Imperial Buttons
  • Stylized tortoise pickguard

Colors:

  • Vintage Sunburst (VS)
  • Natural (NA)



Elitist J-45 (Japan)

Epiphone Elite J-45
Epiphone Elitist J-45 (Japan)
  • 2003-2005
  • Sloped shoulder dreadnought body style

Body:

  • Solid spruce top
  • Solid mahogany back & sides

Neck:

  • 1-piece set set mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
  • Open-book headstock with pearl holly inlay
  • 2-ply Elitist truss rod cover
  • 24.75" scale
  • 1.68" nut width

Binding:

  • 3-ply body binding
  • 3-ply 1-ring rosette

Hardware:

  • Nickel hardware
  • Rosewood bridge with pearl dot inlays & reverse belly
  • White bridge pins
  • Plastic tortoise pickguard
  • Bone nut & saddle
  • Die-cast Grover tuners

Colors:

  • Vintage Sunburst (VS)



Jim Croce Elitist L-00 (Japan)

Epiphone Elite L-00
Epiphone Elite L-00
Epiphone Elite L-00
Epiphone Elite L-00
  • 2003-2005
  • Parlor sized body style

Body:

  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Mahogany back & sides
  • 4.875" body depth

Neck:

  • 1-pc set Mahogany neck with "V" profile
  • Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
  • Inlaid "Jim Croce" signature at 19th fret
  • Open-book headstock with pearl holly inlay
  • Open-book headstock with pearl no inlay (variation)
  • 2-ply Elitist truss rod cover
  • Bone nut
  • 25.5" scale
  • 1.68" nut width

Binding:

  • 3-ply body binding
  • Multi-ply 1-ring rosette

Hardware:

  • Nickel hardware
  • Bone saddle
  • Die-cast Grover tuners
  • Rosewwod bridge with no belly
  • Black bridge pins with white dots
  • Plastic tortoise pickguard

Colors:

  • Vintage Sunburst (VS)



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