Description

What could be better than a vintage Epi Sorrento with classic ’64 neck, Tune-O-Matic bridge and Kluson Deluxe tuners? Answer: one that’s been fitted with Gibson classic ’57 PAF humbuckers.

Here’s a vintage guitar that’s been brought right up to date whilst retaining the vintage vibe and vintage feel. Epiphones were being made by Gibson at this stage, and the Sorrento was an exclusive Epiphone model (not a Gibson knock-off) so it enjoyed all the benefits of Gibson’s Kalamazoo production expertise with the purity of Epiphone’s great instrument design.

A previous owner removed the original single mini-humbucker pickup and replaced it with two regular humbuckers plus extending the necessary electrics. They had it professionally re-fretted too – they did a really good job, so this was probably a professional player looking for a particular sound / vibe. Probably s/he gave-up looking for a double pickup Sorrento (very scarce) and just went ahead and butchered a perfectly decent vintage guitar – but that was back in the days when no-one knew they were vintage. Heck, I even remember we would regularly see piano smashing on the TV, so ‘upgrading an old guitar; was probably seen as a good thing.

Description contd...

We replaced the so-so humbuckers with a pair of Gibson Classic ‘57 PAF humbuckers – easily the best pickup made by Gibson today. They have higher output and better crunch than the regular humbucker and do actually sound a lot like those oh so desirable original PAFs that everyone seeks

There’s a nicely figured maple laminate top and back on this instrument and you’ve just gotta love the way the shading has faded back so it outlines the guitar. In the Epiphone catalogue this colour was called royal olive green sunburst but now it looks simply spectacular.

There are a few dings on the back of the guitar. There’s a thumb print-shaped player wear mark on the back of the neck that looks a bit like a birthmark and is really rather distinguished. Varnish crazing lines are visible around the neck.

It is supplied in a modern vintage-style brown hard case.

This is now an incredible guitar that would suit a jazz or blues player looking for that extra edge to his or her tone that can only be achieved with the very best pickups, whilst at the same time retaining the integrity of a real vintage guitar.

Epiphone Sorrento features

• 16” maple laminate thinline body with Florentine cutaway in royal olive green sunburst
• Mahogany one piece neck
• 1-11/16” width at nut
• Kluson Deluze individual tuners
• ABR-1 style fully adjustable bridge
• Rosewood fretboard with large ovoid position markers
• Neck joins body at 14th fret, 20 frets total
• Replacement Gibson Classic 57 PAF humbucking pickups
• Later knobs and pickup selector switch
• Modern hard shell case (vintage style)

Vintage Epi Sorrento Tags

Epiphone Sorrento, 452T, Epiphone vintage electric guitar, royal olive green sunburst, Gibson PAFs, Classic 57 Humbuckers