Vintage 1970’s Epiphone ET Series Crestwood Electric Guitar
Here are two examples of the Japanese made EPI Crestwood from the early 1970’s. The Epiphone ET Series guitars were solidbody guitars produced from 1970-1978 at the Matsumoku plant in Japan. In 1970, the decision was made to close down Kalamazoo production of Epiphones in favor of building them overseas in Japan. Epiphone decided to offer a new line of Japanese-built Epiphones that had more in common with other Japanese copies than previous Epiphone products.
Often confused with the Crestwood, Coronet, Olympic and Wilshire, the ET-275, 276, 278, 290 & 290N were a Japanese-made amalgamation of a few older Epiphone body shapes and designs. And unlike the USA originals, these Japanese models featured a bolt-on neck.
Additional Details:
- 1974-1978
- Two humbuckers
- Maple body
- Gold hardware
- Bolt-on Maple neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlays
- Bound neck and headstock
- Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
- 2 Vol. 2 Tone controls
- 3-way selector switch
- 24.75″ scale
- 1.68″ nut width
I played that exact guitar [the orange burst] for a while in my first band in college back in 1978 or so. I have always wanted to know something about it, but this is the first time I’ve seen any info on it. I got a thrill when I saw the pics. Thanks !
Nice to see a little interest on these Epi’s. I had one identical to the one in the second set of photos with the gold hardware for many years. They were a great looking and great playing guitar, but they sounded a little bland. A good set of aftermarket pickup would have done a world of wonders. Bottom line, a nice ax.
My cousin had an Coronot hollow body made in Japan about the same time. I took it and fixed the floating bridge fixed that he had glued down.with Elmers,restrung and cleaned it up for him. I remember it was still clunky after my repairs. So I brought it to Jerry and he told me it’s tale. He was surprised it was still around. Must have been hardly used and still played like it would have in 1974. Not very good.
I’ve always liked the orig.Epiphone Crestwoods,but could not find one that I could afford!
Found a 62 Epi Crestwood Custom Reissue(only 1,962 offered!) bought at the Dallas International
Guitar Expo(only one available..but 10,000s of guitars) I Looked at it during several passes..made
him a offer on it..and I took it home!
It Looks/Plays/Sounds Great..and for the $$..I’m a Happy Player!
I had that very exact guitar…orange burst. Played it for years and loved the nice neck on it. Always wonder where it ended up. Should have kept it.
Bought mine in a pawn shop in the ’90s for $50. It came with a brass nut, which I’d never seen. I dressed the frets, replaced the nut with a bone nut carved by my luthier, replaced the bridge saddles, upgraded to gold gotoh sealed tuners, alnico overwound hum buckers ZEBRA style, took off the metal covers and replaced mismatched plastic knobs with gold aliens with white MOP. Figured with the initial investment being negligible, I’d splurge on it and put some metal back and more MOP, since it has a gold theme with generous white MOP on the fingerboard for a cheap guitar. Mostly hangs on the wall, but I could take it to the studio tomorrow if I want it’s “unique” sound.
that was my first electric guitar I stupedley traded it for a strat.
Anybody know where I can find a pick guard for a 1974 model of this Epiphone ET series Crestwood?
I have owned a cherry sunburst E290 for a while and I really love it. The fingerboard was so dark I thought it was ebony, I had it looked at by a specialist at the University of Georgia and he said it was actually Brazilian Rosewood. I love the guitar plays and sounds amazing. The Humbuckers of the day are especially hot and clean. It’s just a killer looking and killer playing guitar
I found one that had been completely disassembled left by a dumpster in an alley with all its parts in a plastic bag.i put it together it turned out to be in great shape and from what I researched it’s somewhere between a 1973-75 black in colour. The only problem is the bridge saddle is missing and I’ve looked everywhere trying to find one. Are there any other more current epiphone guitars that would have one I could fit on this guy?
Anyone know where I can get a bridge saddle for a 1973Et-275 with the steel plate bridge. I’m missing 5he bridge saddle some people say it’s a trmolo others say tunomatic I think it’s a tremolo
Anyone know where to get the OEM nut for this guitar still have mine since the mid 70s