1961 Coronet - Epiphone Kalamazoo's Version Of The Les Paul SG Junior.

1961 Epiphone Coronet SB-533.

This lightweight guitar weighs in at just 5.80 lbs. and has a nice, fat nut width of just over 1 11/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Double-cut solid mahogany 'slab' body with two rounded horns. One-piece mahogany neck with a very fast medium-to-thin profile. Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Headstock with gold silk-screened "Epiphone" script logo. Three-layer, black over white plastic dome -shaped truss-rod cover with two screws. Serial number "29436" impressed into the back of the headstock in black. Three-in-a-row single-line Kluson Deluxe strip tuners with white plastic oval buttons. Single P-90 pickup with black plastic cover (stamped on the underside "UC 450-1 / 2") with a very strong output of 8.16k. Three-layer, white over black plastic pickguard with Epiphone silver 'epsilon' (a little faded) and four screws. Two controls (one volume, one tone) on the lower treble bout. Black plastic bell-shaped knobs with metal tops. The pots are stamped "134 929" and "134 6023" (Centralab July 1959 and June 1960). Wrap-over stud bar bridge and Epiphone 'Maestro Vibrola' tailpiece (stamped on the underside "VMB-1-2  12810") with flat metal arm.  This fine little Epiphone Kalamazoo version of the Gibson Les Paul SG Junior is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition with just some fine finish checking, a small amount of belt-buckle scarring on the back (nothing through the finish) and a few small and fairly insignificant surface marks on the sides and top. The cherry color is rich and unfaded and the original frets show very little sign of wear. A wonderful looking, playing and sounding example of this rare bird. Housed in its original Epiphone three-latch shaped tan softshell case with brown felt lining (8.50).

The Coronet was Epiphone Kalamazoo's version of the much loved Gibson Les Paul SG Junior, which was also produced between 1961 and 1963 - but in far larger numbers (6,864 examples compared to 1,972 Coronets). The 1961 Epiphone price list shows the Coronet SB-533 at $132.

Many players 'discard' the Maestro Vibrola and use the stud-tail as a wrap-over bridge. In our humble opinion this 'conversion' greatly enhances the playability and the sound by increasing the 'sustain' and keeping the guitar in tune.