1964 Epiphone Wilshire

1964 Epiphone Wilshire SB 432.

This late 1964 Epiphone Wilshire weighs just 6.20 lbs. and has a nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Solid mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck, and Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Black faced headstock with gold silk-screened "Epiphone" script logo. Six-on-one-side 'single-line' Kluson Deluxe tuners with oval metal buttons (secured by four screws). Serial number "254961" stamped in black on the back of the headstock. Two patent-number mini-humbucking pickups with black plastic surrounds and outputs of 7.46k and 7.38k, each with a rectangular black label on the underside with "Patent Number 2,737,842." Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way selector switch, all mounted on pickguard. The potentiometers are stamped: "134 6438" (Centralab September 1964). Black plastic ribbed-sided knobs with metal tops and red markings. Three-layer (white/black/white) plasic pickguard with ten screws. ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic retainer bridge with metal saddles. Epiphone Maestro Vibrato tailpiece secured by three screws. The neck pickup cavity has been enlarged at the neck end by 2 5/8 inches x 1/4 inch. We believe that this is an original factory adjustment to allow the correct positioning of the neck mini humbucker. To substantiate this statement - 1. none of the solder joints have been touched and 2. the four screw holes that secure the mini humbucker are in their original position with no evidence of having being moved. There is some light belt-buckle scarring on the back (not through the finish) and a few other small marks, dings, indentations on the body. Overall this great little guitar is in strong (8.75+) excellent plus condition. The vibrato arm was discarded (and lost) by the previous owner. Housed in a later rectangular, zip-up black cloth covered hardshell case with shaped gray lining (9.25).

The Wilshire, Epiphone's equivalent of the Gibson SG Special, was added to the Epiphone solid body line in 1959 at around $195.00, but by 1962 the price tag had risen to $235.00. Originally it had two white P-90 pickups, no doubt left over from the Gibson Les Paul's conversion from P-90s to metal covered humbucking pickups. The white P-90s were replaced by black P-90s (which were still in use on some Gibson's) in 1961. In mid 1962 the p-90 pickups were replaced with patent number mini humbuckers. Later in 1963 the Wilshire's body shape became asymmetrical with the upper bass horn slightly longer than upper treble, and the headstock received six-on-a-side tuners. The price in 1965 was $265.00 + a huge $15 extra for the custom color!!