I've been wanting to document an Epiphone Spotlight for a long time - it was great luck to get the fabled Nouveau branded one! This one is in on consignment: reverb.com/item/29566469-video-1987-nouveau-by-gibson-epiphone-spotlight-natural?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 0:22 - History 1:56 - Nouveau By Gibson 3:00 - Epiphone Spotlight 5:35 - Inside Look / Specs 14:34 - Tone Demo 16:35 - Tone Talk 17:07 - Final Thoughts 18:25 - Condition 21:06 - Blacklight 22:15 - Case
The headstock is similar to one of the double cut LPs you did a review of earlier this year. I forget which model but I’ll look up the episode to try and confirm my suspicions. Really cool guitar. I’d rock it!
June 26 2019 the “1998 Corrected Headstock” episode. Now that I look at it again they are different, but similar at the same time. As always great work Austin!
@@clarkbabin9799 but it has nothing to do with this guitar. Just noting that the inlays on this one happen to resemble the PRS inlays. Seeing how the guitar itself is patterned after the PRS.
I've got an Epiphone spotlight, had it about 15 years now. Some points that may shed some light on a couple of things. Mine is a factory 2 post strat style bridge, so there is a good chance that the one you have there started its life with a 2 post and was fitted with a traditional bridge at a later date, that could explain the holes under the bridge and the holes in trem spring cavity (the tech was lazy and drilled all the way through when fitting the traditional style bridge). The knob is likely original, the electronics are identical to the electronics (with the inclusion of a master tone with pull split) in mine, I never knew it had a pull switch until I cracked the back open when it came time swap out the bland EMG selects, the knobs were so loose that they would just come off, not acuate the switch!! I would probably speculate that the excavations in the front pickup cavity are from multiple pickup changes, it probably started with Select's, had something inappropiate and too large forced in there, and then someone has done thier best to return it to being kinda period correct and still usable. On a final trivial note, a friend of mine tried to hard tail the set up on mine once (crank up the springs so the bridge sits against the body), and totally killed the sonics of the guitar, I re set it up with the bridge just clear of the body and the guitar got its voice back, this may just be a quirk of the 2 post setup..... Mine is easily the best playing $500 guitar I've ever bought... :)
Duck Dean are too. They go after luthiers who make stealth shaped guitars (which was a dime and washburn design, not dean). If you don’t like the way these guitar corps work, then buy used or get a luthier to make what you want.
Very PRS - even the V inlays could be a simplified 'bird' in flight. The scoops on the horns and even the headstock is quite PRS. I have seen guitars that are much closer to a PRS - like there are closer LP, Strat, Tele types etc that continue to be on sale so I don't know why this wouldn't be allowed whilst others get away with making a version of an existing guitar. There are more differences than a lot of LP/T/S types have and even Harley Benton's CST-24 is MUCH closer to a PRS Custom 24....
Nice. Old thread here, but I want to ask you. I just bought one in near Mint Condition from Guitar Center in Warwick, RI . I paid $649.00 with a case! I am just bummed out by all the bad reviews on that Steinberger Tremolo. How are you getting on with yours? if you still have it. I plan on changing out the EMG selects for Gibson Burst Buckers, and rewiring the whole cavity with CTS 500K Pots, and a switch craft 3 way switch. I am just wondering about that Trem that is getting all of this bad press . Thanks
@@jamesmalamute7874I just purchased an Epiphone spotlight today. It has the Steinberger tremolo, but they upgraded the screw on it so I’m hoping I don’t have any problems with it. I have the EMG pickups too. Did you change yours out? How did it turn out? How does the tremolo arm connect?? I see an area that looks more worn, but it doesn’t want to click in. Do you only use the adjustment screw to hold it in?
Nice guitar. I like these odd ones. My first guitar was my brothers Aria Pro II Cardinal. It had been broken in half up near the top horn. I screwed it back together and played it for years.
Sawbones Quad I am the proud owner of 3 1949 Epiphones. A Kent Spanish electric, a 1949 Century amp and a 1949 Zephyr 8 string Hawaiian lap steel. All played by my mom when she was in high school.
I finally managed to add a Trans Amber Spotlight Nouveau to my Epiphone collection about four years ago, and I love the damn thing. As for the Steinberger bridge, a quick $50 substitution of the bent posts with stronger aftermarket ones and this trem is _excellent._ It also has something that I've never seen in any other guitar, a built-in switch at the back that just locks it. No Tremel-no, no blocks, no rolls of coins, just flip the switch and it's hardtailed. Doesn't move. Stays in tune extremely well, is easier to tune than a Floyd, and is low maintenance. Google "Steinberger tremelo fix" and he'll take good care of you for the posts, but they take a couple of weeks to arrive from Europe. As for the rest of the guitar, as I've said in another comment, if it wasn't so damn heavy I'd play it every day. I did mod the shit out of mine, though. I upgraded it to PRS 57/08s with Bourne push/pulls for splits, and Switchcraft toggle and jack. Threw on Ernie Ball strap locks, which are better than Schallers or Dunlops, and a set of Gotoh tuners to round it out. Went with Gotohs because they were a drop-in upgrade instead of having to ream out the holes. I have every original part in a special box, ready to put her back if necessary. I had her Plek'd at a shop down in the city, and she plays like an absolute dream. I just wish I was younger and stronger so that I didn't hurt after an hour.
The headline could have been "Glary Saves a Gibson!" That's a stunning looking guitar for that era of Gibson/Epiphone. Oddly, the sound reminded me of an old Aria Pro II double cutaway that I used to play.
It's a pretty thing, but not my style. Those loose knobs can easily be tightened up by placing a flat blade screwdriver into the slot on the pot stud and gently opening the slot a little more.
Man, that looks like the holy grain of tone & Playability! With or without PRS likeness,the mahogany thru-neck with mahogany wings....AND with maple cap AAAAND with Gibson pups...! It sounds like the perfect storm of my dream specs!
The KBX bridge not only is the bane of late eighties Gibsons, it also killed one of the 90's coolest trem replacements. Anyone who is familiar with Wilkinson trems, probably know the V100. Well, I nearly got a Wilkinson V100C. C for Convertible. Basically, you grabbed the bar, and had the Wilkinson whammy... you let go and the bar dropped: hardtail. The bridge would lock when let go. Increased sustain and resonance, all the country multi-string bending... no worries. But because the KBX had that little lock... even though the Wilkinson was a much better designed st up, Gibson ordered a cease and desist, and Wilkinson thought he was too little and far away in the UK to defend it in court, sold it only in Europe and Canada for a while, then it disappeared. Can you tell I was just about to buy one for my fave Strat at the time, and then when I got the money together a few weeks later and went to the shop I saw it in, no more Wilkinson Convertibles. There are so many reasons I hated Gibson's Henry years, and this was the most personal one.
EMG Select pick-ups, Steinberger bridge ... I have a feeling these Nouveau guitars were made in the same Korean factory like the Hohner 'Professional' ones that had been available around the same time; There's even a model called 'SG Lion' that has pretty much the same body as *this* one.
Hey Austin have you seen the exclusive Strats and Teles that Sweetwater carries? They have roasted maple necks, some cool finishes, and custom shop pickups. Would love to hear your thoughts on them as compared to the Rarities, etc.
Washburn had two different models called the RS-10v and RS-8v which were similar. Right down to the Ebonol fingerboards. I had one for a little while and it was a fun player.
2 things give away that this is a prototype: the switch where the push/pull knob/coil-split is on the majority of these and the multiple holes under the bridge for alternate bridges. This was definitely a prototype….so cool.
I love mine, though I’ve modified it heavily. I’d like to know exactly what work was done at the USA Gibson factory. It’s pretty obvious that the wood was finished in the Far East. My guess is hardware and electronics where installed in the states. But I suspect the frets were also done here. They feel like Gibson of the era. But who knows? Great video, I’ve personally been waiting a long time for this one.
If I had the cash that guitar would be making its way to the UK, would go nicely with my Kramer XKG which has the Ebanol fretboard and Aluminium neck and forked headstock
I have a Nouveau that is curious. It's basically a neck through super strat that is a little worn. The epiphone badge looked very odd as I've never seen this particular font used. Out of curiousity, I carefully sanded badge off to find a 'Nouveau' badge with same odd font. I had sanded through that badge a little too much only to reveal a Gibson logo. I'm thinking maybe these were left over and rebadged for resale? The trem post were too close to pickup cavity and those gave way to use. I filled in trem cavity on front and back with wood. Will make it a hard tail. The fretboard is either ebony or torchlight with pearl chevron inlays.
I believe that these guitars were made by Samick in Korea. Those gold stickers are a giveaway that they came from that factory. I have seen the Epiphone Spotlight model in person. In addition, to making this guitar for Epiphone I have seen this same exact guitar (same specs and everything!) as a Washburn. The only difference between the Epiphone and the Washburn was that the Washburn had the 6 inline tuners as opposed to the 3 on a side tuners. They are great guitars if you can find one.
Looking at the whole for the pickup wires, it seem they used a router on the through neck before it was joined then put the cap on forming the square whole.
You must still be young and strong. The scale only says eight pounds, but they feel like twelve after half an hour of playing. I've had mine for years and it's only for special occasions because I'm old(er) and I feel it in my neck and shoulder all of the next day.
@@stankfanger1366 I'm young but can't play standing. I messed up my back at work picking up a transmission three years ago and five years ago I messed up my left shoulder in a wreck. I'm more of a bedroom guitarist so playing while sitting isn't detremental to me.
@@fatboysgarage7984 Sounds like you've got it under control. Still, if you get a chance to grab one, do it. It's a crazy fun guitar to have and play. The novelty alone makes it worth the little extra money... and it has a _sweet_ neck profile.
I had one of these - the Epiphone Model. It was my first electric guitar. I sold it years ago! What was I thinking? I recently started looking to try to buy one again for nostalgia. I couldn't even find one.
I love these unique Gibsons. Pickups are not impressive at all but having said that, like he said, a prototype that would be a cool wallhanger. Cheers Austin!
Never a fan of a set of EMG Select PUs I own. In and OUT of a couple of project guitars. Now relegated to a zip-lock bag. Had a couple of chances to give them away to a few friends, but.. I discouraged the swap. Fortunately my friends passed. Now, my opinion is EMG should stick to active pickups, but I have limited experience. There may be other passive EMGs that are better than "Select".
Not quite, but damn close. I've had my Spotlight (Trans Amber, of course) for going on four years now. If it wasn't so damn heavy it would be my daily player. I did (tee-hee!) stick PRS 57/08's in it with a neck split on volume and a bridge split on tone.
i do remember seeing a brief review for the Epiphone Spotlight in 'Making Music' magazine at the time ('86-87). I think it also featured in their little 'Guitar Guide' book. BTW Making Music was a free newspaper-sized monthly magazine that was available free in UK music shops (or by subscription from the publishers). Usually featured a big name and couple of smaller-name band interviews, gear (all kinds, not just guitars) reviews, articles on recording/production/tuition etc. Featured names of the time like Geoff Nicholls, Tony Bacon and their resident 'Guitar Guru' was Paul Day, who always had the last page to feature some kind of weird/one-off/rare guitar. All done with cheeky humour and irreverence, in contrast to most of the 'proper' magazines of the time :-)
New one on me. Very neat. Next, try to find a Gibson Challenger or Invader. I'd love to learn more about those two oddball guitars. There's not a ton out there on them and you're the perfect person to document them.
I would love to see Epiphone come out with more the original 50’s and 60’s models in the original quality. There’s a lot of Epiphones from that era that I’d choose over the Gibson equivalent. The semis with mini humbuckers were amazing and unique and I’d love to have a new Broadway or Sorrento like the originals.
"players grade" or not I'd play the heck out of it. That sound with splits is really nice, and given the kind of overdriven crap I like to play those hot pickups would do well. Hah.
Cool looking guitar. I had one of the Epiphone Scrolls. It got away from me over the years, it was really good hybrid of Gibson and Fender. 2 humbucker with split coil, 24 fret. Only paid $150 with an Ampeg guitar combo. Seen the guitar on Ebay now for $1000 or more.
From Leo: It looks like a pretty good guitar. I would rock it. The square channel is interesting. No drill bits make square holes. That would have to be broached after a hole is drilled. Broaching is pretty tricky and the tooling is a lot more expensive than a long drill. Why would they do that for someplace that is never seen? Especially on a guitar they are using the cheapest controls?
In 84 Martyn Booth was working for GibsonUK and suggested throwing nice tops and a Floyd on the 335s. Gibson didn't think that would work so went with the Victory. That year at NAMM all anyone wanted to know about was the PRS Custom, a two cutaway with a nice top and trem. Booth later took his version to Yamaha (who had turned down Paul's design in 83) before going it alone. But had Gibson listened to Booth then they could have stolen PRS' thunder. Interestingly PRS themselves also got the market wrong, they thought, because of what dealers told Paul, that the Metal would be their big seller. The PRS Metal didn't last beyond 85... As for the Epiphone Spotlight, going by the amount I saw in shops in the late 80s your figure of about 1000 is more likely and they dumped them on the UK/EU market (common practice for both Fender and Gibson with old/failed models)
I really like this guitar! And, it's a neck-through! It does seem to be a prototype. Don't forget the Epiphone Elitist Series that also was made in Japan and assembled in Nashville. They were amazing guitars! It's funny hearing PRS gave lawsuit happy Gibson a taste of their own medicine.
The couple I've come across have looked great but didn't play as well as their looks would suggest. They were both the Epiphone branded with the steinberger bridges however...I would love to check this out. They even copied the sweet switch haha, I love it
I mean buying like 5 is too many that guy is probably going to flip them... I wish they got into 150 different players hands instead but if I had the money I’d probably buy them all too.
@@jake_of_the_jungle9840 Check out the video , he gives a few reasons why he bought them . Obviously flipping them is the end goal . Like its one thing to buy them them all and flipping them , but making a video to basically say NANANANA I BOUGHT THEM ALL, is very juvenile .
I'm guessing that prototype was meant to be a steinberger headless at some point in time. That would explain why the neck/headstock is the way it is and the screw holes near the trem.
I love learning about PRS, my home state brand. Even though this was about a Gibson, it was also about an upstart beating a giant but protecting their brand.
I have one of those and in the little cover of the top had the gibson brand, also the gibson diamond and epiphone...never knew about the existence of this rare guitar until I found this here in mexico....regards
Cort used a lot of those EMG Selects back in the mid to late 80's. Being made in Korea that's probably who made those for Gibson. Those were actually pretty decent sounding pickups. If you haven't tried them don't perpetuate hearsay nonsense until you try them for yourself.
That is a prototype or (more likely) used as a testbed for different configurations. I used to have the prototype of the G&L ASAT Tribute Bluesboy Classic Solid body that somehow ended up in the Netherlands. Bought it from a friend/dealer of the distributor just before the distributor went bankrupt.
Ever looked at a PRS single cut? Rounded upper bout, lower horn, two humbuckers, TOM bridge and tailpiece, two volume and two tone knobs offset to each other, bound top... ? It's a fucking LP all day, every day, until the end of time.
Hi this guitar was later rebranded as Hohner SG Lion Professional also made in Korea with similar spec, mahogany body and kahler rip off bridge. Maybe was other way around as Hohner advertised as Grover Jackson design judging by the headstock could be true.
(So tom hanks is mister Rogers....sorry, an ad interrupted your video) so the 'neck through' is literally that center (different color wood) all the way through the body. Different than a set neck, do you think that has anything to do with that dug out pickup cavity?
That headstock doesn't look like it's pieced together. I'd guess that the "tilt" in the headstock was created with a scarf joint right at the nut. That's really common. You can't see the sides of the scarf joint though, because then they glued on the wings just like most other Gibsons.
"They have a small square channel... ...maybe they used a long drillbit". I dont think so, cause you cant drill square chanels. :) It is possible a cut off before they glued the parts together, and was maybe made for a ground cable to the bridge.
@@bkfleming4740 Damn, what happened to it? Had a similar situation when I found my Epiphone Del Ray! Didn't know they existed until I found one in a pawn shop.
I have a PRS--SP hardtail electric from 2011. This guitar you're showing in the video, is identical to my guitar. Maple cap, wine red mahogany body on the back. The only thing different abou mine? The darker piece of wood that runs from behind the bridge to the strap buttons is not present on my guitar. Other than that it's pretty darn close.
Mine was branded Epiphone, had the EMG Select pickups, natural finish tiger maple top, Strat style trem. It was destroyed in a fire long with my original SD Curlee bass, and Jackson Dinky. Tragic loss for me, the Spotlight held its own aginst any PRS I have played.
I had that exact same guitar with dimarzio's, sold it at Sam Ash for $325 in the epiphone name. I still have the original hardshell case if you're interested. I'll dig up a photo to see if it's an epiphone.
The truss rod cover makes me wanna believe it's a Japanese made guitar. Some of the early Greco Les Pauls or Matsumoku plant made Gibson copies had that exact shape of truss rod cover. I might be wrong but I just have this feeling that this Nouveau is made in Japan.
This video was very helpful sense I just came across a epiphone version with select pickups and the and the tremolo removed. Any suggestions for a replacement bridge? Now I know why the bridge was removed.
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
I've been wanting to document an Epiphone Spotlight for a long time - it was great luck to get the fabled Nouveau branded one!
This one is in on consignment: reverb.com/item/29566469-video-1987-nouveau-by-gibson-epiphone-spotlight-natural?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly
0:22 - History
1:56 - Nouveau By Gibson
3:00 - Epiphone Spotlight
5:35 - Inside Look / Specs
14:34 - Tone Demo
16:35 - Tone Talk
17:07 - Final Thoughts
18:25 - Condition
21:06 - Blacklight
22:15 - Case
The headstock is similar to one of the double cut LPs you did a review of earlier this year. I forget which model but I’ll look up the episode to try and confirm my suspicions. Really cool guitar. I’d rock it!
June 26 2019 the “1998 Corrected Headstock” episode. Now that I look at it again they are different, but similar at the same time. As always great work Austin!
Damnit! That sold quickly.Easily worth 2 grand for a collector. I’ve been searching for this rare bird for a long time. That may be the only one.
reverb.com/item/29820284-epiphone-spotlight-nouveau
PRS sued Gibson over this guitar, Then brought out the Silver Sky!
What's wrong with that?
@@TheLocalDJ the silver sky is also a rip off of another guitar model.
@@DatBoi-mo9vc Why is it a rip off?
@@TheLocalDJ look it up. It is literally a telecaster
@@DatBoi-mo9vc stratocaster
It also maybe noted, the V inlays resemble the bird inlays of a PRS.
There have been bird inlays long before prs.
@@clarkbabin9799 but it has nothing to do with this guitar. Just noting that the inlays on this one happen to resemble the PRS inlays. Seeing how the guitar itself is patterned after the PRS.
I've got an Epiphone spotlight, had it about 15 years now. Some points that may shed some light on a couple of things. Mine is a factory 2 post strat style bridge, so there is a good chance that the one you have there started its life with a 2 post and was fitted with a traditional bridge at a later date, that could explain the holes under the bridge and the holes in trem spring cavity (the tech was lazy and drilled all the way through when fitting the traditional style bridge). The knob is likely original, the electronics are identical to the electronics (with the inclusion of a master tone with pull split) in mine, I never knew it had a pull switch until I cracked the back open when it came time swap out the bland EMG selects, the knobs were so loose that they would just come off, not acuate the switch!! I would probably speculate that the excavations in the front pickup cavity are from multiple pickup changes, it probably started with Select's, had something inappropiate and too large forced in there, and then someone has done thier best to return it to being kinda period correct and still usable. On a final trivial note, a friend of mine tried to hard tail the set up on mine once (crank up the springs so the bridge sits against the body), and totally killed the sonics of the guitar, I re set it up with the bridge just clear of the body and the guitar got its voice back, this may just be a quirk of the 2 post setup..... Mine is easily the best playing $500 guitar I've ever bought... :)
Just checked mine and noticed that it has straight (flat) pickup surrounds, not sloped les paul style...
“Play authentic, oh but we are just gonna blatantly rip off this company’s design too.”
Duck Even the Les Paul is a rip off. Look up the design Appleton showed to Gibson. Who laughed him off by saying that electric guitars won't sell.
PurpleLightning6was9 Gibson are major hypocrites
Duck Dean are too. They go after luthiers who make stealth shaped guitars (which was a dime and washburn design, not dean). If you don’t like the way these guitar corps work, then buy used or get a luthier to make what you want.
their moto is "play authentic" it was never "we build authentic" lol bunch of hypocrite bums!!
To be fair, prs ripped off the majority of their design elements from Gibson. And whatever they didnt copy from Gibson, they copied from Fender.
This is the best guitar review channel on TH-cam.
Very PRS - even the V inlays could be a simplified 'bird' in flight. The scoops on the horns and even the headstock is quite PRS. I have seen guitars that are much closer to a PRS - like there are closer LP, Strat, Tele types etc that continue to be on sale so I don't know why this wouldn't be allowed whilst others get away with making a version of an existing guitar.
There are more differences than a lot of LP/T/S types have and even Harley Benton's CST-24 is MUCH closer to a PRS Custom 24....
Yeah that's straight PRS, cool peice of history though.
I have the Epiphone version, natural finish, absolutely love it, will not get rid of it, great video !!!
Nice. Old thread here, but I want to ask you. I just bought one in near Mint Condition from Guitar Center in Warwick, RI . I paid $649.00 with a case! I am just bummed out by all the bad reviews on that Steinberger Tremolo. How are you getting on with yours? if you still have it. I plan on changing out the EMG selects for Gibson Burst Buckers, and rewiring the whole cavity with CTS 500K Pots, and a switch craft 3 way switch. I am just wondering about that Trem that is getting all of this bad press . Thanks
@@jamesmalamute7874I just purchased an Epiphone spotlight today. It has the Steinberger tremolo, but they upgraded the screw on it so I’m hoping I don’t have any problems with it.
I have the EMG pickups too. Did you change yours out? How did it turn out?
How does the tremolo arm connect?? I see an area that looks more worn, but it doesn’t want to click in. Do you only use the adjustment screw to hold it in?
Austin proves once again that he is The King of the obscure! Awesome video once again. Keep up the good work 👍🎸😎
Nice guitar. I like these odd ones. My first guitar was my brothers Aria Pro II Cardinal. It had been broken in half up near the top horn. I screwed it back together and played it for years.
As an Epiphone history buff, I haven't clicked on a vid faster.
Sawbones Quad I am the proud owner of 3 1949 Epiphones. A Kent Spanish electric, a 1949 Century amp and a 1949 Zephyr 8 string Hawaiian lap steel. All played by my mom when she was in high school.
@@jyuke9955 Amazing collection !!!!
My epiphone is a step above what Gibson was producing in '16. Yes I did replace electronics & nut but overall quality for the price was incomparable.
I finally managed to add a Trans Amber Spotlight Nouveau to my Epiphone collection about four years ago, and I love the damn thing. As for the Steinberger bridge, a quick $50 substitution of the bent posts with stronger aftermarket ones and this trem is _excellent._ It also has something that I've never seen in any other guitar, a built-in switch at the back that just locks it. No Tremel-no, no blocks, no rolls of coins, just flip the switch and it's hardtailed. Doesn't move. Stays in tune extremely well, is easier to tune than a Floyd, and is low maintenance. Google "Steinberger tremelo fix" and he'll take good care of you for the posts, but they take a couple of weeks to arrive from Europe.
As for the rest of the guitar, as I've said in another comment, if it wasn't so damn heavy I'd play it every day. I did mod the shit out of mine, though. I upgraded it to PRS 57/08s with Bourne push/pulls for splits, and Switchcraft toggle and jack. Threw on Ernie Ball strap locks, which are better than Schallers or Dunlops, and a set of Gotoh tuners to round it out. Went with Gotohs because they were a drop-in upgrade instead of having to ream out the holes. I have every original part in a special box, ready to put her back if necessary. I had her Plek'd at a shop down in the city, and she plays like an absolute dream. I just wish I was younger and stronger so that I didn't hurt after an hour.
Great video as always! This is a neat piece of guitar history.
Korean Epiphones used “U” for the Unsung factory, so that would be my guess as to where it was made
Your guess is correct, sir. Nicely done.
...which goes along with my suspicion it was made in the same factory as 80's Hohners :-)
@@AuntAlnico4 - Yes, that would've been one of their top-of-the-line models back then 🙂
I'll go authentic and buy Hamer or something
I had a couple of American-made ones; Definitely great guitars! :-)
Play authentic? Well well well how the turntables
Michael Scott
The headline could have been "Glary Saves a Gibson!" That's a stunning looking guitar for that era of Gibson/Epiphone. Oddly, the sound reminded me of an old Aria Pro II double cutaway that I used to play.
It even looks like a Matsumoku manufactured Aria/Westone of the era.
It's a pretty thing, but not my style.
Those loose knobs can easily be tightened up by placing a flat blade screwdriver into the slot on the pot stud and gently opening the slot a little more.
Man, that's a beauty and a real good builded guitar!
I love that fantastic 70's Japanese look!
This is my favorite channel I’m surprised you only have 200k subs.
Man, that looks like the holy grain of tone & Playability!
With or without PRS likeness,the mahogany thru-neck with mahogany wings....AND with maple cap AAAAND with Gibson pups...!
It sounds like the perfect storm of my dream specs!
The KBX bridge not only is the bane of late eighties Gibsons, it also killed one of the 90's coolest trem replacements. Anyone who is familiar with Wilkinson trems, probably know the V100. Well, I nearly got a Wilkinson V100C. C for Convertible. Basically, you grabbed the bar, and had the Wilkinson whammy... you let go and the bar dropped: hardtail. The bridge would lock when let go. Increased sustain and resonance, all the country multi-string bending... no worries.
But because the KBX had that little lock... even though the Wilkinson was a much better designed st up, Gibson ordered a cease and desist, and Wilkinson thought he was too little and far away in the UK to defend it in court, sold it only in Europe and Canada for a while, then it disappeared.
Can you tell I was just about to buy one for my fave Strat at the time, and then when I got the money together a few weeks later and went to the shop I saw it in, no more Wilkinson Convertibles. There are so many reasons I hated Gibson's Henry years, and this was the most personal one.
EMG Select pick-ups, Steinberger bridge ... I have a feeling these Nouveau guitars were made in the same Korean factory like the Hohner 'Professional' ones that had been available around the same time; There's even a model called 'SG Lion' that has pretty much the same body as *this* one.
That’s straight looks like a prs, good job to them
Hey Austin have you seen the exclusive Strats and Teles that Sweetwater carries? They have roasted maple necks, some cool finishes, and custom shop pickups. Would love to hear your thoughts on them as compared to the Rarities, etc.
They probably routed the wiring channel into the mahogany with an endmill before gluing it all together.
It sounds amazing ❤️
Washburn had two different models called the RS-10v and RS-8v which were similar. Right down to the Ebonol fingerboards. I had one for a little while and it was a fun player.
I had a rs10v too. It was about the same color as this one. It also had a headstock made of several pieces of wood, 6 on a side though. I liked it.
2 things give away that this is a prototype: the switch where the push/pull knob/coil-split is on the majority of these and the multiple holes under the bridge for alternate bridges. This was definitely a prototype….so cool.
I have one of the Epiphone natural models..when I came across it ,I wasn't sure what it was but I knew it was special.
I love mine, though I’ve modified it heavily. I’d like to know exactly what work was done at the USA Gibson factory. It’s pretty obvious that the wood was finished in the Far East. My guess is hardware and electronics where installed in the states. But I suspect the frets were also done here. They feel like Gibson of the era. But who knows? Great video, I’ve personally been waiting a long time for this one.
IIRC ebonol is the same stuff used to make bowling balls.
Thats more of a resin, and the ebanol is more like really hard abs
They have EMG Select pickups! I have a couple of those. And my Bridge works great. I had someone fixing it with stronger parts.
If I had the cash that guitar would be making its way to the UK, would go nicely with my Kramer XKG which has the Ebanol fretboard and Aluminium neck and forked headstock
I have a Nouveau that is curious. It's basically a neck through super strat that is a little worn. The epiphone badge looked very odd as I've never seen this particular font used. Out of curiousity, I carefully sanded badge off to find a 'Nouveau' badge with same odd font. I had sanded through that badge a little too much only to reveal a Gibson logo. I'm thinking maybe these were left over and rebadged for resale? The trem post were too close to pickup cavity and those gave way to use. I filled in trem cavity on front and back with wood. Will make it a hard tail. The fretboard is either ebony or torchlight with pearl chevron inlays.
I believe that these guitars were made by Samick in Korea. Those gold stickers are a giveaway that they came from that factory. I have seen the Epiphone Spotlight model in person. In addition, to making this guitar for Epiphone I have seen this same exact guitar (same specs and everything!) as a Washburn. The only difference between the Epiphone and the Washburn was that the Washburn had the 6 inline tuners as opposed to the 3 on a side tuners. They are great guitars if you can find one.
Reminds me of a Washburn I once owned & yes PRS used Washburn over it too!
That Epi 24fret Scroll looks fun to me.
RARE Vintage 70's Epiphone SC-450 "Scroll" reverb.com/item/29401461-rare-vintage-70-s-epiphone-sc-450-scroll?
Looking at the whole for the pickup wires, it seem they used a router on the through neck before it was joined then put the cap on forming the square whole.
All that wood at the headstock is the scarf joint Epi still does it on the headstock but not as noticable, nicer then a scarf at the 2nd fret.
Yes but also not with a little bit of bread
Well, that certainly looks authentic.
And it looks awesome IMHO.
I would rock it all day every day. That's a beautiful guitar and I would love to compare it to my SE.
You must still be young and strong. The scale only says eight pounds, but they feel like twelve after half an hour of playing. I've had mine for years and it's only for special occasions because I'm old(er) and I feel it in my neck and shoulder all of the next day.
@@stankfanger1366 I'm young but can't play standing. I messed up my back at work picking up a transmission three years ago and five years ago I messed up my left shoulder in a wreck. I'm more of a bedroom guitarist so playing while sitting isn't detremental to me.
@@fatboysgarage7984 Sounds like you've got it under control. Still, if you get a chance to grab one, do it. It's a crazy fun guitar to have and play. The novelty alone makes it worth the little extra money... and it has a _sweet_ neck profile.
@@stankfanger1366 I'll see if I can find one.
"..sniffing the fretboard..." That sums it up nicely.
I just bought a westbury which is basically an epiphone scroll without the curl 😂 both made in the matsumoku factory in japan and i love it!
I had one of these - the Epiphone Model. It was my first electric guitar. I sold it years ago! What was I thinking? I recently started looking to try to buy one again for nostalgia. I couldn't even find one.
I love these unique Gibsons. Pickups are not impressive at all but having said that, like he said, a prototype that would be a cool wallhanger. Cheers Austin!
Learn something new every day,I never even heard of these.thanks for the cool video
Never a fan of a set of EMG Select PUs I own. In and OUT of a couple of project guitars. Now relegated to a zip-lock bag. Had a couple of chances to give them away to a few friends, but.. I discouraged the swap. Fortunately my friends passed.
Now, my opinion is EMG should stick to active pickups, but I have limited experience. There may be other passive EMGs that are better than "Select".
THE NUOVEAU: A Guitar SO RARE that only Trogly has one... IMHO
Not quite, but damn close. I've had my Spotlight (Trans Amber, of course) for going on four years now. If it wasn't so damn heavy it would be my daily player. I did (tee-hee!) stick PRS 57/08's in it with a neck split on volume and a bridge split on tone.
That's a cool guitar Austin Great story behind it ☺
Nice episode Austin!
i do remember seeing a brief review for the Epiphone Spotlight in 'Making Music' magazine at the time ('86-87). I think it also featured in their little 'Guitar Guide' book. BTW Making Music was a free newspaper-sized monthly magazine that was available free in UK music shops (or by subscription from the publishers). Usually featured a big name and couple of smaller-name band interviews, gear (all kinds, not just guitars) reviews, articles on recording/production/tuition etc. Featured names of the time like Geoff Nicholls, Tony Bacon and their resident 'Guitar Guru' was Paul Day, who always had the last page to feature some kind of weird/one-off/rare guitar. All done with cheeky humour and irreverence, in contrast to most of the 'proper' magazines of the time :-)
New one on me. Very neat. Next, try to find a Gibson Challenger or Invader. I'd love to learn more about those two oddball guitars. There's not a ton out there on them and you're the perfect person to document them.
The fender scale length is the detail that I like
I would love to see Epiphone come out with more the original 50’s and 60’s models in the original quality. There’s a lot of Epiphones from that era that I’d choose over the Gibson equivalent. The semis with mini humbuckers were amazing and unique and I’d love to have a new Broadway or Sorrento like the originals.
I have a spotlight! Plays like a dream. Love owning a piece of controversy history,
There was also a Washburn version that, other than the headstock and the Floyd rose, is literally the exact same guitar as the spotlight.
"players grade" or not I'd play the heck out of it. That sound with splits is really nice, and given the kind of overdriven crap I like to play those hot pickups would do well. Hah.
I did a restoration on an Epi one for a client a few years back. It looked just like this one.
Then I went down
And started sniffing the fret board...
Oh Troggly!😍
Your writing lyrics to the new KISS song 🤣
It's rather stiff to adjust but I got it straight again
I'm moving into the back to reveal some more mystery.
Bare screw hole?
You're on fire this episode!🤣
Cool looking guitar. I had one of the Epiphone Scrolls. It got away from me over the years, it was really good hybrid of Gibson and Fender. 2 humbucker with split coil, 24 fret. Only paid $150 with an Ampeg guitar combo. Seen the guitar on Ebay now for $1000 or more.
And off-topic, but I like when you say "ambered" or even "amber", as it reminds me of my current love interest :-))
From Leo: It looks like a pretty good guitar. I would rock it. The square channel is interesting. No drill bits make square holes. That would have to be broached after a hole is drilled. Broaching is pretty tricky and the tooling is a lot more expensive than a long drill. Why would they do that for someplace that is never seen? Especially on a guitar they are using the cheapest controls?
The truss rod cover has "Gibson" writen on it! 11:08 you can see it when he turns it into the light.
epiphpne also had a tele/explorer mash up that was kind of cool.i had one,kind of weird looking,but cool,and sounded great.
I hope to one day feature those pointy headstock strats and teles haha
@@Trog that would be cool
Those look exactly like the Greco GPH-60, made in Japan (maybe some were made in korea) around the same time... with EMG Select pickups...
*Holy shit!*
Very similar to an Aria "Thor Sounds" too.
In 84 Martyn Booth was working for GibsonUK and suggested throwing nice tops and a Floyd on the 335s. Gibson didn't think that would work so went with the Victory. That year at NAMM all anyone wanted to know about was the PRS Custom, a two cutaway with a nice top and trem. Booth later took his version to Yamaha (who had turned down Paul's design in 83) before going it alone. But had Gibson listened to Booth then they could have stolen PRS' thunder.
Interestingly PRS themselves also got the market wrong, they thought, because of what dealers told Paul, that the Metal would be their big seller. The PRS Metal didn't last beyond 85...
As for the Epiphone Spotlight, going by the amount I saw in shops in the late 80s your figure of about 1000 is more likely and they dumped them on the UK/EU market (common practice for both Fender and Gibson with old/failed models)
I really like this guitar! And, it's a neck-through! It does seem to be a prototype. Don't forget the Epiphone Elitist Series that also was made in Japan and assembled in Nashville. They were amazing guitars! It's funny hearing PRS gave lawsuit happy Gibson a taste of their own medicine.
The couple I've come across have looked great but didn't play as well as their looks would suggest. They were both the Epiphone branded with the steinberger bridges however...I would love to check this out. They even copied the sweet switch haha, I love it
I don't think they drilled a square hole all the way up the body.
I bet the rabbited the center block and assembled it with the channel prefab
I'm thinking table saw
Same headstock as my 1998 les paul dc pro custom shop! Stunning top! Would Love that in my collection if i had the cash.
Completely off topic but , what do you think of the guy who bought all of Dave Mustaine's guitars on reverb ?
One guy bought them all? They seems relatively inexpensive enough...
I am so fucking jeaulous im a megadeth fanboy
@@Trog Yeah he bought like a 150 guitars , posted a video about why he did , and folks dont seem to happy about it :P
I mean buying like 5 is too many that guy is probably going to flip them... I wish they got into 150 different players hands instead but if I had the money I’d probably buy them all too.
@@jake_of_the_jungle9840 Check out the video , he gives a few reasons why he bought them . Obviously flipping them is the end goal . Like its one thing to buy them them all and flipping them , but making a video to basically say NANANANA I BOUGHT THEM ALL, is very juvenile .
I'm guessing that prototype was meant to be a steinberger headless at some point in time. That would explain why the neck/headstock is the way it is and the screw holes near the trem.
I love learning about PRS, my home state brand. Even though this was about a Gibson, it was also about an upstart beating a giant but protecting their brand.
I have one of those and in the little cover of the top had the gibson brand, also the gibson diamond and epiphone...never knew about the existence of this rare guitar until I found this here in mexico....regards
Cort used a lot of those EMG Selects back in the mid to late 80's. Being made in Korea that's probably who made those for Gibson. Those were actually pretty decent sounding pickups. If you haven't tried them don't perpetuate hearsay nonsense until you try them for yourself.
This One looks like exactly like a "Washburn rs20v" I had back in the days. Also with an ebenol fretboard. Strange??
That is a prototype or (more likely) used as a testbed for different configurations.
I used to have the prototype of the G&L ASAT Tribute Bluesboy Classic Solid body that somehow ended up in the Netherlands. Bought it from a friend/dealer of the distributor just before the distributor went bankrupt.
Very cool find, Trogdog!
Damn that guitar sounds good
It sounds like you're feeling better that's always good to know I kind a want one has PRS ever copied anything that Gibson did
Ever looked at a PRS single cut? Rounded upper bout, lower horn, two humbuckers, TOM bridge and tailpiece, two volume and two tone knobs offset to each other, bound top... ? It's a fucking LP all day, every day, until the end of time.
Hi this guitar was later rebranded as Hohner SG Lion Professional also made in Korea with similar spec, mahogany body and kahler rip off bridge. Maybe was other way around as Hohner advertised as Grover Jackson design judging by the headstock could be true.
(So tom hanks is mister Rogers....sorry, an ad interrupted your video) so the 'neck through' is literally that center (different color wood) all the way through the body. Different than a set neck, do you think that has anything to do with that dug out pickup cavity?
That headstock doesn't look like it's pieced together. I'd guess that the "tilt" in the headstock was created with a scarf joint right at the nut. That's really common. You can't see the sides of the scarf joint though, because then they glued on the wings just like most other Gibsons.
I actually like this guitar,it grew on me,not fussed on the head stock, but everything else I like
This guitar sounds great 👍
"They have a small square channel... ...maybe they used a long drillbit". I dont think so, cause you cant drill square chanels. :) It is possible a cut off before they glued the parts together, and was maybe made for a ground cable to the bridge.
Damn, I want one now. At least an Epiphone version...and MOST DEFINITELY in the Au Natural finish!!
Only 50 in the world
I have one. EMG pups, no trem bar, no backplate. Bought it like that.
@@bkfleming4740
Nice find!!
Had it for almost 20 years. Had never seen one like it until a post in an Epi group today.
@@bkfleming4740
Damn, what happened to it?
Had a similar situation when I found my Epiphone Del Ray! Didn't know they existed until I found one in a pawn shop.
Amazing. I must say it is beautiful
I have a PRS--SP hardtail electric from 2011. This guitar you're showing in the video, is identical to my guitar. Maple cap, wine red mahogany body on the back. The only thing different abou mine? The darker piece of wood that runs from behind the bridge to the strap buttons is not present on my guitar. Other than that it's pretty darn close.
Mine was branded Epiphone, had the EMG Select pickups, natural finish tiger maple top, Strat style trem. It was destroyed in a fire long with my original SD Curlee bass, and Jackson Dinky. Tragic loss for me, the Spotlight held its own aginst any PRS I have played.
What were the specific features on the body that PRS won against Gibson? The lower bout hand scoop? Wing carves on the top? Or general 'theme'?
I had that exact same guitar with dimarzio's, sold it at Sam Ash for $325 in the epiphone name. I still have the original hardshell case if you're interested. I'll dig up a photo to see if it's an epiphone.
I have one of these guitars, of you have the case I'm interested.
The truss rod cover makes me wanna believe it's a Japanese made guitar. Some of the early Greco Les Pauls or Matsumoku plant made Gibson copies had that exact shape of truss rod cover. I might be wrong but I just have this feeling that this Nouveau is made in Japan.
Trogly’s time zone: November 10
My time zone: November 11
Me: IM FROM THE FUTURE!!!!!
This video was very helpful sense I just came across a epiphone version with select pickups and the and the tremolo removed. Any suggestions for a replacement bridge? Now I know why the bridge was removed.
that was just on nashville craigslist. i guess you got it! i had the epiphone with the gibson triangle nouveau inlay on the headstock
it was listed for $350 i believe...
What in the holy hell is THAT??
That blend tone sounds a bit like Shine on you crazy diamond's clean tone