The Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II is an

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

model produced by Epiphone in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Joe Pass Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. Pass is well known for his work stemming from numerous collaborations with pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, an ...

's signature model. First released in 1994, just prior to Joe Pass's death, and was produced until 2015.

Origins

Joe Pass was a very well known virtuoso

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

guitarist becoming most well known for his solo work whilst also having recorded with a number of other leading artists such as

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

. Joe Pass previously had a relationship with the

Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as ...

guitar company, but in the late 1990s Epiphone released the Emperor II, claiming Pass had a hand in the design of the guitar. Epiphone had previously issued the guitar as just the Emperor and with Pass's endorsement some subtle changes to the guitar were made (such as moving the pickup selector switch). While Pass endorsed the Epiphone he was more commonly seen with a

Gibson ES-175 The Gibson ES-175 (1949-2019) is a hollow body Jazz electric guitar manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. The ES-175 became one of Gibson's most popular guitar designs. History In 1949 the ES-175 was introduced by the Gibson Guitar comp ...

The guitar

The Joe Pass Epiphone Emperor II is an archtop guitar, like a 175, but with certain unique features which included: *Gold-plated hardware *Multiple bound body (top and back), neck, f-holes, and peghead *Laminated spruce top *Maple laminate, hollow body (figured maple veneer) *Dual humbuckers *Raised pickguard with facsimile of Joe Pass' signature *Gibson Byrdland style tailpiece *Solid rosewood, floating bridge *"Joe Pass" model name on truss rod cover *Finishes: Natural, Vintage sunburst, Cherry sunburst (disc) Wine red (disc) *Countries of origin: Korea (disc). Indonesia and China for the Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Pro

References

External links

{{commons cat
Official Epiphone Product Page

Joe Pass Emperor II review

Semi-acoustic guitars