Epiphone proudly celebrates a remarkable event in their history, boasting

75 years of amplifier production. They are now the oldest amplifier

company in the world currently in production.

When Epiphone entered the electric guitar market in 1935, they also
launched a new series of amplifiers under the Electar name and
consequently set the benchmark for others to follow. Electar was a name
invented by Herb Sunshine, an Epiphone employee who played an
integral role in the development of various electronics for the company.
Herb made contact with a young Nat Daniel in 1934 and employed him to
design the first Electar models. The amplifiers were aimed at the New
York dance bands and were produced in both AC and DC versions to
accommodate lower Manhattan’s dual electric system at that time. Epiphone
moved to its new location at 142 West 14th, New York, NY for the 1935 launch.

Many of the first amps were built for the lap steel market such as the Electar
model, seen to the right, with an Electar Hawaiian guitar. The chassis was
housed in a black leatherette cabinet that was supplied by a suitcase
manufacturer and featured hinged, detachable front and back covers to protect
the tube circuitry and the 8” speaker. The bottom mounted chassis was equipped
with an on/off switch, fuse, AC-DC control and two input jacks. The tone and
volume were meant to be controlled from the instrument directly. As the
popularity of the amplifier grew, so did the options and choices available to the
player. The Model C and Model M added tone and volume controls as well as 10”
and 12” speakers.
1936 saw the Super AC-DC featuring the stylistic E logo. The cab was covered
with Keratol, a vinyl like finish material, and had “Detacho” back and front panels.
This Electar amp was rated at 30 watts with a 12” speaker. The catalogue stated,
“This amplifier is custom built and is the ultimate for AC-DC operation. The
tremendous volume is sufficient to fill the largest hall and is used in large
orchestras.” The Special, introduced in ’37 is quickly followed by the Coronet and
the Century.

As the electric guitar took over on the bandstand, the Century became a favored
amp among guitarists. An extremely striking furniture grade cabinet that
employed figured maple came complete with a metal handle located on the top.
With rear mounted controls, it was perfect for orchestra work where the guitarist
placed the amp in front of his music stand.

The Century, with its elegant good looks, became an instant success for
Epiphone and could be seen on stages around the world. Players such
as Al Hendrickson of the Artie Shaw Band, Lloyd Gillson with Sammy
Kaye, Harold Aloma with the Tommy Dorsey Band, Al Caiola and George Van
Eps, Father of the 7 string guitar, were all endorsing the Century.

Next in the lineup was the Zephyr. Introduced in 1939, this amp featured an
angled back so that better projection could be achieved. At 22 ½” tall, the Zephyr
was tailored to fit into the existing look that dance bands were using at that time.
The controls had now been moved to the top of the amp making it far more
convenient for the player to make adjustments to the dials. The back panel was
cut with slots to allow rear speaker dispersion and better ventilation for the tubes.
A higher powered Dreadnaught version of the Zephyr was also available.
 The most famous player to use an
Epiphone amplifier would have to be
Django Reinhardt, seen below. This
photo, taken from rare film footage, shows
Django playing a natural Epiphone Zephyr
through an Electar Zephyr Dreadnaught.
During his only trip to the United States in
1946, Django acquired the Dreadnaught
while visiting the Epiphone factory at West
14th Street in New York City. Reinhardt’s
immortal works are well known, but it is
his electric recordings created towards the
end of his life which are the rarest. As the
premier Gypsy Jazz guitarist, Django has influenced players throughout the world
with his blistering technique and haunting melodies. Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, BB
King, John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Les Paul, Charlie Christian, and Wes
Montgomery all site Reinhardt as a major influence.

The back cover of the Neil Young record “Harvest” showcased a 1936 Electar
Zephyr amp that was used on the album. Released in 1972, Harvest yielded a
number of hits including, Heart of Gold, Old Man and Alabama, turning this
recording into the best-selling album of ’72. Neil purchased the Zephyr for Jack
Nitzsche, Young’s pianist/producer then with Crazy Horse.