Description
Epiphone Zenith 1934The Zenith was marketed as one of Epiphone?s ?student? models throughout its long production run. First introduced in 1931-32 as a very small bodied 13 5/8? archtop it was enlarged to 14 ?? and then to 16 3/8? by the later 1930?s. All had carved spruce tops but were first introduced with laminated maple backs giving way to laminated walnut backs and a size increase to 14 ?? by 1934. This transitional example has an early 1934 serial number and has the newer walnut back but is still built in the earlier 13 5/8? size. The unusual greenish color looks that way due to fading over time. Under the pickguard is revealed a darker olive-brown color that indicates something closer to how it might have looked when it was new.Courtesy of D. Buettner