Epiphone ES-295 - Big, Bold and Gold!

**dreamingJazz** · 11-12-2021, 08:26 PM

So, I have a list called “Affordable Unicorns”. This is a list of guitars from different manufacturers from specific years of productions which I really like.

They dont cost a lot, sometimes they do when they’re in pretty good condition, but they’re tough to find!

At very near the top of the list is this, One of the rare reissues from Epiphone, Peerless Factory made in 1997. Ive been looking for one close to 4 years already!!!

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

It’s one of the very first batch due to have a Single fret side-dot marker on the 12th fret..

then some key features I like are; small F-hole and most importantly they got it right with the body shape and Florentine cutaway which is very close to Gibsons. I love Florentine cutaways and this has the more beautiful fish-hook shape than the second version (bigger f-hole) and the Premium one.

Body depth is thinner and knob placements are not correct for this model, well, you cant have everything. Hehe. The consolation is the pickups have been changed to standard Lollar P90’s which sounds great! Rosewood fretboard is outstanding and not cheap looking!

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

Resonance and overall feel is close the Gibson, but my 330 takes the cake for the overall build quality and feels better. Both put together well. The neck feels nice and fast.

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Cleaned and oiled the fretboard, and polished the frets! Now it plays EVEN better!

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and the common sickness among P90 dog ear pickups! The volume balance between neck and bridge!! Good thing I still have spare shims from Lollar for my 330.

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that’s better! Bridge pickup is now rocking!

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Its very rare to find one let alone, one in excellent condition with a price thats not bloated out of this world. So i think I got lucky with this one!

**Crm114** · 11-12-2021, 08:39 PM

Congratulations on a great score I really like guitars with P 90s

there’s a rather special story behind the origin of the ES 295 I think I read the story and Tom Wheeler‘s book American guitars

back when Les Paul was really hot and famous he went to visit some sick kid in a hospital and this guy was dying and wanted to play Guitar. Les contacted gibdon and had them make him a gold ES 175 and that was how ES295 came about. too bad for the kid he passed away before they were able to give him the guitar

BigMike

**dreamingJazz** · 11-12-2021, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by Crm114

Congratulations on a great score I really like guitars with P 90s

there’s a rather special story behind the origin of the ES 295 I think I read the story and Tom Wheeler‘s book American guitars

back when Les Paul was really hot and famous he went to visit some sick kid in a hospital and this guy was dying and wanted to play Guitar. Les contacted gibdon and had them make him a gold ES 175 and that was how ES295 came about. too bad for the kid he passed away before they were able to give him the guitar

BigMike

oh wow!

i didnt know this! Thanks for this special info!

i fell in love with the 295 ever since Ive seen one! I wasnt able to play it, heck I wouldnt touch a 10000 dollar guitar if I dont have the cash to buy it if I drop it or something!

but I came close to getting one when a 90’s CS Gibson ES-295 reissue came up for sale and The seller agreed to trade the 330 + cash on top, however I backed out as the 330 had huge sentimental value for me.

i knew about the Epiphone reissues but the Peerless models are the ones im really after, so im glad I found one after all these years of low-key hunting.

**73Fender** · 11-13-2021, 07:47 AM

It's a beauty, I love the vibe. Congrats.

**Woody Sound** · 11-13-2021, 08:27 AM

Is that headstock bound, or just beveled? Either way it looks way cool!

**jumpnblues** · 11-13-2021, 09:18 AM

295s are really cool guitars. Huge congrats!

**citizenk74** · 11-13-2021, 02:03 PM

Great score! Congratulations, and play it in good health!

**dreamingJazz** · 11-14-2021, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by 73Fender

It's a beauty, I love the vibe. Congrats.

thank you sir!

**dreamingJazz** · 11-14-2021, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Is that headstock bound, or just beveled? Either way it looks way cool!

not bound, and the sides where the gold color is the only area where it’s bevelled

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

**dreamingJazz** · 11-14-2021, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by jumpnblues

295s are really cool guitars. Huge congrats!

thank you sir!

i feel really cooler finding it! Hehe

**dreamingJazz** · 11-14-2021, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

Great score! Congratulations, and play it in good health!

yessir I will!!

the Lollars sound amazing in this!!

**dreamingJazz** · 11-23-2021, 12:34 PM

Finally new gold parts came in to replace some crappy hardwares..

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I never use the Bigsby so out it goes and Allparts Trapeze in. Just FYI, it’s not a direct fit. The top 2 screw holes on the trapeze plate are 0.5mm wider than the existing holes, so i had to kind of skew the screw a bit. It fits okay.

The strap button screw however needed to be elongated. As the trapeze plate bottom screw hole is about 2-3mm lower than the existing hole. I had to get my metal rasps and slowly shave away and make a vertical oblong shape hole so i can screw in the new strap button. It wont be seen anyway due to the strap button covering it.

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

The original bushings were pushed so tight that when I tried to wiggle it out, no matter how slow and careful, it still took some damage off. The areas where the A, D and high E strings got the finish flaked off. Its bugging me, but I did my best, oh well, i think Id keep the guitar anyway. I’ll have it fixed when it’s time for a refret or refinish. Lol.

Gotoh SD90’s are also not a direct fit. The original bushings are smaller so i had to enlarge the holes a bit to fit the new gold bushings. Also, i think the Gotoh’s posts are shorter. I use 11-52’s and the low E string cant be wound more than 2.5 wraps. Other strings are fine.

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Screwing in the tuners, i made a mistake of screwing it tightly that it cracked the finish and I broke one of the screws in half on the G string tuner. So the other half is buried. The other screw is fine and tight. This might be an expensive fix to match the finish, given it’s metallic gold, so I’ll probably have it done in 3-4 years or never. Its securely in place, but just worried about the tuner itself. Lol. Anyone know a good solution/fix to broken screws buried in a hole? Lol

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My goodness, i didnt know Bigsby screw diameters are so big. Lol. Its a gaping hole! Id probably get some short gold screws to put into these holes, or I’ll just leave it as it is. There’s really nothing I can do about it.

i also had to use existing chrome bridge posts. The Gotoh GE103B bridge is the only part that drops right in, however the posts included in this is soooo ridiculously long. And I have no saw to shorten it. So, i used the existing posts. Lol.

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

Overall, not much work done, made some booboos but, I didnt destroy the guitar.. maybe needs a fix here and there, also I didnt drill new holes for the trapeze- which I’m happy with - and I like this so much better.

Uncluttered, simple and stable. It looks great with gold on gold.

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

Only one big screw hole is visible, but really not an issue. It is what it is. Heheh.

happy how it turned out. I like the aesthetics of the Trapeze rather than the busy looking Bigsby. And I just wished I was more careful screwing the tuners in! LOL

**citizenk74** · 11-23-2021, 01:24 PM

Inlay that screw hole with a great big emerald. Flaunt it!

**Woody Sound** · 11-23-2021, 02:03 PM

Gold on gold, YES! I always thought the original LP goldtops should have had gold hw.

**Gitfiddler** · 11-23-2021, 03:53 PM

Some guitars were made to be modified. That ES-295 now has your personal touches, and the end result is very nice.

Have fun and make beautiful music with it.

**dreamingJazz** · 11-23-2021, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

Inlay that screw hole with a great big emerald. Flaunt it!

i’m still thinking what will i put in that screw hole! Hehe.

**dreamingJazz** · 11-23-2021, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Gold on gold, YES! I always thought the original LP goldtops should have had gold hw.

I have not seen those original LP’s and 295’s in brand new condition, so i really dont know if they came with gold hw. Id presume they would!

but i like gold on gold and gold on black!

**dreamingJazz** · 11-23-2021, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Gitfiddler

Some guitars were made to be modified. That ES-295 now has your personal touches, and the end result is very nice.

Have fun and make beautiful music with it.

thank you sir! I’m actually not one to modify a guitar, but this one really screamed at me to get gold hardwares!

and it looks even more beautiful to me than I imagined! I wished they didnt put a B70 bigsby on it! Hehe

**whispernot** · 07-07-2022, 03:28 PM

Hello dreamingjazz. That's a beautiful 295! Can you do me a huge favor and confirm the body depth? I can't find this info on the web. I can't seem to find an Epiphone 295 that I can afford, so I'm considering getting a Peerless Gigmaster SC, which has a depth of 2.84". I've heard the Epi 295 body depth is narrower than the original Gibson 295s, which measured 3.38". Thanks in advance!

**dreamingJazz** · 07-07-2022, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by whispernot

Hello dreamingjazz. That's a beautiful 295! Can you do me a huge favor and confirm the body depth? I can't find this info on the web. I can't seem to find an Epiphone 295 that I can afford, so I'm considering getting a Peerless Gigmaster SC, which has a depth of 2.84". I've heard the Epi 295 body depth is narrower than the original Gibson 295s, which measured 3.38". Thanks in advance!

the body depth is 2.75 inch.

the best guitar to compare the dimensions is the Gretsch G5420 which essentially the same, but different shape. Lol

i’m not sure how much changes are with the Peerless Gigmaster SC. It was the second choice because they’re made by Peerless too, but the florentine cutaway is different and the first version of the Epiphone 295 which is whats in this thread, has a better shape and closer to the Gibson 295’s shape.

**citizenk74** · 07-08-2022, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by whispernot

Hello dreamingjazz. That's a beautiful 295! Can you do me a huge favor and confirm the body depth? I can't find this info on the web. I can't seem to find an Epiphone 295 that I can afford, so I'm considering getting a Peerless Gigmaster SC, which has a depth of 2.84". I've heard the Epi 295 body depth is narrower than the original Gibson 295s, which measured 3.38". Thanks in advance!

**whispernot** · 07-21-2022, 03:28 PM

Thank you very much for the info! Yes, I am more inclined to wait for a deal to spring up on an Epi 295, but that doesn't happen very often these days.

**citizenk74** · 07-21-2022, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by whispernot

Thank you very much for the info! Yes, I am more inclined to wait for a deal to spring up on an Epi 295, but that doesn't happen very often these days.