The Stathopoulo family emigrated to the US in 1903, landing as most did in New York. His business was also a repair shop, and he trained his sons - Epaminondas and Orpheus - in the family arts. The founder was a Greek instrument maker named Anastasios Stathopoulo, whose early products included violins and various varieties of Mediterranean lute such as the Oud and the Laouto. This was in 1873, just 8 years after the end of the American Civil War (and right in the middle of the ‘Wild West’, timewise!), just for a little context! The company actually started in Izmir, Turkey, which was known back then as Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire. Yes! They predate many of the heritage guitar brands we all know, such as Gibson (founded in 1894) and Gretsch (1883).
Today, we want to show you the brand-new USA-made Epiphone Casino guitars (the first in a very long time!), but before we do that, it’s perhaps fitting to allow ourselves a little journey into the past, to discover the origin story of Epiphone.Įpiphone is over 140 years old.
Not only that, they were once Gibson’s biggest rival! BRAND NEW Epiphone USA Casino PLUS A Short History of Epiphone
