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Topic: Epiphone Electar Zephyr - electronics?? |
John Keefe
From:
New York City, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2024 12:49 pm |
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Hello Learned Scholars of Lap Steels,
A few months ago I stopped selling my guitars, and started buying them again. I like buying better.
One new model is an Epiphone Electar Zephyr, of unknown vintage (but serial number 7200). It looks great, and is in fine condition. Probably not played much.
It sounds OK, but only with lots of amplification. I will probably send the pickup off to one of the rebuilders cited in these pages.
I'm no expert -- that's why I write to you -- but the other electronics are a puzzle. The tone potentiometer is two pots stacked one on top of the other. Also the tone pot has its own capacitor. And the lugs on the pot seem to follow a different order from those of today, that is, the path in and out. (I tried adding a picture but it did not go.)
The volume pot has its own capacitor too, and a different wiring pattern. Then there is a big capacitor bridged between the two.
I wonder if any readers are familiar with the electronics of that day -- let's say early 40s -- and if there is anything they were doing then that you feel is superior to the simpler circuits of today.
Thanks for your thoughts.
John Keefe
New York City
_________________
Gibson Console Grande, Gibson CG530, Stringmaster Quad, Laps from Richenbacker, Gibson, Supro, Hofner, and Epiphone; Plus trace amounts of musical acumen and good sense. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 18 Feb 2024 4:58 pm Epi tone controls
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I used to have a 1937 Epi Electar Model M with a horse-shoe pickup. It had 2 tone controls and a volume.
One tone was "treble cut" and the other was "bass cut".
Yours with a dual-pot is possibly both treble & bass cut (in opposite directions).
That's my guess at least 
Post a picture.
_________________
"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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John Keefe
From:
New York City, USA
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Posted 20 Feb 2024 12:40 pm
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 I'm adding some pictures to my earlier post.
As noted, there is a capacitor on the tone pot (which seems to be two pots stacked together), the volume pot, and one between the two. I wonder if the design of the pots has changed since 1942, as the leads going in and out don't seem to follow the rules (as least to my limited knowledge). The guitar works, though.
If anyone has insight on how these are wired, I'm grateful to know that. Otherwise, enjoying seeing how complicated things were in 1942.
John Keefe
New York City
_________________
Gibson Console Grande, Gibson CG530, Stringmaster Quad, Laps from Richenbacker, Gibson, Supro, Hofner, and Epiphone; Plus trace amounts of musical acumen and good sense. |
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