Browse all Epiphone Guitars The Epiphone company was established in 1928 in New York City. Named after the companys president Epaminondas Stathopoulo, Epiphone was known in the 20's for a line of highly ornamental banjos. Epiphone started making electric guitars in the 1930's, and are probably best known for its archtops. The C. G. Conn company bought Epiphone in 1953 and moved production to Philadelphia. The Stathopoulo family bought the company back in 1955 but by 1957 the company had been acquired by CMI. CMI started shipping Gibson Epiphones from Kalamazoo in 1959. Norlin purchased CMI in 1969, and arranged the production of Epiphones in Japan and later Korea. Year - Serial Number 1930-32 = 10000 series 1932 = 5000 1933 = 6000 1934 = 7000 1935 = 8000 - 9000 1936 = 10000 1937 = 11000 1938 = 12000 1939-40 = 13000 1941-42 = 14000 1943 = 18000 1944 = 19000, 51000 - 52000 1945 = 52000 - 54000 1946 = 54000 - 55000 1947 = 56000 1948 = 57000 1949 = 58000 1950 = 59000 1951 & some '30s = 60000 - 63000 1952 = 64000 1953 = 64000 - 66000 1954 = 68000 1955-57 = 69000 Gibson made Epis : 1958 - 1961 1958 = A 1000 1959 = A 2000 1960-61 = A 3000 / A 4000 Tell us what you're looking for! Immediate Response!