Epiphone Wilshire

History

The Wilshire was introduced in 1959 as a symmetrical, double-cut, solid body guitar with a square-edged body and two P-90 pickups. For the 1963 model year, the guitar was substantially changed to an asymmetrical shape with rounded edges and two alnico mini-humbucker pickups. It remained largely in this configuration for the remainder of its production run. In the 60s, Epiphone also experimented with new, vibrant colors such as California Coral, as seen on some 1965 Wilshires. The Wilshire was reissued from 1982 to 1985 as the Wilshire II and Wilshire III. The Wilshire II had two mini-humbucker pickups and the Wilshire III had three. Epiphone once again reissued the Wilshire beginning in 2009. Several models were introduced: the limited edition Pro, '66 Worn (with or without "tremotone" (vibrato)) and '62 USA. In 2011, Epiphone released the Frank Iero signature Wilshire "Phant-o-Matic".

Epiphone re-released the Wilshire, along with the Coronet and Crestwood in 2020. The re-issued Wilshire came with 2 P-90 pickups, and was available in two colours, being "Cherry Red" and "Ebony". Additionally, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Epiphone, a Wilshire featuring 2 mini-humbuckers was released, available only in a "Pacific Blue" colour.

Reception

Doug Robertson of Premier Guitar praised the Wilshire, saying it was "perfect for old-school garage rock." He also stated that it "is the epitome of functional design. It’s simple, durable and versatile, yet it’s stylish enough to leap off an album cover." Robertson also noted: "This neck works great for power chords and tight rhythm jabs, but it may not be the most lead-player-friendly." In reviewing the '62 Wilshire for the September 2009 issue of Guitar Player magazine, it was noted that "this thing really rings out acoustically, with a bright snap to the notes that is underpinned by a rich, woody resonance."

Notable players

• Bruce Springsteen
• Frank Iero plays a modified Epiphone Wilshire, the Epiphone Wilshire Phant-o-matic.
• Jimi Hendrix played a few Wilshires, one of which is expected to sell for over one million dollars at auction as of August, 2023.
• MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer can be seen playing an Epiphone Wilshire on the 1972 Beat Club sessions.

References

References

1. (August 2023). "Epiphone Wilshire electric guitar".
2. "Commercial Success".
3. (September 2009). "Epiphone Custom Historic 1962 Wilshire".
4. "Epiphone 1966 Worn Wilshire". Epiphone.com.
5. (August 2023). "Magazines 2023}}{{pn".
6. "Epiphone Wilshire Phant-o-Matic". Epiphone.com.
7. Martenpublished, Neville. (2021-02-16). "Epiphone Coronet, Wilshire and Crestwood Custom review".
8. "Epiphone Worn 1966 Wilshire electric guitar review".
9. [https://archive.today/20130124211700/http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/first-impression-epiphone-custom-historic-1962-wilshire/8308 First Impression: Epiphone Custom Historic 1962 Wilshire]
10. (August 31, 2018). "Old gold: 1961 Epiphone Wilshire". [[MusicRadar]].
11. (5 July 2023). "You can now own Jimi Hendrix's 1961 Epiphone Wilshire – you'll just need $1.25 million". Guitar.com.