Epiphone / Wilshire SB 432 / 1961 / Black / Guitar For Sale
Double Cutaway Solid Body with Rounded Horns. This super rare custom-color guitar weighs just 6.50 lbs. and has a nice, fat nut width of just over 1 11/16 inches and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Solid mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck with a medium-to-thin profile, and a bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Headstock with "Epiphone" metal-plate logo. Single-layer black plastic truss-rod cover. Serial number "11129" stamped onto the back of the headstock. Individual single-line Kluson Deluxe tuners (stamped on the underside "D-169400 / Patent No.") with oval white plastic buttons. Two P-90 pickups with outputs of 7.92k and 7.84k. Symmetrical tortoiseshell plastic with silver epsilon with four screws. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch, all on lower treble bout. Black plastic bell-shaped "Bell" knobs with metal tops. The three-way pickup selector switch is surrounded by a thin black plastic ring engraved with "RHYTHM" and "TREBLE." The pots are stamped "134 750" (Centralab December 1957) and the two capacitors are the original "Bumble-Bee" type. ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic non-retainer bridge with metal saddles, separate stud tailpiece. All hardware nickel-plated. The epsilon on the pickguard has oxidized but the integrity of the pickguard has not been compromised. There are a few very minor surface marks but overall this exceptionally rare custom color Wilshire is in near mint (9.25) condition. Housed in the original Epiphone brown three-latch softshell case with dark brown felt lining (8.75).
According to the Gibson records this guitar was shipped from the factory on April 4th, 1961.
The ledger entry reads: "11129........SB-432 Black................4-4-61"
This is the only factory black Epiphone Wilshire that we have ever seen…
The Wilshire, Epiphone's equivalent of the Gibson SG Special (but with the advantage of a 'Tune-O-Matic' bridge), was added to the Epiphone solid body line in 1959 at around $195.00, but by 1962 the price tag had risen to $265.00. Originally it had two white P-90 pickups, no doubt left over from the Gibson Les Paul's conversion from P-90s to metal covered humbucking pickups. The white P-90s were replaced by black P-90s (which were still in use on some Gibson's) in 1961. Later in 1963 the Wilshire's body shape became asymmetrical with the upper bass horn slightly longer than upper treble, and the headstock received six-on-a-side tuners.
Fretted Americana , USA 
We specialize in acquiring and offering the finest specimens of American vintage electric guitars with particular attention to those in their complete, original state. We are the only dealer to embrace a written code of ethics (in Terms & Conditions). We encourage you to read it.
HOW WE WORK
We want to inspire and win your trust and confidence. You don't want to have any negative surprises upon receipt of an instrument that you've invested yourself as well as your money into. Nor do you want any untoward surprises should you decide to sell it in the future.
To that end, every guitar that we offer is catalogued to a degree and depth of detail that is fast becoming the standard in the trade. When we declare an instrument to be completely original, it is. If it is not, we tell you exactly in what manner it has been altered.
We photograph each guitar at many angles to provide you with the broadest, clearest sense of its appearance. We will, upon request, provide you with images of all electronic components, inside and out.
Each guitar we acquire is skillfully and painstakingly dissected by David Brass, who is a trained luthier as well as a dealer and collector. All parts, no matter how small, are meticulously examined. We have an enviable reference library of wide breadth and scope that we refer to when necessary for crucial facts. The instrument is put under a black-light: original finish or refin? Even the most skillfully masked ding is uncovered. David then fastidiously reassembles the instrument. It is then cleaned with the finest products available for wood and metal.
An inspection certificate of authenticity signed by David is provided with every guitar you purchase.
We keep our inventory relatively small and highly select. We choose our guitars with extreme care so we can offer you the finest examples of the finest rare guitars in the world.
We are client focused to an extraordinary degree. If you expect or would like to be surprised by courteous, professional client service, we will pleased to accommodate that desire.
It is our fervent wish to establish a long-term relationship with you.
CODE OF ETHICS
We wish to establish an ongoing relationship with you based upon your trust in our knowledge and judgment.
To that end:
We meticulously inspect in detail every guitar that we offer. We check the finish, all of the electrical components, serial numbers, etc. With over thirty years of experience collecting and handling vintage guitars and our enormous reference library, we bring to bear all that is known about guitar manufacturers, models, and annual production.
We provide full, detailed descriptions and specs to each guitar.
We openly disclose any and all flaws we discover in writing. If the instrument is not completely “straight,” we will tell you so and why.
We endeavor to conduct ourselves to the highest standard of professional behavior.
We will deal fairly and ethically; no surprises, flim-flam, dubious business practices or shenanigans.
We value your sense of privacy and uphold the highest standards of discretion and respect
We allow a full 48 hour honeymoon period when you buy a guitar from us. If you are not 100% satisfied with it we will refund the purchase price in full, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
Please inspect your new guitar immediately upon receiving it. If any guitar we offer is found to be not as described, we will happily refund the full purchase price, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
