Epiphone Joe Pass, Coming Soon to a Ch Willie Near You

[ch willie]

Around 2001, I bought an Epiphone Joe Pass. I was in Germany, playing in a jazz band. I threw in some Gibson pups and got so many compliments on the sound. Folks couldn't believe that an Epi, whatever the faults of materials and construction, could sound like such a quality jazz box. A guy in my band had a custom made box that cost thousands, and he admitted that the Joe Pass sounded as good if not better than his. I don't know about that, but I do know that it was a warm guitar, and I missed it when I had to sell it.

During the last year, I've thought about that guitar a lot. I have my Eastman Jazz box, but it's more Django than Wes, so I saw this beauty on Reverb, made a good offer, and it'll be here soon.

[phantomman]

A very vintage vibe......I like it!

[ch willie]

A very vintage vibe......I like it!

Thanks. I dig the natural finish. It's an Uptown Sat'd'y Night instrument for sure.

[OldStrummer]

Whoa, stop me in my tracks!!! Dead stop. That's a fabulously gorgeous guitar, Bill! Left-handed, to boot. Enjoy the snot out of it!!!

[ch willie]

Whoa, stop me in my tracks!!! Dead stop. That's a fabulously gorgeous guitar, Bill! Left-handed, to boot. Enjoy the snot out of it!!!

Thanks. The snot will be thereby played out ... of.....or something :)

[ch willie]

Fellers, I don't think I'll need to change the pickups, tho one should live with the guitar a while before final pronouncements of any sort. But there's not the mud I heard from the one I had in the early 00s. It's warm and melodic. I haven't really put it through it's paces yet, but so fer so good. The neck is big and round, pretty comfortable. No bad dings, neck is straight, no intonation issues. Stays in tune. It also doesn't look as goopy as the sunburst model I had. That one looked like it had been glazed by Krispy Kreme. This one is shiny, but it doesn't look like it's encased in the stuff.

I a/b'd it with my Eastman Uptown jazz box, which sounds more like a 20s type of hollow body, again, somewhat like a Django tone. Excellent for some music that I play. The Epiphone grabs the other sort.

I will put new strings on it when I finally draw a second out of the stingy clock I run on these days.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the purchase.