JANUARY 15- 18, 2009

Puddle of Mudd , Archer, Duke Robillard, Dave Specter & Steve Freund and Bad Influence Host Exclusive Epiphone Party at PULSE Lounge

Nashville, Tennessee….January 5, 2009….Epiphone Guitar, one of the Gibson family of brands, continues its tradition of bringing quality to music enthusiasts by offering several new models at this year’s NAMM show including exclusive limited edition Custom Vintage models, the new Zakk Wylde ZV Custom Electric, the Apparition by Marcus Henderson and the Vintage Custom 1962 Wilshire Reissue.

This year Epiphone will offer guests the opportunity to pick up and play a collection of new Epiphone models which have the industry buzzing. Epiphone will display the Zakk Wylde ZV Custom Electric guitar outfit. From his early work with Ozzy Osbourne to his seminal playing with Black Label Society to his distinctive solo outings, Zakk Wylde has distinguished himself as one of the most fiery and furious lead players in all of rock. The Five-Time Most Valuable Metal Guitarist of all time has joined Epiphone to produce the Zakk Wylde ZV Custom. Guests at CES can channel their inner metal-rock self and play one of these special Epiphone models on site.

Also offered by Epiphone will be the Marcus Henderson Apparition model. Henderson best known as the heavy-metal guitar player behind a majority of guitar parts in highly successful video games, has joined forces with Epiphone to design and create the new Apparition signature guitar. With a shape reminiscent of an Explorer or Futura, the new Apparition guitar takes guitar design to the extreme and offers a unique patented All Access™ heel contour and high performance pickups, controls and hardware to create a guitar that is perfect for anyone. Epiphone will also have many of their most popular models at CES and guests are encouraged to come by and rock out with each and every one.

Building along the long-term success of the Thunderbird Bass, Epiphone will introduce the new professional series Thunderbird PROs, available in both 4 and 5 string versions. The original rock and roll bass with the distinctive shape combines traditional design elements with new technology – all for a price any bassist can afford. The Epiphone Thunderbird PRO features a seven-piece (Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut) neck with through-body construction for amazing sustain and tone. It also features Epiphone’s new T-Pro™ bass humbucking pickups with custom active electronics and EQ.

Epiphone’s Historic Custom USA collection wll make its debut at NAMM 2009 with the introduction of the Epiphone 1962 Wilshire Vintage Reissue model. Original Wilshire guitars sold for an MSRP of $210 and are now worth anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on condition. The first in the Epiphone Historic Custom series, the reissue 1962 Wilshire will be produced in cherry finish and made in Nashville in cooperation with the Gibson Custom Shop and limited to only 100 instruments worldwide. Available in March 2009, the Epiphone 1962 Reissue Vintage Wilshire model combines impeccable attention to detail and historic accuracy. Each guitar will include an original style hard case, a numbered certificate of authenticity, vintage styled coiled guitar cord, commemorative picks, a commemorative t-shirt and a 1962-style thing leather strap.

Epiphone will host an exclusive invitation only party on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel’s PULSE Lounge featuring headliner Puddle of Mudd. Originally formed in Kansas City in 1993, Puddle of Mudd sold more than 100,000 copies of their debut album “Come Clean” in its first week of release. The album went on to sell more than two million copies and remained on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart for more than a year. To date the band has sold more than 7 million albums and have had a string of #1 rock singles in the U.S.

Their latest release “Famous” was released in 2007. Visit www.puddleofmudd.com for information on the band. The party kicks off at 7:30pm and features a line-up of premier Epiphone artists including Bad Influence, Dave Specter and Steve Fruend, Duke Robillard, Archer and many other special guest appearances. The Pulse Lounge is located at the Hilton Hotel Anaheim on the Main Floor on 777 Convention Way. To RSVP go to www.epiphone.com or passes will be available by an Epiphone representative at the NAMM Show booth.

Epiphone artists including Twisted Sister’s Jay Jay French and the one-of-a-kind power rock trio Archer will visit the Epiphone booth at NAMM located on the 3rd floor of the convention center. For details on all artist visits a full schedule of appearances will be available daily at the booth. Archer, Epiphone’s feature band, just came off successful performances at Germany’s Bang Your Head metal festival where they shared the stage with “Heaven & Hell” and “Sweden Rock” with Judas Priest.

Press photos of all new models available at www.epiphone.com/press/new2009.html or www.gibson.com/press.

Zakk Wylde SGV - EB: here
Zakk Wylde SGV - Bullseye: here
Marcus Henderson Apparition: here
Thunderbird Pro IV - NO: here
Thunderbird Pro IV - TB: here
Thunderbird Pro IV - VS: here
Thunderbird Pro V - NO: here
USA Wilshire Reissue: here

 

About Epiphone:
Epiphone fretted instruments, amplifiers, strings and accessories are known worldwide for offering the best combination of quality, performance and value. One of Gibson’s most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson Guitar in 1957. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Epiphone is part of the Gibson family of brands. For more information on Epiphone go to www.epiphone.com

CONTACTS:
Caroline Galloway/ GIBSON 615-423-4904 caroline.galloway@gibson.com

Joe Schneider/Rogers & Cowan 310-854-8140 jschneider@rogersandcowan.com