Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi gang. Does anyone know anything about a line of E-Series Epiphone guitars that were designed by Kurt Hendrick (Hendricks?) in 2001, and printed in some literature, but never went into USA production? They were the Moderne, Comet, Futura, and Apollo. A quick google search yielded a few things, but all public posts I found converge on the seemingly apparent fact that they never went into production and are extremely rare, if they even exist (probably just some prototypes?).

Has anyone else even heard of these? Better yet, seen 'em? Thanks, J

I have seen a Moderne locally at a music store a few years back. It is just a copy of the original Gibson from '58. The store is a premier dealer (or what ever Gibson calls them) where they are able to go to the factory and hand pick the guitars that they sell. I have seen a number of Gibsons there not sold at other dealers.

I remember the literature about them. I might have some still around somewhere or an old Epiphone catalog from when they were really churning out the great reissues instead of the gothic dross of the current line up.

Ah, wow, I remember these! I seem to recall an ad for these in Guitar Player, way back when I first started playing guitar. Very cool.

The Comet was the one that I liked since it had the Firebird pickups. The one thing that looked like it was half-finished was the headstock design across the line. I never liked that aspect.

Right, another thread about these

The Futura was build and sold by Epiphone.
Gibson built the Modern in the early 80s, never in the 50s - it never was a big success in the 80s either, I assume.

Flying V, "Futura" (early Explorer more or less), "Moderne" were all designed end of 50s by Gibson. Only the Flying V went into regular production. Unsure is if "Futura" and "Moderne" prototypes were even build as the names were later given to the models in literature.

lennon211 wrote:The Comet was the one that I liked since it had the Firebird pickups. The one thing that looked like it was half-finished was the headstock design across the line. I never liked that aspect.

They never made it into production because you could neither hang 'em on a wall, nor sit 'em in a stand...self-relicking, as it were...

The Epiphone Moderne I saw had the original shaped headstock as the late fifties Gibson.

ken_j wrote:The Epiphone Moderne I saw had the original shaped headstock as the late fifties Gibson.

Probably a fake, or maybe an 80s Gibson, as Epis should have the hockeystick headstock!

jingle_jangle wrote:

lennon211 wrote:The Comet was the one that I liked since it had the Firebird pickups. The one thing that looked like it was half-finished was the headstock design across the line. I never liked that aspect.

They never made it into production because you could neither hang 'em on a wall, nor sit 'em in a stand...self-relicking, as it were...

I had not even thought of that!!! Perhaps that could be part of the reason they killed that model, at least? Still... I wants ones...

Side thought - would the Comet be popular in Connecticut? (Look at it sideways...)

Based on the fact no dealer was invoiced for any of the pastel coloured 4 basic Epi versions (there were also black coloured versions), I'd say the chance of running into them are small.

They were supposed to be build in the US indeed. Too bad I can't see why they were discontinued or at what date.

I like the blue Apollo, looks so toylike it's cool!

Forgot to post this link with info on the models - there's more than 4:

http://epiphone.3house.com/e-series.html

From the short Google search I did it appears the Epis were made in the '90s. I even found one for sale. http://www.fattoneguitars.com/Epiphone_ ... pre276.htm