Before Gibson acquired their competitor Epiphone, Epiphone was a force to be reckoned with in the arch top game. Early 50s Jazz artists flocked to Epiphone for their ornate designs and electrification varieties. Although a laminate spruce top, the Zephyr Deluxe model was at the higher end of the offering. The cloud fretboard inlays and vine inlay within the headstock elevate the aesthetics significantly over any other laminate guitar of the time; it was likely just seen as a different construction technique that provided stability against a sunken top when routing out for pickups. In the middle position is a single pickup reading 3.9k. All of this in combination add up to a unique sounding archtop, one that early jazz artists would enjoy experimenting with. It has recently received a neck reset and potentiometer change. Comes with original case.