EPIPHONE CRESTWOOD CUSTOM
review
EPIPHONE CORONET, WILSHIRE & CRESTWOOD CUSTOM
84
GUITARIST FEBRUARY 2021
The Coronet’s single pickup is a dog-ear
P-90 Pro, which we already know is a great-
sounding, fat-toned single coil, here mated
to quality CTS pots and heavy-duty output
jack. The wrapover bridge/tailpiece is the
same compensated ‘Lightning Bar’ that
Gibson fitted to certain SGs in the 60s, and is
a preferable alternative to the basic stopbar
that lacks individual string intonation.
Moving up a rung we come to the
Wilshire. Essentially a double-P-90
version of the Coronet, it’s based around an
identical platform but with two ‘soapbar’
style P-90 Pros linked to twin volume
and tone pots. The three-way pickup
selector toggle and jack socket are located
in the same cluster. Here, the pickguard
is single-ply faux tortoise and we find a
regular tune-o-matic style bridge that
Epiphone calls the ‘LockTone’, with
standard stud tailpiece. The finish is black,
and just like the Coronet’s classic Cherry, is
perfectly buffed to a bright gloss.
Moving on up to the top-of-the-range
Crestwood Custom, this is the most
different of this trio. Visually, what one
notices first is the clear plastic pickguard
with large white centre stripe – actually
painted onto the underside so the top is
perfectly smooth. On this Cherry finish
5. On the Wilshire we fi nd
a pair of Epiphone P-90
Pros; these are powerful
and fruity sounding
and here they are black
‘soapbar’ style. Note the
single-ply faux-tortoise
pickguard and ‘E’ logo
6. The Wilshire’s bridge
and tailpiece follow the
Gibson norm. Epiphone
calls this tune-o-matic
the LockTone. Two
volumes and tones
sit with the three-way
toggle and jack socket
6
5
There’s a real sense of
purpose to these simple
designs. The black Wilshire
here looks ready to plug in
GIT468.rev_epi.indd 84 18/12/2020 11:39