This feature was also referred to as ‘Epiphone adjustable cantilever brace’ in the description of the De Luxe model in that catalog. By 1939 it was referred to as the ‘exclusive and patented Epiphone thrust rod’ and was standard on all archtops. A patent application for an adjustable neck reinforcing rod was filed by Epi Stathopoulo on Augand was granted on February 28, 1939. Lowerline instrument necks were simply ‘reinforced’. By 1934 a ‘patented expansion truss’ was a standard catalog description in upperline Epiphone necks. Unlike the Gibson thrust-rod, the Epiphone thrust-rod does not turn the nut but the rod itself. made slimmer when the owner preferred this. Of course we have to keep in mind that some necks were modified at a later stage, e.g. Around late 1935 the necks become very narrow -1 5/8” or some even 1 9/16” at nut, advertised in the catalog as “New Solo Neck” (Emperor, De Luxe) or “New Narrower Neck” (Triumph). Around 1939-40 the necks seem to get a bit wider again and standardized at 1 11/16” wide at nut. However they vary considerably in neck profile/depth and fingerboard radius. ” I noticed that neck widths vary, but my impression is that it is more related to the manufacturing period than body size :ġ932-1935 archtops mostly have rather wide necks, around 1 3/4” at nut, including small bodies like my 13+” Zeniths and Olympic. The necks joined the bodies at the fourteenth fret and were attached by a dovetail joint. Smaller bodied guitars had slightly thinner, narrower necks. The 1950s necks retained this profile, though they were slightly fuller and the V a bit less pronounced. The necks in the early 1930s tended to be rather flat and wide and from the mid-1930s through the 1940s had a definite V-profile. The model specs in the 19 catalogs changed from “mahogany” to “cherry hardwood” or “hardwood cherry” in all models that mentioned the neck wood: Broadway, Blackstone, Olympic. Epiphone necks ranged from one piece of mahogany, to laminated mahogany, to laminated designs of curly maple and mahogany with three pieces of maple and two dividing strips of mahogany, to four parts of maple with three stripes of mahogany.