Post pics if you've got 'em ... and any info on things Unsung .
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Epiphone's Unsung Factory
- Thread starter msb
- Start date
Post pics if you've got 'em ... and any info on things Unsung .
My Thunderbird is from the Unsung factory, made in 2005. I've owned it for 13 years now.
D
Some Epiphones without a letter prefix in the serial number are from the Unsung factory too. These serial numbers should have 11 digits and the 5th+6th digits are the factory number.
Factory number 23 = Unsung.
Example: An Epiphone with serial number xxxx23xxxxx would have been made in the Unsung factory.
Factory number 23 = Unsung.
Example: An Epiphone with serial number xxxx23xxxxx would have been made in the Unsung factory.
Why has the story of that factory never been sung? 
That's where my '98 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Limited Edition came from.
'98 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Limited Edition
My '05 T-bird looks to be from this factory as well and it is just so well made, aside it being on the slightly heavy side and my personal preference of wanting to upgrade the pickups, that I have never once in the last 15 years thought about selling it.
Where did you find this info? I'm not claiming it's wrong, just contradictory to the internet folklore I've seen which is:
23= Samick's Indonesian plant
12 and 20 are the Chinese DaeWon and Unsung factories but which is which is up for debate.
The accuracy of that is debatable though since also states the 08+ Epiphones with no letters in the serial should have 11 digits but my MIC T-bird is only 10. Could be that they only added the 11th digit once production passed 9999 guitars for the year.
D
Ooops, sorry, you're right, I made a mistake. I meant factory code 21 = Unsung.
Thanks for correcting me. It's too late to edit my post above so please just ignore it.
If the OPs basses are U it means they must come from from the Unsung Korea factory though, not Unsung China.
21 (or U) means Unsung Korea.
Unsung China is UC and maybe also 20 but like you said nobody seems to know for certain whether 20 means Unsung China or DaeWon.
23 is indeed Samick Indonesia, like you said.
Here's the full list of factory codes and serial number formats for anyone who is interested:
http://www.epiphonewiki.org/index/Epiphone_Serial_Number_Decoding.php
Well, this thread made me dig out my old Helmet albums. Nothing to add, but that Rumblecat is awesome.
I have a new Epiphone Viola--my third one--and it's the best one I've had so far. Back in 2000 I had a Korean made model, but this new one has a better fit and finish. Bought from Sweetwater and paid to have the LaBella Beatle flats put on prior to delivery. I've had other really well made Epiphones, including the long gone Ripper copy which I now wish I'd kept.
DW = DaeWon (China)
EA = Gibson/QuingDao (China) Acoustics
EE = Gibson/QuingDao (China) Electrics
MC = Muse (China)
SJ = SaeJung (China)
I = Saein [Often referred to as "shine" ] (Korea)
R = Peerless (Korea)
S = Samick (Korea)
U = Unsung (Korea)
B = Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic)
F = Fine Guitars Plant, Korea
EA = Gibson/QuingDao (China) Acoustics
EE = Gibson/QuingDao (China) Electrics
MC = Muse (China)
SJ = SaeJung (China)
I = Saein [Often referred to as "shine" ] (Korea)
R = Peerless (Korea)
S = Samick (Korea)
U = Unsung (Korea)
B = Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic)
F = Fine Guitars Plant, Korea
Beautiful! I have two Unsung - Korea Epis, a beautiful ‘07 Limited Edition Custom Shop Thunderbird in Pelham Blue and an ‘09 Limited Edition Custom Shop Thunderbird in Silverburst. Both are wonderful high quality basses. I also have an Unsung - China Goth that is also very nice. They made great instruments, the quality of which well exceeded their price points. If I’m not mistaken, they closed operations in ‘16. Here are my two beauties:
Don't know about Unsung, but here's my Unstrung Epiphone 'batwing' Accu-bass (not with Precision but with Accuracy.) Circa mid-nineties.
Found this topic today and was excited because I have one of these Unsung beauties aswell. Disappointed a bit how short this topic was so heres my attempt to keep it up.
This bass is my second bass ever and has been with me from new. Made in January -06 so in one year it can buy its own booze here in Finland. The quality is great, the weather doesn't affect it much, in all these years it hasn't visited luthier once. Have to admit that this hasn't been my main bass in far over a decade, but I've been planning to make it one again, currently strung in BEAD. All original, except moved the strap-pin from the shoulder to behind the neck. Didn't solve the neck-dive but helped a lot.
This bass is my second bass ever and has been with me from new. Made in January -06 so in one year it can buy its own booze here in Finland. The quality is great, the weather doesn't affect it much, in all these years it hasn't visited luthier once. Have to admit that this hasn't been my main bass in far over a decade, but I've been planning to make it one again, currently strung in BEAD. All original, except moved the strap-pin from the shoulder to behind the neck. Didn't solve the neck-dive but helped a lot.
