1988 Gibson Epiphone Nouveau Spotlight CMT (Curly Maple Top)
This is a guitar I've owned for over 20 years. I purchased it in Grand Rapids, Michigan sometime in 1988. There's very little information available for this particular model online and virtually no markings or serial info on the guitar itself. So I decided to post whatever info I've been able to piece together in case you own a similar guitar and are looking for some background.
description
The guitar has a solid ("neck through") body made of all mahogany, with a thick curly maple top which is carved and quilted and covered in a heavy polish. The fret board is double octave (24 frets) and uses "ebonol" in place of ebony. It has nine pearl diamond inlaid fret markers and pearl engravings of the Gibson and Epiphone brand names on the headstock. The two pickups are EMG Select, controlled by a push-pull coil tap pot and single volume and tone knobs. The guitar also comes outfitted with a traditional style vibrato/tremolo.
The model I have is the CMT (curly maple top), but I have also seen one in bright red and have heard of one in white finish.
history
In 1957 Gibson bought their fierce rival Epiphone and has since then used Epiphone as its budget brand. By 1971 Gibson-Epiphone guitars were constructed outside the U.S and became an imported line. Gibson would however periodically revive the American manufacture of Epiphone guitars, including some of the last guitars made in Kalamazoo before the final move to Nashville.
Sometime around Norlin's 1987 sale of Gibson to its current owners, the decision was made to produce the Nouveau series. The Gibson Nouveaus were going to consist of cost-effective necks and bodies made in Japan and assembled and finished in Nashville. This would keep them "American made." Although the original sales literature introduces these as purely Gibson guitars, somewhere between the manufacture and finishing, they became the Epiphone Spotlight series. One possible reason for this change may have been Gibson's unease with the questionable marketing claim that these were indeed "American" made. Ironically, the change resulted in a new and rare "American-made" Epiphone.
The first Nouveau guitars introduced by Gibson were a line of flat top semi-hollow guitars under the "Nouveau by Gibson" brand in 1986. In 1987 electric guitars joined the line. By September 1987 Gibson moved the flat top Nouveaus to the Epiphone line, under the brand "Nouveau by Epiphone". The electrics were moved to Epiphone by February 1988. By early 1989 the entire Nouveau line was discontinued due to what appears to be legal issues stemming from the obvious similarities between Gibson's Nouveaus and models made by the then up and coming Maryland guitar maker Paul Reed Smith (PRS).
verdict
Thus production of the electric Gibson-Epiphone Nouveau Spotlight virtually started and stopped within the single year of 1988. I have yet to find information on how many in all were produced but the number cannot be that large. (Rarer still would be the purely Gibson Noveaus made prior to the September 1987 shift to Epiphone. There seems to be some debate among those more knowledgeable as to whether these actually exist other than a couple prototypes.)
As far as the quality and playability of the guitar I can say I originally bought this and have kept it for twenty years because I was (and remain) impressed with its sound and feel. The solid mahogany construction gives it a very distinct and weighty presence, and the action is amazingly tight and rattle free. From what I've seen elsewhere online, owners' and critics' reviews generally range from laudatory to very happy.
If you happen to have any further info or insight you'd be willing to share, feel free to add your comments below.
I have been wondering about this guitar. I have the exact same unit save mine is entirely black (which looks cool too). I love mine. Its a bit heavy though and I do find it hard on the shoulder to work an entire gig with just this guitar. With Gibsons flat wound nickel strings the action and sustain are second to none and although it was difficult to find a case for it, I do like the extra long neck.
I can't remember where but I seem to recall hearing about this line as being some sort of test bed Gibson used to determine the location of a future manufacturing facility. If I can substantiate this I'll send more info besides mere hearsay.
Just out of curiosity, although it is none of my business, do you mind telling me what yours cost you? I got mine for $200 and an eight ball of crystal meth(which I don't do but its a long story...).
Curtis Bailey
Thanks Curtis. I recall paying between $200-250 for this in 1988.
I've got one that is almost identical to yours except mine has a Steinberger bridge. I love it! I'll take a spotlight over a les paul or Paul Reed Smith any day!
Yesterday I bought a Gibson Nouveau for my granddaughter (graduation present). It was on consignment at a guitar shop. The serial # is 7810890 model NV6. I'm having a hard time finding any info. The varying inlay on the finger board seems to correspond to chords. It is a straight dreadnaught acoustic. I found 1 thread that said BB King asked for this guitar. ?? and that only 139 were made. Any info would sure be nice. It seems to have been manufactured in 1986. Thanks, Nana Susan
I have an Epiphone Spotlight similar to the first one in this thread, except the maple cap on mine is a heavy quilt pattern, rather than tiger stripe. I use a wide strap, and it doesn't feel that heavy. It's strictly stock.
I haven't felt the need to change the electronics. I like the built-in coil tap. I bought it around 1990 at Daddy's Junky Music. It has the tone and response of a guitar costing much more. If I found another one t a reasonable price, I would buy it in a New York Minute.
I had a previous Epiphone, a '62 Olympic with a mini hum and a DiMarzio Super Distortion, three on a side headstock, replaced tuners. This has been passed on to a student.
I have an Epiphone Spotlight as well. Mine is all white (pearl finish) with the Steinberger bridge. I've owned it for about 20 years. I bought it used at a little shop in Reading Ohio called "The Musical Instrument Exchange" or "TMIE". It was on consignment and I paid $170 for it with a hardshell Gibson Les Paul case. This has been my main guitar since I purchased it and I have gigged with it countless times.
The only complaint I have is the bridge. I'm not a "soloist" per say so I've never used the tremolo much and mostly I just keep it locked but this has to be one of the worst tremolos ever. It has deteriorated over time and looks pretty rough. The fine tuners are real touchy and it takes some patience to get it tuned up. Fortunately I have had no trouble with the posts bending as I have read elsewhere. I have had to shim a saddle and dress them to alleviate the occasional breaking string during live sets.
The rest of the guitar is beautiful. It has the EMG Selects with the coil tap and plays like a dream. I've never had it set up. It played awesome when I bought it and it still plays as well today. There are a few rough spots on a couple frets and I've considered having them dressed as well. Very minor stuff though.
I love this guitar and wouldn't part with it for anything, we've got lot's of history together and I really have never considered buying another guitar to replace it since I purchased it. I'm still running through the only amp I ever bought as well an Old Blue Sparkle Ampeg SS140C running stereo through a Holmes 4x12 cab. It sounds awesome. Nice sustain and real meaty low end. The neck position pickup has that warm LP sound that just makes you have to rip a few bluesy licks when you switch it on.
Recently my wife bought me an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and it is on the verge of taking over as my main axe. For the price the Epi LP custom is a sweet buy. It plays really nice and sounds fat and sweet as well. I get guitar guilt and wind up going back to the Spotlight from time to time still. I nearly purchased a second Spotlight recently that was black but the same set up as mine. My wife threatened to kill me and then divorce me and not necessarily in that order. :)
Love this guitar. The one pictured above is a beauty too. I'd kind of like to play and hear one with the strat style bridge as the tremolo has been the source of a few headaches over the years and you can forget about finding parts for it.
I didn't realize what a rare piece this was until recently, but I do know first hand why they are so loved! Nice work from Korea and Gibson!
God bless!
WOW.. i found it.. i have one of these too. I LOVE it now i know
more about it.
what is it worth.
Terry in Hawaii
I have one also, spalted maple top, vibrato tail piece, EMG Selects. Purchased in 1998 or so from a music store in Dayton, Ohio. I had the tailpiece blocked, makes it easier to stay in tune. The guitar did not come with a wiggle bar, so I could not use the vibrato anyways. This guitar is presently for sale.
i have one, paid 300 back in 1989 and still have it. i removed the steinberger tremolo unit and replaced it with a fixed bridge out of a guild s25. the hole the tremolo left, i fabricate a wood then patched it. i also replaced the pickups with 2 dimarzio humbuckers. loved the sound :)
I have almost the same spotlight as yours with the exception the neck thru is not visible from the front, I purchased mine back in 88 or 89 in Niles Illinois. Had I known that it would be such a limited run at the time I would not have modified it the way I have. I have added a single coil dimarzio in the middle position and had it outfitted with a fishman powerbridge to simulate acoustic tones. These mods make for a very versatile ax. The thing that pulled me to it initially was appearance but after playing it, the feel of the fretboard and the natural sustain, even unplugged, were the deal closers. I believe I paid right around $300 for it brand new and at this point would not sell it for any price.
I got one in a trip i made to the states back in 1992. I was trying to buy a Les Paul (used because of the low budget) and saw it. Payed 300 for it and I still have it. For years i had been looking for info. I did not know even the model. So thanks for your excellent post.
The sound in this guitar is excellent, i like it even more than Les Paul. However the bridge pickup broke and I replaced it with a Gibson Humbucker. And also replaced that extrange tremolo bridge that kept braking strings with a Les Paul bridge. It is still my principal guitar and would not sell it ever.
Dario, from Argentina.
I need to know how many of these guitars were made. Mine is exactly like the pictures.
I have a CMT like the one pictured above. Mine is stock with the exception of the EMG pick ups. I still have them, but removed them in favor of PRS Dragons. My nephew plays a PRS and when I showed the Spotlight to him, he realized why PRS laid a Cease and Desist order on Gibson. I paid 300 for mine on Ebay about 5 years ago. When I got it, the original sales slip was in the case. It was bought in 1988 at a music store in Louisiana for $388. I love this guitar!
I just bought one of these type guitars a few days ago in crossville, tn. The only difference i can see between mine and yours is that it has Burled maple for a top and and tarnished(age induced) stainles pickups as well as SS control knobs with a built in coil spliter. I was also informed that the one i have was cut and assembled in the U.S.A. as a prototype for NAMM. Looking for any info on this guitar available.
Hey all, great reading about these guitars. I have actually just located one of these that I haven't checked out yet but I can probably get it for around 250-275. Just wondering if anyone has a take on whether it would be worth picking as I am looking for a main guitar here. The sentimentality is nice, but I'm gonna need to play this thing!
thanks a lot!