Epiphone Elitist models were made by Terada to an exceptionally high quality level for only a few years in the mid-1980's.     The Byrdland was top of the Elitist range.   

Elitist Byrdlands were a massive success,  to the extent that they hurt Gibson's sales of its own Byrdland model.    Consequently the Elitist was withdrawn a few years later in order to protect the Gibson model.   

As a result, the Elitist legacy is a small pool of very rare, exceptional guitars that have become legendary and are now highly sought-after.   

The Spec of the Elitist Byrdland is exactly like the Gibson Byrdland with short 23.5" scale on a 2.25 thinline body.    The top is carved solid Spruce with AAA flamed Maple back and sides.   The fingerboard is Ebony.   

The Epiphone Elitist Byrdland Guitar is one of the all-time most-revered hollowbodies with astounding appointments and peerless tone.

 

 

 

This one is gorgeous!   Apart from the Epiphone name, it is a Byrdland.   It looks like a Byrdland,  it feels like a Byrdland and it plays like a Byrdland except, perhaps, that these USA made 50S pickups are a little brighter than the  PAF '57 humbuckers specified on the Gibson version.   Gibson's 50S  USA humbuckers are sealed in wax to eliminate internal feedback and are 24K gold-plated.

It is absolutely Mint (well, one tiniest mark you just won't find) and is presented complete with its original Mint case and some tags and warrantee.