Paul Gilbert: Epiphone Worn 1966 Wilshire Electric Guitar Review

NB this is not Paul Gilbert's new custom guitar, but is the model of guitar that made PAul Gilber famous all those years ago with Racer X.

Radios Appear

The first thing that popped into my head after flipping open the case of the Worn 1966 Wilshire was the image of the Australian band Radio Birdman’s debut LP Radios Appear (Trafalgar, 1977). Front and center was the guitar player, coolly holding an Epiphone Wilshire. Almost immediately, songs came pouring forth from my memory: “Man with Golden Helmet,” “Descent into the Maelstrom,” and the underground punk classic, “Aloha Steve and Danno,” with the obligatory searing rendition of the Hawaii 5-0 theme appearing as the middle eighth. It was certainly a mainstay in my high-school-era Oldsmobile Omega (albeit in its portable 8 track form.) Upon further research, I learned that Radio Birdman’s lead guitarist Deniz Tek was actually playing an Epiphone Crestwood Deluxe with three pickups, but pickup complement aside it’s virtually the same guitar, and certainly has the same vibe.

Racer X 1987 Scarified