Epiphone Announces the Marcus King El Dorado
The Epiphone El Dorado acoustic has long held a special place among musicians and collectors thanks to its rich heritage, exceptional craftsmanship, and distinctive character. Marcus King, renowned guitarist, singer, songwriter, and GRAMMY®-nominated artist, paid tribute to this legendary instrument, which was his first-ever guitar, with his 2020 Americana album El Dorado, underscoring its lasting influence and creative spirit.
Now, Epiphone proudly introduces the Marcus King El Dorado, a faithful homage to King’s original guitar. This limited-edition model captures the essence of the vintage El Dorado while offering modern reliability and performance. It features a square-shoulder dreadnought body with solid rosewood back and sides and a solid spruce top, delivering a warm, resonant tone that improves with age. The body is accented with four-ply top binding and single-ply back binding. A 25.5” scale mahogany neck with a comfortable Cprofile and headstock volute joins the body via a traditional dovetail joint. The headstock sports a 70s MIJ-inspired shape, a bone nut, Epiphone Deluxe tuners with metal buttons, and a mother-of-pearl Epiphone logo.
The three-ply bound rosewood fingerboard includes 20 frets and rounded-corner block inlays in mother-of-pearl. The belly-down rosewood bridge features a compensated bone saddle and black pins, along with custom inlays of South Carolina’s outline and Tennessee’s Tri-Star emblem, personal touches honoring Marcus King’s roots. Completing the look is a custom pickguard modeled after the one on King’s vintage El Dorado.
For stage and studio readiness, the Marcus King El Dorado comes equipped with an L.R. Baggs™ Element Bronze under-saddle pickup and preamp, with discreet volume and tone controls mounted at the soundhole’s edge for easy access without compromising aesthetics. Each guitar ships in a hardshell case featuring a Marcus King signature graphic, ensuring it stays protected wherever your music takes you. This is your chance to own a rare tribute to a beloved 70s-era Epiphone and one of today’s most influential artist.
A battery is not included. To power your pickup, you will need a 9-volt battery.
Highlighted Features
• All solid tonewood construction
This classic tonewood pairing of solid rosewood for the back and sides paired with a solid spruce top delivers a warm, resonant voice with clarity and depth, giving players a sound that feels alive in their hands and continues to open up over time. For guitarists, it is not just about tone, it is about forming a long-term musical relationship with an instrument that evolves alongside their playing.
• Marcus King–inspired heritage and personal detailing
From the custom inlays honoring South Carolina and Tennessee to the vintage-inspired aesthetics, this model carries Marcus King’s story into every detail.
• Comfortable C-profile mahogany neck and dovetail joint
The familiar feel of the C-profile neck and time-tested dovetail joint creates a tactile connection that feels instantly broken-in and dependable. For players, this translates to confidence and fluid expression, letting the guitar disappear and the music come forward.
• L.R. Baggs Element Bronze electronics for stage and studio
With discreet, high-quality electronics built in, this guitar transitions seamlessly from intimate songwriting to live performance. That versatility matters because it supports a guitarist’s full creative life, whether capturing a quiet idea at home or delivering it to a crowd.