1957 Gibson's parent company, Chicago Musical Instrument, buys Epiphone for $20,000. The purpose is to acquire Epiphone's bass production equipment, but CMI makes Epiphone a division of Gibson and revives the Epiphone name on guitars. A full line of newly designed acoustics and electrics is unveiled in 1958. Epiphone production is moved into Gibson's factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1960. Longtime Epi endorser Al Caiola gets his own model in 1963 and plays it on his hit records of the themes from Bonanza and The Magnificent Seven.
taken from the Epiphone website
http://www.gibson.com/products/epiphone/archive/epihistory/history.htmlYes Epiphone is a division of Gibson.
Lucille is a signature model Gibson Guitar. The Epiphone Lucille is a copy of the Gibson at a lower price.
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