The Guitar That Thinks It's an Acoustic — and Plays Like One Too
There's a specific kind of guitar player problem: you love the sound of an acoustic, but the moment you step near a stage monitor, feedback turns your set into a noise experiment. Chet Atkins had a hand in solving that decades ago, and Epiphone's SST Studio carries that same idea forward. Chambered mahogany body, maple top, no soundhole — just clean, amplified acoustic tone that holds together at real stage volumes.
This vintage Epiphone Chet Atkins SST is in Very Good condition. We noted some normal play wear and some white marks on the bottom of guitar.
The SST Studio's single-cutaway body is slim and comfortable — more like a semi-hollow electric in your hands than a traditional acoustic box. Its 24.75" scale and set mahogany neck make it feel immediately familiar to anyone coming from an electric background, while the piezo pickup system handles the acoustic translation. The result is a guitar that fits neatly into situations where neither a mic'd acoustic nor a full electric quite cuts it.
A Body Built Around Feedback Resistance
The chambered mahogany body with maple top is the heart of the SST concept. Without a traditional soundhole, the guitar eliminates the primary feedback path that plagues hollow-body acoustics on loud stages. The chambering keeps the body lively — there's genuine acoustic resonance at play — while the solid maple top provides the structural stability that makes the whole design work.
The body binding and single-cutaway shaping give it a finished, professional look. Players who've lived with this guitar often note how the slim profile makes it comfortable for long sets, both sitting and standing. It doesn't have the depth of a dreadnought or jumbo, which is precisely the point.
Neck and Playability
The set mahogany neck connects firmly to the body and contributes warmth to the overall character. The rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays keeps things clean and practical, and the 1.68" nut width sits right in the sweet spot for steel-string players — familiar without being cramped. The 24.75" scale length is the same as a Les Paul, giving the fretting hand a slightly shorter reach and a little more string compliance under the fingers.
The single-cutaway design gives comfortable access up the neck, and the cutaway fingerboard end extends playability into the upper register. Gold hardware throughout, including diecast tuners, completes the package visually.
Electronics: Piezo and Passive Controls
The SST Studio uses a piezo undersaddle pickup with a passive volume and tone control setup mounted on the upper bout. It's a straightforward, reliable system — no batteries required, no active preamp to worry about. Plug into a clean acoustic amp or a DI and the piezo does what it does: translates string vibration into a usable acoustic signal with consistent string-to-string balance.
This is the kind of guitar that rewards players who've been frustrated by the limitations of mic'ing an acoustic or fighting feedback with a hollow-body. Country pickers, worship musicians, and anyone who gigs regularly in challenging acoustic environments will recognize what the SST design is trying to accomplish — and this example delivers it.
Product Features:
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Body: Single-cutaway chambered mahogany with maple top
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Neck: Set mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and dot inlays
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Scale Length: 24.75"
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Nut Width: 1.68"
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Pickup: Undersaddle piezo with passive volume and tone controls
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Hardware: Gold diecast tuners, rosewood bridge
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Body Binding: 3-ply body binding
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Design: No soundhole — feedback-resistant chambered acoustic-electric
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Includes: Hardshell case
Brand: Epiphone
Model: Chet Atkins SST
SKU: U-CHET-ATKINS-SST
Condition: Used
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
