The seven string electric guitar had its origins in the 1930s, and was popularized by jazz legend George Van Eps. In 1938, he commissioned Epi Stathopoulo, president of the Epiphone guitar company, to build him his first seven string. Eps' 1931 Ephiphone Deluxe was then modified to accommodate a special 7-string neck. The 7-string has enjoyed modest popularity for over 60 years, and a recent demand for the extended low range of the 7-string electric has enticed a generation of new players to embrace it for its musical qualities. Its recent surge in popularity shows no evidence of abating.