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-   -   Would you swap an Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-500M for a Blueridge BR-163? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227253)

mashup 09-08-2011 10:32 AM

Would you swap an Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-500M for a Blueridge BR-163?
 
As the title says, although it's not exactly a straight swap. The other guitar soon to be in my stable is a Martin 000-15M, so it's either:-


Martin 000-15M & (my current) Epiphone AJ-500M

OR

Martin 000-15M & Blueridge BR-163


I have been playing a year. At the moment i play 60% Fingerstyle & 40% strumming, but im finding myself getting more into fingerstyle as the weeks pass.

I love the sound of the AJ-500M, especially strummed, but love the comfort of 000's - I feel like i can play for longer periods, be more experimental (possibly due to comfort) & progress quicker as a result. For versatility, i know it would probably make sense to keep with my current (or soon to be setup), but should i do the swap, Will the Blueridge BR-163 make a good strummer?

Also, I am anticipating that when i recieve my brand new Martin 000-15M direct from the Martin factory in 3 weeks time, that it will be KILLER!!! - If i opted for the swap & ended up with the 000-15M & BR-163 Combo, would the 000-15M relegate the BR-163 to a hardly used 000, gathering dust?

& lastly, if you had the choice, What would you do?

Thanks.

wooglins 09-08-2011 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mashup (Post 2754519)
As the title says, although it's not exactly a straight swap. The other guitar soon to be in my stable is a Martin 000-15M, so it's either:-


Martin 000-15M & (my current) Epiphone AJ-500M

OR

Martin 000-15M & Blueridge BR-163


I have been playing a year. At the moment i play 60% Fingerstyle & 40% strumming, but im finding myself getting more into fingerstyle as the weeks pass.

I love the sound of the AJ-500M, especially strummed, but love the comfort of 000's - I feel like i can play for longer periods, be more experimental (possibly due to comfort) & progress quicker as a result. For versatility, i know it would probably make sense to keep with my current (or soon to be setup), but should i do the swap, Will the Blueridge BR-163 make a good strummer?

Also, I am anticipating that when i recieve my brand new Martin 000-15M direct from the Martin factory in 3 weeks time, that it will be KILLER!!! - If i opted for the swap & ended up with the 000-15M & BR-163 Combo, would the 000-15M relegate the BR-163 to a hardly used 000, gathering dust?

& lastly, if you had the choice, What would you do?

Thanks.

No I would not.

mashup 09-08-2011 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wooglins (Post 2754537)
No I would not.

Thanks for your input

revive 09-08-2011 11:25 AM

But why BR-163? Why not another dread, perhaps a rosewood dread?

I love my AJ-500M and I'd expect it to be a better strummer than the 000-15M. I'm actually not too fond of the 15 series, but I'm sure I'm an anomaly. If I were you, I would keep AJ-500M and see how the 000-15M will work out for you.

If I actually like the 15, I would look to eventually replace the AJ-500M with a rosewood dread.

If I actually dislike the 15, I would look to replace the 15 with a rosewood 000 / OM.

That way you'll have a pretty diverse collection: two body styles, two different woods. That will surely cover a lot of grounds.

MissouriPicker 09-08-2011 11:44 AM

Right off the initial question, I wouldn't make the trade. BUT, so much depends on each individual guitar. The final decision is your's. I know what I would do using only the info I've read in your post, but that might change entirely when I hear the guitars actually involved........We all hear different things in guitars. Personally, I pretty much ignore all the opinions on which guitar is the best for fingerpicking/sturmming/paddleing a canoe, etc. Which guitar is best for what depends on the picker. My only real advice is to keep the guitar/s that you feel speaks to you while you stum/pick.

The Old Gaffer 09-08-2011 11:46 AM

I also like the comfort of a 000 guitar. Sight unseen and unplayed, I probably would not make that trade. Also, I rather like that Epiphone model. However, if that Blueridge played and sounded as good as my buddy's OM-21, I would make the trade in a heartbeat. In fact, I personally would trade the 000-15M and the Epiphone Masterbuilt for a Martin OM-21, even if that meant I could only have one guitar. Unfortunately, I have never seen or played a Blueridge.

harryboss1 09-08-2011 11:55 AM

I would keep the AJ500M just to have the versatility of 2 different guitars. I have had a few Blueridge guitars in the past and I liked them. They are well built, attractive and sound very good for the money.

mashup 09-08-2011 12:08 PM

Thanks for your input everybody. I've been on the fence about this, running it over in my mind & thinking about it, there really is no other reason for trading other than acting on GAS impulses, when i really dont need to.

The AJ-500M is a stunner sonically & i'd probably regret it in the long run.

Right, that's that sorted then :)

PorkPieGuy 09-08-2011 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mashup (Post 2754675)
Thanks for your input everybody. I've been on the fence about this, running it over in my mind & thinking about it, there really is no other reason for trading other than acting on GAS impulses, when i really dont need to.

The AJ-500M is a stunner sonically & i'd probably regret it in the long run.

Right, that's that sorted then :)

That's good news. In my experience, Masterbuilts seem to have a little more consistancy than Blueridge. I've played some that were fantastic and others that were complete duds. If I found a BR that I thought sounded great, I'd get it; however, I would never play one sight unseen/unheard.


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