[gerardo1000]

I just ordered, and just got delivered, two OM acoustic guitars with the intention to try both of them and then return the one I like less. One is a new Epiphone Masterbilt EF500 M. The other is a new Recording King RO 127.Both are incredibly fairly priced.
The R.K costs $40 more, but it has rosewood back and sides.
The Epiphone has a solid spruce top, and solid mahogany back and sides.
The Recording King has a solid spruce top, and rosewood back and sides.
The Epiphone's finish is satin. The Recording King finish is high gloss.
Both have a vintage (fat) neck (the Recording King is a bit more V shaped).
Both are a replica of a pre-war Orchestra Model guitar, with scalloped bracing
and a wide neck (3/4 at the nut). Both have bone saddles and bone nuts (The Recording King saddle is reminiscent of the wide vintage Martin saddle).
The finish on both guitars is really excellent, almost impeccable (on a scale from 0 to 10, I would give 9 to the Recording King and 10 to the Epiphone).
The looks are quite different: simple, all substance, the look of the Epiphone.
"Flashy", with herringbone ornaments, very similar to a Martin OM28V, the look of the Recording King.
The two guitars arrived with a very good set-up: perfect neck angle, minimal relief, straight neck, but while the recording King had perfect action at the 12th frfet (6/32 low E and 2/32 high E) the Epiphone needed a little shaving of the saddle. Both guitars do not have strings buzz at all. Both have very good set up at the nut.
Now the sound.....and here comes the dilemma: the two guitars BOTH sound awesome !!! (Both are stringed with D'Addario phosphor Bronze).
And the tone is quite similar: very balanced, quite loud, warm but clear.
Although now the set up is identical, the playability is slightly in favor of the Recording King: for some reason my fingers hurt less after I have played with the RK than the Epiphone (which is, still, a very playable guitar).
I don't know if I have been particularly lucky getting two guitars with no defects in both tone, set up and finish.... but now I really don't know which one to return. Perhaps in the next weeks...For now, I will keep both of them.
For every one who is considering one of these two models, my recommendation is: flip a coin ! They are both great !