The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 06-29-2016, 09:16 AM
Nyghthawk Nyghthawk is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,239
Default Epiphone Masterbilt Century Collection

I came across this yesterday. Epiphone is releasing 3 new archtop acoustic/electric models with round or f-shape sound holes.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/ind...oming.1719792/

Should be interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-29-2016, 09:52 AM
Cap'n Spanky Cap'n Spanky is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 136
Default

Cool. I'd love to hear the plugged in sound on these and see if they live up to the hype.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-29-2016, 12:27 PM
Cameleye Cameleye is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,276
Default

Look a lot like Gretsch's current offerings.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-29-2016, 02:53 PM
Charmed Life Picks's Avatar
Charmed Life Picks Charmed Life Picks is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9,032
Default

All well and good, but they gutted the MB flattop line several years back and really decimated it. All the best AJ models are gone, with the exception of the newer AJ-45ME model, which has been poorly received here on AGF and virtually everywhere else.

I fail to see their logic. Supposedly they claimed that the AJ and other models "didn't sell well," and yet the archtop category is a much smaller part of the market. I'm scratching my head.

There are thousands of owners of the AJ models, and thousands more who would buy them if they were still in the line.

my two cents,
scott memmer
__________________
CHARMED LIFE PICKS
[email protected]
Celebrating Seven Years in Business!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-29-2016, 03:23 PM
Nyghthawk Nyghthawk is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,239
Default MB Flat tops

I agree. I discovered the MB line quite by accident when I decided to get back into playing guitar in 2013. In doing some research I came across a video (5-10 years old) that described a whole group of all solid wood instruments. The EF-500R (Spruce over rosewood OM) and the AJ-500M (Spruce over hog advanced jumbo) struck me right off the bat. I was saddened to discover that both of those along with most of the line had been discontinued. I ended up buying a DR-500MCE and am quite happy with it but it made me wonder WTF Epiphone was thinking.

I am not much into electrics but these look interesting. I am flat broke right now but will give these a listen.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-29-2016, 04:22 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Chugiak, Alaska
Posts: 31,166
Default

Let's put the picture in this thread:



˙˙˙


whm
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-29-2016, 05:13 PM
Charmed Life Picks's Avatar
Charmed Life Picks Charmed Life Picks is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9,032
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyghthawk View Post
I agree. I discovered the MB line quite by accident when I decided to get back into playing guitar in 2013. In doing some research I came across a video (5-10 years old) that described a whole group of all solid wood instruments. The EF-500R (Spruce over rosewood OM) and the AJ-500M (Spruce over hog advanced jumbo) struck me right off the bat. I was saddened to discover that both of those along with most of the line had been discontinued. I ended up buying a DR-500MCE and am quite happy with it but it made me wonder WTF Epiphone was thinking.

I am not much into electrics but these look interesting. I am flat broke right now but will give these a listen.
Hawk, unfortunately, I have to agree once more.

BTW, I believe the EF-500rcce is still in the line, although this might be a slightly different model than the one you were referring to. IMHO, it's the only really good guitar left in the line (I'm a slope shouldered guys these days, so I'm aware a lot of folks own and like their DR models; however, I think we have to factor Gibson's long history (1940s) in slope models to give them the benefit of the doubt on that side of the aisle.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EM3CCNSGH

We're supposed to refrain from criticizing manufacturers here, so to make this analysis as even-handed as possible, I believe their decision to discontinued the other models was not that they were not selling, but that they were selling TOO well, thus:

1) The guitars were so well designed and built that they started to impact the Gibson flat top sales (J-15 $1499; J-35 $1849);

2) Gross sales were good, but gross PROFITS were not.

I have absolutely no inside knowledge on this, and I could be dead wrong, but this is my analysis from the outside looking in.

BTW, I bought a used/refurb EF-500rcce a few months back on eBay for $400.00. It was in PERFECT condition and so new that the plastic covering on the pickguard was still in place.

I also own three AJ-500Ms, and the one with a B-Band aftermarket rig in it is my main gigger. The reason? I've had a D-28 stolen, and one stolen Martin is enough in one lifetime. Although I wouldn't be thrilled if the Epi MB got stolen, it wouldn't hit me as hard as the Martin (it took me ten years to get over that little incident before I bought another Martin), and if it DID get pinched I have another one behind it.

The AJs are pretty darn good guitars for the $$$. You can find them out there on ebay and CL for $350-400.

Wade, would love to hear your further thoughts on this; you and I have had some good discussions about this line in the past.

scott memmer
__________________
CHARMED LIFE PICKS
[email protected]
Celebrating Seven Years in Business!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-29-2016, 06:23 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,985
Default

From what I can see they're not going to make it to the North American market; although Thomann UK has the entire lineup listed (including that Dave Rawlings-approved Olympic that would probably sell like crazy here on the AGF) - with projected availability shortly after Summer NAMM - the only model being introduced here is the '66 Century. Shame, since they're priced to compete with the current D'Angelico line, and although the quality is nowhere near their respective predecessors it's reminiscent of the Big Band-era archtop wars...
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-29-2016, 06:46 PM
bluesfreek bluesfreek is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,251
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Let's put the picture in this thread:



˙˙˙


whm
Those guitars look beautiful...
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-29-2016, 07:05 PM
SalFromChatham's Avatar
SalFromChatham SalFromChatham is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,729
Default

I think the Masterbilt AJ500 M and Rs were great.... If you got a good one. The vast majority were real quality control nightmares. What does it say when your guitars are mostly sold as refurbs? That's the reason they died, and not because of a perceived threat to the US Bozemon Gibsons.
__________________
i got tired of updating my guitars.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-30-2016, 09:53 PM
Charmed Life Picks's Avatar
Charmed Life Picks Charmed Life Picks is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9,032
Default

I'll take your word for it, since I know you have a lot more experience with the older models. I guess I've been lucky, twice.

sm
__________________
CHARMED LIFE PICKS
[email protected]
Celebrating Seven Years in Business!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-01-2016, 03:17 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,985
Default

Seems they will be making it here after all - sometime after the European release, but hey:

http://www.epiphone.com/MBCentury.aspx
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-11-2016, 10:44 PM
Bluegrif Bluegrif is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 18
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
From what I can see they're not going to make it to the North American market; although Thomann UK has the entire lineup listed (including that Dave Rawlings-approved Olympic that would probably sell like crazy here on the AGF) - with projected availability shortly after Summer NAMM - the only model being introduced here is the '66 Century. Shame, since they're priced to compete with the current D'Angelico line, and although the quality is nowhere near their respective predecessors it's reminiscent of the Big Band-era archtop wars...
Don't know where you got that information. They're out now and available everywhere. Sweetwater has all the models for instance.

I'd love to pick one of these up. Unfortunately what few dollars I have available are earmarked for gear I actually need. But I hope to grab one in the near future. Of course the one I want is the most expensive. LOL

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ETD2VSNH
__________________
www.leonardgriffie.com
facebook.com/leonardgriffieblues
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-12-2016, 05:32 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
From what I can see they're not going to make it to the North American market; although Thomann UK has the entire lineup listed (including that Dave Rawlings-approved Olympic that would probably sell like crazy here on the AGF) - with projected availability shortly after Summer NAMM - the only model being introduced here is the '66 Century. Shame, since they're priced to compete with the current D'Angelico line, and although the quality is nowhere near their respective predecessors it's reminiscent of the Big Band-era archtop wars...
Hi Steve,
The Olympic will only go to prove that it's David Rawlings in the driver seat of anything he picks up.

What I really don't understand is why they did not use the asymmetrical headstock design, although the original Olympics I've seen never had the 'open book' layout.

HE
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-12-2016, 08:08 AM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,985
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegrif View Post
Don't know where you got that information. They're out now and available everywhere. Sweetwater has all the models for instance...]
Read my second post - the one immediately above yours...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Howard Emerson View Post
...What I really don't understand is why they did not use the asymmetrical headstock design, although the original Olympics I've seen never had the 'open book' layout...E
Yeah, the asymmetrical headstock would have been more accurate given the pre-1935 logos - the necks are also more '40s/early-50's in design as well. Seems to me they're trying to evoke the overall NY Epiphone vibe without being historically accurate to any one period - you mention the Olympic, but there are significant differences in the other two models as well; oh well - time will tell how well they're received...
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=