I'm also eager to play the Epi reissue archtops. I'm hopeful that they will sound decent, but I doubt they will compare with the originals tonally*, and certainly not to a degree that would de-value their vintage counterparts. If anything, I think the price of the vintage Epis will go up because of the increased awareness of these guitars among players. The originals are the "real deal", whereas the reissues are imported copies.
*I assume they are made in China (?), and the finish will be the same tone-killing catalyzed polyester as on the Masterbilt flat tops. Also the tops are solid spruce, but not carved (correct me if I'm wrong), which means they're pressed, and the backs and sides are plywood. None of this necessarily means that they will be bad sounding guitars, but it certainly means that they are constructed differently from the vintage ones, and they will therefore sound different.
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