Martin X series or epiphone masterbilt?

[ramon2111]

So I'm looking on buying a new acoustic-electric guitar and I liked the martin 000x1ae guitar, I liked the solid spruce top, the body design and the low price, but then I found the epiphone masterbilt DR-500mce, it is an all solid wood guitar with the esonic2 electronics, has anyone tried both? which one do you think it's better and why?

[Chinodinho]

Masterbilt for me. Honestly compared to the x series, you get more bang for your buck with the masterbilt especially with all solid woods and a pretty decent pickup system. Although if you pick the Epiphone, make sure to try to play it first as Masterbilts have a reputation of varying majorly from guitar to guitar.

Originally Posted by ramon2111

So I'm looking on buying a new acoustic-electric guitar and I liked the martin 000x1ae guitar, I liked the solid spruce top, the body design and the low price, but then I found the epiphone masterbilt DR-500mce, it is an all solid wood guitar with the esonic2 electronics, has anyone tried both? which one do you think it's better and why?

Hi Ramon2111, and welcome to the forums!

You didn't say whether both of these instruments are available to play and compare. So I'll leave you with two opinions:

1. If you can, play them both, hopefully side by side, and decide which one you like the most
2. Generally speaking, the Epi Masterbilts will have better sound, with about equal build quality. So, if they are not available for you to play, I would go with the Epi.

[rosewoood]

Originally Posted by Chinodinho

Masterbilt for me. Honestly compared to the x series, you get more bang for your buck with the masterbilt especially with all solid woods and a pretty decent pickup system. Although if you pick the Epiphone, make sure to try to play it first as Masterbilts have a reputation of varying majorly from guitar to guitar.

I would agree with Chinodinho .

[guitar12]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

Hi Ramon2111, and welcome to the forums!

You didn't say whether both of these instruments are available to play and compare. So I'll leave you with two opinions:

1. If you can, play them both, hopefully side by side, and decide which one you like the most
2. Generally speaking, the Epi Masterbilts will have better sound, with about equal build quality. So, if they are not available for you to play, I would go with the Epi.

Yep, I agree and I think that's the answer you are going to get from many people here. I've had a Masterbilt and when you get a good one they rival guitars twice their price. Having said that, you are comparing a dread with a 000 which is apples and oranges in terms of size (comfort) and volume.

Rob

[ramon2111]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

Hi Ramon2111, and welcome to the forums!

You didn't say whether both of these instruments are available to play and compare. So I'll leave you with two opinions:

1. If you can, play them both, hopefully side by side, and decide which one you like the most
2. Generally speaking, the Epi Masterbilts will have better sound, with about equal build quality. So, if they are not available for you to play, I would go with the Epi.

I would buy it from musiciansfriend, I can not play it personally before buying it, so there are already 2 votes up for the epiphone, can I ask why not the martin? What does it have that it is not better than the epiphone? The fact that it has HPL back and sides? The electronics? Is there anything in where the martin is better than the epiphone?

[Chinodinho]

Well Ramon, quite simply put, the Epiphone sounds actually quite nice to many people. Yes, the solid b/s does help give it a better tone but the build quality would also be higher than the Mexican built x series. For what it's worth, I'd take a look at some other manufacturers in your price range as well (blueridge, Yamaha L series). If possible go to a local guitar shop and try them out first, you won't regret it!

[ramon2111]

Well, on my city there isn't really a lot of music stores where they could have that kind of guitars, I think I will take a blind shot and go for the epiphone, even though there is something about that martin that attracts me a lot

[Chinodinho]

Originally Posted by ramon2111

Well, on my city there isn't really a lot of music stores where they could have that kind of guitars, I think I will take a blind shot and go for the epiphone, even though there is something about that martin that attracts me a lot

Well just remember we're here for advice, if your gut tells you to pick the Martin then by all means don't let us stop you!

[SalFromChatham]

I would go a Epiphone. I love martins, but I can't get around the stratabond neck on this series. I just bought a used Masterbilt AJ500M, and having tried several, the used ones in there are hit or miss... But the new ones I would have no issue buying, especially with their return policy.

A guitar tech told me that the used masterbilts seem to have issues, but that is in his opinion because they are a high end guitar that too often had been bought by beginners who didn't know enough to take care of it and treat it like a high end guitar (because of its price point).

I love mine.

Edited: I am a huge fan of the 15 series by Martin, and think it is an incredible value. If you can swing $1000 new, or $800 used, grab a D15m and thrown a pup in there. It's worth it in my opinion.

[GibbyPrague]

I would go with Masterbuilt, I think they offer better value. If it was a 15 or 17 series Martin it would be more even, but in this case the Epi is more bang for the buck.

[mjz]

Play them and decide.
These are two pretty common guitars.
I didn't read the whole thread, but if you live anywhere near a dealer you should play these and buy the one you like instead of the one the herd likes.



max

[roylor4]

For what it's worth, I have bought and sold about 2 dozen Masterbilts. When they are good they are great, when they are bad - they truly suck. They are a great bargain for a solid wood guitar. I will also tell you that the dual pickup system sounds great but is prone to problems too.

The Martin's will have better consistency from guitar to guitar.

That said - these 2 guitars are apples to oranges. A 000 compared to a dread. Solid top/lam back and sides to all solid.

I would only buy a Masterbilt 1) In person and after playing 2) From a store with a favorable return policy

FWIW - One of the best sounding dreads I ever played was a DR500M in satin. No longer in production.

[PorkPieGuy]

The one Martin X-series guitar (it was a 000 I think) sounded like absolute poop.

The one Epi Masterbilt guitar I've played sounded amazing, both plugged in and unplugged.

So, from my very limited experience, I'd say go with the Epiphone.

[Davis Webb]

I do have to say that you will not be unhappy with the Martin. I have never owned Masterbuilt but I had an Epiphone for years and it held me back something awful. So when they are bad, they are just bad. The model they are talking about sounds better. But remember, solid wood is no insurance of good sound. Solid wood doesn't mean anything in the lower price brackets. Its just a common myth. The truth is that solid wood guitars built by good luthiers in the plus $1000 range sound better than laminates. In the lower price points, simply using solid wood doesn't ensure good tone. Good guitar design does. Many people are pleased with the $3,000 Ovation Adamas and the Carbon fiber guitars.

That having been said, do not discount the Martin. Have it properly set up and it delivers a D28 like tone for much less money. The pickup is unusable, so don't buy it with that in mind, its the worst pickup I have heard on an acoustic. The Fishman sonic core or whatever. If you want to record, mic it. I have owned 4 of these over the years and they did what I wanted, give me a strong mid range Martin sound, with a strong bass line and a decent neck to move around on.

The Martin is pretty well guaranteed to give you that classic Martin sound, at least in the DX1 lineup. Its resale is very good, any Martin for $500 in kijiji goes in a couple days and that would be a fair resale, given the guitar is $700ish.

Sounds like either would work, I can only say, to make your decision more complicated, that the Martin will not disappoint. I have mine set up with elixir nanoweb 12s, low action but high enough to strum hard. You do need a good setup eventually though, there are problems near the neck where it meets the soundboard, which causes it to hump with mild contact with humidity. It doesn't hump back upward. So fret dressing, shimming and attention to the relief are all necessary. After this quick adjustment, you have a D28-like sound for a quarter of the cost. It has a brighter top end closer to a Taylor, this has + and -.

Either way, sounds like you cannot go wrong!