Epiphone Masterbilt: Share the Love

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by pszy22

I own an AJ-500M, it a great sounding and playing guitar. I've had several people who for one reason or another have had a chance to play it, and almost to a person, they have commented on what a nice guitar it is. If you find a good one, I think it is an outstanding value.

From what I have seen posted here, that seems to be the problem, finding a good one. For that reason, I would go Alvarez or Eastman. They have very few of these problems.

[Boneyard75]

I have a DR-500MCE and it has been my go-to guitar for plugged-in tone....great pickup system & a very nice tone played unplugged.....Has held up well....For the money, I think these are unrivaled.....
Boneyard

[WFO!]

I've got two of them: DR500M and AJ500M (burst). Both are very lightly built and early models that were prone to cracking. I live in SoCal and leave them out and unfortunately both cracked. Having said that, they both play great and sound fantastic! Love them.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by WFO!

I've got two of them: DR500M and AJ500M (burst). Both are very lightly built and early models that were prone to cracking. I live in SoCal and leave them out and unfortunately both cracked. Having said that, they both play great and sound fantastic! Love them.

Yes, it is certainly dry here. I've been told by others that Epi stopped building these because they had too many warranty issues. They are indeed lightly built, which is one of the reason they're so responsive, so, yes, I suppose a dry climate could exacerbate that. I guess I've been lucky.

scott memmer

[dave42]

I owned a 2005 AJ-500M. I found it new at a store and showed my (then) wife. She bought it for me the next day and gave it to me for C-Mas.

Sold it to someone I knew in 2011 a couple of months after my divorce. A personal thing.

A week ago I saw the lady I sold it too. It is still her favorite guitar that she owns. I asked her if she wanted to sell it. 'No' was the answer, but she told me I'm first in line when she does.

Great sounding instrument!

[JackB1]

Just picked up a DR500 a few weeks ago and love it. Folks have been telling me it sounds great plugged in a PA. Just a fantastic gigging guitar. Sounds good unplugged too and plays pretty easily.

Tried a AJ45 last night and didn't care for it compared to the DR500. Kind of a dull lifeless tone and the neck felt different. The DR500 is a great balanced tone that's warm and bright at the same time.

Wonder why Epiphone doesn't make more guitars with the dual eSonic2 pickup system? I would certainly be interested in a AJ500RCE with the eSonic2. Seems weird that the more expensive AJ500 has only a single pickup.

[guitar george]

Here's a quote from the History of Epiphone from their website:

"International demand for Epiphones was so high that the company opened a new factory in China in 2004, the first time that Epiphone had its own dedicated factory since the merging with Gibson in 1957."

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[Mooh]

An Epiphone Masterbilt Zenith archtop followed me home one day, a little unexpectedly. Normally I like F holes but this is a round hole. Really good set-up, though that might have been the work of the shop, decent plugged in tone, and nice burst finish. Not as well rounded acoustic tone as I'd prefer, but archtops are pricey and I have to be budget conscious. Very comfortable to play.

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by guitar george

Here's a quote from the History of Epiphone from their website:

"International demand for Epiphones was so high that the company opened a new factory in China in 2004, the first time that Epiphone had its own dedicated factory since the merging with Gibson in 1957."

Attachment 15421

Most of their acoustics are being made in Indonesia these days. The Samick factory I believe. The factory in China is still making most of their electrics.

[Charmed Life Picks]

I've heard rumors that Epi MB models have slipped in quality when moving from China to Indonesia, but I have no personal experience to back that up.

scott memmer

[personatech]

My only problems with Masterbilts is that every one I've played (admittedly only five or six) has a baseball bat of a neck. Very chunky and not comfortable to my hands - this coming from a bass player, no less.

Soundwise, though, they were fine. I want to like one and take it home, but it's gotten to where I won't even take one down from a store wall to try out of fear of being disappointed again.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by personatech

My only problems with Masterbilts is that every one I've played (admittedly only five or six) has a baseball bat of a neck. Very chunky and not comfortable to my hands - this coming from a bass player, no less.

Most of the new Masterbilt regular-style acoustic guitar models have the trademarked SlimTaper "D" neck shape with a 1 11/16" nut width. These are very low profile and comfortable to play. I don't know if you tried any of those. The EF500RCCE has a V Profile with a 1 3/4" nut which might feel a bit chunky. I have 2 Masterbilts and they both have very comfortable smaller neck profiles with 1 11/16 nut widths.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by personatech

My only problems with Masterbilts is that every one I've played (admittedly only five or six) has a baseball bat of a neck. Very chunky and not comfortable to my hands - this coming from a bass player, no less.

Soundwise, though, they were fine. I want to like one and take it home, but it's gotten to where I won't even take one down from a store wall to try out of fear of being disappointed again.

That's actually one of the things I like about them, the beefier neck, but I'm probably in the minority. I learned to play on a seventies D-28 and I confess I love the baseball bat neck on that one and the early Gibsons. If you're under 40, I suspect you've been playing lower profile necks, so this would feel odd to you.

To each his own.

scott memmer

[Charmed Life Picks]

Just an FYI. I love these guitars so much, but the AJ models have that horrid pickguard on them. I just can't stand them. Just today I spoke to Taylor Mullins at Holter Pickguards. If you don't know of him, he's developed an excellent reputation around our crazy little acoustic world of making some really stunning pickguards. And just a heckuva nice guy.

Anyway, he's working on a custom model for me. The AJ standard pickguard is BIG, so it has to be oversized. I'm most likely going with a batwing style.

Here's a sample of his work. Wow!



No vested interest. Just like what this guy is doing.

scott memmer

[RussL30]

Scott, please post a photo when you get that pickguard from Taylor. I’m a sucker for a natural finish slope with the batwing. He sent me a photo last summer of s really nice looking one he makes for my LG2 model. I’m still thinking about going that direction.