epiphone masterbilt olympic - got one?

[A Scot in Otley]

Anyone have an Epiphone Masterbilt Olympic guitar. Seen a couple used and I'm getting an itchy trigger finger. Anyone got one? What do you play with it? How does the PU sound? What is the B&S laminate wood - seem to see both maple and mahogany mentioned?

I know I shouldn't, but ..... I've a hankering to try it with fingerpickin' blues and a slide ....

I shouldn't really .... but those things look quite cool ... Tell me they're rubbish and not to waste my money ... please ...

[67goat]

I have one. I like it. However, the Masterbilt f-hole Zentih archtop that I got a few months later is so much better.

[Black Squirrel]

I had one its was great, At the time I was not so Archtop dedicated but it got me into them, I got rid of it when I Got a 30 KG-31

[mrjop1975]

I have one. I do play it, mostly Carter Family songs, as well as early country a la Hank Williams. But, the width of the neck, especially if I'm going from my Taylor to that, is certainly wider. I'm hit and miss on wanting to keep it, but I had one when they came out, sold it, then had regrets about it, and snagged a new one and a case from online just after Epiphone phased them out.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by A Scot in Otley

Anyone have an Epiphone Masterbilt Olympic guitar? Seen a couple used and I'm getting an itchy trigger finger. Anyone got one? What do you play with it? How does the PU sound? What is the B&S laminate wood - seem to see both maple and mahogany mentioned?...

I shouldn't really .... but those things look quite cool ... Tell me they're rubbish and not to waste my money ... please ...

Been an archtop player for my entire life, owned a New York-built '46 Epiphone Blackstone, played a whole bunch more genuine NY Epis back in the '70s when they were plentiful (and cheap) here in the NYC area, as well as the entire MIC Masterbilt lineup - here goes:

If you check in on the AGF Archtop subforum - where the folks really know and understand these instruments - you'll find the general consensus is that the MIC Masterbilt Olympic/Zenith/Deluxe were neither fish nor fowl - lacking the expected acoustic response, equipped with an amplification system that simply exacerbated the problem at higher SPL's, and not even remotely historically accurate in their execution. Simply put, Epiphone gambled on their visual appeal (and the David Rawlings connection) to a market that had no idea what a real archtop is supposed to be, and lost big-time - at the end dealers here in the USA were blowing them out at (and occasionally below) cost, and if you look around you'll likely still find some new-old-stock pieces for sale...

Having realized their mistake early on, Epiphone was rumored to be preparing to release a line of historically-accurate solid-carved instruments modeled after the New York originals, targeted at the Loar and Eastman offerings and similarly priced. Although things never materialized in this vein there's some substantiation to the rumor in the 150th Anniversary Zephyr DeLuxe Regent hollowbody electric - a fairly accurate rendition of a mildly-modified circa-1953 instrument (and why they didn't equip it with the period-correct Frequensator tailpiece featured on the Broadway jazzbox is beyond me) that would have been part of the stillborn line:



https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ntique-natural

That said, if you're looking for authentic Depression-era tone and visual vibe - and can handle the period-accurate 1-3/4" deep-V neck - you'd be better-served by one of the Loar LH archtops, all-solid/all-carved 16-inchers in the mold of the pre-1934 L-5 and L-7; haven't played one myself in a long time but historically they've had issues with neckset (extremely important on an archtop), so you might want to check out a few before you settle on "the one" - good news is that when they're good they're very good, reasonably priced, and you definitely won't find one at every open mic or song circle...

You might find this of interest:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=542064

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Been an archtop player for my entire life, owned a New York-built '46 Epiphone Blackstone, played a whole bunch more genuine NY Epis back in the '70s when they were plentiful (and cheap) here in the NYC area, as well as the entire MIC Masterbilt lineup - here goes:

If you check in on the AGF Archtop subforum - where the folks really know and understand these instruments - you'll find the general consensus is that the MIC Masterbilt Olympic/Zenith/Deluxe were neither fish nor fowl - lacking the expected acoustic response, equipped with an amplification system that simply exacerbated the problem at higher SPL's, and not even remotely historically accurate in their execution. Simply put, Epiphone gambled on their visual appeal (and the David Rawlings connection) to a market that had no idea what a real archtop is supposed to be, and lost big-time - at the end dealers here in the USA were blowing them out at (and occasionally below) cost, and if you look around you'll likely still find some new-old-stock pieces for sale...

Having realized their mistake early on, Epiphone was rumored to be preparing to release a line of historically-accurate solid-carved instruments modeled after the New York originals, targeted at the Loar and Eastman offerings and similarly priced. Although things never materialized in this vein there's some substantiation to the rumor in the 150th Anniversary Zephyr DeLuxe Regent hollowbody electric - a fairly accurate rendition of a mildly-modified circa-1953 instrument (and why they didn't equip it with the period-correct Frequensator tailpiece featured on the Broadway jazzbox is beyond me) that would have been part of the stillborn line:



https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ntique-natural

That said, if you're looking for authentic Depression-era tone and visual vibe - and can handle the period-accurate 1-3/4" deep-V neck - you'd be better-served by one of the Loar LH archtops, all-solid/all-carved 16-inchers in the mold of the pre-1934 L-5 and L-7; haven't played one myself in a long time but historically they've had issues with neckset (extremely important on an archtop), so you might want to check out a few before you settle on "the one" - good news is that when they're good they're very good, reasonably priced, and you definitely won't find one at every open mic or song circle...

You might find this of interest:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=542064

Cheers for your input, Steve, and the link was instructive & passionate. I get the points made about authenticity in build and sound. It is just a passing fancy, and I'm unlikely to want to shell out the amounts required for something 'authentic' (US made guitars are rarer and relatively more expensive over here). I'm not (yet?) a jazz / swing player, and it was interesting that some people did like the new Epis, and I might be in that camp, i.e. looks over authenticity, provided the sound gives me something I can use without hammering my pocket money balance too much.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by A Scot in Otley

...I'm unlikely to want to shell out the amounts required for something 'authentic' (US made guitars are rarer and relatively more expensive over here). I'm not (yet?) a jazz/swing player, and it was interesting that some people did like the new Epis, and I might be in that camp, i.e. looks over authenticity, provided the sound gives me something I can use without hammering my pocket money balance too much.

FWIW the Loar instruments are made in China, and considering what you're getting for the price - and just how large your pocket money balance is - may be far more affordable than you think:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/cat_GK_gie...se&filter=true

As far as the Epi Masterbilts are concerned, try to find one to play before you lay out any money: if you like it, fine - if not, a Loar LH-600 is well under £1000 for a Jazz Age-style all-carved acoustic instrument (£599 for the LH-309 electric if you're thinking of plugging in ), with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn't suit your needs (and a 3-year Thomann warranty if it does)...

All the best...

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

FWIW the Loar instruments are made in China, and considering what you're getting for the price - and just how large your pocket money balance is - may be far more affordable than you think:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/cat_GK_gie...se&filter=true

As far as the Epi Masterbilts are concerned, try to find one to play before you lay out any money: if you like it, fine - if not, a Loar LH-600 is well under £1000 for a Jazz Age-style all-carved acoustic instrument (£599 for the LH-309 electric if you're thinking of plugging in ), with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn't suit your needs (and a 3-year Thomann warranty if it does)...

All the best...

Cheers, Steve. That LH-600 looks tempting. Oh, dear. I'll be thinking about it as I go out tonight for a bit of warbling and twanging at a local open mic.

[L50EF15]

I placed this in the Archtop subforum, but it seems relevant to this discussion: It’s in French (but easily followed), as a player demonstrates how one these recent vintage Epiphones sounds with flatwounds, specifically, D’Adarrio Chromes:

https://youtu.be/Cqo29E6brg0?si=-AROJolZh40Z6Eld

I happen to like these particular strings and have used them on all my guitars for about 30 years. As relevant here, they largely eliminate the nasally sound I have heard in other demos of this model guitar. Based on the packaging, this is the medium gauge string set, .013 to.056.

I just bought a G-200 (and I will say again, it’s a flattop for those of us who like archtops), or I would be interested in hunting down one of these Epiphones, setting it up the same way.