Update to NGD:) Epiphone Masterbuilt Olympic

rockabilly69 · #1 09-01-2018, 07:59 PM

Well after a few days of gigging with my new Epiphone Masterbuilt Olympic I decided I couldn't live without a pickguard. Reason being, when I fingerpick I plant my pinky against the body and that wouldn't work on the Olympic because the strings are too far from the body! Well unfortunately for me, the store forgot to put the pickguard in the case as an accessory (they come with the guitars but aren't typically mounted because many people like them without). When I went back to Guitar Center they had lost the pickguard, so they just ordered a new guitar in with all the accessories for me. I was just going to keep the new pickguard and keep the guitar I had, but low and behold, after testing the new guitar against the original, the new guitar had a better sounding pickup, sounded a hair better acoustic, and had a little bit of figure in the spruce that I liked. So I kept the new guitar, and installed the pickguard. I did a 3 hour gig with it today and it was fantastic. Man these little Olympics rock!!!

IMNSHO it's one of the best cool guitar deals going right now...

Here's the new one.

DukeX · #2 09-02-2018, 12:38 PM

Looks awesome! I bet it is a blast to play.

rockabilly69 · #3 09-02-2018, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DukeX

Looks awesome! I bet it is a blast to play.

It really is! Today I took off the bronze-wound strings that it shipped with, and put on some Martin Retro Monels. I also steelwooled the frets and fingerboard, cleaned up the residue with lighter fluid, and re-oiled the board, so now it plays silky smooth. I also adjusted the truss rod to give it some relief as it was straight rule flat, lowered the playing height, and set the intonation, which is pretty close to being dead on.

It played great before I did this so you can imagine how much fun it is now!

Steel and wood · #4 09-02-2018, 02:27 PM

I think pickguards look better also. (Even on Les Pauls).

rockabilly69 · #5 09-03-2018, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel and wood

I think pickguards look better also. (Even on Les Pauls).

Me too, I think they make the sunburst not so garish!

KevWind · #6 09-04-2018, 06:51 AM

Looks very cool congrats. So I am guessing an undersaddle pickup ?

Caddy · #7 09-04-2018, 07:12 AM

Looks great. Must be a fun guitar! I prefer pickguards as well (for mainly the same reason).

rockabilly69 · #8 09-04-2018, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Cooks very cool congrats. So I am guessing an undersaddle pickup ?

Yes, and a small internal preamp with volume and tone wheels in the bottom f-hole

BoneDigger · #9 09-04-2018, 04:14 PM

Very cool! I am glad you are liking it. I am loving my Century Deluxe Classic more and more every time I play it.

rockabilly69 · #10 09-04-2018, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Very cool! I am glad you are liking it. I am loving my Century Deluxe Classic more and more every time I play it.

Did you put the pickguard on yours, or do you like it without?

BoneDigger · #11 09-04-2018, 05:21 PM

I use the pick guard.

Dru Edwards · #12 09-04-2018, 05:45 PM

What a great turn of events to be able to pick a new, better guitar. Congrats (again) on your NGD

.

rockabilly69 · #13 09-04-2018, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

What a great turn of events to be able to pick a new, better guitar. Congrats (again) on your NGD

.

Thanks DruEdwards, it was a small inconvenience for such a great outcome!

rockabilly69 · #14 09-05-2018, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

I use the pick guard.

It just makes the guitar so much easier to play for longer periods when fingerpicking

BoneDigger · #15 09-05-2018, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

It just makes the guitar so much easier to play for longer periods when fingerpicking

True, but even when flat picking or strumming, I like to drag/plant my pinky on it. It just feels right to me.