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Masterbuilt DR-500 MCE vs. Dave Navaro "Jane"


Shadowboxer

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Hello Epiphone friends. I need your help in deciding between the Masterbuilt DR-500MCE vs. the awesome looking Dave Navaro "Jane". I would pick the latter if the pickups were the same. The Masterbuilt has the nanoflex and a nanomag pickup with stereo outputs. This guitar sounds very nice on the Epiphone youtube demo with the neck pickup and even better with both pickups. Both are listed as solid sitka spruce tops, and mahogany backs and necks, except that the "Jane" appears to have mahogany ply sides (they call it selected mahogony?)vs. solid mahogany sides for the Masterbuilt. I have no local epi dealers to visit. I am sure they are both fine from what I have read and watched on youtube, however I have been given the go ahead from the wife on one...not both. Any thoughts...besides a J-45! Thanks.

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The Jane is priced the way it is because it's a signature model guitar. The Masterbilt should be a better guitar and a better value.

 

The ultimate value, though, for an Epiphone cutaway acoustic electric is the AJ-200SCE.

 

The Aj-220sce maybe, like many epiphone acoustics, a great guitar for its price The BR-500MCE is a top notch acoustic that will get better with time and is all solid wood hands down the best choice here.

 

I have one and would buy another in a heart beat.

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The Aj-220sce maybe, like many epiphone acoustics, a great guitar for its price The BR-500MCE is a top notch acoustic that will get better with time and is all solid wood hands down the best choice here.

 

I certainly agree. The Jane is the AJ-220SCE with a square shoulder, a paint job, custom fretboard inlays and Dave's name attached to it. It's priced like a masterbilt, but isn't.

 

The Masterbilt is definitely the best guitar of the choices listed here.

 

If I liked cutout acoustics, I would get the AJ-220SCE, though because of its enormous value. I'm really quite impressed with the tone of my AJ-220S and I would think the SCE has a similarly impressive sound, as well as the ability to plug in!!

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I have a DR500MCE and have played the others and my choice would be the DR500MCE by far. Great guitar to start and just keeps getting better every time I play it. Guitar was very good right out of the box but I did a setup on it and played around with different strings and settled on DAddario EXP coated phosphor bronze 12&53 although I still might go back to 11&52.Mik

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I bought a refurbished DR-500MCE off Ebay last year. Great guitar. If this was a second...wow.

 

I was in the same situation last year until the wife reminded me that I'm a little too old for all that style over substance stuff. The VS version of the DR is enough for me.

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Hello Epiphone friends. I need your help in deciding between the Masterbuilt DR-500MCE vs. the awesome looking Dave Navaro "Jane". I would pick the latter if the pickups were the same. The Masterbuilt has the nanoflex and a nanomag pickup with stereo outputs. This guitar sounds very nice on the Epiphone youtube demo with the neck pickup and even better with both pickups. Both are listed as solid sitka spruce tops, and mahogany backs and necks, except that the "Jane" appears to have mahogany ply sides (they call it selected mahogony?)vs. solid mahogany sides for the Masterbuilt. I have no local epi dealers to visit. I am sure they are both fine from what I have read and watched on youtube, however I have been given the go ahead from the wife on one...not both. Any thoughts...besides a J-45! Thanks.

 

The DR-500MCE is one of the best (if not the best) guitar for-the-money made hands down. It is a quality instrument that sounds as if it should have a price point hundreds of dollars higher but is priced at $599. Solid woods, bone nut and saddle, hide glue construction mortise and tendon neck...you simply can't ask for more in that price point...and it sound and feels great. I own a Martin and the difference in feel and sound is negligible...except that the Martin cost $2700 more than the Masterbilt. I pick up the DR before the 000-18 GE, that's how much I love my DR.

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The DR-500MCE is one of the best (if not the best) guitar for-the-money made hands down. It is a quality instrument that sounds as if it should have a price point hundreds of dollars higher but is priced at $599. Solid woods, bone nut and saddle, hide glue construction mortise and tendon neck...you simply can't ask for more in that price point...and it sound and feels great. I own a Martin and the difference in feel and sound is negligible...except that the Martin cost $2700 more than the Masterbilt. I pick up the DR before the 000-18 GE, that's how much I love my DR.

 

Wow !, that's saying a lot. I played a Santa Cruz at a guitar shop in west L.A. years ago, and at that time it 2500.00, and never played such a nice guitar until I played the top of the line Taylor, and Martin guitars..Definitely on the hunt for a Masterbuilt now. Thanks.

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I have no firsthand knowledge of the Dave Navaro model. As a matter of fact, I had never head of it before. So I did a search to see what it looked like, and found this - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/epiphone-dave-navarro-signature-model-acoustic-electric-guitar/423938002000000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CO-8yKvqxMICFfPm7AodBCgAmA&kwid=productads-plaid^90167066682-sku^423938002000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^55815864387#productDetail

 

which list the guitar as having a solid back and sides. (for what it's worth)

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I have no firsthand knowledge of the Dave Navaro model. As a matter of fact, I had never head of it before. So I did a search to see what it looked like, and found this - http://www.musicians...7#productDetail

 

which list the guitar as having a solid back and sides. (for what it's worth)

 

I'd trust Epiphone's site for Navaro's Jane before Musiciansfriend's. Epiphone says solid mahogany back, but select mahogany sides, which means laminate. Interesting that they give Jane an ebony fretboard though, which is a plus. And it's got a 1.725" nut width rather than the usual 1.68" (neither here nor there - a matter of taste). A little abalone (not too much!) around the soundhole is nice. It looks like MF also moved it down a bit (90 bucks) from the DR Masterbilt price point, which makes sense due to the laminate sides and, as shadowboxer mentions, Jane's only got the single pickup.

 

Apparently shadowboxer likes Jane's looks, which is a matter of taste, but personally, I don't like the pickguard or the "unicursal hexagram" fretboard inlays. And I much prefer to see some wood grain rather than a solid black body.

 

All in all, I can't help thinking a Masterbilt is much more guitar. As others have said, the Masterbilts hold their own against guitars that cost 4-5 times more.

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Solid back? Really? This means it's put together like the Texan. Epiphone's high quality laminate sides serve to help the guitar to not crack over time, which is a very good thing.

 

Even with this taken into account, I would still choose the Masterbilt over the Jane if I liked cutout acoustics. The Masterbilt looks much better to me and I really don't like signature guitars.

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Thanks so much for your input guys. I am going to go ahead with the Masterbuilt DR-500 MCE. I am sure they are all fine instruments. Just reading all the reviews, hardly anyone hates the one they ended up with. I was able to pick up a like new 2012 Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus on Craig's List a few weeks ago for $400 and I cannot find anything I would change in it. Absolutely looks and feels great and from your input the DR-500 must be of the same quality. I know if there is no picture, it didn't happen so here is the Les Paul and when the Masterbuilt gets here I'll follow up. Thanks again. GH

post-65960-030539400 1418605651_thumb.jpg

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Thanks so much for your input guys. I am going to go ahead with the Masterbuilt DR-500 MCE. I am sure they are all fine instruments. Just reading all the reviews, hardly anyone hates the one they ended up with. I was able to pick up a like new 2012 Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus on Craig's List a few weeks ago for $400 and I cannot find anything I would change in it. Absolutely looks and feels great and from your input the DR-500 must be of the same quality. I know if there is no picture, it didn't happen so here is the Les Paul and when the Masterbuilt gets here I'll follow up. Thanks again. GH

 

You will not be sorry. Having said that, I send all my guitars for a custom set up (even my Martin needed a set up out of the box).You may or may not need it depending on your taste.

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OK guys, I talked with Tyler at Sweetwater today and placed an order for the next Masterbuilt DR-500 MCE with the sunburst top that they receive. He said he would personally check it out and maked sure there are no issues with it and call me before it is shipped. I have read that in the past that a few had problems with the built in pre-amp, but that may have been an early issue. If anyone knows of anything else I should ask about before it is shipped let me know. Thanks. They only have one coming in until the 1st of the year when they expect a larger order to arrive. I also ordered a Gator ProGo gig bag since they do not come with a case. Whoohoo [biggrin]

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OK guys, I talked with Tyler at Sweetwater today and placed an order for the next Masterbuilt DR-500 MCE with the sunburst top that they receive. He said he would personally check it out and maked sure there are no issues with it and call me before it is shipped. I have read that in the past that a few had problems with the built in pre-amp, but that may have been an early issue. If anyone knows of anything else I should ask about before it is shipped let me know. Thanks. They only have one coming in until the 1st of the year when they expect a larger order to arrive. I also ordered a Gator ProGo gig bag since they do not come with a case. Whoohoo [biggrin]

 

Congratz...I'm totally envious.. B) Have to save up for mine, but will be getting the same guitar. Happy Holidays.

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  • 3 weeks later...

NGD: My DR-500MCE VS just arrived today. Had to let it sit in the box per Sweetwater for 5 hours to acclimate temp. Looks beautiful, can't see any defects, pickups sound great on my Mustang III with Acoustic preset. Have no issues with the frets, nice smooth and level. I am having a hard time on the neck on anything higher than the 5th fret. The distance from the strings to the 12th fret is just over 1/8th of an inch and at the 20th fret the distance in 3/16th of an inch. Is this correct? If not, I have never adjusted a guitar trus rod. There may be just a minimal bow in the neck right now. Would tightening the trus rod cause the frets to buzz from 1 to 5 or is this more of a saddle issue? And by the way the Gator ProGo gig bag is nice.

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NGD: My DR-500MCE VS just arrived today. Had to let it sit in the box per Sweetwater for 5 hours to acclimate temp. Looks beautiful, can't see any defects, pickups sound great on my Mustang III with Acoustic preset. Have no issues with the frets, nice smooth and level. I am having a hard time on the neck on anything higher than the 5th fret. The distance from the strings to the 12th fret is just over 1/8th of an inch and at the 20th fret the distance in 3/16th of an inch. Is this correct? If not, I have never adjusted a guitar trus rod. There may be just a minimal bow in the neck right now. Would tightening the trus rod cause the frets to buzz from 1 to 5 or is this more of a saddle issue? And by the way the Gator ProGo gig bag is nice.

 

Its to high is the neck straight? Might need a bit shaved from the saddle

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The neck may have just a little bow, but not much. I really don't want to mess with the saddle if I don't have to. Since it is new they will take it back if I can't make it right. I specifically requested low action and Tyler said it was good when he checked it at Sweetwater. I guess I can check with their techs and see what they recommend concerning the string to fret distances posted above. The manual lists 7/64" on the bass side and 5/64" on the treble side so mine is a little high per specs. The book says to adjust the trus rod 1st. I just don't want to screw it up so I'm asking questions before I do anything to it. Thanks. GH

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The neck may have just a little bow, but not much.

 

I just read today that some players like just a little bow. I guess a straight neck is a good place to start, though.

 

The manual lists 7/64" on the bass side and 5/64" on the treble side so mine is a little high per specs.

 

Yeah, they should be slightly different. 1/64" difference on the bass side doesn't seem like much though!

 

The book says to adjust the trus rod 1st. I just don't want to screw it up so I'm asking questions before I do anything to it.

 

I know precious little about this stuff, but you just got this today -- I'd let it settle for a while. I've never adjusted a truss rod, which is ridiculous, since it should be no big deal for anyone with a modicum of mechanical sense. They make it sound so dangerous, though, and I guess it is if you over-tighten, but jeez, what about "do not overtighten" would someone not understand?

 

Anyway, major congrats on your new VS Masterbilt! =P~

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