Looking for Masterbilt AJ

[DennisB643]

If anyone is interested in selling their Masterbilt AJ I would give it a good home alongside my DR 500 MCE...

[GuitarLight]

Hi. Best of luck finding an AJ Masterbilt. They are such good guitars it is almost freakish. I have the set of Masterbilt Triplets!.... AJ 500 Rosewood, AJ500 Mahogany, and DR-500mce. I actually sold off all my Gibson acoustics in favor of these three Masterbilt acoustics.... The MB line may not be as fancy and glitzy looking as my old Gibson SJ-200, and Gibson AJ rosewood, and Gibson AJ mahogany woody Guthrie models...but they actually play and sound better than any Gibson I ever owned. I suspect these MB jewels in the future may become as rare as gold, with an equally commanding price. So grab one if you can get it! They are simply too good to be true! I hope you find one soon! Good luck.

[rayban]

They appear on the bay quite regularly, and no, I don't mean seconds.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epiphone-AJ-500RE-NS-/251276861085?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a81449e9d

[strumbert]

I want to sell everything but my AJ. Sweetest guitar I ever played. My DR's are sweet, but the AJ is special.

[GuitarLight]

I want to sell everything but my AJ. Sweetest guitar I ever played. My DR's are sweet, but the AJ is special.

 

Rayban...very interesting MB AJ-500RE sale link....I see these MB AJ-500 guitars are now commanding almost as much used, as they originally cost 5 years ago.The serial number in the link indicates it is a 2008 model. Something unheard of on any brand of guitar no matter its original cost. Even at that price they are worth 5 times that in actual value and play-ability and tone. Because they certainly do play and sound like a $2500 Rosewood guitar.

[bluesjoc]

I have only had my AJ for about a week and can already tell its going to be my fav out of all the other (11) guitars i own, I rush home from work everyday to play this baby. It just feels different in my hands then my other guitars and talk about a tone monster, its unreal the crush i have on this one. This last week i just played in E but last night i started playing in open D and some songs i haven't played in yrs just started pouring out of me Jackson Browne,Neil Young, BBQ Bob kinda stuff. I guess what shocked me the most was when i decided to buy another guitar i was actually looking to add a Mahogany model. I was at odds on a Martin D-15M,Blueridge BR-140 and this Epiphone aj-500 rens.

 

I ended up buying the Epiphone and the Blueridge and they arrived the same day. I really thought i was going to love the br-140 over the AJ. I played the 140 for about 45 min. then picked up the Epiphone and now i can't put it down. If my house catches fire tonight first thing i am grabbing to save is my AJ honest

 

 

[GuitarLight]

I have only had my AJ for about a week and can already tell its going to be my fav out of all the other (11) guitars i own, I rush home from work everyday to play this baby. It just feels different in my hands then my other guitars and talk about a tone monster, its unreal the crush i have on this one. This last week i just played in E but last night i started playing in open D and some songs i haven't played in yrs just started pouring out of me Jackson Browne,Neil Young, BBQ Bob kinda stuff. I guess what shocked me the most was when i decided to buy another guitar i was actually looking to add a Mahogany model. I was at odds on a Martin D-15M,Blueridge BR-140 and this Epiphone aj-500 rens.

 

I ended up buying the Epiphone and the Blueridge and they arrived the same day. I really thought i was going to love the br-140 over the AJ. I played the 140 for about 45 min. then picked up the Epiphone and now i can't put it down. If my house catches fire tonight first thing i am grabbing to save is my AJ honest

 

 

Bluesjoc you are a man who knows his stuff! You won't ever be sorry you chose the MB AJ. And I agree with you. If my house caught fire My AJ goes out the door with me. The rest will just have to burn! lol! Enjoy that dream of a guitar!

 

 

 

[meanstreak]

Love both my AJ's, especially the rosewood. I bought it used and it's beat to hell and has funky marks on it from stickers that were removed and the pickguard I changed, but sounds and plays incredible! I just bought a LR Baggs ibeam, can't wait to install it.

[DennisB643]

Just picked up a Masterbilt AJ 500 RE on ebay and am waiting for it to arrive sometime early this week. I'll certain keep you posted as to my initial thoughts. I'm very excited and have only heard good things about the AJ.

[GuitarLight]

Congratulations! Hope you love it too! Let us know!

Just picked up a Masterbilt AJ 500 RE on ebay and am waiting for it to arrive sometime early this week. I'll certain keep you posted as to my initial thoughts. I'm very excited and have only heard good things about the AJ.

[DennisB643]

Congratulations! Hope you love it too! Let us know!

 

It arrived a few days ago. I examined it out of the shipping box and took it directly to Appalachian Bluegrass, to get it set up and checked our properly. He did a fantastic job with my DR so I figure, why not. I should be getting it in a day or two. From the few chords I played, I can tell I'm gonna love it. It looked in excellend condition. I can't believe I got this guitar for $400, it's worth every penny...I'm not normally a fan of satin finishes but this guitar is downright handsome.

[GuitarLight]

Congratulations! That is great! That sounds like a great Masterbilt Rosewood guitar! A good set up and a fresh set of strings will make it even better! ( I enjoy the Elixir nanoweb 80/20 lights)..but that's always just a matter of personal taste. I also changed the plastic pins that came on it to ebony pins. Give the satin a real chance...I've become a real fan of satin finish with this guitar..never was before that....you'll find no finger prints ever collect on it, and you can just touch and feel it as you play. Many claim that a satin finish allows a guitar to just shine with tone because it is not sealed as tightly as a regular finish, which allows the tone to just HUM right through the very body of the guitar! ...one note...be careful of what polish you use on a satin guitar, as polish can be hard to rub out on a satin finish...I have used Gibson polish on mine, and it looks good, but it DOES take some extra rubbing to get the polish OFF, so use it sparingly if you use it. Satin finishes are very durable and need cleaning far less often than most other gloss finishes. You will be able to touch and rub your hands all over a nice satin finish without fear of smudging them up. ...One of the things I have come to love about it!...I just had my Masterbilt AJ-500R out tonight. I played it over and over, back to back with my $3,500 Rosewood Martin J-40...And I'm telling it is very hard to tell the difference in sound, volume and tone between the two of them. Had I run into this Rosewood Masterbilt before I bought my Martin, I would never have bought the Martin...that's a fact. And I may even sell the Martin now. I think you made a really good decision here. These guitars are that good. This guitar really will hold its own with the big boys..and with ease.

[DennisB643]

I got the guitar back from the shop and I can't believe the difference it makes in the action. The guy did a fantastic job with it. He gave the guitar a complete going over and it sounds and plays fantastic. It has its own personality when played back to back with the DR.

 

One quick question though, the wires for the pickup have come loose (perhaps this happened during shipping) and are kinda hanging...what's the best way to secure them without altering the sound? I thought about a small piece of double sided tape on the inside and then just press the wires down?

[AJ500M]

Anyone know why the AJ500M was withdrawn? I heard Russ Barenberg place one some years ago, and I wanted one asap! Heard different reasons so far..Outselling Gibson guitar's, there were faults etc. But nothing solid on why its no longer for sale.

[AJ500M]

Anyone know why the AJ500M was withdrawn? I heard Russ Barenberg place one some years ago, and I wanted one asap! Heard different reasons so far..Outselling Gibson guitar's, there were faults etc. But nothing solid on why its no longer for sale.

[GuitarLight]

I'm hoping Gibson/Epiphone come out with more models of Masterbilt. What people need is a Masterbilt version of, say, the Hummingbird. The Gibson Hummingbird priced at a steep $3100 is a ridiculous price that 95% of the population simply won't pay. And the $299 Epiphone Version of the Hummingbird. while "functional,"... is simply too poorly made with lamination and glued vinyl fake pick guards that peel off easily, and poorly stained/painted soundboards that look dirty and stained and washed out..... What we need here is a decent priced Hummingbird made with decent materials, and they will sell 10,000 over night. But I won't hold my breath. With Gibson selling Masterbilt down the river, we now have only two options on this makers guitars. Very expensive...and very cheap. There is no middle ground. Masterbilt filled the middle hole perfectly. But I guess Gibson says no. There are many other quality guitar makers out there to go to instead, like Yamaha, and Blueridge, Takamine, and more, who care enough about people to supply a decent guitar at a decent price. So my guess is that this is where people will turn to in the huge vacuum Gibson has caused for middle class people buying quality guitars. In fact most people have already gone there. I have to say that after buying 3 Masterbilts which I love, I may not likely invest in any guitars from Gibson/Epiphone again in the future. I am not happy that the product I invested in, and supported, was simply pulled out from under my feet without explanation or reason. Epiphone did the exact same thing with the Elite series. This is Epiphones history unfortunately. And as soon as people came to love the Elite series of Epiphone, and invest in them, the rug was pulled out from all the Elite customers, leaving them with good guitars, but discontinued models. I am quite happy with my Masterbilts, but deeply disappointed, with Gibson. Guitar players simply deserve quality guitars at a decent price, and most of all, STABILITY in the product. Something Gibson/Epiphone appear to be sorely lacking in.

[MB500]

I'm hoping Gibson/Epiphone come out with more models of Masterbilt. What people need is a Masterbilt version of, say, the Hummingbird. The Gibson Hummingbird priced at a steep $3100 is a ridiculous price that 95% of the population simply won't pay. And the $299 Epiphone Version of the Hummingbird. while "functional,"... is simply too poorly made with lamination and glued vinyl fake pick guards that peel off easily, and poorly stained/painted soundboards that look dirty and stained and washed out..... What we need here is a decent priced Hummingbird made with decent materials, and they will sell 10,000 over night. But I won't hold my breath. With Gibson selling Masterbilt down the river, we now have only two options on this makers guitars. Very expensive...and very cheap. There is no middle ground. Masterbilt filled the middle hole perfectly. But I guess Gibson says no. There are many other quality guitar makers out there to go to instead, like Yamaha, and Blueridge, Takamine, and more, who care enough about people to supply a decent guitar at a decent price. So my guess is that this is where people will turn to in the huge vacuum Gibson has caused for middle class people buying quality guitars. In fact most people have already gone there. I have to say that after buying 3 Masterbilts which I love, I may not likely invest in any guitars from Gibson/Epiphone again in the future. I am not happy that the product I invested in, and supported, was simply pulled out from under my feet without explanation or reason. Epiphone did the exact same thing with the Elite series. This is Epiphones history unfortunately. And as soon as people came to love the Elite series of Epiphone, and invest in them, the rug was pulled out from all the Elite customers, leaving them with good guitars, but discontinued models. I am quite happy with my Masterbilts, but deeply disappointed, with Gibson. Guitars players simply deserve quality guitars at a decent price, and most of all, STABILITY in the product. Something Gibson/Epiphone appear to be sorely lacking in.

[MB500]

In reference to the Masterbilt line. I am the happy owner of a Masterbilt AJ500RE.I will never sell it. I agree with the above post. I will not put out the cash for an expensive Gibson again. Removing the quality middle priced acoustic for the average working musician is an insult.

[meanstreak]

Ya MB500 I agree, I still plan to buy a Gibson Himmingbird one day, but it will be well used and no more than $1500