brannon67 Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 For a while now the Epiphone Masterbilt website has only has the DR and the EF models listed. Is this the only two models they make now? I cant believe they discontinued the AJ models, and all the others, the slotted head models, the classical model, etc. What the H_LL were they thinking? Epiphone, tip for you. Bring back the AJs, and all the ones you had when the Masterbilts came out. I guarantee they would sell. I know the AJs sold. It makes no sense to me, to limit the models to their customers. Crazy. I would love that slotted head model they had out back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 For a while now the Epiphone Masterbilt website has only has the DR and the EF models listed. Is this the only two models they make now? I cant believe they discontinued the AJ models, and all the others, the slotted head models, the classical model, etc. What the H_LL were they thinking? Epiphone, tip for you. Bring back the AJs, and all the ones you had when the Masterbilts came out. I guarantee they would sell. I know the AJs sold. It makes no sense to me, to limit the models to their customers. Crazy. I would love that slotted head model they had out back then. Unfortunately you are correct. Epiphone dumped every single model but the DR500MCE and the EF model. I have both AJ models the Mahogany and the Rosewood..bought them just after Epiphone discontinued the Masterbilts...and when there were still some in stock in Musicians friend. There are occasionally some used AJ Masterbilts models for sale in GC. In their search window just type in Epiphone Masterbilt, and click remove filters if that appears..and you will see what is available nation wide...the other day there was an AJ500M and also an AJ500R. No one seems to know why Epiphone dumped one of the most desirable guitar lines in the world. The have done this many times. They create a wonderful guitar, then it simply vanishes. I suspect that contributes to Epiphones very poor reputation for producing consistent guitars. The Masterbilts were great, but they are gone. I have a Masterbilt DR500MCE which is simply magic and competes with any $2000 guitar...I suspect it will soon vanish like the dinosaurs for that reason. Get it while you can. MF and GC and Sweetwater still presently carry them. And they are as good as the famous Masterbilt AJ series except that they are a dred with electric pick up..and solid Mahogany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Yeah, I thought abouot getting the DR500 model. I dont have a guitar with a cutaway. I think Epiphone really screwed up. Its Epis lost and our lost also. Sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Sadly it looks to me like Epiphone is concentrating on electric guitars. If you go and check the website it is definitely loaded with an electric guitar choice unfortunately not so in the acoustic guitar field. If they only knew they could be a power house with the full Masterbuilt line. I wish I had a chance to play the earlier models, my dr500mce is all I could ask for and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloozeguy Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Sadly it looks to me like Epiphone is concentrating on electric guitars. If you go and check the website it is definitely loaded with an electric guitar choice unfortunately not so in the acoustic guitar field. If they only knew they could be a power house with the full Masterbuilt line. I wish I had a chance to play the earlier models, my dr500mce is all I could ask for and more. Really. I mean, would Zakk Wylde be caught dead performing with a 12-fret, slot-head, V-profile neck, non-electric acoustic??? I think not! So, why bother y'know!? (Oh, gee, watch--the next vid someone will post will be ZW playing "a 12-fret, slot-head, V-profile neck, non-electric acoustic." Maybe a Van Ronk song cuz of the movie, or Blind Blake cuz he's just into it. Would be just my luck. Sigh!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Sadly it looks to me like Epiphone is concentrating on electric guitars. If you go and check the website it is definitely loaded with an electric guitar choice unfortunately not so in the acoustic guitar field. If they only knew they could be a power house with the full Masterbuilt line. I wish I had a chance to play the earlier models, my dr500mce is all I could ask for and more. Your right, its does look that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Really. I mean, would Zakk Wylde be caught dead performing with a 12-fret, slot-head, V-profile neck, non-electric acoustic??? I think not! So, why bother y'know!? (Oh, gee, watch--the next vid someone will post will be ZW playing "a 12-fret, slot-head, V-profile neck, non-electric acoustic." Maybe a Van Ronk song cuz of the movie, or Blind Blake cuz he's just into it. Would be just my luck. Sigh!) Respectfully, I understand where you are coming from, but not all are metalheads. I mean, I like Zakk, dont get me wrong, and have nothing against metal, but alot of us play more then metal. Folk, Americana, blues, etc. Thats why we are interested in the slothead guitars, Aj guitars, etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloozeguy Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Respectfully, I understand where you are coming from, but not all are metalheads. I mean, I like Zakk, dont get me wrong, and have nothing against metal, but alot of us play more then metal. Folk, Americana, blues, etc. Thats why we are interested in the slothead guitars, Aj guitars, etc.... I think you may have missed my satiric point, pointed at Epiphone's current marketing. In fact, I am an owner of one of the "12-fret..." etc. Epiphones (AJ500RC 12fret) about which you ask in another posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 I think I did, and I apalogize for that. That was cool, I liked it. I understand where you are coming from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloozeguy Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I think I did, and I apalogize for that. That was cool, I liked it. I understand where you are coming from. Very gracious. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If they sold that well then they probably wouldn't have stopped producing them. That isn't saying they weren't good, just that if the market justified it then they'd still be making them. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 If they sold that well then they probably wouldn't have stopped producing them. That isn't saying they weren't good, just that if the market justified it then they'd still be making them. Just my opinion. Good point, I really think the epi's don't get the attention they should, the comment today was close your eyes and the DR500mce and the D28 were hard to tell apart, but the epi has a louder voice. To bad folks spend so much for a name and not for a fine instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 If you look back, I believe the rise of the solid body electrics at Gibson in the late 1950s signaled a downward spiral in the acoustics. Gibson seemed intent on making their acoustics feel more like electrics so we ended up with pencil thin necks, adjustable bridges and narrow nuts. Not exactly what a lot of us were looking for in an acoustic. I agree with somebody here though that if there was money to be had the Masterbilt line would be alive and well. Maybe the costs of making these guitars has risen to the point where the profit is being drained out of them. It is hard also not to notice though that Gibson is coming out with more moderately priced (at least for Gibson) instruments like the J-35 and new J-15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Both Gibson and Epiphone appear to be lowering the price points. Gibson: J35, LG-2AE, and now even a J15 at $1,499 MAP (probably $1400 negotiated) Epiphone AJ220VS $199!!!!! And other playable (I didn't say good necessarily) for $100. I think the Masterbilts were caught in between... And Gibson knows that guitarists tend to be brand loyal and move up the line. IE they would rather you buy a cheap Gibby and graduate to a J200 Country Western than own a $600 top of the line Epiphone and stay there. Now the real beginners can start at $100 and move up to $500 in Epi acoustic land, and Advanced beginners and intermediate can start at $1400 in Gibby land and graduate to $4k. Anyway this is my thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old mark Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 All I can add is that I used to play my wife's 1960's Gibson Heritage Jumbo...I now have 4 Epiphone acoustics and the Gibson is long gone... I have one of the maple Masterbilts, an EL00, a John Lennon EJ 160 and a Hummingbird...My only regret is that I did not discover Epi acoustics 50 years ago... mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstick Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I am thinking about the EL-00 does anyone have an opinion on it ? I can get one for 220.00. I like the size and it feels and plays great. This will be the first new acoustic I have purchased even though I have played quite a few over the years and this looks good for the money.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandrew Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I just picked up my EL-oo pro today! It is a great instrument. It is more comfortable for me than a Dred, has a shorter neck length, has a great neck feel, Grover tuners, Fishman pick up system, solid spruce top, etc. All for under $300! It has a thinner body, and is not as bassy or deep sounding as a dreadnought, but it is well balanced in sound top to bottom. The finish on mine is just wonderful, and the top is a little more orange than yellow that you see in pictures. Pick one up ASAP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I am thinking about the EL-00 does anyone have an opinion on it ? I can get one for 220.00. I like the size and it feels and plays great. This will be the first new acoustic I have purchased even though I have played quite a few over the years and this looks good for the money.. The Epiphone EL-00 is a great guitar! Neither Gibson, nor Martin, nor Taylor..nor any other guitar brand can deliver the sound and quality that this guitar delivers for the price. Here is a short video about 4 minutes long where yuo can see and hear the EL-00 in action. Good luck! Martin and Taylor..eat your heart out. ..They would be charging $800 to $1000 for the very same guitar...or MORE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 The Epiphone EL-00 is a great guitar! Neither Gibson, nor Martin, nor Taylor..nor any other guitar brand can deliver the sound and quality that this guitar delivers for the price. Here is a short video about 4 minutes long where yuo can see and hear the EL-00 in action. Good luck! Martin and Taylor..eat your heart out. ..They would be charging $800 to $1000 for the very same guitar...or MORE. It's just silly to compare like that, there's no doubt a lot of bang for your buck there but in the end you usually get what you pay for. Let's not fool ourselves into believing there's no difference between the EL00 and it's Gibson counterpart, whatever that may be. If you're not fooling yourself and can't hear the difference... congratulations! Your gear budget will be a lot friendlier to the wallet than mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 All I can add is that I used to play my wife's 1960's Gibson Heritage Jumbo...I now have 4 Epiphone acoustics and the Gibson is long gone... Not hard to understand as it dates from the 1960s, especially if for the latter part of the decade. Personally I prefer the Epis over the Gibsons during this decade. On the other hand, I have two Gibsons made in the 1940s - there is nothing out there that can touch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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