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Masterbilt AJ-45ME - VSS


mgrasso

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From what I saw 1 mic 1 guitar not pointing at the mic and a loud voice, the guitar projected well and on my speaker set up here the tone were very good. Obviously Gibson doesn't want the real deal to loose attention but I would take one of these over the 2700.00 name sake. My opinion

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Since people are disguising the sound quality of this particular new Masterbilt J-45 video, I'll have to be honest and chime in with my own negative review based on what I saw and heard, and I would be forced to say that in my personal opinion, I was not impressed with the harsh and brash sound of this guitar one bit, which was hard to hear through the extreme overbearing screeching of this singers brash and grating voice. She may be pretty but she sure can't sing. How she ever made it famous is beyond me! How Epiphone ever let her do this video is beyond me also. It certainly will likely negatively affect their sales.Talk about hearing finger nails scratch on a black board! My ears actually ached, and I needed to turn down the volume to avoid a migraine!

 

This new Masterbilt J-45 guitar was poorly shown, with a poor mic job, with very little J-45 sound or tone, it sounded brash, hollow, and unrefined, and along with the questionable bridge factors, unknown bracing patterns which Gibson refused to put in their own specs, as well as a dull matte finish, my order would be cancelled.

 

The sunburst color itself looked very nice... but without a clean crystal clear thin poly finish, it looked like a red birdhouse....now you could hand polish and buff it if you will....but in many peoples view, that is a highly questionable practice that thins the even thinner protective satin finish right from the start, some claim that will even void the warranty, and it is something that should not need to be done by a paying customer. Finishing a guitar is the guitar companies business, not the paying customer. Any classic version of a J-45 would never come in a matte finish, which is generally reserved for lower end, more economical guitars.

 

As far as the tone is concerned...I have played many, many J-45's ...both good and bad ones....and this guitar to my ear, and on this particular video, sounds like anything but a J-45. And the lack of finish and incorrectly mounted bridge mounting make it look like a $199 guitar.

 

I'm afraid Epiphone will have to better if they want to sell this guitar to me. There would be no reason to buy this model over a nice Epiphone 220S or a new Inspired By Texan...they both sound ....and look better than the drab looking Masterbilt J-45 I am presently seeing and hearing. ....I'll be the first to change my mind if better quality videos, and more accurate information come to light.

 

I hate to give this harsh review, and will be the first to change my view on it if things change, but I wanted to buy this guitar very badly to add to my present Masterbilt collection. As of this writing...that simply will not happen.

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Ok so everyone here that thinks this young lady couldn't sing or that the guitar sounded like crap, lets here you do better. It was a large room 1 mic and that is hard to get a true quality sound. I've been around a long time and go to local get togethers where no mic and in a large room is the venue she did great as did the guitar. Look at the big picture don't sell it short lately I attended a bluegrass jam and the real deal J-45 Custom was one of the poorer sounding guitars there.

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Ok so everyone here that thinks this young lady couldn't sing or that the guitar sounded like crap, lets here you do better. It was a large room 1 mic and that is hard to get a true quality sound. I've been around a long time and go to local get togethers where no mic and in a large room is the venue she did great as did the guitar. Look at the big picture don't sell it short lately I attended a bluegrass jam and the real deal J-45 Custom was one of the poorer sounding guitars there.

 

There's really no use in making apologies for Epiphone for that video, there's certainly enough money in their budget to make a video that makes this guitar shine. Can I do a better recording? I doubt it, I don't have the equipment or the know how. Am I a multi-million dollar company trying to advertise a new model to it's consumer base? Another no. So to be honest I don't think I'm selling the guitar short, I'm just wondering why Epiphone is.

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Are you all confusing a song and a singer you don't like with the actual sound of the guitar?

 

The guitar sounds every bit of what I would expect it to sound like with a capo on the third fret.

 

The guitar is loud, there's no fret buzz and the notes are articulated extremely well.

 

Geez, people!

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Are you all confusing a song and a singer you don't like with the actual sound of the guitar?

 

The guitar sounds every bit of what I would expect it to sound like with a capo on the third fret.

 

The guitar is loud, there's no fret buzz and the notes are articulated extremely well.

 

Geez, people!

I'm with you cliffenstein, after reading all the comments here I clicked on the link expecting to be outraged. You're right in that it's not really my kind of music, but that's ok,and as for the guitar well I kinda liked it.

 

I'm not really in the market for a new guitar, but, you know what, after seeing this I realized (hate that spelling!) I want one. Is there an antidote for GAS?

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There are loads of terrible sounding videos on youtube featuring every kind of guitar including the beloved J-45 in any year you can imagine. Judging any of those guitars by a video is not my bag. Once in the stores I will take a drive to Sweetwater and Guitar Center and the local company that sells these and play one, two or ten.

 

I cant wait for it to come out and see if its the sound I am looking for. but judging from a video? With one mic in the room about 10 feet away? Nah, I'm not going to base any opinion on that guitar until I get to play it.

 

db

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Photodusty,

I agree 100%...most of the youtube clips of guitars don't do them justice, and as a result, are of little value to me as a potential consumer. We'll see when it comes out.

 

I hope the Epiphone folks read this, and the the AGF posts and do some PR recovery, or at least post a decent sounding video...are you listening Dr.Epiphone?

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I think the difference in the videos is that the one posted by RED is showing off the artist NOT the guitar. In the description it reads "so and so dropped by Epiphone and plays a song using our new AJ-45ME"

 

The video Mickthemiller shows is most certainly hi-class-show off the guitar video.

 

I believe in the next few weeks we will see these type of videos for the AJ-45me. Also you will see places like Sweetwater and Acoustic Guitar doing reviews that will be well mic'd and hopefully honest.

 

 

db

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Mick...my AJ-220S sounds better in person when played by me than on any video I've ever seen, including that 6 minute official Epiphone video.

 

The video of Meghan Patrick playing her AJ-45ME is done in a way that I can tell I'm going to love it in person. Then again, I knew I would even before seeing that video.

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Mick...my AJ-220S sounds better in person when played by me than on any video I've ever seen, including that 6 minute official Epiphone video.

 

The video of Meghan Patrick playing her AJ-45ME is done in a way that I can tell I'm going to love it in person. Then again, I knew I would even before seeing that video.

 

cliffenstein, look at this other youtube video (below) of the AJ220s and tell me would you buy it? Yes of course you would/did and it was vids like this that sold it to us - it just sounds great! The guy's just pickin and strumming holding the weight of the guitar on his knee with no visible mic (sorry I can see it to the left - his right) to be seen and it still sounds like the kind of guitar you must have. As I said I'll wait for a decent promo from Epiphone before I commit finally to the AJ45ME. But after all the hype at NAMM you would think that Epiphone would have made an effort for the "first look" video promo. After-all, they could have given that gal any old axe to strum. Look on the Epiphone Youtube site they have lots of "?????? ?????? Visits Epiphone Headquarters" some don't even play anything. Surely those guys (I use the term meaning all sexes and genders) at Epiphone know everything there is to know about selling guitars to the masses - or do they?

 

 

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Mick,

 

Nevada Music UK does it right and always have. That player pack video you posted comes the closest to what the AJ-220S actually sounds like.

 

Have you seen their video from 2010 for the Epiphone Hummingbird? Talk about a video that not only makes you want to buy that guitar but also makes you just want to pick up your guitar and play!

 

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I'm not gonna say another word about the AJ45ME but I would like you'll to watch this youtube video and then tell us what you think

 

The excellent example of the videos you show of the AJ220S..and thank you for bringing them to light again... (both links are re-listed listed below back to back for comparison)...these two videos convinced me to actually BUY a 220S. Because they show what is does, how it looks, they reveal its tone, its volume, with a real representation of what to expect when I buy it. ....And I got what I expected from my 220S. It is every bit as good and better than these quality videos show.

 

Considering that the Masterbilt AJ45ME is right on the cusp of appearing, and in a frenzy of customer questions and anticipation, I find it simply amazing that Epiphone did not spend the time or the money to produce high quality a video similar to the 220S videos in the links below that would make people want to buy it.

 

Epiphone made a lot of money on that 220S and continues to do so world wide....my 220S model is a year or so old...and the production serial number inside the sound hole label reads that 18,500 something of them were sold, and by now probably 25000 or more.....the quality video Epiphone produced to sell the 220S..did its job. I and at least 18,000 others bought one.

 

Now the AJ45ME may well be an exquisite guitar, I dearly hope it is, but the low grade AJ45ME videos simply do not convince me of this yet. Were I to compare the videos of the economical 220S, with the videos of the AJ45ME while in the process of buying a guitar, the AJ45ME would be left in the dust, when compared to the quality 220S videos. I believe the AJ45ME will probably be much better than so far shown, based on Masterbilt's previous fine quality. ...but I am a customer who wants to see that before I buy it.

 

There are those who constantly say that you can not judge a guitar and how well it plays and sounds by a video...that would be true of a poor quality video...but the high quality Epiphone produced 220S video below, the one directly produced by Epiphone, clearly gives an accurate evaluation of the what the 220S can do. I trusted it when I viewed it even before I bought the 220S, and the video is dead nuts right on. The 220S like the video shows..is indeed not a disappointment.

 

In fact the quality of Epiphones in general, and the quality videos they are shown in, eventually enticed me to save my pennies and buy a Gibson hummingbird. So good PR does pay off.

 

And so I must quote you from one of your entities above!...." Dr. Epiphone, are you listening."

 

Turn UP the volume on these promotional videos below ...and you will realize that what you are actually hearing...you will actually get. But don't listen TOO closely, because if you haven't got a 220S or a Hummingbird...after watching these three amazing videos, you just might WANT one! ...I tend to think that new Masterbilt AJ45ME certainly deserves the same rich public relations treatment all the other Epiphones receive.

 

 

 

I also agree with Cliff that this Epi Hummingbird video below is excellent....in fact, I bought my Epiphone Hummingbird based on this video..I was not disappointed...thanks Cliff for bringing the HB clip to light again!

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GL,

 

To date, Epiphone has not made a similar video of their most excellent Inspired by 1964 Texan.

 

I think they made that video of the AJ-220S because it's such an overwhelmingly good guitar and they didn't want the price to keep people from checking it out, so they felt the need to promote it more heavily.

 

In my view, they should be making similar videos of all of their guitars, but it's up to them to do it.

 

Finally, Nevada Music UK is not Epiphone, but a really great store that is very smart with how they make online videos to increase their sales. As such, it isn't fair to include their videos along with Epiphone's AJ-220 promo video when discussing perceived failure by Epiphone to market their products.

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Surely those guys (I use the term meaning all sexes and genders) at Epiphone know everything there is to know about selling guitars to the masses - or do they

Sexes and genders? [confused]

 

Sorry but that made me chuckle.

 

The Dutch version of Thomanns' website is now giving a probable/likely delivery date of May 25th.

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Sexes and genders? [confused]

 

Sorry but that made me chuckle.

 

The Dutch version of Thomanns' website is now giving a probable/likely delivery date of May 25th.

 

Your reply about making you chuckle made me chuckle about the thing that made you chuckle!!! I was just covering all bases!

 

Yes I've had one ordered from Thomanns since the beginning of February. I do hope it is as good as the other Masterbilts because I missed out on those and I have been kicking myself about that for far too long.

 

And Cliff, I do so agree about Nevada Music's vids. Funnily enough they are not yet advertising the Masterbilt AJ45ME - like some other UK dealers are.

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Things seem to have gone off the boil a bit re the AJ45ME.

 

I emailed Nevada Music to ask if they have any news - below is the reply

 

Hi Mick,

 

theoretically we should be getting them in, but Gibson have changed the ordering process for Gibson and Epiphone products. Orders will now be scheduled by Gibson based on sell through as opposed to us generating orders for specific products. This now means although we will be getting most guitars, we won't necessarily know when until maybe a month before they are due.

 

All I can say is watch this space really as they'll go up on the site as soon as we know they're coming.

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

Make of that what you will

 

Oh! and Thomann now have no date when they are due - it was end of May up to a couple of days ago

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Things seem to have gone off the boil a bit re the AJ45ME.

I had almost convinced myself it was a good idea to order one, but this on again off again saga says to me that Epiphone are having problems with this guitar. Call me a cynic if you like (I've been called worse) but this sort of business practice does not inspire confidence.

 

I reckon I'll wait a while until there are a few out there, whenever that may be, and see what the general consensus is then.

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