do Masterbilts have the Gibson sound?

[Wayne]

Been reading good things about them and I'm thinking to buy a mahogany AJ but haven't seen a definitive answer to this yet. Its a 5 hour round trip to find out in person.

[pohatu771]

Of course, it depends on which model you buy - most of the Masterbilt line seems to be more Martin-inspired than Gibson. The AJ, of course, is a Gibson design.

 

I've played a few AJ-500M models, and liked them well enough. One day I compared the Masterbilt, the new Inspired by 1964 Texan, and an Elitist Texan, and all three were very similar in sound. There were minor differences in feel, but overall, they all sounded about the same, and the differences would have been different with different strings.

 

They all compare favourably to my J-45, and other similar guitars I've played. They're not quite as "open" as some I've played, which still may be a matter of strings. They are Gibson guitars, no doubt.

[jefleppard]

i owned an aj500m and loved it. it was loud and full of overtones. it sounded similar to a gibson aj to me. i believe there is a cedar-topped/rosewood b/s model that is quite sweet as well. i would hazard to say they are comparable but rather i would say they are a great value. one of the better under 1K range guitars out there.

[meanstreak]

I bought my AJ-500M a couple months ago and it definately has that Gibson type of tone! I sat in the little practice room at Guitar Center with the Epi Masterbilt AJ500-M and the Gibson J-45 and played each one for a few minutes at a time for about a half an hour. While I can't say that the Epi sounded quite as perfect as the Gibson it was DAMN close! Deep bass tones and very clear mids and highs, to my ears at least they had virtually the same tone, if I had my eyes covered and just listened I think I could tell them apart but it would be hard to do!

 

Considering a new J-45 standard acoustic/electric costs $2400 and AJ-500M only $500 (the AJ-500ME acoustic/electric costs $550) it was a no brainer for me! I added a bone saddle at a cost of $25 by a luthier and it is 90% as good a guitar as the J-45 at just 20% of the cost.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still plan on buying a Gibson Hummingbird (my Gibson fund has just broken $1000!) but man am I ever impressed by my Epi Masterbilt!

[kebob]

I would agree with Pohatu -- the Masterbuilt guitars are a very good bang for the buck. I don't think they sound quite as good as a Gibson, by and large. But, each guitar is different, of course. I agree that (by and large) they don't seem as "open" sounding. But for the price, they're a good value.

[Wayne]

How do the AJ necks compare to Gibsons? I have heard them described as thin/slim

and I hope thats the case. Gibsons are as big as my little paws can handle.

[dhanners623]

How do the AJ necks compare to Gibsons? I have heard them described as thin/slim

and I hope thats the case. Gibsons are as big as my little paws can handle.

 

If you're looking for thin/slim necks, I would urge you to check out the Epiphone "Inspired by the 1964" Texan. I got one a couple of weeks ago and it is an amazing guitar for the dough. I finally sat down Saturday and A/B'd it with my '98 J-45, and it compares quite favorably with its older (and more expensive) cousin. The Texan has a longer scale than the '45, and the neck is thinner. It has good volume and the tone has plenty of character and it is definitely a slope-shoulder sound.

 

Here's a video of me playing it:

[meanstreak]

How do the AJ necks compare to Gibsons? I have heard them described as thin/slim

and I hope thats the case. Gibsons are as big as my little paws can handle.

 

 

It's pretty thin, I really didn't notice a difference between it and the J-45. Compared to my other Epi's I would say it definately thinner and a nice shape to fit the hand - although I should probably also say I'm 6'4" tall, 275 lbs and about 8 inches from wrist to the tip of my middle finger

[Wayne]

Is there a difference between the Texan neck and the AJ neck?

[meanstreak]

Is there a difference between the Texan neck and the AJ neck?

 

 

now that I wouldn't be able to say as I've never actully played a Texan. If you want I could take some close up pics of the neck on my guitar, just lemme know!

[Wayne]

No need to do that, but thanks. I really need to have it in my hands but if I knew one was smaller than the other it would affect my decision. I can handle a J-45 size neck though I much prefer something slimmer. Have been looking at Blueridge slopes because I love the Blueridge neck but

have heard mixed opinions on whether they have a Gibson sound. I've only been able to play one and it was defective with all sorts of buzzes and a cracked top so i couldn't draw my own conclusion.

[Jinder]

Wayne, Blueridge slopes don't nail the Gibson sound at all, IMHO. They sound like a generic cheap dreadnought to my ears. Their Martin clones, however, are stunning...go figure.

[Red 333]

Epiphone just announced this new Masterbilt today; DR500M with cutaway and electronics:

 

New Masterbilt Announced

 

And for you mandolin players, look at this:

 

New Professional Series Mandolin

 

By the way, as the owner of several Masterbilts and even more slope shoulder Gibsons, I'd say that the Epis are excellent guitars, no doubt. No doubt at all. They have a sound that's very big and expansive. They emphasize the fundamental tones less than a Gibson, and single-note articulation is not as crisp (maybe because the Masterbilt AJ shape has a wider waist, so the sound is not quite as focused). The bass is very deep and loud, but it has a softer attack, like on an upright bass. To me, a Gibson sounds more immediate, while a Masterbilt sounds as if it were a Gibson put into a reverb tank.

 

That's not to denegrate their sound in any way. It's just that I find a Gibson drier usually. But the Masterbilts sound wonderful. They just have their own spin on the Gibson sound.

 

Overall, I find the Masterbilts well built and appointed, and a bargain.

 

Red 333

 

Epiphone Masterbilt AJ500M, AJ500R, AJ500RC 12-fret, DR 500M

Gibson Advanced Jumbo, Advanced Jumbo Maple short scale, J45 True Vintage Red Spruce, J45 Rosewood Vine, J160E Standard, J160E Peace, J185 Vine, FVG 1939 J35 Reissue

[Wayne]

Oooh, I liked it until the bass part. Thats the one (and only) thing I would like to improve on my only Gibson, a J-100X. The bass is nice and loud but it is soft and lacks attack. My little 000 laminated Blueridge has more bite.

[Guth]

Wayne,

 

I think that, as always, you've just got to play the actual guitars.

 

Some time back I had a chance to try out the mahogany slope-shoulder version of Masterbuilt line (AJ500M?). I thought that it was a great sounding guitar for the money. That said, I didn't really think "Gibson" when I played it, but that's not a knock on the Epi, it actually sounded really good in its own way. For the most part, my experience with the Epi supports Red's observations - based on my one experience (just the one mind you), Red did quite a good job describing the Epi AJ tone. In contrast to Red's experiences however, the Epi that I played actually had a fairly articulate low E string, very strong, not so balanced, but articulate just the same (it had a good amount of bite as you say). In fact, the Epi had exhibited more articulate bass than a good number of Gibsons hanging on the wall that day. But that was then. If I went back to the same store to repeat my experiment, well who knows how the results would turn out.

 

All the best,

Guth

[docwatsonfan]

just for kicks recently I bought a used AJ500MNS at GC.....

and

liked it so much I just got another used epi, an AJ500RNS

 

the ripple effect caused the Martin D28 to go on consignment , it just won't get played.........

 

and now I am going to put a k and k mini in my Gibson WM45 so I can hear it ..........

 

oh......and I have small hands too, the necks are perfect for me on the epis

 

and I feel they have that Gibson tone for sure, probably sounding better than the two Gibson AJ's I've had recently...........go figure.....

 

they are like a junkyard dog, incredible for flatpicking! strumming is really nice, fingerstyle is just ok................... I'd rather play the WM45 for that!

[Red 333]

Wayne' date='

 

In contrast to Red's experiences however, the Epi that I played actually had a fairly articulate low E string, very strong, not so balanced, but articulate just the same (it had a good amount of bite as you say). In fact, the Epi had exhibited more articulate bass than a good number of Gibsons hanging on the wall that day. But that was then. If I went back to the same store to repeat my experiment, well who knows how the results would turn out.

 

All the best,

Guth[/quote']

 

Guth is right, you've got to play 'em. I use the same strings on all my acoustics, so my observations are based on that. You might get different results with different strings, or maybe if you or a tech refiled the nut slots. I've found the set up on the Masterbilts to be exellent, so have never taken a file to one...

 

Red 333

[Wayne]

Finally got to a wireless where I could do some utubing. I think the AJ500M and Texan both sound Gibsonesque but I'm really liking the sound of that Texan. Might have to get one of those too.

[meanstreak]

Finally got to a wireless where I could do some utubing. I think the AJ500M and Texan both sound Gibsonesque but I'm really liking the sound of that Texan. Might have to get one of those too.

 

 

Good plan! When in doubt, just buy em' both!

[Wayne]

Well I just ordered the last cherry burst texan in stock in the nation until more arrive late April. I have a feeling the AJ is more my all-around cup of tea, but I couldnt resist the sound of the Texan after dhanner623's video...though it does sound like he was plugged in and I rarely plug in.

[Swicket]

Nope - they aren't Gibsons. Not made in Montana, different specs, different models. They may

be great guitars, especially in their price ranges, but they don't sound or feel like Gibsons to me.

[Wayne]

Well I just ordered the last cherry burst texan in stock in the nation until more arrive late April. I have a feeling the AJ is more my all-around cup of tea' date=' but I couldnt resist the sound of the Texan after dhanner623's video...though it does sound like he was plugged in and I rarely plug in.

 

[/quote']

 

 

She's here. beautiful guitar. I'll refrain from making raving honeymoon claims about the guitar for now, but I'm pleased. Has a nice open Gibsonish sound to me, with something of that glimmering Gibson buzz (I dont know what else to call it but it aint fret buzz). Has more bite in the bass than my J-100, which I really like. Definitely a new guitar sound that needs to be played out of it, but me like! Best of all, the neck is perfect for me. Its almost as slim as my Blueridge, which some people wont like.

 

What kind of strings do you think they use on it? I'd like to change them and want to know what to switch back to just in case I dont like the new ones.

 

Also thinking about changing the bridge pins as they look mighty cheap, but I have never replaced a set on pins in my 6 years of guitar playing. What do I want, and why? Ebony? I'm only going to get whatever I can get locally, so sauteed walrus crust is out of the question.