Looking for info on new shipment of AJ500RC Slot-Headed 12-Fretters

[YerDugliness]

My first post on the new forum, but on the old forum I was pretty active regarding the Masterbilt AJ500RC Slot-headed 12-fretters.

 

For the longest time now they haven't been available, but a couple of weeks ago I went into an Austin, TX Gibson dealer's shop and while they didn't have any in stock, they did call Gibson and were told that a new shipment was on the boat and that Gibson was expecting the new shipment to be in the Nashville warehouse pretty quickly.

 

So, GASing over a new Masterbilt AJ500RC (sorry Gibsonguy, I saw your FS post, but I want a new guit so I have the Epiphone lifetime warranty), I have some questions regarding the AJ500RC that hopefully some of you can answer.

 

First off, I know that in the past, this model had quite a high "failure rate" b/c of a lifting bridge--I was told that the reason for that was the Chinese factory put the finish on the top before mounting the bridge, rather than gluing the bridge directly to the wood, causing the bridges to lift pretty quickly. Does anyone know if the factory changed the build sequence to correct this issue? Admittedly, one of the reasons I'm buying new is so that I have the factory warranty, but it sure would be nice to not have to send the guit in for repair, so I'm hoping the build procedure was changed, too.

 

Also, how about the availability? I was dealing with my sales rep at Sweetwater dot com and he said he called Gibson only to find they had one of these. Well, that was news to me, as we have been working on this order for probably 4 months now and none were available........so, perhaps this was a defective return that Gibson/Epiphone repaired? Needless to say, as badly as I want this guit, I'm willing to wait for the shipment of the newly built guits in hopes that this bridge-lifting issue has been corrected.

 

So, what say you all? Does anyone know anything about the availability of newly shipped guits or the lifting bridge issue?

 

Thanks for whatever information you can provide.

 

Dugly

[Tynee]

You never divulged that you were a member over here as well. Is it sacrilage to admit that I still haven't kisked the desire to buy the Epiphone that I was originally leaning towards?

 

I'll quit jacking your thread, just thought I'd say "hey." Good luck in your information quest.

[YerDugliness]

You never divulged that you were a member over here as well. Is it sacrilage to admit that I still haven't kisked the desire to buy the Epiphone that I was originally leaning towards?

 

I'll quit jacking your thread' date=' just thought I'd say "hey." Good luck in your information quest.[/quote']

 

Hi, Tynee! Good to see you here, too. I recognized your forum name immediately when I tried to sign on today (had to register again, apparently the information from the old forum wasn't carried through to the new forum). I seem to remember your post on the W-forum regarding how "dead" the acoustic board can be here at Epiphone. That can be true, but it can also be fairly lively--it seems to come and go.

 

I have 3 epi's--same # as made by the other manufacturer. IF I can find one of these AJ500RC's, I'll have more Epi's than W's. Ergo, I hereby decree that no sacrilege has been committed by Tynee.

 

There's another W-forum member here, too, he goes here by the forum name CedarTopFan. He has one of the guit's I'm chasing........lucky guy.

 

Dugly

[solpig]

Hi Yer Dugliness...good to see you over here.

 

 

I went ahead and bought another Slothead from the refurb center.

 

Having had to sell off almost all of my toys to fund christmas for the boys (I was out of work) I promised myself I would re-aquire My epi's first thing. Amongst my sell-offs were my AJ500m and my 12 fretter.

 

Now, first a caveat:

this is second hand knowledge!

My guy at the place said that there was a Load of new guitars coming in for Jan-March as epiphone just had to get a new big shipment,and of course there are always blems and seconds. They hadn't had any masterbilts in for months towards the end of 07. As Luck would have it, in early January a 12 fretter came in and he held it for me until I could get the funds and get there.

 

This one was marked 2nd ... that means it was pulled out of circulation before it ever hit a store, by epiphone here in Nashvegas.

 

I checked with the tech's and it was the same ol'-same ol'....Bridge lift. Other than that it was fine. They had already repaired the bridge (albeit with Cyanocryalate). None the less, this one plays and sounds just as good as any other one I've played.

 

Assuming that this Load of guitars was the one that Musiciansfriend, guitarcenter and everyone else was waiting for, I would have to guess that they have NOT completely de-bugged them. Obviously this is just speculation

 

-piggy

[jannusguy]

Good luck in your quest. Mine is still available for anyone who might be interested. In mint condition, no issues. Will include Tour Grade case and ground shipping for $600.00. rob2@tampabay.rr.com

 

 

THIS GUITAR HAS BEEN SOLD.

[jannusguy]

here's the front. don't know what happened there.

[YerDugliness]

Thanks for the photos, GibsonGuy--and thanks for feeding my GAS!'

 

Good lord, aren't they just absolutely gorgeous!!

 

Nice price, I'll definitly keep it in mind if I can't find a new one with a warranty.

 

Cheers!

 

Dugly

[Tynee]

I had some time to kill today, so I called my local Epiphone dealer, and struck out. I don't exactly have a "long-term relationship" with him, but I was a little surprised that he didn't do anything but tell me, "I don't have any of them." No offer of additional information, or anything...

[YerDugliness]

I had some time to kill today' date=' so I called my local Epiphone dealer, and struck out. I don't exactly have a "long-term relationship" with him, but I was a little surprised that he didn't do anything but tell me, "I don't have any of them." No offer of additional information, or anything...[/quote']

 

Same down here, Tynee! The only other answer I've ever gotten came from that Gibson dealer in Austin, who had Gibson on the phone. I'm hoping they were dealing straight with their dealer, otherwise I might consider a B stock or used (both available), just holding out for a new one to get the warranty!

 

Thanks for checking it out!

 

Dugly

[emmonsh]

keep a eye out now. i know that the vintage sunburst just came in yeasterday for the aj550m. they have been waiting for them for about 3 mon ths. so probably find one n ow

[CedarTopFan]

>>>>"There's another W-forum member here, too, he goes here by the forum name CedarTopFan. He has one of the guit's I'm chasing........lucky guy."<<<<

 

Yep, thats me. I'm "WashburnGrasser" over on that other forum. I've got a couple of Washburns and love them dearly, but right now my 2 best guitars are the Epiphone AJ500RC and my Blueridge BR160. Got a nice Alvarez/Yairi as well.

 

CTF

[YerDugliness]

Hey, guys, as long as we're talking about the AJ500RC, I'm just curious if anyone has ever put a pickup on one? I'm gearing up for open-mic nights and am considering which one of my guits to electrify (already have a dreadnaught design by another manufacturer that is an A/E, but needs some work), so I'm curious if that "large" sound that the AJ body size and the 12-fretter design gives this guitar will be lost in the translation to electrical signals.....

 

Any observations or opinions on that you can provide will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

Dugly :(

[Dagwood]

Hey' date=' guys, as long as we're talking about the AJ500RC, I'm just curious if anyone has ever put a pickup on one? I'm gearing up for open-mic nights and am considering which one of my guits to electrify (already have a dreadnaught design by another manufacturer that is an A/E, but needs some work), so I'm curious if that "large" sound that the AJ body size and the 12-fretter design gives this guitar will be lost in the translation to electrical signals.....

 

Any observations or opinions on that you can provide will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

Dugly :( [/quote']

 

I've put an LR Baggs ELEMENT (under Saddle) in mine and am quite pleased with it.

 

Its non intrusive except for a small hole drilled under the saddle and the end pin hole being enlarged. The volume and tone control are stuck inside the sound hole.

 

Here's a little recording I did... just messing around one day to get a feel for the sound.....

 

D-

 

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6113684

[YerDugliness]

Thanks, Dagwood--nice rendition! I am using the computer at the public library for a while, quiet zone and all, so I couldn't crank it up, but that sounds very balanced, excellent tones. I'm a bit confused as to which is better, the under saddle transducer type or the under bridge type. I know the relative merits of each, and it's not likely I'd be playing in a very loud environment where feedback would become a problem with the under bridge type. Just curious--when you installed your "Element", did you do it yourself or did you take it to a luthier/shop tech? How difficult a job do you think it is?

 

I'm sort of a DIY type of guy, but even at that one of my guits seems to be at the lutheir in Houston pretty much all the time. I think I'm putting his daughter through college or something like that.

 

Dugly

[Dagwood]

Thanks' date=' Dagwood--nice rendition! I am using the computer at the public library for a while, quiet zone and all, so I couldn't crank it up, but that sounds very balanced, excellent tones. I'm a bit confused as to which is better, the under saddle transducer type or the under bridge type. I know the relative merits of each, and it's not likely I'd be playing in a very loud environment where feedback would become a problem with the under bridge type. Just curious--when you installed your "Element", did you do it yourself or did you take it to a luthier/shop tech? How difficult a job do you think it is?

 

I'm sort of a DIY type of guy, but even at that one of my guits seems to be at the lutheir in Houston pretty much all the time. I think I'm putting his daughter through college or something like that.

 

Dugly [/quote']

 

I had the guys at the shop do it.. Its a local shop here where I live and I have a pretty good relationship with them.. They only charged my about $20 for the install.

[YerDugliness]

STILL dealing with this issue--I even sent a PM to the "Gibson customer support" person who occasionally posts on this forum--no answer. The best answer that my Sweetwater rep can get out of Gibson/Epiphone is that whatever guitar I get will be a new guitar, but for me that's not good enough--I want an assurance that the guit I get will not be leftover stock from the previous production runs.

 

My hopes here are that (1) Epiphone realized the bridge should be glued to the wood on the soundboard, and that the process they used whereby they finished the top and THEN glued on the bridge is what is responsible for the high failure rate, and (2) Epiphone changed the build sequence/process to ensure that the new stock they are/will be getting will have been constructed in a manner that will reduce the high failure rate.

 

I'm losing patience with the evasive practices Gibson/Epiphone uses, why won't they just give us straight answers?

 

A little honesty would go a long way.

 

So, I've reconsidered and ordered one of the guits for which I've been GASing for 3 years, a Takamine 2005 Limited Edition OM-size acoustic/electric. Beautiful woodworking, with a multi-species wood inlay on the soundboard between the bridge and the soundhole depicting a cattail in bloom, with seeds blowing out of one of the cattail heads. The seeds "waft" their way up the fretboard, where they become fretmarkers. An absolutely beautiful guitar, and Tak electronics are reputed to be the best!

 

I'd STILL buy an AJ500RC, though, IF I could just get an assurance from Gibson/Epi that the guit was part of the new shipments. In the absence of that assurance, I'll continue to wait till an offer I can't refuse pops up...............

 

Dugly