Masterbilts

[corcoran]

Hello fellow Epiphone enthusiast! I am considering on buying a Masterbilt. I just want to know where their currently made. Thanks!

[bill67]

china but they are really good.

[fleetlin49]

My local guitar store, Music Machine, has half a wall of the epi masterbuilts next to there acoustic Gibson wall. They are very good quality from what I can tell. From what I can recall the necks have a v shape to them. They also have a semi-gloss finish and like any acoustic you uhad to pick through a couple til you found the "one".

[Gio]

Hi,

Epiphone Masterbilts are manufactured in Epiphone's factory in China. They have been developed by former Gibson's luthier Mike Voltz and in Epiphone's site download section you'll find a very interesting 8-minute video about those guitars.

I own an EF-500RVS which is a so-called fingerstyle guitar: 000 style, v-shaped neck, 1 3/4 inch width at the nut and an incredibly beautiful tone.

There are other models: AJ (slope shoulder dreadnaughts) and DR (dreadnaughts) in many wood variations. They even offer a classic guitar with a cutaway (EN model).

Last week an Italian master luthier installed a K&K pick up on my Masterbilt and the only negative aspect he spotted on my guitar was related to the back: the joint was slightly off-centered. That means the wood itself was cut not 100 % regularly. Everything else (construction, finishing, bracing...) was absolutely ok, especially when you consider the price tag. No glue spots, good quality spruce top, great playability.

And, I insist, great tone.

Some people see these guitars as lesser quality products due to the fact that they are built in China. Personally I had the same feeling / prejudice when I bought it. Not anymore: this is a guitar I will keep with me forever. It sounds and plays too good.

Ciao

[PeteWilson]

Giovanni:

Well said, sir. I feel the same about mine! I will admit that I own many guitars, and many that cost much more than my EF-500RVB. None sound any better than that little guitar. I bought it on a whim, while in search for a Blues Master. What a serendipitious day that was! Eventually, i did find a Blues Master, and it hangs right next to the Masterbilt in my living room. Muti-taskers, they are! Sound good, easy to play and wonderful wall decoration!

[Gio]

Hello Pete,

we sometimes exchange our love for our EF guitars on this forum!

 

Maybe this should be a subject for another thread but I'm very curious to know what strings you use on your EF-500. Currently I am using D'Aquisto Bronze Masters .012 which sound a little too brilliant for me. My favorite string are Dogal Live Round Core: they are handmade in Venice, Italy and have a round core which, they say, applies less tension to the top. They sound a little bit darker but very, very warm and rich in overtones.

Other strings that I really like: Everly Acoustic Sessions and Martin bronze. I'll keep on experimenting with strings also because I like to change the sound of the guitar now and then, and this is the best way to do it while keeping the fundamental tone.

 

I'll be in New York City at the end of May and I hope I can try some Masterbilt AJ's and maybe purchase one, possibly a mahogany model.

 

Have you ever played one?

 

Ciao!

[bloozeguy]

Another Masterbilt testimonial here. I currently have the AJ500RC12fret slotheader. I came close to picking up an EF500RCCE, but the one store that I knew had one just recently sold it. They'd had it on their wall for a good long time, too, before I decided I wanted to do something about it. Ya snooze, ya lose!

FYI--I use D'Addario Phosphor-Bronze light gauge. I would not want to step up to a heavier gauge, esp. as the one complaint that seems to be ladged against the MBs (esp. my model) is the possibility of bridge pull-up. These work just fine for me, can find them anywhere at a good price, good balanced sound, last a long time.

And Pete, wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to have a Masterbilt Blues Master available?! Or, for that matter, just to have the Blues Master available again! Anyone in a position to do some lobbying? I've read this opinion here (old forum, actually) before!

[PeteWilson]

Howdy Giovanni!

I use Elixir nanowebs on all my acoustic guitars. They sound good to me, they feel good to my fingers, and they last nearly forever! They are a little pricey, but not too bad. I believe the ones on my Masterbilt are 12s.

Bloozey! I have no idea why Epiphone will not make the Blues Master again. It is a lovely little guitar and barks like a wild dog! Of course, if they did, then the "collector" possibility of the original would likely diminish. However, since that little beauty shall not leave my side, it will be up to my descendents to worry about that!

[hdeglider]

Mastebilts are nice guitars. BUT...do not get an acoustic electric. They changed from the LR Baggs pickups to the Shadow namomag/nanoflex system. The preamp will drain the batteries in a matter of hours no matter if it's plugged in or not. At $6.00 a pair, that can get a little pricey. I've been fighting with them for 3 months (as long as I owned the guitar) and I have yet to get any sastisfaction from customer service.

[ROCKMAN]

Love my Masterbilt AJ-500R with L.R. Baggs pickup. Owned about 2 years.

[cmancuc]

Love my Masterbilt AJ-500R with L.R. Baggs pickup. Owned about 2 years.[/quote

 

Rockman, I'm sure you find the original acoustic electric design to be simplistic, but excellent. Everything is hidden.

 

You've got the model that was a Guitar Player Magazine editor's choice award winner.

[ROCKMAN]

I did a lot of research before purchacing my Masterbilt. Was looking at the Gibson j-45 and the Songwriter Deluxe. Ended up buying the Masterbilt, saved a ton of cash, and haven't looked back since. Purchaced from Sweetwater Sound. Man, they have the greatest customer service. The guitar was fully inspected before it was shipped out, and a few days after it arrived, I got a call from the sales person who sold me the guitar, to check to see if every thing was ok.