Mcgannahanskjellifetti Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Greetings everyone, I'm Rick. I've spent many years over at the UMGF forum http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/ but have always had a secret love for the Masterbilt series. In fact, I just sold my D18 and am awaiting a DR500M due from Sam Ash. Many will read that and think I'm nuts, but here's my story.... My flatpicking buddy Steve first picked up a DR500M about 3 years ago and we both thought it really rocked. But we had Martin GAS. We both wanted D18s. So Steve got a D18 and then I eventually got one too (I actually had a DR500M too for a time myself). So here we've been in D18 heaven. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYWYDFfe4To Thing is, whenever I'd play Steve's DR500M I'd just fall in love with it. It actually is much more complimentary jamming along with his D18 than my D18 was. (I'm being extra acoustically sensitive here, of course two D18s sound GREAT together!) But the Epi just has that punch and dry airiness that I love. Complicating matters, I recently got bit by the Telecaster bug that's been going around and ordered a Classic Vibe Tele / amp combo, which I've been totally grooving on..... http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g101/jenn1012/7-3-08034.jpg ......but that's a whole nuther story. Anyway, here I've been with a new electric guitar debt on my hand and also GASSING for a DR500M. So I made the hard choice to cut the faithful D18 loose-- thus funding both the Tele/amp and DR500M! So I ordered a DR500M from Musicians Friend last week. It arrived last Tuesday. I immediately proceeded to throw a set of medium strings on it and I noticed the action was very high. (to be expected) I then tightened the truss rod but it was still WAY too high. The neck was almost straight with no relief at all, but the action was still over 1/8" at the 12th fret. The devastating part is there was almost no saddle at all on this guitar. The high E was at 3/32". The guitar had an improperly set neck, so back to MF it went. So I've ordered up another DR500M from Sam Ash and am expecting it next week. I hope it's a good'n. I ordered the gloss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Welcome. And never apoplogize for being bit by the Tele bug. I have been playing the same old 1950s Tele for some 40 years now and believe those little geetars are the perfect combination of form and function. Back in the late 1960s I felt I just had to have a Martin so I tried me a few. Never could make peace with those guitars. Then I stumbled across a used Epi FT-79 and even more used Gibson LG-2. I never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmyinpajamas Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 your ears dont lie .. id much rather have a dr500 AND a tele .. than one martin =D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheP-40s Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hi folks, I just purchased a DR500M and i'm loving it. Sound is perfect and the feel also. You guys will probably dislike me for this but I never really cared for Martins plus way to pricey. I do like Guilds though :) but I own an Ibanez artwood AW120RDV and consider it an equal to the DR500M in sound and playability. believe me I know a good sounding and feeling guitar, so when I first started strumming Masterbilts at a few of my local stores I just had to have one. Now I had to promise my wifey I wouldn't buy another guitar for 5 years. I think i'm heading soon for a devorce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sangemon1281734057 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I've got 2 Martins and another on the way and I hang out a lot at UMGF too, but I check in here regularly and I LOVE my Masterbilt. It's totally different from the Martins, but lovely in it's own way And BTW, I saw a gorgeous rosewood Tele at the UMGF Martinfest a couple of weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I like Martin Guitars, but have never cared for the D-18. I'll take my AJ-500M any day ,over the D-18. I actually prefer the 15 series, all mahogany, Martins to a D-18 Having said that, I might be willing to trade for a J-45 Gibby!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscog Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 cool, I just ordered the ef-500m last night...I hope its good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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