mgrasso Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 When did the Masterbilt line move production to China? I had DR-500P that I bought on ebay for $300 and was made in Japan but traded it in at GC on a new Breedlove Atlas AD25/SM Plus.(They gave me $300 in trade, not a bad deal) The 500P was incredible. The only problem was an indentation that was forming from the right side of the bridge about 4-5 inches down to the bottom of the guitar. I thought it might lead to a crack so I thought that I would part with it for now and pick up another at a later date. I have not played one of the new Chinese models, but I cannot see paying top dollar for a Chineese built guitar. It looks like I will have to search for an older version on ebay again. As you can see, I love buying and playing Epiphones. My first was a brand new EA-250 from Japan in 71 when I was 13. I have been an avid admirer and player since. But for some reason, I have a problem with almost everything coming out of China. Any opinions that will change my mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I don't believe masterbilts were ever built in japan...always china, as far as I know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnl Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I'm pretty sure dubstar is correct; the modern Masterbilts have always been made in China. But I don't think they are made at the Gibson plant there; I've never seen one with the 'EA' prefix on its serial number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 When did the Masterbilt line move production to China? I had DR-500P that I bought on ebay for $300 and was made in Japan but traded it in at GC on a new Breedlove Atlas AD25/SM Plus.(They gave me $300 in trade' date=' not a bad deal) Any opinions that will change my mind?[/quote'] The (2000's) Masterbilts were always made in China. Interstingly, when the J45, J200, and L00 Elitist Acoustics (which WERE made in Japan, but preceded the Masterbilts) first appeared in Epiphone catalogs, they were shown with the offset notch and stick-pin Masterbilt-style headstock. I don't know if any other than prototypes were manaufactured that way, though. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyders Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hello Gentlemen, I'd have to agree with Mgrasso's opinion of the Masterbuilt models. I recently bought an AJ 200s. I went in to GC to buy a masterbuilt AJ and was rather stunned when I compared the AJ 200s to the Masterbuilt AJ model. The AJ 200s not only looked better (due to the glossy finish), it sounded much better. To top it off, it was less than half the price. Needless to say, I bought the AJ 200s and pocketed the difference. I've just ordered a new nut, saddle and pins from Graph Tech and I can't wait to hear the guitar after I put those on. After I got the guitar home, I did some investigating and found out that the AJ 200s was built in Indonesia by Samick and the Masterbuilts were made in China. That's one vote for Samick Indonesia and one against Gibson's Chinese factory. Also someone mentioned something about the offset notch being a "Masterbuilt headstock". If I'm not mistaken, this offset notch design originates from headstocks that Epiphone was using as long ago as the 1930s. Spyders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 masterbilts are constructed of all solid woods...I saw about 6 today in a shop and they were all flawless...99% of the reviews posted here are overwhelmingly positive...quite affordable guitars for the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Epiphone has never really had a consistent headstock shape... for instance: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyders Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hi Dubstar! Hey don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Masterbuilt models. I was just stunned that when I compared the AJ 200s to the Masterbuilt AJ, the AJ 200s sounded better. I was fully expecting it to be the other way around but it wasn't. The finish on my AJ 200s is flawless as well - another fact that took me completely by surprise. Also, that Help montage you've got going there is very cool. I've got a question though, The word that The Beatles are spelling out in semaphore is NUJV. What exactly is that supposed to mean? Spyders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 "The word that The Beatles are spelling out in semaphore is NUJV. What exactly is that supposed to mean?" I never noticed that...not that I would have LOL (I was never a lifeguard or in the navy) I've got an EJ300S...really nice guitar, and I think many stock epiphones are great...the masterbilts I've seen look really nice, however...especially since many models are significantly less than a grand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 They weren't actually spelling anything. Everyone thinks it's "Help" but it's not (as you said). They just did whatever looked best. To complicate it further, the American version (I believe), was a mirror-image. [EDIT] It wasn't a mirror, it was an order change... "NVUJ" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hi Dubstar! Hey don't get me wrong' date=' I'm not knocking the Masterbuilt models. I was just stunned that when I compared the AJ 200s to the Masterbuilt AJ, the AJ 200s sounded better. I was fully expecting it to be the other way around but it wasn't. The finish on my AJ 200s is flawless as well - another fact that took me completely by surprise. Also, that Help montage you've got going there is very cool. I've got a question though, The word that The Beatles are spelling out in semaphore is NUJV. What exactly is that supposed to mean? Spyders[/color'] Your opinion is not only valued here, but needed. This forum could not be any slower, unless it comes to a complete stop!! To my ears the masterbilts are better sounding!! That's just my opinion!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I've also got an AJ-18S-12L form the standard line...MIC and extremely well-made, but from 1999... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyders Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Your opinion is not only valued here' date=' but needed. This forum could not be any slower, unless it comes to a complete stop!! To my ears the masterbilts are better sounding!! That's just my opinion!! [/quote'] Hi Paul, Thank you for the kind words. I'm begining to think that Epiphone Manufacturing is a very complicated subject. I know they have a lot of different manufacturing sources and apparently in several different countries. Add to that the history of moving manufacturing of a given model from one factory to another (as they have apparently done a good deal of), and it becomes difficult to make any blanket statements about this model sounds better then that model, etc., etc. For example, the AJ 200s I bought sounded better to me than the Masterbuilt models that GC had in the store. It sounded better than the AJ 100 which was also in the store even though the two guitars looked essentially identical. When I got home, I found that the AJ 100 is made in a completely different factory in a different country. Were the Masterbuilts I heard made in the same country as yours? Same factory in the same country? Was the Aj 200s you compared your masterbuilt to made in the same factory as mine? Who knows? Judging from the AJ 100 I saw at GC, there can be some significant quality differences between factories. So I think we all have to just judge our guitars individually and not go by model, etc. It seems to be a rather complicated situation. Spyders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 I'm getting Confused??? Which AJ masterbilt did you play? I certainly agree that the AJ 200s sounds better than the AJ100. The 200s has a solid top, the 100 is laminated. Masterbilts are "all" solid wood, constructed, & are built in China! The AJ200s is a very nice sounding & playing guitar. I've said before on this forum that if I had some extra cash I would definitely get one. If you go to Epiphones website you can view a video that explains the Masterbuilt line pretty well, including bringing back the head stock design. I think someone recently posted the video on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Here's the link----- http://forums.epiphone.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=6323 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyders Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Hi Paul, I don't remember the specific Model numbers of the Masterbuilts that I played but one was an AJ and the other was a DR. Actually, The DR sounded better to me than the AJ but neither sounded as good to my ear as the AJ 200s. I guess the best way to describe it is to say they sounded "muted". Neither had near the volume of AJ 200s and it just sounded like they were being played in a box or something like that - like the treble and bass eq had been turned down on them. The other thing I didn't really care for was the satin finish. I realize that's a personal preference but I looked at the beautiful glossy finish of the AJ 200s next to the dull finish of the Masterbuilts and there just wasn't any comparison. Spyders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Hello Gentlemen' date=' I'd have to agree with Mgrasso's opinion of the Masterbuilt models. I recently bought an AJ 200s. I went in to GC to buy a masterbuilt AJ and was rather stunned when I compared the AJ 200s to the Masterbuilt AJ model. The AJ 200s not only looked better (due to the glossy finish), it sounded much better. To top it off, it was less than half the price. [/quote'] I have the AJ200sr(lam rosewood back and sides) along with the AJ45, both Samick Indonesia. Not familiar enough with the Masterbilt line but these two Epis hold their own against my Gibson, Guild and Martin acoustics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyders Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 I have the AJ200sr(lam rosewood back and sides) along with the AJ45' date=' both Samick Indonesia. Not familiar enough with the Masterbilt line but these two Epis hold their own against my Gibson, Guild and Martin acoustics.[/quote'] Hi Stone! That is my experience as well. After I compared the AJ 200s to the two masterbuilts, I walked it into the next room where the high dollar guitars were and compared it directly to a Gibson J 45. Frankly I was amazed. The AJ 200s had all of the volume of the J 45 and the tone was strikingly similar. This comparison convinced me to buy the AJ 200s and I walked out with it. I'm very happy I did. Spyders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 "The word that The Beatles are spelling out in semaphore is NUJV. What exactly is that supposed to mean?" I never noticed that...not that I would have LOL (I was never a lifeguard or in the navy) I've got an EJ300S...really nice guitar' date=' and I think many stock epiphones are great...the masterbilts I've seen look really nice, however...especially since many models are significantly less than a grand...[/quote'] New User Just Vamping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 """I have not played one of the new Chinese models, but I cannot see paying top dollar for a Chineese built guitar.""" When did $450. become top dollar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill67 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 My masterbilt Dr 500r I bought a year and a half ago was made in china,I think its very good,got the case with it for $500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Got my AJ500M for $325 (display model) not a mark on it. I think the Masterbuilt's are the deal of the century!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 """I have not played one of the new Chinese models' date=' but I cannot see paying top dollar for a Chineese built guitar.""" When did $450. become top dollar?[/quote'] Some of the Eastman archtops, which are made in China and very highly thought of, are going for around 3K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 ""Some of the Eastman archtops, which are made in China and very highly thought of, are going for around 3K."" Like I said Masterbuilt's are the deal of the century!! They're very well thought of also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDeuce Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 When did the Masterbilt line move production to China? ... I have not played one of the new Chinese models' date=' but I cannot see paying top dollar for a Chineese built guitar. It looks like I will have to search for an older version on ebay again. ... Any opinions that will change my mind?[/quote'] AFAIK and already stated here, the current Masterbilt line (since 2004) has always been Made In China and as you begin to look around for a comparable solid wood guitar you'll find $500 isn't top dollar and these are really nice, top shelf, guitars. You'll also find so many guitars are Made in China nowadays, it makes you wonder where America is headed. (hey, maybe we're there! But that's a subject for the economy and business forums!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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