jwalin Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I just noticed that Epiphone moved alot of models into the out-of-production category. Some of my favorite guitars went that way.... So, what is up? New models? I can only hope they discontinued the EJ-200 to bring out the Ej-300 again, or better yet a Masterbilt Jumbo!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I emailed Epiphone and asked about that, and the guy did not really give me a staright answer. Mayby this, mayby that. Mayby new models coming out, etc. Its wierd that they would take many of their best sellers, like the Masterbilt AJ series and take them out of production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Anyway, Im selling my two Mastebilt AJ500 models, and getting a Gibson J45, and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Probably trying to clear out some inventory, create a 'better get them while they last' urgency for the buyer. Replacing with higher end versions. Maybe they see an upswing in the market? Noted: They are offering lefties from the factory. All electrics, LPs and SGs like objects, mostly. No more acoustic basses, El Capitan and El Segundo(?), not even listed as 'discontinued.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strumbert Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Maybe they are moving production from China to Indonesia, where the non-Masterbilts are being made. Judging from experience with Indonesian made guitars, this may be a very good thing. China seemed to be falling off on QC the last few years or so. I wonder if Wren Fergison leaving Gibson has anything to do with it. Anyway, a masterbilt MJ-200 would be on my want list. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I dont know whats going on with Epiphone, but something is going on with Epiphone. Something is going down the pipe, especially with the Masterbilt line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mglinert Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I have been trying for several months now to buy a black EJ200CE. Not one can be found in the numerous guitar shops in Paris (or from online retailers serving Europe) and nobody knows when (if?) any new stock will be delivered. What on earth is going on? This type of situation does nothing to inspire confidence in a would-be first time purchaser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thats understandable. I know how you feel. Epiphone Masterbilts are great guitars, initially, but they do not hold their value in any way shape or form. When you get a Masterbilt, realize this. Buy it to play. They are great guitars, but not worth anything. If you trade or sell them, you practically have to almost give them away. No value in sell or trading them. Just how it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaysEpiphone Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Could be that Gibson is going to lose Epiphone all together. They do have low cost line's being made in China now. It would make a lot of the famous Epiphone's more valuable. Just my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Epiphone is (seemingly) a Gibson "Cash Cow!" They're not going to give up on that. We've seen numerous new (electric) models, in the last 6 months, alone. As to Acoustic Epi's, they may be doing any number of things, from just unlisting various models, until than can catch up, with the demand, to possibly moving production, to other facilities? Only they know. Maybe, as good/great as the Masterbilts are, they may not have lived up to sales projections/needs? As to QC? It has it's great times, and not so great times...even with Gibson products. Maybe (like the Elitist electrics), they are downsizing the Masterbilt series, to beef up Gibson sales? Doesn't make much sense, to me...but, I didn't think downsizing the Elitist series, to only the Casino, was all that "wise," either. But, Gibson/Epi will do whatever they want, or have to do, to stay viable and competitive, market wise. People, here, often complain that Gibson's are "overpriced," but then so are Fender's, Gretsch's and Ric's, and PRS, if you're going to go that route. Quality (most of the time) per dollar, Epi's are hard to beat! However, Asian factories, are making a LOT of decent guitars, with many different brands, these days. So, it makes me wonder, if the market may be over saturated, with guitars, at the moment? So, many being made, and with the industry (somewhat) in flux, it seems to me, that supplies might easily outweigh the demand, nowadays. But, who knows? CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Then again the "Saturn" brand was the only division which was making a profit for General Morons. So what did they do? Yup, they killed it. Nice work GM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdalglei Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Anyway, Im selling my two Mastebilt AJ500 models, and getting a Gibson J45, and be done with it. Are you still selling your Masterbilts. If so I may be interested. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Are you still selling your Masterbilts. If so I may be interested. Thanks. email me and we will talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixstringjustice Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 My understanding, although things may have changed, was that some of the Masterbilts were going to be produced at the Garrison Guitar plant in Newfoundland. I remember reading that the plant was being retrofitted after they discontinued the Gibson Songmaker line. If it's true, it may explain why some of the models are out of production for the moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 My understanding, although things may have changed, was that some of the Masterbilts were going to be produced at the Garrison Guitar plant in Newfoundland. I remember reading that the plant was being retrofitted after they discontinued the Gibson Songmaker line. If it's true, it may explain why some of the models are out of production for the moment... That would be great news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyroadman Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Are you still selling your Masterbilts. If so I may be interested. Thanks. Hi - This fellow was trying to sell his Masterbilts on the Gibson site recently. I and another member asked him for some information and to post some pics - he never responded, nor posted the pics. He claimed to have replaced the electronics in both guitars - I wanted some pics to view exactly what he did and the results. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 If that is true, that would be great. Take the production of of China. Im all for that. Flame me if you want, but Im all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Hi - This fellow was trying to sell his Masterbilts on the Gibson site recently. I and another member asked him for some information and to post some pics - he never responded, nor posted the pics. He claimed to have replaced the electronics in both guitars - I wanted some pics to view exactly what he did and the results. Regards, Yes, and that fellow would be me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mglinert Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I have been trying for several months now to buy a black EJ200CE. Not one can be found in the numerous guitar shops in Paris (or from online retailers serving Europe) and nobody knows when (if?) any new stock will be delivered. What on earth is going on? This type of situation does nothing to inspire confidence in a would-be first time purchaser. OK. I've seen enough. I would need my head examined if I bought an Epiphone instrument. No replies to my posts here. No replies to messages sent directly to Europe Customer Care via Gibson.com (Talk2Us indeed). No news on delivery from authorised retailers or their websites. However does this organisation remain in business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 OK. I've seen enough. I would need my head examined if I bought an Epiphone instrument. No replies to my posts here. No replies to messages sent directly to Europe Customer Care via Gibson.com (Talk2Us indeed). No news on delivery from authorised retailers or their websites. However does this organisation remain in business? Not sure how you've determined no retailers this guitar, so here is my suggestion, if you have already done this... Go to your local Epiphone Dealership. Talk to the owner. Tell him what you want and he can either order it for you or place it on his next stock order. At the Epiphone guitar price point, special / custom orders are not real easy, nor may they be possible. My guess is your dealership has a minimum order quantity, say maybe 20 - 25 units. If he has a buyer for a specific model and color, he may be willing to be sure one is on his next order to be reserved for you. If the dealership is really accommodating, he may have contacts in the industry he can check with to see who has one and can either order it for you or tell you where to go to get it. Even though your internet search came up blank, not everything there is to know is out there. A living breathing customer who shows up on the sales floor has more impact than an internet inquiry. This MIGHT get you a better response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaysEpiphone Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Then again the "Saturn" brand was the only division which was making a profit for General Morons. So what did they do? Yup, they killed it. Nice work GM. Sounds like you've never worked for a large corp before. I have and trust me, this is the norm for very large company's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mglinert Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Not sure how you've determined no retailers this guitar, so here is my suggestion, if you have already done this... Go to your local Epiphone Dealership. Talk to the owner. Tell him what you want and he can either order it for you or place it on his next stock order. THanks, tried that already. Have lived and breathed in half the guitar shops in Paris, but to no avail. Also, I finally got some responses from 'Talk2Us', who are fobbing me off with inumerable excuses about not contacting the right department, while apologising profusely. Don't want their apologies, just the guitar. But now I'm looking at different manufacturers. Epiphone may as well have told me "Please please don't buy one of our products". The effect is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpiAlan Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Anyway, Im selling my two Mastebilt AJ500 models, and getting a Gibson J45, and be done with it. You may be disappointed if you do. I owned two of these, one in rosewood, and one in mahogany. Both were inferior products compared to other makers and I sold them at a loss. I replaced them with an Epi AJ200sce for $299 ...and I actually like it Better. I believe the Masterbuilt is a much better, fully equal quality product compared to the Gibson j-45. The Gibsons finish was awful,Sloppy work, chipped bridges, pick guard on ky SJ-200 faded an fell of in 2 weeks. That guitar cost over $4000. Gibson is a discrace. If you ask me, they should close Gibson, and keep Epiphone open. Epiphone is a better guitar. That is my opinion. but I have owned and been burnt 3 times by poor quality Gibsons...all which cost between $2000 and $4000 each. Love my cheap $299 Epi solid top AJ...but Gibsons...garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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