rayban Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 I love my Masterbilt AJ500M...is there a Masterbilt 000size/folk size out there? If not, what EPI model in that size should I be looking for? I would like to try the smaller size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geelinus Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 The only Epi MB guitar of that size currently produced is the EF-500RCCE (1-3/4" nut width) You can still find used non-cutaway versions in rosewood (EF500R) & mahogany (EF-500M) on eBay and elsewhere. I owned an EF500-R and regret ever selling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Well... I guess from my perspective it depends on which folk you're talking about. And the Masterbilts are apparently going extinct. Seriously, my Epi PR5e is my "go-to" acoustic type even though I have some big boxes of several brands and higher price tags that sit in their cases other than an occasional "bluegrassy" sorta thing I'd have to do. That includes a Masterbilt. All my "acoustics," btw, are AE, and have been since Ovation came out with piezo saddles in the '70s. I guess you could say I'm not a "purist" when it comes to the boxes I use. To the PR5e... It's built about like the gibson cf100 and cf100e that were made a while in the '50s, some with a magnetic pup, some without. Florentine cutaway. Both are about the same size. A friend has two of the Gibsons and likely wouldn't give 'em up without a fight and since he's a rancher in sparse country, I wouldn't recommend trying. Basically the PR5e is an inexpensive little guitar that sounds quite decent with my 9-42 fingerpicker strings and very nice through a PA or amp. If it broke and the price tag doubled I'd still be likely to replace mine. Then again, figure I'm a gentle fingerpicker and I wear light strings. No idea how folks who prefer heavier strings and play with a heavy pick style would feel about it. My friend with the Gibbies flatpicks pretty traditionally but also fairly gently on medium strings. But that's an antique Gibbie and not this little Epi. A "parlor guitar" that gets no love from "us" here is the even less expensive PR4e that goes for $200 on the street with a little AE amp. It's small and light and sounds a bit "boxy" like other small and light parlor guitars through the years. OTOH, you can get a nice sound out of it plugged in. I used it for maybe three-four benefits a few years ago. It's so inexpensive it's almost free, although it's not "cheap" in playability, so I guess everybody looks at more expensive pieces. But it plays very nicely if well set up and if the picker doesn't pretend it's a dreadnaught to pound on. Again, even the somewhat boxy acoustic sound is quite appropriate for a lotta old material even without the amp, it plays well for a fingerpicker, at least, with light strings. I had one, gave it to a nice young lady co-worker (young enough to be my granddaughter) who married, had kids and moved away. I still think on occasion about replacing it. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 The only Epi MB guitar of that size currently produced is the EF-500RCCE (1-3/4" nut width) You can still find used non-cutaway versions in rosewood (EF500R) & mahogany (EF-500M) on eBay and elsewhere. I owned an EF500-R and regret ever selling it. Here's a link to the EF-500RCCE with some pretty good pictures. Link to EF-500RCCE @ Wildwood They were also in stock at Sweetwater, last time I checked. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayban Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 Thank you all for the input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayban Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Here's a link to the EF-500RCCE with some pretty good pictures. Link to EF-500RCCE @ Wildwood They were also in stock at Sweetwater, last time I checked. Red 333 In all the specs I come across re the EFs...they mention that it's orchestra "shape" but nothing about the "size".....mmmmm.....must not be 000 size.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geelinus Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 In all the specs I come across re the EFs...they mention that it's orchestra "shape" but nothing about the "size".....mmmmm.....must not be 000 size.... OM (Orchestra Model) guitars are the same size as 000 guitars. Here's a link to Martin guitar sizes/dimension. http://elderly.com/new_instruments/martin-sizes.html However, all manufacturers don't adhere to these exact dimensions. As a frame of reference in the Gibson world, the Epiphone EF series guitars are exactly the same size/shape as a Gibson CJ-165/CJ-165 EC. When my CJ-165 leaves the house, it travels in the Masterbilt case that came with my EF-500R. EFs are approximately 000/OM sized, but I'm pretty sure -- due to bout size differences --- they will not quite fit in a Martin 000 case I hope this helps. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayban Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 OM (Orchestra Model) guitars are the same size as 000 guitars. Here's a link to Martin guitar sizes/dimension. http://elderly.com/new_instruments/martin-sizes.html However, all manufacturers don't adhere to these exact dimensions. As a frame of reference in the Gibson world, the Epiphone EF series guitars are exactly the same size/shape as a Gibson CJ-165/CJ-165 EC. When my CJ-165 leaves the house, it travels in the Masterbilt case that came with my EF-500R. EFs are approximately 000/OM sized, but I'm pretty sure -- due to bout size differences --- they will not quite fit in a Martin 000 case I hope this helps. Good luck! Very helpful, thanks!....I'm back to lusting for a EF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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