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To Phil and the HC reviews - Epiphone Masterbilt Century series


Mikeo

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I wouldn't mind for you folks doing a review on the new Epiphone Master-built Century Collection. Especially that Delux Classic or the Zenith.

 

Henry, Jim and Craig should send you a few for a full evaluation. They look cool. I have a Godin 5th Ave with a Godin P90 in it. The new Epiphones look similar, but should sound very different.

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ETD2VNNH

 

There's hardshell cases available too

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DELCS

 

epiphone-masterbilt-650-80.jpg

 

 

 

 

[video=youtube;NEjFtxbc0EA]

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

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Isn't Phil a bass player?

 

I don't know. Epiphone was always the red-headed step son of the Gibson line of (already) marginal acoustic guitars. I have zero curiosity about the entire line. The so-called Masterbilt line was anything but. First run new guitars were sporting cracked tops in the stores. What was that all about? Once bitten, twice shy...Gibson had all the time in the world to ensure that Masterbilt line was a quality product but it didn't. It died a slow death due to issues, that could have been prevented, that sabotaged what could have been a decent market share. I'm not even curious about this latest attempt to recapture it.

 

I see it as yet another one of Hanks' pranks.

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Isn't Phil a bass player? . . .

AFAIK, Phil plays various instruments including bass but he's not primarily a bassist. You're certainly entitled to your opinion of Epiphones but some of us would prefer to wait and see.

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Isn't Phil a bass player?

 

Actually, I started playing guitar before I started playing bass... and sax before I started playing guitar... and clarinet before I started playing sax... ;)

 

I play several different instruments. :0 None of them spectacularly, but to quote Garth from Wayne's World, "I like to play." ;)

 

 

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For anyone interested in reading the press release, I put it up in HC News a few days ago - here's the link with all the details about the Epiphone Masterbilt Century models...

 

http://www.harmonycentral.com/news/e...ntury-archtops

 

I'll make a couple of phone calls today and see what I can arrange. Thanks for letting me know what you're interested in seeing me review - I find that very helpful, so please don't hesitate to make suggestions in the future folks! :cool2::wave:

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PS Did you want me to check out the Zenith or the Zenith Classic? I noticed you mentioned the De Luxe Classic' date=' which is the f-hole model - did you want me to check out the f-hole Zenith or the round-hole version?[/quote']

Both. :thu:

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PS Did you want me to check out the Zenith or the Zenith Classic? I noticed you mentioned the De Luxe Classic' date=' which is the f-hole model - did you want me to check out the f-hole Zenith or the round-hole version?[/quote']

 

Hey Phil - could you ask them about doing tenor versions? The old Epiphone archtop tenors are some of the best made and quite coveted in tenor circles.

 

http://www.tenorguitar.com/images/photos/epiphone/epizenith_1944.jpg

 

http://www.tenorguitar.com/epiphone.html

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Hey Phil - could you ask them about doing tenor versions? The old Epiphone archtop tenors are some of the best made and quite coveted in tenor circles.

 

http://www.tenorguitar.com/images/photos/epiphone/epizenith_1944.jpg

 

http://www.tenorguitar.com/epiphone.html

 

 

I can ask / make the suggestion, but I don't know if it will make any difference or not. I can see the archtops having mass appeal, but I'm not sure if tenors would get the same amount of love from modern guitarists.

 

I'm out of the loop, so forgive me asking, but just how big is the tenor scene?

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I can ask / make the suggestion, but I don't know if it will make any difference or not. I can see the archtops having mass appeal, but I'm not sure if tenors would get the same amount of love from modern guitarists.

 

I'm out of the loop, so forgive me asking, but just how big is the tenor scene?

 

Tenors are making a bit of a come-back as of late - there's a sub-forum dedicated to them over at Mandolin Cafe [http://www.mandolincafe.com]. They're cool because they're tuned in 5th's, like violin, cello, mandola, etc. You get tones out of them that are impossible on a regular guitar

 

The generally accepted scale-length is 23" but some are 21". I prefer the shorter scale, but there aren't that many around. Kala is making a 21" tenor guitar, but that's about it for production models.

 

Tenor guitars were created as a transition instrument from tenor banjo. They were usually archtop bodies with smaller necks but evolved into flattops by people such as Martin. Gibson make a number of archtops and Gretch was also big in the tenor game when it was active.

 

More recently, Eastwood has been putting quite a bit into the tenor side with these three models:

 

Warren_Ellis_Tenor_2P_Dlx_CH_3__01465.1421809595.475.510.jpg

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/warre...2p-dlx-cherry/

 

astrotenorwhite__20119.1439426162.475.510.jpg

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/astro...nor-dlx-white/

 

classic-tenor-walnut__66817.1465345673.475.510.jpg

 

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/classic-tenor-walnut/

 

Ibanez has a couple acoustics as does Blueridge:

 

maxresdefault.jpg

lineup_avt2e-.png

 

Then you're into expensive Collings and custom builds.

 

Nobody is doing a production archtop these days. It would be cool if The Loar did one ala the early Gibson and even cooler if Epiphone offered up some of their classics. These will never hit the large volumes of a Les Paul or a Strat, but they have their place.

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:wave:

 

Nice.

 

Thanks a bunch. I'm gonna check it out for real down the road.

 

I have a Godin 5th Ave already, and I was actually thinking about buying a Godin 5th King Pin.

 

 

The De Luxe Classic looks pretty cool, and so e does there Century 66, which is more like my Godin 5th Ave. [h=1][/h]

 

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Hey Phil, thanks for the review. I'd like to pass along one comment and one question for ya.

 

Comment - while most recommend stringing an archtop with a floating bridge one string at a time, as you have, that can be a major PITA and doesn't allow for cleaning the top and fretboard very easily, something I always do at string-change time. Owning several mandolins and archtops, I've found using two pieces of painters tape on each foot of the bridge nicely holds it in place allowing all strings to be removed at the same time. The tape doesn't have any adverse effect on the guitar top or bridge and makes string changes soooo much easier while maintaining the bridges position so re-intonating isn't usually required.

 

Question - do you recall if the top was pressed into an arch or carved? I believe they are pressed but would appreciate your first-hand experience.

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Hey Phil, thanks for the review. I'd like to pass along one comment and one question for ya.

 

Comment - while most recommend stringing an archtop with a floating bridge one string at a time, as you have, that can be a major PITA and doesn't allow for cleaning the top and fretboard very easily, something I always do at string-change time. Owning several mandolins and archtops, I've found using two pieces of painters tape on each foot of the bridge nicely holds it in place allowing all strings to be removed at the same time. The tape doesn't have any adverse effect on the guitar top or bridge and makes string changes soooo much easier while maintaining the bridges position so re-intonating isn't usually required.

 

Question - do you recall if the top was pressed into an arch or carved? I believe they are pressed but would appreciate your first-hand experience.

 

 

I'm gonna try using that idea.

 

I have a couple floating bridge guitars and a coupe of mandolins.I usually just leave a couple of strings on the instrument when cleaning of changing string.

 

 

 

 

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I haven't been following the new guitars developed and marketed by the major players lately, but it's good news Epiphone is bringing back the Masterbilt line, the first iteration (proper word?) was really very good, I even owned 2, and felt they were excellent for the price point.

 

Kinda cool the 4stringers are getting some love as well.

 

And excellent advice on the floating bridge-stringing thing.

 

Betting they are pressed from the price point, but that ain't a bad thing.

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And excellent advice on the floating bridge-stringing thing.

 

Thanks. I'd like to take credit, but it was my luthier who gave me the idea. He's much smarter than me :D

 

Betting they are pressed from the price point' date=' but that ain't a bad thing.[/quote']

 

Yes, there have been some nice pressed-top pieces on the market over the years, and some really horrible ones. I have a '60's era Harmony tenor that is pressed and has a great tone with lots of volume and punch. But those Harmony's were hit and miss. I believe Kalamazoo was also primarily pressed as were some of the Kay's.

 

The Loar series is doing carved solid top's for around the same price as these Epi's, so it's certainly doable. With modern cnc gear, a lot of the drudge work can be done by machine leaving final cleanup and tweaking to a real person, which saves a ton of time and money.

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