Review: Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500RC **PICS**

Hey All,

I wanted to write up a review and share with you all what I've found with my new Gee-tar..

Brand: Epiphone
Model: Masterbuilt AJ500RC
Price: List - $999 Cost: $599

QUALITY:
I feel lucky to have this guitar in my hands. For one its so hard to find one of these. The quality of this instrument is superb. It feels very light so it seems delicate almost, its hard to explain, but it doesn't feel like just a slab of wood, or a wooden box, though that is exactly what it is. It feels better than a lot of the higher end models I've played on. The quality is is by far among the best I've seen.

FEATURES:
Being a modern made guitar I'm sure all the pieces were machined out and milled in some factory overseas somewhere, however what I've read on these is that they're assembled by hand. They use hide-glue in the construction and assembly and all the bits are solid wood. No plywood on this baby.

Every about this guitar.. the Solid Cedar Top, almost looks like it is a one piece as the seam is hard to see. The rosewood back and sides are beautiful, the neck is smooth and nice, at least for me, some might not like the V neck but it isn't as pronounced as you might think. The classic styling of this Slot-Head 12 fret guitar will make you stand out from any crowd.

EASE OF USE:
This thing plays like butter. I couldn't put it down at all the first day I got it (Christmas 07). Now my fingers hurt and I can't play on it till my fingers heal a little bit. Open Chords, Barre Chords, Bends, slides all real easy. The setup was almost perfect straight out of the box, I would like to lower the action just a smidge.

VALUE:
Its worth every penny and then some.

SOUND:
Deep, rich almost bell like tone with awesome sustain, for an acoustic. The mid's seem a bit muddy, but I haven't changed the strings on mine yet and I know mine has been in its box at least a year....by the manufacturing date. The first thing I noticed about this guitar was how loud it is. I don't know if it has to do with cedar top or the neck joint at the 12th fret, but it is the loudest acoustic I've ever played. On Christmas day in a room full of people I barely strummed it with a pick and it 'barked' over the volume of everyone. It sounds amazing however my recordings of it don't quite capture the power of the volume.

OK so here are some pics I took of this beauty: (sorry if they're too large)

Logo:

Body

Back

12th Fret

Slot head Detail No the strings don't touch the wood...