Epiphone Masterbilt MM-40L

[MikeZito]

Has anyone had experience with one of these yet?

They sure do look interesting!

[Mandobart]

The new Masterbuilt guitars have received tepid/underwhelmed reviews over at AGF. An F5 for $700? I wouldn't expect a lot. But you never know until you give it a try...

[MikeZito]

Every once in a while you run across an Epiphone electric guitar that matches up quite well with similar Gibson's, for a fraction of the cost - so, maybe there can be another lightning strike with a mandolin . . . although I do realize that electric guitars and mandolins are completely different animals . . . .

[Nevin]

in the late 70's Gibson moved some Epiphone electric guitar production to Japan. At that time Japanese QA/QC had dramiticly improved making for some very nice guitars at nice prices. I doubt the same is true for current mandolin production.

[Mandobart]

in the late 70's Gibson moved some Epiphone electric guitar production to Japan. At that time Japanese QA/QC had dramiticly improved making for some very nice guitars at nice prices. I doubt the same is true for current mandolin production.

I'm sure these are being built in China, not Japan. Not that there is anything wrong with that...

[allenhopkins]

Well, there aren't a lot of long-neck, oval-hole F-model mandolins around, so that's a plus, as is all-solid-wood construction. Mandolin looks cool, understated brown sunburst and non-bling-y binding. Here's a link to a Sweetwater page.

On the minus side, "carved" doesn't appear anywhere in the specs, so I'm wondering if the top and back are heat-pressed. You can get a carved F-model for less than $700 from other manufacturers -- though not an oval-hole instrument. (By the way, the "manufacturer's suggested price" of $1,165 is ludicrous, IMHO.)

I guess it depends on what the market is for a long-neck, raised-fingerboard, oval-hole mandolin in the mid-price range. Seems to me most people who want the oval-hole sound aren't playing long-necked F-models, but maybe more would if they were easier to find. If it's intended to fill a market niche, I'd hazard a guess that it's a small niche.

Anyone actually played one?

[Chris Daniels]

As someone who has had good luck with Epiphone mandolins and the fact that one can be had for less than $600 since MF currently has a 15% off sale going on it's rather tempting to try one out.

At the same time I'm still recovering from buying the NF5S, already have an oval I rarely play and want to replace with a vintage Gibson A eventually anyway, and have promised myself not to buy any more cheap, non-carved, poorly set up, flimsy sounding mandolins I have no use for and will lose money on, I'll wait for someone else to run the experiment and will observe from afar.

C.

[Caleb]

I haven't played one of the new Epi Masterbilt mandolins, but they look pretty cool. I remember the Epi Masterbilt guitars from the late 90s when they first came out. Those were really great instruments -- well made with all-solid woods. I almost bought one back in the day. A sales guy at GC the other day told me he sold a late 90s Epiphone Masterbilt guitar recently in mint condition for over $2000. Seems kind of hard to fathom, but maybe there is a serious cult following out there. I don't know if the same group is making the Masterbilt stuff today or not though.

[MikeZito]

It has been 10 months since I first posted this question and just wanted to give the thread a 'bump' in case someone has had the opportunity to lay their hands on one of these.

Anyone, yet?

[David Lewis]

SOrry for late reply: I really love mine. It's really my number one acoustic mandolin. It has a rich, bassy tone, but good volume. Its neck is good, and the frets are smooth. I love the tortoiseshell binding. I've gigged with it, and it is reliable, holds its tune, can purr like a kitten, or roar like a lion.

If you have one, enjoy it. If you like that Gretsch Park AVenue, I'd put them as similar (though I have much less experience with the gretsch - but I'm thinking of buying one in 18 months or so - would you recommend?)

[Willie Poole]

I have been looking for an oval hole F model with the "long" neck but also I would like to play one to see what it sounds like before buying….I would prefer the Northfield NF2s model but they are out of my price range but they do have tone bars instead of cross bracing and that gives a more bluegrassy sound...I guess I could call around to some of the music stores near me to see if they have any for me to try...It`s not a life or death situation so maybe something will turn up, you can call Sweetwater and ask if the top is carved or pressed and I might just do that, what I am afraid of is that if I buy one and don`t like the sound it will be money wasted for shipping to send it back, that is why I would like to buy local....

Willie

[MikeZito]

Hey David and Willie:

Here is a link to a review and video of the Gretsch - it should give you a good overview:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...50-Park-Avenue

[David Lewis]

Lovely review, thank you.

Sounds similar to my Epiphone - I think they're the same price point...

[jkcornwell]

It has been 10 months since I first posted this question and just wanted to give the thread a 'bump' in case someone has had the opportunity to lay their hands on one of these.

Anyone, yet?

Hi, I just picked one up on Reverb and I am very happy with it. I'm new at mandolin (guitar player for 30+ years), and I own a Kentucky KM-150 and an Eastman 504. It is beautifully made imho, and the sound is loud and full. Plays very easily.

I was drawn to the F-style with an oval hole after trying out an Eastman 514, but I couldn't see spending in the neighborhood of $1,000 just now. I'm really glad I found the Epiphone MM-40L.

[MikeZito]

Thanks for the update JK - it is most appreciated . . . . .

Enjoy your Epi!