Epiphone Masterbilt Century
DeLuxe Classic
Epiphone was once the king of archtop
guitars. Its pre-WWII and pre-Gibson
models are generally considered to
be some of the finest factory-built
archtops ever made, and they continue
to command high prices in the vintage
market. The modern Epiphone company
is capitalizing on this remarkable legacy
with its Masterbuilt Century Collection,
which hearkens back to Epi’s golden age
in both name and quality, but not in price.
The DeLuxe Classic is a standout in the
collection, a new design that revives a
model name that was launched in the
“big band” era. It’s an extraordinary and
bold sounding archtop at any price,
with a solid spruce top, laminate
flame maple body, a maple-and-
mahogany neck, and an ebony
fingerboard with classy
notched diamond inlays. The DeLuxe
Classic’s stealthy on-board pickup and
preamp retain an acoustic look and feel,
while imparting it with modern powers of
amplification. At 899 dollars brand new,
it’s an incredible deal.
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