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Masterbilt Century Collection De Luxe Classic F-Hole Archtop Acoustic-Electric Guitar

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Overview

Solid spruce arched top with traditional longitudinal bracing and f-holes and modern Shadow electronics.

The Masterbilt De Luxe Classic Acoustic-Electric Guitar is a large body guitar that produces a strong, full tone capable of cutting through any mix. It features an arched solid spruce top with traditional Longitudinal bracing, tortoise style pickguard, and classic f-holes. Inside the upper f-hole is a 1930s-era replica Epiphone label. The De Luxe Classic is available in traditional Vintage Natural and Vintage Sunburst aged gloss finishes, each with unique color tones inspired by Epiphone’s priceless vintage collection in Nashville, Tennessee. The tortoise-style pickguard comes unattached.

Case sold separately.

Like Epi’s first generation of archtops, the new De Luxe Classic has a unique body profile with a 17” lower bout, a 12.6” upper bout, a 10.25” waist, and a 21” body length. With its signature f-holes and solid spruce top, the De Luxe Classic has incredible punch as a rhythm instrument that flattop guitarists will discover can easily cut through a mix better than most any other acoustic. Both the body and top feature 3-layer ivory and black color binding while the ebony fingerboard has single-layer ivory color binding. The f-holes also have 2-layer binding. The 5-piece hard maple and mahogany neck has a full, rounded-C profile that is glued to the body with a dovetail joint for a precise fit so the De Luxe Classic will resonate as one piece of wood. The ebony fretboard has 20 medium frets, a 25.5” scale length and pearloid “Notched Diamond” inlays modeled after the original Masterbilts.

The full tone of the De Luxe Classic sounds beautiful unamplified on a small stage or in the studio. But now the cutting-edge eSonic HD (High Definition) preamp system and Shadow NanoFlex HD Under-saddle pickup make it possible for archtop players to hear their instrument amplified exactly as they hear it unplugged. No archtop player has ever heard an acoustic guitar more accurately represented through a sound system before. The Shadow NanoFlex HD Under-saddle pickup has easy-to-access controls for Master Volume and Master EQ mounted just inside the lower f-hole. Now you have complete control over how much of the acoustic guitar is amplified. The pre-amp system is powered by a standard 9-volt battery that is easy to access, located near the 1/4” output jack.
 
Historic Epiphone Hardware
The De Luxe Classic comes with Historic Epiphone Re-issue Tuners with Marboloid "Crown" buttons with an upgraded 18:1 tuning ratio for fast and accurate tuning. The tuners are mounted on an Epiphone Dovewing headstock with Pearloid "Banner" logos. Unlike many vintage archtops, the De Luxe Classic has a dual action truss rod for easy and perfect setup. The floating adjustable ebonoid bridge is made from a synthesized material that has the grain-like texture and look of ebony but is harder and more reliable for years of playing. The historic aged all-nickel trapeze tailpiece is also inspired from Epiphone’s vintage Masterbilt collection. Every new Masterbilt Century guitar is setup at the factory with Cleartone 12-53 gauge strings.  
 
Lifetime Guarantee
The Epiphone Masterbilt De Luxe Classic Acoustic-Electric Guitar comes with a limited lifetime guarantee and world renown 24/7/365 Gibson Customer Service. 

Epiphone’s Masterbilt Century Collection 
Epiphone’s first Masterbilt archtops quickly rose to popularity during the 1930s “Big Band” era and were renowned for their warm woody tone, wide tonal range and punchy volume. However, with the invention of the electric guitar pickup, archtop acoustic guitars quickly became equipped with magnetic amplification and were for the most part, forever transformed into “electric” guitars. Until now…

Epiphone, one of the leaders in affordable professional archtop guitars, reinvents the archtop again by combining our original, time-tested designs with 21st century acoustic guitar electronics to bring you the new Masterbilt Century Collection. The first collection of archtop "acoustic-electric" guitars designed to be played and amplified as true acoustic instruments.

Now with the eSonic HD preamp and Shadow NanoFlex HD Under-saddle pickup, you can plug in any Masterbilt Century arch top acoustic-electric into an amp or any PA and hear your guitar's beautiful and dynamic true acoustic tone on any size stage. For flattop guitarists who have only played old plywood archtops, the sound of a Masterbilt Century guitars will be a revelation. 

Features

Body
  • Body type: Archtop
  • Cutaway: Non-cutaway
  • Top wood: Solid Spruce
  • Back & sides: Laminated Mahogany
  • Bracing pattern: Longitudal
  • Body finish: Aged Gloss
  • Orientation: Right handed
Neck
  • Neck shape: Round ed C
  • Nut width: 1.69 in. (43 mm)
  • Fingerboard: Ebony
  • Neck wood: Hard maple Mahogany
  • Scale length: 25.5 in.
  • Number of frets: 20
  • Neck finish: Aged Gloss
Electronics
  • Pickup/preamp: Yes
  • Brand: Shadow
  • Configuration: Undersaddle piezo
  • Preamp EQ: 3-band
  • Feedback filter: Phase
  • Tuner: Yes
Other
  • Headstock overlay: Ebony
  • Tuning machines: Historic Epiphone Reissue Tuners with Marboloid "Crown" buttons
  • Bridge: Floating Adjustable Ebonoid
  • Saddle & nut: Compensated Artificial Bone/Bone
  • Number of strings: 6-string
  • Special features: Body shape
  • Case: Sold separately 
  • Accessories: None
  • Country of origin: Indonesia
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  • Free Standard Ground shipping (48 contiguous states, some overweight and Used/Vintage items excluded).
  • Orders placed before 3 p.m. ET usually ship the same business day.
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