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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

This solid-wood guitar is one of the best deals out there....the higher end model is the same but more expensive...you are just paying for the mother of pear inlay work. A wide nut makes it perfect for fingerstyle playing. The neck has a graduated thickness that gets thicker as you go up the fretboard. Some players don't like this, some do. The tone is well-balanced, airy with what I call a 'built in reverb' tone to it. Not sure how they accomplished that, but it lends to it's uniqueness. NIce projection, too for a 'OOO' sized model. The padded case is OK but a bother to have to zip/unzip to get into it. I'd rather have a hard case. Buy the rosewood model. I do not recommend the mahoghany back/sides model, for I think it would be too midrangy in tone.

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

For the money (and even for a great deal more) this guitar is amazing.The wide nut and soft V neck combined with the craftmanship of the build of these Masterbilt guitars cannot be matched.I have the EF-500RA (with abalone inlay) and the level of fit and finish simply cannot be matched by anything else it it's price range.I bought one previously and really, really loved it but then I sold it to buy a jumbo and was so disappointed by the jumbo and missed the Masterbilt so much I bought a second one.Anybody want to buy a jumbo?

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

zZounds did the right thing!!I ordered an Epiphone Masterbuilt EF because of the reviews. The guitar came to me with a defective nut (G string groove cut to fingerboard level) that caused nothing but buzzing. I don't know how it passed the Epiphone inspection. I called Gibson and they suggested the closest repair center (90 miles away). I took it there and the gentleman said the neck may be bad and he had to order a nut. I contacted zZounds and they had no other in stock. I requested an extra 2 weeks on the return policy while it was repaired which they graciously granted. I decided to take it to another shop to get the nut replaced to see if this guitar was a "keeper." The shop did a great job (for $100 including set-up), but I didn't really like the tone of the Masterbuilt EF. I think the top finish is way too thick and it "kills" the treble. Also, I use my fingernails to play and the shallow, realtively heavy body seemed to reflect fingernail noise far more than a larger-bodied guitar. So, I had a well-articlated, dark, scratchy tone and a rather raspy strum. Maybe it's me, but I tried everything I could think of to make things work out. The guitar looks good and is well made. I think that the thick top finish (that looks so "cool and vintage") is what spoiled the sound for me. Anyway, lazy child that I am, I exchanged it at another store for a used Dean flying "V" (pure fun) and a very nice Yamaha acoustic FS-something that, while it has laminate sides and back, sparkes at my every touch. zZounds was very cool to work with me, so I didn't want to hassle them with a return.

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