Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE Acoustic-Electric Guitar Vintage Sunburst

The Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE guitar combines traditional construction methods and features with premium all-solid tonewoods to bring you a new-vintage electric guitar with deep, rich lows, shimmering highs, and just the right amount of mids. While many other guitars in this price class use pressed backs, spliced neck joints, and even artificial wood backs and sides, you can be assured that this Epiphone guitar holds true to its all-solid wood promise.

The DR-500MCE features a solid Sitka spruce top, hand-scalloped Sitka spruce braces, mahogany kerfing, a 25-1/2"-scale rosewood fingerboard, and a rosewood bridge. Players looking for vintage tone and vibe will appreciate the handcrafted dovetail neck joint and hide-glue construction. The Epiphone DR-500MCE guitar has solid mahogany back and sides, as well as a 20-fret, hand-shaped mahogany neck that joins the body at the 14th fret, which is adorned with carefully cut, split-diamond pearl fretboard inlays. As with all Masterbilts, the Epiphone electric guitar features a vintage-style offset headstock with a stickpin inlay.

While the Epiphone DR-500MCE sounds great unplugged, it really comes alive when plugged in thanks to the eSonic2 preamp system. Made in cooperation with Shadow Germany, the eSonic2 preamp features a built-in, easy-to-use tuner. When engaged, the Epiphone guitar's output is automatically muted-with no popping noise-making it a perfect choice for stage use. You can even push in the tuner button and unplug the guitar without a loud pop. Other controls on this state-of-the-art preamp include Master Volume, NanoFlex Tone, NanoMag Tone, Stereo Blend, Low Battery indicator, and a Phase switch to help eliminate unwanted feedback. The preamp uses two 2032 lithium watch batteries that are not only lightweight, but also provide significantly longer life than old-fashioned, heavy 9V batteries.

Under the bone saddle is Shadow's proprietary NanoFlex, a low-impedance pickup. Not a piezo, this unique flexible sensing material features integrated active electronics inside the Epiphone electric guitar that pick up string, top and body vibrations for a truly acoustic tone without the traditional harshness of a piezo. Complimenting the NanoFlex is the revolutionary NanoMag pickup mounted at the harmonic-rich, end of the fingerboard. Exclusively from Shadow, the NanoMag features 3 Samarian-Cobalt magnets and an integrated active circuit to capture all the highs and lows, including a wide range of harmonics. With your choice of either a 1/4" mono output blending both pickups, or a 1/4" stereo output splitting the two pickups, the Epiphone Masterbilt guitar pickup gives you incredible flexibility and the opportunity to create the perfect acoustic tone live.

Other features on the Epiphone Masterbilt acoustic-electric guitar include quality vintage-style machine heads; bone nut and saddle; imitation tortoise pickguard; nickel hardware; and a bound body, neck, and headstock.

Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.

• Body type: Dreadnought
• Cutaway: Single
• Top wood: Solid Sitka spruce
• Back and sides: Solid Mahogany
• Bracing pattern: Hand-scalloped X
• Body finish: Matte Natural
• Orientation: Right handed

• Neck shape: SlimTaper D
• Nut width: 1.68" (42.67 mm)
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Neck wood: Mahogany
• Scale length: 25.5"
• Number of frets: 20
• Neck finish: Satin

• Pickup/preamp: Yes
• Brand: Shadow
• Configuration: Sidemounted preamp
• Preamp EQ: 3-band
• Feedback filter: Phase
• Tuner: Yes

• Headstock overlay: Not specified
• Tuning machines: Epiphone vintage-style 18:1 ratio
• Bridge: Rosewood
• Saddle and nut: Bone
• Number of strings: 6
• Special features: Tonewoods
• Case: Sold separately
• Accessories: None
• Country of origin: United States

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