Epiphone DR-500M Masterbilt Collection Flat-Top Acoustic Guitar, Natural Gloss, Dreadnought Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, this guitar is amazing. Now, my frame of reference. I am a professional church worship leader, and have been playing guitar for over 30 years. I use the Fishman rare earth soundhole mic/pickup combo. I have been using Taylor guitars exclusively for 20 years; in fact I have owned six different Taylors, and have been using a 20 year old 510 for some time. For about five years I have been searching for a guitar to replace the 510 which I want to retire as a collectible. I have tried dozens of guitars, from Martins, to other Taylors, to whatever brand you can name. After playing some low and medium end Taylors (with plywood sides or sides and back), all of which sounded boxy, I saw the "all solid wood" sticker on this epiphone and gave it a try. I was stunned...I had never before picked up a guitar and had it sound like my 510..a little better in fact. I noted the model number and did some research. Loads of positive reviews online and on youtube. I ordered one, and it arrived perfectly set up, with beautiful mahogany wood grain and a nicely grained and silked solid spruce top. The tone was exactly what I heard from the in store guitar I tried, and I am in love with this guitar. Immediately installed the Fishman system from my Taylor onto the Epiphone, and it was just stunning...pure acoustic sweetness. The best word I can use to describe the sound, is it has that nice "warm rumble" you expect from a hand made, solid mahogany guitar; but you can also get a bright sound if you wish. No boxy, hollow sound like the low end ($800-1200) Taylors and Martins. So, bottom line..why pay top dollar for the part-plywood scraps from Taylor and Martin when you can get a completely solid tonewood instrument for one third the cost? These Masterbilt guitars are a steal. I plan on buying a few more, as I can get 4 of them for what I'd have paid for one Taylor or Martin to get an all solid wood model. These guitars will sound better with age. Do not hesitate to buy one of these if you want a truly professional quality instrument. Also, great neck and smooth Grover tuners.

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Taylor Guitars Baby Taylor, BT2, Mahogany, Natural Review

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(More customer reviews)A PERSONAL OPINION. The Taylor BT2 is a really nice guitar. I did not say The Taylor BT2 is a really nice little guitar. Why? We could talk about guitar size, shape, wood type, action, nut size, and acoustics but it is easier to just say, this guitar is very easy to play and sounds much bigger than it really is. I bought this guitar to carry to parties and family gatherings (I'm the lease musically talented in my family but I got guts) as I was getting tired of toting my big Ovation back and fourth. This little guitar with the big voice was just what I was looking for. Fact is, I messed around trying to buy a used Baby Taylor off eBay and found this guitar sells for $220 to $305 USED. Shoot, I bought a new one for $299. This is a very nice guitar and I am sure the model BT1 is good too; I just like mahogany better than spruce. I recommend this Baby Taylor to anyone as a first guitar or as in my case, a second.

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An alternate version of the original Baby Taylor substitutes a solid mahogany top, giving this 3/4-size Dreadnought a dark, attractive complexion and a mid-range boost.


The Baby Taylor Series The Baby Taylor is the ultimate travel companion, delivering volume and tone that surprise for its diminutive dimensions. At three-quarters the size of a full-sized guitar, the Baby Taylor lives for the road. It also loves little hands, which makes it an irresistible choice for kids taking lessons. Available with either a solid spruce or solid mahogany top.
Tropical American Mahogany Top Mahogany is supple enough to make excellent, responsive bodies, yet sufficiently strong and stable to use in necks. Mahogany produces a bright, clear tone, with a unique balance that yields an expressive dynamic range in response to even the lightest touch. This makes Taylor's 500 Series guitars especially popular with fingerstyle guitarists and blues players, and it gives this particular Baby Taylor great looks and a more pronounced mid-range.
Sapele Laminate Back/Sides This exceptional, mahogany-like wood grows throughout the tropical rain forests of Nigeria and the Ivory Coast of Africa. Ever since we introduced it in 1998, its legion of fans has grown exponentially. As a tonewood, it's denser and harder than mahogany, so it has a crisper, clearer, brighter, "pop"-ier sound than its more familiar counterpart. Loud and robust, with a lovely ribboned grain, sapele has been used by Spanish guitar makers for many years.
Dreadnought Body ShapeThe original Dreadnought acoustic guitar appeared early in the 20th Century, and its no-frills, no-nonsense shape made it a logical namesake of the huge battleships of that day. Most subsequent Dreadnoughts, including Taylor's, have been derivative of that early design. In 1997, however, Bob Taylor re-designed the Taylor Dreadnought by softening the curves at the top and bottom and generally refining its overall shape. In 2003, gloss-finish Dreadnoughts also underwent bracing refinements that substantially increased their overall volume and bass response, without sacrificing Taylor's signature balance and clarity. Dreadnought six-strings shine as "plectrum" or "rhythm" guitars because they respond well to flatpicking or light-to-heavy strumming.
Varnish FinishA durable varnish finish offers protection, good looks, and a smooth feel to the touch. The spruce top's beauty shines right through.

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