Epiphone Century

[Longways to Go]

Another update:

I played a Deluxe round hole and an Olympic today.

Both are very very nice IMO. Nicely built guitars for sure.
I thought I was going to prefer the Deluxe round hole, but the Olympic won me over.

Good tones, good build quality, the Deluxe was not quite as loud as I might have hoped for. I didn't buy one (yet) as I'm happy as is with my Gibson flat tops. But I could easily own an Olympic if I had room for more guitars in my small house!

I don't think the big $$ archtop crowd will care a crap about these guitars, but for those of us with less $ to spend -- pretty damn good stuff. I'm still toying with the idea of buying an Olympic -- just because -- but I really can't justify it, as I don't think I'd end up playing it very much. We'll see . . .

[kenhan]

FYI, Andertons has posted a review of the series.

[TheGrandWazoo]

I know jazz musicians are not their target for these guitars, but I don't see how it is so difficult for any of these websites, or Epiphone for that matter, to find a guitarist who know how to properly play an archtop to demo these guitars.

Who is in charge of marketing these? Because, they suck at their job.

[kenhan]

I agree. Have you seen the official Ephiphone ads on YouTube fo these guitars? All talk with a stock background track of someone playing overdriven guitar, and not a hint of what these guitars sound like.

[christianm77]

I know jazz musicians are not their target for these guitars, but I don't see how it is so difficult for any of these websites, or Epiphone for that matter, to find a guitarist who know how to properly play an archtop to demo these guitars.

Who is in charge of marketing these? Because, they suck at their job.

Why don't you send them an email? Volunteer your services. You never know :-)

[neatomic]

epi is marketing these towards indie singer songwriters..the boys at andertons in the vid ^ had it right..the james bray bit..right now it's cool for an indie singer to be carrying an arch...hence the piezo..which is trash for jazz

having said that, there's no reason why a fine player couldn't reinstate it as a jazz player... with some tweaks

tho the top of the line roundhole epi sounded painfully anemic acoustically in the anderton vid ^..so who knows!?


cheers

[christianm77]

No acoustic sound much, think I'll stick to my Loar :-)

[rhythmjones]

They're giving one of these away if anyone's interested.

Enter to Win a Masterbilt Century De Luxe!

[spitfire]

I played the F-hole De Luxe last weekend. It's a very nice guitar. But it really is like a 1930's archtop that wouldn't have had a pickup. The pickup in this guitar is meant to amplify the acoustic sound. Just like a piezo pickup in a flat top. I think the piezo pickup does a good job of capturing the acoustic sound. But that sound is not the typical jazz guitar sound we expect when using a pickup.

Now, I do suspect it would be a lot closer to that with some flat wounds on it.

This guitar is very similar to a 1947 Vega archtop I have, with a typical pickup attached to the pickguard. As I understand the Vegas were modeled after the Epiphones. My Vega sounds fantastic and I suspect that if you added a pickup to the pickguard near the neck, as typical for archtops, this Epi would likely sound quite good with that electrified jazz box sound we love.

I've got a friend trying to decide to pull the trigger on one. The store is just trying to get rid of it ($675 vs $899 normally), since around here, if it isn't pointy and goes deedley, deedley, deedley, no one wants it.

[MarkInLA]

Hi. I'm getting interested in Epi Masterbilt Century and would get the round hole one being I already have an Ibanez Af151f (1 floater) archy which I have finally gotten strung up correctly, truss/bow right, action, and now pretty groovy..Perhaps this is Epi's answer to this 'other' early jazz era guitar presence and which is maybe what I feel you are mistaking; she not having a correct pickup on her for that archtop jazz sound we all have come to know and love, but not what the instrument and its under-bridge piezo is supposed to be doing. What it's doing I believe is amplifying her to produce that olden-golden-time acoustic guitar sound from when it was played dry, no amps yet but loud enough to cut through an early, post-banjo, dance band. Or, same axe, but being picked up by a microphone over the whole ensemble, not yet married to the soon-to-arrive on the scene magnetic, onboard pickups and tube amplifiers, and is where I believe (+-) is what Charlie Christian may have first introduced. Though I may be off here, I think you know what I'm getting at; that it's Epiphone's method of presenting, in a modern way, the mostly rhythm-orchestral guitar as if back when it was beginning to replace the banjo; not yet the type of sound which later on was produced by such greats as Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, B Pizzarelli, Freddy Green, which I call the 'boop boop/chang chang jazz sound' as opposed to the 'boing boing, warm, but gritty gritty sound' solid body electrics and say, Martin D28- like steels sound (and wonderfully in their own right ).
Yes, I don't own one (yet) and maybe not qualified to make these observations. But I think you're feeling a need to change or add pickups to the the Century to try to get the boop boop sound is redundant if you already have one which does...I'd suggest either skip buying one if that is your aim. Or else accept the instrument for what it's unique, factory default sound is; the thing which makes it different in the first place....Does this make sense ? ..Mark

[Brian B]

I've got some major league GAS for the DeLuxe... If they had put a Frequensator on it, it's almost an exact visual reproduction of a mid 1940's Triumph.

I stopped into the GC down the street from my work earlier this week, following up on the order of the tailpiece for my '81 Epi. They had a Zenith in stock, hanging in the acoustic room. First one of these (entire Century line) I've seen in the flesh. I was impressed by it. Neck seemed comfortable, and it was well setup.

Still waiting to see a Deluxe.. I might have a hard time leaving it at whatever store I first see one.

[mr. beaumont]

Would still like to see one of these in person. The online demos are dismal.

[Longways to Go]

I've gotten to play all 3 sizes. They look so cool, and are nicely made too.
I so wanted to be impressed, but the sound just didn't cut it for me.
Nor apparently for many others, as they have been hanging in a local shop for quite a while now.

[Little Jay]

The sound in all demos I've seen - including the vids by Epiphone itself - is really horrible and not what I imagine a guitar like that to sound like at all. I'll pass.....

[Little Jay]

FYI, Andertons has posted a review of the series.

Man, even in that review, they sound more like banjos :-(

[spitfire]

Hi. I'm getting interested in Epi Masterbilt Century and would get the round hole one being I already have an Ibanez Af151f (1 floater) archy which I have finally gotten strung up correctly, truss/bow right, action, and now pretty groovy..Perhaps this is Epi's answer to this 'other' early jazz era guitar presence and which is maybe what I feel you are mistaking; she not having a correct pickup on her for that archtop jazz sound we all have come to know and love, but not what the instrument and its under-bridge piezo is supposed to be doing.

....Does this make sense ? ..Mark

I think you have misunderstood me. I specifically said:

"But it really is like a 1930's archtop that wouldn't have had a pickup."

I was not saying it needed to be changed. I was highlighting the very fact that this represents an early era, acoustic jazz guitar.

But ...

That with the addition of a floating pickup, it would then be very similar to the earliest electrified jazz guitars. Which were these very same acoustic guitars, just with a floating pickup added.

And those guitars sound fantastic. As I mentioned, I have a 1947 Vega that itself was modeled after the Epiphones of the era.

As to those saying these sound like banjos. That's a bit harsh. But, they are design to try to cut through in a big band as a rhythm instrument.

But as I said, having a similarly built guitar, with the addition of a floating pickup and flatwounds, I think these Epi Masterbilts Century would make very good electric jazz guitars.

FYI, my friend did buy one, and has even bought the pickup etc to add. He's actually going to mount it all to a new pick guard. So it is easy to switch back to 100% stock. But has not done it yet.

[Hammertone]

"But it really is like a 1930's archtop that wouldn't have had a pickup."

I've had the opportunity to check these out.
They LOOK like 1930s archtops, and have cool hardware and nice feeling necks.
However, that's where it ends. They are built with almost NO ARCH - the tops and backs are slightly pressed into a vague reminder of the concept of an arch. Not remotely close to the arch on the cheapest Harmony, Kay and Regal pressed archtops of yesteryear. This makes very little difference to their electric sound but has a huge impact on their acoustic sound.

[sgosnell]

I have an actual Epiphone Century, built in ~1953 according to the serial number. It was the cheapest model they offered, AFAIK, with no neck or headstock binding. The body is a 7-ply laminate, with a mahogany 3-piece neck. It has the bullet plaque on the headstock, just very slightly tilted to one side. The New York pickup is long gone, the tuners have been replaced by Grover Rotomatics, and it has been refinished as a natural, with just traces of the old sunburst to be seen. It's not worth much on the vintage market. But after a proper setup it plays pretty well, and sounds good amplified, and the acoustic tone is adequate for what it is. The neck is rather narrow but thick, and I like it for comping Freddie Greene style. What they're calling Century now seems pretty far from the original Epiphone Century.

[MarkInLA]

I totally agree. So far there's not one demo of these jazz guitars being played by a, hello, jazz player ! They grab the axe, filibuster for most the short video, then start (folk)Travis picking or making more of that (ugh) E7 blues bit.. I don't think one person even plays a Maj.7 chord..leave alone not playing, say, "All the Things U R" or "Satin Doll".

[spitfire]

I don't think I'd judge any instrument based on a video or even a quality recording. While a truly awful sounding instrument probably can't be made to sound great, it's really easy to make any instrument sound bad.

There are just too many variables a recording brings, not to mention your own listening environment. In the end, you really need to get the guitar into your own hands. And even then, it can take a while to find the best combination of strings and if electric, amplifier and settings.

I know with the Vega I keep mentioning, I was not that fond of it at first. After having a lot of work done on it, it was originally strung with round wounds. Then I went to flats and while much more to my liking it was too boomy. Eventually after settling on some Thomstiks (Jazz Swings?) that have lighter gauge low strings, the instrument became much more balanced. This has now become my most played guitar, by far.

Point is, it can take time to learn and setup a guitar to get the most out of it. That of course is not always an option. Again, I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss any instrument based on any video.

But I agree, it is nice if the video examples are in the style you are interested in playing.

[christianm77]

Hi. I'm getting interested in Epi Masterbilt Century and would get the round hole one being I already have an Ibanez Af151f (1 floater) archy which I have finally gotten strung up correctly, truss/bow right, action, and now pretty groovy..Perhaps this is Epi's answer to this 'other' early jazz era guitar presence and which is maybe what I feel you are mistaking; she not having a correct pickup on her for that archtop jazz sound we all have come to know and love, but not what the instrument and its under-bridge piezo is supposed to be doing. What it's doing I believe is amplifying her to produce that olden-golden-time acoustic guitar sound from when it was played dry, no amps yet but loud enough to cut through an early, post-banjo, dance band. Or, same axe, but being picked up by a microphone over the whole ensemble, not yet married to the soon-to-arrive on the scene magnetic, onboard pickups and tube amplifiers, and is where I believe (+-) is what Charlie Christian may have first introduced. Though I may be off here, I think you know what I'm getting at; that it's Epiphone's method of presenting, in a modern way, the mostly rhythm-orchestral guitar as if back when it was beginning to replace the banjo; not yet the type of sound which later on was produced by such greats as Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, B Pizzarelli, Freddy Green, which I call the 'boop boop/chang chang jazz sound' as opposed to the 'boing boing, warm, but gritty gritty sound' solid body electrics and say, Martin D28- like steels sound (and wonderfully in their own right ).
Yes, I don't own one (yet) and maybe not qualified to make these observations. But I think you're feeling a need to change or add pickups to the the Century to try to get the boop boop sound is redundant if you already have one which does...I'd suggest either skip buying one if that is your aim. Or else accept the instrument for what it's unique, factory default sound is; the thing which makes it different in the first place....Does this make sense ? ..Mark

That's what I was thinking.

In a market flooded with low cost laminate electric archtops (including Epi's own highly rated 175's) I don't think there's a strong requirement for any more models on the market.

If you want a low cost equivalent of a modern floating pickup archtop I suppose you'd have to go above the 1000USD limit and get a nice Eastman, I suppose, but there are some attempts - Peerless for instance, perhaps Furch.

I think these are these Epi's are designed to compete with the very good Godin 5th Avenue, the IMO pretty good Gretsch New Yorker and the intermittently excellent Loar 300, 600 and 700 models. For example, the bracing on one of those is totally different to a modern style floating pickup archtops - as a result they are brassy, cutting instruments even if their sheer volume isn't always on a par with the real deals (the Loar's are though).

Five years ago I might well have been in the market for a cheap laminate vintage looking archtop with an undersaddle pickup to play hot jazz and swing rhythm guitar on. Laminate = less feedback on the gig, so might have been a practical solution in loud sonic environments and my bandleader at the time didn't like an electric sound for rhythm.

There was literally nothing with that set up on the market, so maybe they will do well for more rootsy players. If the things are any good of course.

[spitfire]

To be clear, according to Epiphone, all three of the model ranges, Olympic, Zenith, and De Luxe are solid spruce tops. The De Luxe Classic my friend bought is a solid spruce top.

[christianm77]

To be clear, according to Epiphone, all three of the model ranges, Olympic, Zenith, and De Luxe are solid spruce tops. The De Luxe Classic my friend bought is a solid spruce top.

Oh nice! Definitely stepping onto Loar's turf then. How does it sound?

[Klatu]

Here are a couple of videos that show the new range in a better light IMO:

[jazzbow]

Yep, just tried the deluxe version and it was a really nice piece of kit.

I played it through a Marshall acoustic amp and it was very pleasant. I cut the treble and boosted the bass on the amp and rolled the guitar tone passed the centre detent to the bassier setting, there were still highs getting through the guitar tone though-which was pleasant to the ear.

It was warm sounding with thumb strum and snappy click with pick. I liked the electrified tone. I played a mix of gypsy jazz progressions and finger picking chord melody and it suited the guitar. However single note sounded all brassy acoustic; as it should:

All in all I would say the videos Epiphone have put out with country, bluesey old time jazzy stuff this guitar nails it.
For that golden age electrified tone this guitar won't do.

Now having said that you could put a De Armond on and wire in a seperate circuit with a blend control and you'll have the best of both and a versatile instrument. But then again for the purchase price of guitar, pickup and tech work you may as well add a piezoelectric pickup to one of your existing jazz guitars and save coin.

The guitar is made in Indonesia and the fit and finish is exemplary. I love the 5 piece neck. The sides and back are nice and of course the solid top and its all nice and uniform. The bridge base looked like plastic, not sure what that was. The little flat potometers in the 'f' holes required me little finger to access and it wasn't smooth or quick purely because of the fiddly process.
The tuners though, real nice. I was slightly aroused by their quality. Hmmm!

For me the neck was chunky in the 3rd position and I had to fight to get my 'thumb over' shapes. I'm not sure of the official nut width, I would say 43mm as I wasn't getting any open string Buzz from my fleshy pads in the 1st position B7 chord.
I got the hard sell from the store manager and all I could find wrong with the guitar was that chunky neck effecting my enjoyment of this guitar.

So where would it sit in my collection if I would to buy one?
Purely for acoustic accompanyment but it would have to go through an amp as the acoustic projection is not loud and there is no predominate bass frequency. It would replace my flat top but my flat top guitar has a far better fuller frequency spectrum and a contact pickup for amping up.

The purchase price is £699/$905/€825 and the case an extra £99/$129/€117.

Would I buy one? Not with that neck. It would not fit into what I want from an electrified guitar and I would have to tweak it with pickups and whatnot. More coin!

So in my (disturbed) mind what I would want would be a mix of what this guitar offers and that electrified tone from magnetic pickups.
So Godin A6 would suit me better for less coin and no fecking about.

Yup, I'm glad I've tried this guitar out. It looks gorgeous and is great value for money for what it has and what it offers.
Also writing out this little review has been quite cathartic for me and prove to me I do not need a guitar to add to a growing collection of 'stuff'.

But it looks real nice dunnit!