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Epiphone

Masterbilt Excellente - Natural

SKU: # 725733   |   Model: # EMEXNAGH   |    Product Reviews2 Reviews  Write a Review

Masterbilt Excellente - Natural

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Masterbilt Excellente - Natural
Masterbilt Excellente - Natural
Your Price: $1,859.00 CDN
or from $109 CDN/mo

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Perhaps the rarest Epiphone model ever made, only 139 Excellente acoustic guitars were produced between 1963-70. The beautifully ornate, top-of-the-line Excellente was made famous by country music legend Loretta Lynn, and now it returns as part of the new Masterbilt Collection. Featuring a solid Sitka spruce top, solid ovangkol back and sides, an ebony fingerboard with historic pearl cloud inlays, bone nut and saddle, and gold vintage-style Waffleback tuners. Powered by the Fishman Sonitone onboard preamp system, it's ready for the studio or stage. Featuring Gibson strings.

Specifications
Body
Body Shape: Excellente
Body Material: Solid Ovangkol
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back: Solid Ovangkol
Side: Solid Ovangkol
Binding: Ivory and Black 6-ply (top) and 4-ply (back)
Finish: Aged Gloss
Neck
Material: Maple with 5 piece Walnut and Maple center stripe
Profile: C Profile
Scale Length: 25.31" / 643mm
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Fingerboard Radius: 12.01"
Number Of Frets: 20
Frets: Medium Jumbo
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 1.69" / 43mm
Inlays: Excellente Clouds, 15th fret Block
Joint: Tapered Dovetail
Hardware
Finish: Gold
Tuner Plating: Gold
Bridge: Ebony; Excellente shape with pearl dot inlays
Saddle Material: Bone
Tuning Machines: Gold Vintage "Waffleback" tuners with metal buttons
Pickguard: Historic Excellente
TrussRod: Adjustable
Bridge Pins: Ivory with black center dot
Strap Buttons: 2 - bottom and side of heel
Electronics
Under Saddle Pickup: Fishman Sonicore
Controls: Fishman Sonitone soundhole mounted Volume and Tone
Output Jack: 1/4" Endpin Jack
Preamp: Fishman Sonitone

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Reviews


18.212.102.174
claudebot
Epiphone Excellente is....excellent! 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Bedford, Nova Scotia
I dont often, if ever write reviews on guitars. I felt this to be the exception. I've owned and still own a few very exclusive Gibson custom shop guitars as well as Martin, USA Ovation and mid priced Yamaha workhorses. I love guitars in general. I've lost count of guitars that I've Bought and sold in my 40+ years as a career musician. Lately, I've been playing my beloved Gibson limited edition Songwriter Custom Shop pretty exclusively since finding it several years ago. As a gigging musician in pubs and bars it became apparent after a few dings and scratches and the overall wear and tear of the trade, I realized it was time to look for something that was inspiring to play yet not so rare and expensive to repair or god forbid, replace.
I found myself searching for something in the 1000 dollar range that wasnt too exclusive. That's when I bumped into the Epiphone Excellente at my Local L&M Store in Bedford NS. At first I was stunned by it's looks, it drew me across the room. I'd already played the masterbuilt Frontier and almost pulled the trigger on it as I love Sunbursted acoustics, but for some reason left it to be sold to someone else. I've always considered Epi's to be the cheaper knockoffs of Gibson models and never paid much attention to them as most guitar snobs tend to do. Anyway, I picked this guitar off the wall and I couldnt beleive how heavy it was! It weighed almost as much as a Les Paul! But then I strummed it and instantly I knew this was no cheap guitar. It wouldnt be fair to compare it to a Gibson or Martin as it has its own voice. It's not a rich, lush or deep sounding acoustic guitar and at first sounded a bit tight and subdued. But after a moment I realized it was one of the most awesome guitars I've ever played. It's midrange and sustain is like no other guitar I'd ever heard. Reminiscent of a nice D28 but not the same.
I left the store dreaming about the guitar and started watching other reviews on YouTube, and reading up on the history of the guitar. Local Legend, JP Cormier was gushing about the guitar on one of his YouTube videos and I became facinated with it. I strolled into another L&M in Halifax and there was another one. But just like Gibsons or likely any handbuilt guitar, It didnt seem to have the mojo and I somehow didn't feel the same connection to it.
Then that night, I heard about the passing of our beloved Loretta Lynn and the next day I went back to Bedford to the first one and bought it feeling even more of a connection to the guitar.
This guitar is not cheap. It is $2000 taxes in in Canada and I am dissapointed that they dont ship with a nice custom case. Thats one reason why I only gave it a (4) for value. The other reason is that it comes equipped with a fishman pickup that doesnt do the guitar any favours plugged in. I L&M's whiz guitar tech, Doug Sampson, install my go to system, an LRBaggs Element pickup at my expense. This put my guitar well in excess of $2500.00 with a case.
I love, love, love this guitar and where it sounds better than almost everything I own is in front of my studio mic. I use a few decent quality mics, including a Neumann TLM 103. No excess lows or 'wool' to pull out of the eq. The highs are right where they need to be but whats most special is the midrange balance, sustain and projection a couple feet away. A flatpickers dream! I am only a strummer myself and this guitar begs for a light touch. the guitar does all the work. I play Elixer 12s and tend to tune down a half step. This guitar will never replace my Custom Songwriter as my #1 or my prized Gibson Custom Shop Hummingbird 12 string. In fact it doesnt replace any of my guitars. It does, however, stand proud on it's own and since I bought it 4 months ago, its all I play at home and in my studio. Once I get a practical case for it may become my number one gig guitar.
.......I never put this guitar down
Posted by Maurice Aucoin on Dec 5, 2022
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Excellente is Excellent! 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Calgary Chinook, Alberta
The team at L&M went out of their way to get me this treasure. I contacted them in January and the guitar finally arrived in early May. Unfortunately, it had a small finish blemish, which for most would not be noticeable, however Dean and his team where able to find me another in pristine condition at another store and I had my guitar within a couple more weeks.
She was worth the wait, a great value in a rare, hard to acquire guitar, which I am confident with become a collectors item in the future. The tone is impeccable and this Masterbuilt Epiphone is worth every dime.
The only downside is she does not come with a Epiphone Edread hard case. I ended up ordering the case from the U.S,,
Posted by Keith on Jun 9, 2022
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Store Special Product - Epiphone - EMEXNAGH
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Store Special Product - Epiphone - EMEXNAGH
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Model: EMEXNAGH

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Store Special Product - Epiphone - Masterbilt Excellente
Store Special Product - Epiphone - Masterbilt Excellente

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Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty

A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.

Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.

How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
  • Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
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If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:

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