Acoustic-electric guitar Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME

Epiphone is one of American's oldest and most revered instrument makers. Since 1873, Epiphone has made instruments for every style of popular music and in 2013 celebrated its 140th anniversary.

The variety of musicians that walk through Epiphone's history is remarkable. Jazz greats like George Van Eps, country pioneers like Hank Garland, bluesman John Lee Hooker, and scores of mandolin, archtop and steel guitar players used Epiphone instruments daily over nationwide broadcasts. There are unlikely heroes and tinkerers in the Epiphone story too, like guitar pioneer Les Paul, who worked nights in the Epiphone factory in New York City to create "the Log", his primordial version of what would eventually be called the "Les Paul." The Beatles' bassist extraordinaire Paul McCartney choose an Epiphone Casino as his first American made guitar and John Lennon and George Harrison quickly followed. The Casino appeared on every Beatles album from Help through Abbey Road. And today, Epiphone can be heard on albums by Gary Clark, Jr., Alabama Shakes, My Chemical Romance, Joe Bonamassa, Nirvana, Johnny Winter, Zakk Wylde, Machine Head, Dwight Yoakam, The Strokes, Slash, Jeff Waters, Paul Simon, Radiohead, The Waco Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, and Paul Weller.

Originally released in June '31, the original line of Epiphone Masterbilt guitars made a big impact on players all over the world and was part of the first great era of acoustic gutars.

Epiphone continues its historic Masterbilt series with the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME Acoustic/Electric. The legendary J-45 round shoulder dreadnought has been the driving force behind decades of classics in every genre—rock, pop, and country—from Hank Williams to John Lennon. The Masterbilt AJ-45ME features a solid Sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, and a dovetail neck to body joint. New this year is the Fishman Sonicore under-saddle pickup and Sonitone preamp system. The discreet preamp right inside the soundhole features a master volume control and tone control. Hardshell or EpiLite case sold separately.

Features

• advanced Jumbo-sized body delivers deep, powerful projection
• mahogany and Sitka spruce tonewoods provide a meaty, vibrant tone
• SlimTaper D neck provides comfortable playability
• Fishman Sonitone pickup system transfers every nuance of your tone to your PA or amp
• rosewood bridge and bone saddle provide enhanced sustain
• hand-scalloped Sitka spruce bracing for increased resonance