Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Vintage Sunburst Reviews

This is a beautiful, very full sounding acoustic guitar. It sounds great on it's own - just acoustically, but it also has an excellent pickup, (Fishman - Sonicore/Sonitone), that keeps the full acoustic sound when amplified thru an amp. Pretty much as loud as anyone would practically need without feedback. It sounds clean and full (I drop the volume a bit to match close to the output of a standard electric guitar - it has that much output!) (I also like the tone pretty much all the way down to get vintage acoustic tone). I was playing along with Merle Travis & Chet Atkins (The Atkins/Travis Travelin' Show). This guitar mixes right in with the same vintage tone, sustain, woody sound, as their guitars on that album. Besides looking amazing and vintage, this guitar has the heart and soul of a vintage acoustic!

I have played guitar and bass for many years and played many different guitars from Gibson to Ibanez and most were very good , my favorite is probably my Guild G37 and you'd be hard pressed to find an instrument made this well anywhere in this day and age. I decided to try the Epi AJ 45 based on reviews and the solid reputation of Epiphone since they are a subsidiary of Gibson , with that being said this instrument is very solid , very well made and has excellent tone and sound and sustain , it had a very good setup from factory and stays in tune very well , action was just right and frets were smooth and no buzz , for the money it would be hard to find another guitar in this price range , Sweetwater was very helpful and Trevor was more than courteous and knowledgeable and a special thanks goes to him!

I researched and researched to purchase my first upgraded guitar. I had an old Yamaha F350, which I'd gotten for my daughter when she was learning. When I got serious several years ago and bought my own first guitar, I decided on the Masterbilt DR500mce. The reviews were awesome, and the price point was within my range.

After committing several years and many hours to learning about this guitar, I wanted to make another purchase and grow my guitar stable. A luxury, I know. But I play with guys that have been playing for a lifetime, and have rooms full of guitars to prove it. So on my second purchase, I decided on the AJ45me, again because of the reviews, the price point/woods/masterbilt reputation. And again, I am so pleased. I have two very good guitars that rival the Gibsons and Martins I play when I visit the shops around town. The DR500mce is possibly slightly brighter, and the AJ45 I believe, is more buttery. You'd have to play both for yourself to understand that description. But if I'm using a pick I'll usually play the DR500, and if I'm playing with fingers I'll use the AJ45.

Again, I feel blessed to have found BOTH of these guitars, and am not certain that I have a favorite yet. I just feel extremely lucky to have made my decisions and ended up with these two guitars.

My arsenal includes Martin, Taylor,and guild , and I"m havua hard time putting this guitar down, sound is amazing! Action is great,and it"s very easy on the eyes, for the price it"s absolutely amazing

The Epiphone AJ45ME, is an outstanding guitar, easy playing,the sound is very good for all types of music, from COUNTRY, to rock.
I wish I would have bought it a year ago.
VERY HAPPY.

Every year I purchase a "beater" guitar, because I play so much in the summer. I live near Atlantic City and all of the outdoor beach gigs I play take a real toll on my collection, so I always look for a reliable guitar that will hold up to the rigors of playing 4 nights a week and keeps its tone week after week.
I'm not bringing out the Taylor 914 to the beach, so I figured I'd give the Epiphone AJ-45 a try.
From the other reviews on Sweetwater and other places, this seemed like a quality build... Well, I'm the first to admit that I am very surprised at the play-ability and comfort of this great sounding guitar! I've played 5 shows with this guitar, since receiving it at the end of January, and I've gotten many compliments on my guitar "sound". It takes only a bit of tweaking and color to make this guitar sing...
This guitar went from, " I'll give it a try at a gig" - TO - "This is the guitar for tonight's gig"!

PROS
Neck feels like a Gibson, big body warm and punchy tone, comfortable player that doesn't need much tweaking to find that tone
CONS
Electronics controls could be more heavy duty, big sound overpowers the monitor in small rooms

Totally worth every penny... totally worth MORE than it costs. Love it!

All I can say is Wow! I"ve owned and played a lot of great acoustic guitars over the decades. This guitar is easily the best of the bunch for the money. Epiphone has done a tremendous job with this model. Bravo!

I'm not usually attracted to many guitars out there. I've owned some Martins in the past that were outstanding. Recently, I started thinking about a sunburst guitar. I've never owned one. So I started looking at guitars again to see what was out there. After considerable thought and study, I found the Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ-45ME in vintage sunburst. Immediately, I was attracted to the shape of it, and upon further study, I learned it is constructed of all solid tonewoods with a spruce top! It also has the dove tail neck joint. It also has a great pickup built in, and the controls are all in the sound hole. It has the early 1930's style top bracing and finish. So I called Shelby at Sweetwater and talked with him about this guitar. He went over all the features with me on the call, and told me he would love to own one himself. That sold me, so I ordered it on that call that day! I've owned it for a couple weeks now, and it plays like a dream. The sound gets better and better, the more I play it. It has begun to ring now, with more and more sustain. Exactly what I wanted. Long story short buy it and you will not be disappointed. I am blown away. The price was awesome! Call Shelby Strunk at Sweetwater and get one! Thanks Shelby!

I have had this guitar for a few years and it has never disappointed! The frets are plecked so, they are perfect! The acoustic sound of the instrument is special. It has the AJ bracing, like the great Gibson J 35, of which I also own.. The highs have the same shimmer and brilliance as the Gibson. I was not thrilled with the Shadow pickup--mine snapped and popped, when I drove the bass so, I eventually switched it out for a Baggs Anthem--problem solved. I have a tip for the flat satin finish, for interested players that prefer a high glossed hand rubbed look. I bought a bottle of Maguires Swirl Remover 2.0 and rubbed the finish vigorously for at least four applications. You have to put some elbow grease into it. I followed it up with two coats of Maguires soft car wax. The result was a high gloss, hand rubbed finish, of which deepened the colors of the sunburst. For me, it was well worth the time and effort! But, we are all different! Mine now is the perfect guitar for me--so much so,that I just purchased the same guitar in the Ebony color!

After upgrading from my "starter" acoustic that I had for years, I tried a few models, but didn't want to drop $1500 for those I felt were my target "tone" and ease of play. When I read reviews and compared online, and playing a handful, I took a chance on this AJ-45. Boy am I glad I did. The ease of play, the sound and "rounded" tone on this guitar is just great. I basically use for strumming rock/blues - some basic finger-picking and it does all those things tremendously. You won't regret adding this one to your collection. It's simply the best bang-for-buck you can get!

It was long past time for me to upgrade from the low-end acoustics that I've been using for the past several years, but a high-end Gibson, Martin, or Taylor was out of my realistic budget. I did a lot of reading and decided on the Masterbilt AJ-45ME; in part because I've been very satisfied with a couple of high-end Epiphone electrics that I've gotten, and in part because the reviews on this model were very good (both buyer reviews and reviews in magazines). My AJ-45ME showed up today, along with the Epiphone case that I ordered for it, and I hoped fervently that it would not disappoint me.

A quick check for flaws/damage (none!) and some minor adjustments to the tuning, and it was ready to go. The sound volume from this guitar, NOT amplified, is huge. The tone is crisp and warm, and the neck is incredible. I've test-played Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons in the $1500-2500 range that could not match its sound and playability; it works well for me for fingerstyle and flatpicking, and it strums with a full and clear sound. I'm saving my pennies for a Martin HD-28, but I'm in much less of a hurry than I used to be. This is an excellent value for a very good price.

REALLY great sound - excellent set-up- really projects... great lows... Very impressed. Love the satin finish too. As always, Matt and everyone at Sweetwater had it out the door fast, packed perfectly- Thanks to all of you.

I bought the Epiphone AJ 45 for a backup but here lately it's the only one I pick up. For me the playability of this guitar is unsurpassed! It's good for the road and the studio.

Everything I read in others' reviews panned out... this guitar is an absolute BEAST for the money. I couldn't count (or even name) all of the acoustic guitars I've owned or played extensively in my life. But I did have a 90's-vintage Gibson J-45 that I played on a studio session a few years back, and recently played a tarted-up J-45 (a "Regal," I think)... These are $3000 and $6000 axes respectively, and I seriously would not ever consider spending the difference just to have "Gibson" on the headstock, or to say, "Yeah... but THIS one is made in the USA!!!" In case you haven't heard, instruments from China, Indonesia and S Korea are now rivaling anything made stateside... because a lot of the cutting and shaping is done with computer-controlled machines (same machines no matter what country you're in), and surprise surprise, Asian craftspersons are just as capable of learning fine woodworking skills as Americans.

Anyway, here's the scoop on playing the instrument. To me, the sound is somewhat more reminiscent of a Gibson J-35, which I like better than the 45 anyway... the top end is a bit clearer and more prominent, but with no loss in the midrange and bass punch that's the hallmark of these guitars. The action was actually TOO GOOD out of the box for me, because I'm a heavy-handed player, even when I'm fingerpicking (I've also been playing bass for almost 40 years, and I have big hands that are pretty strong). So, I threw on a set of Elixers in medium gauge (13-56), and I didn't even have to touch the truss rod. It still plays like buttah (as we say here in New England), and the projection and definition just got that much better. The neck is super comfortable... not too thin or too beefy... and I had no trouble adjusting to the scale, which I'm finding so comfortable I can't put the damb thing down. I could play for hours on this guitar with no fatigue. In fact, I have.

Fit and finish are flawless. All solid wood, friends... no laminates here, so it will play in well over the years. Tuners are very stable for open-backs and have great vintage vibe. I wasn't sure I'd like satin finish, but I do. It's very classy, and the color and top grain on the one I chose are perfect. The electronics sound gorgeous through my Marshall AS50D, so I will have absolute confidence when I run it through a board for a gig in a couple of weeks. I wouldn't use the pickup for studio recording, but I would NEVER do that with ANY pickup system (if you have a great-sounding acoustic, mic it up in the studio with fancy mics). And to top it off, the Epiphone matching case is gorgeous. I never have anything to say about cases unless they're crap, but this one is not only totally solid, but the contrasting trim and gold fittings are superb.

Sweetwater was, as always, 100% professional, and my sales rep Paul Rowan has my absolute devotion. With Sweetwater's return policy, you owe it to yourself to order one of these and play it with great care and decide for yourself whether it lives up to all the hype. Pull the trigger!

I have a Martin D-35 and aTaylor. Both several thousand $. This guitar by far my favorite go to guitar no joke. Exceeded my expectations is an understatement. This guitar has all the best woods and will just get better sounding

Ok so I've had this guitar for a year and 4 months now. It has become my main stage guitar. Actually it has become my main guitar period. I used my takamine as my main guitar for 6 years before buying this one. I still love my Tak, but I hardly take it to shows anymore. I have several others, including a Gibson Hummingbird, but this is my favorite. EVERY single show I have play at i get compliments on how great this guitar sounds. Can't wait to hear what it sounds like in 20 years.

Well I shamefully have to admit that I made the mistake of purchasing this guitar from some guitar shop in New York. They were a little cheaper and I thought I would be saving money. What a joke! Don't buy anywhere but Sweetwater, and trust your sales engineer! Mine is Jordan Clohessy and he is DA MAN!!!

On to the guitar... I was looking for an acoustic/electric that would have the same scale length as my Les Paul Faded. Well, that wasn't as easy as it sounds. Thanks to Jordan's help I found this beautiful guitar. I would have liked to buy another Gibson but I couldn't afford it. Well I absolutely couldn't be happier. Yeah a true Gibson would have had a better finish and better electronics but at the beginner level, save your coin for lessons and snag one of these!

It took me a long time to finally make the decision to purchase this guitar. I went back and forth, Martin, another Epiphone, Washburn, spend a lot more,etc. etc. And when I received the guitar there was a problem, however, Sweetwater took care of that immediately! Received the second AJ45 and have never looked back. Fun to play, great bass tones, it has the sound I wanted from a guitar in this price range and more! The smaller scale was a factor also as age is creeping up on me and "easy to play," weighed heavily along with the 1.69" nut width.
I already had a DR500 which I really like as well. Each has it's strength. I own several different acoustics and in various price ranges, Martin, Taylor, Takamine and the Epiphones. I play small venues through a small PA system (purchased through Sweetwater also) and use the Epiphones, they do that good of a job!
I plan to continue making purchases utilizing Sweetwater and Jonathan Appleton as they don't just care about the sale but care about the music we enjoy playing so much.
If your thinking about this as an option pull the trigger it's a great guitar.

Love it, action is the best.acoustic sound is phenomenal. It truly is the guitar I've been looking for a long time.

Could not ask for a better piece of workmanship or sound. I am very pleased.

I've had this guitar for 3 days now and have been playing it almost non-stop, which is unusual for me because I usually alternate between guitar, banjo and mandolin. I already own a DR-500MCE Masterbuilt so I am familiar with this line of guitars. I have been playing for 35 years and I have played some very expensive instruments in the past... 1960's Gibsons, Martins, Guilds, etc... Let me be clear: The AJ-45ME Masterbuilt is everything it is advertised to be. Build quality is outstanding... no sloppy glue on the inside, great attention to the little details. Quality Control is excellent. Really well built... very tight and accurate. Fret dressing is perfect. No disappointments at all. I've played instruments 4 or 5 times this cost that didn't impress me nearly as much. Frankly it's a little shocking at this price point. Epiphone definitely did their homework.

The neck is fantastic. Straight as an arrow. The action is slightly higher than my 500MCE, but the 500MCE plays like a silky electric guitar neck... very low with no buzz. The action on the Aj-45 is slightly higher but just fine. I can whip out fast bluegrass runs with no problems. The shorter neck certainly helps. Incredibly comfortable. The neck is also slightly wider than the 500MCE... perfect for finger picking or strumming (Note that I have medium size hands). The Grover tuners are rock solid... same as on my 500MCE. Tune it and it stays in tune. I checked the intonation with an electronic tuner and it's dead on.

Sound? This guitar sounds fantastic! My 500MCE has a very tight mid-rangy sound with great articulation and clarity. The Aj-45 definitely has deeper bass response, no question. And it will get better with age. Volume and projection are excellent. Arpeggios ring out. Deep South, 1940's blues is virtually built into this guitar. Excellent clarity and punch. Chords are REALLY satisfying... hard to describe how tight but yet open they are. Very rich sound. Perfect for folk, bluegrass or Led Zeppelin. It does NOT sound quite like a modern Gibson AJ-45. It's very similar but this guitar is designed to sound like a 1940's Gibson 45. This is definitely a professional quality instrument. No lie.

Lastly, let me give a shout out to my Sales Engineer, Jorge Padilla. Jorge... You da man! Absolutely outstanding service and commitment to his customers. It doesn't get any better!

I don't know how long Epiphone will be making these Masterbuilt guitars but get this guitar while you still can. Forget about the brand purists... This is an absolutely excellent guitar. Your brand purist friends will be impressed with it, I promise.

Great guitar for finger picking, plenty of punch.

This is a great guitar. I can't tell the difference between this an a J-45 I owned years ago. As soon as you strum it one hundred recordings from the past will come to mind. The tone is identical. I bought this along with an EF-500RCCE from Sweetwater. On acoustic I mainly fingerpick and the AJ-45ME is good for that, but this guitar screams for a pick. Lay a pick to it and hear "that" sound you have heard on so many recordings. I have more acoustics than I can mention and I continue to pick this one up because of the wonderful tone. It takes me back. I have spent more time with a pick lately just to hear it. The only thing I wish, and this is purely because I have large hands, is that Epiphone would have put the same width neck that you find on the J-45's. It's just a touch wider than the AJ-45, but it would be welcome for me. Don't pay any mind to the snobs on the Acoustic Guitar forum. This guitar kicks it and you won't have to spend time justifying a $ purchase. Sweetwater, as usual, is top notch in customer service. Fast, safe shipping is one of the reasons I return to them time and time again.

If you are looking for a good value in a new acoustic, I would recommend looking into Epiphones. Their quality for the price is excellent. I recently bought a new Epi AJ45me a copy of Gibson's classic J45. Having owned a '68 J45 for about 20 years I wasn't sure how I'd like the Epi AJ45. I LOVE IT! Solid high quality sitka top. Beautifully matched solid mahogany sides and back. Solid mahogany neck. Grover tuners.
It's easy to play, beautifully made, beautifully set up and the neck is awesome. Built like the 60's slim taper original style. Also it comes with a Shadow soundhole controlled pre amp for electric enhancement. Difference in price point:+/- $3500 for a new Gibson J45.... Under $700 for the Epi. AJ45me.
The Epi's tone is big and clear. The intonation is spot on.
I have tried for 3 months now to try to find a weak or substandard aspect to the Epi.
I can't.
Probably one of the best value guitars I've come across!
Price does not always = high quality.
The AJ45me proves that without a doubt.
The sound alone will win you over!

I purchased this guitar 2 days ago and I love it! A bit of background: I'm a worship leader and I play live around 2-4 times per week. I've had: Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Larrivee, Guild, Seagull, Yamaha, Rainsong, Bedell, Ibanez... Etc.. you get the picture. This guitar is absolutely on par with anything up to about the $2,500 - $3,000 range. It really is. The clarity is amazing, it has great punch and resonance, excellent lows and present full mids. The electronics: this is the part where I was iffy, however, plugged in this baby sounds great! I usually run 2 pickups in my acoustics, just to give me a broader range, but this pickup I'll leave alone. I also have a Masterbuilt DR500 MCE, I like this one better, its just more punchy, but both are a great value! In my opinion, it sounds better than the Gibson slope shoulders... You absolutely can't go wrong with this investment.

Since I never ordered anything as personal or important as a new guitar online, I was a bit backed off by the thought. However, Sweetwater was very helpful and knowlegeable about their products and answered all my questions and with their satisfaction guarantee earned my order.
I must say the guitar arrived on time and in perfect condition. The instrument is beautiful. It plays and sounds very much like the 1968 J-45 I used to own. The spruce top is exquisite. The grain is beautiful. The mahogany sides and back are beautifully matched and without flaw. The guitar has a big beautiful tone even without the Sonic Nanoflex electronics engaged.
This will be a guitar that I will keep forever. I can't see why I would ever part with it.
Thank you Sweetwater for making a scary long distance purchase easy and successful!
I plan to be a Sweetwater customer for a very long time!
Thanks!!

Hi. I am 66 yrs old playing since 1972. If i wanted to i could buy any guitar and i have, many times. this guitar and my fishman amp, all for $ is what i have been always been searching for. The sound and feel, expecially plugged in, makes me one happy old dude.
..

I have been looking at Gibson J45s for a while, I never found one that felt comfortable enough to make me spent the money. I gave the Epi a try, and wow, what a great guitar. Set up perfectly right out of the box, really a joy to play. Lots of options available with the two pickups, sounds good amplified. It's the best acoustic I've ever had, and for a bargain price.

This guitar would stand up to a Gibson J45 in a blind test. It arrived perfect out of the box....even in tune! It's toneful and plenty loud. The action is perfect and the finish looks great. No complaints at all!

I've had this guitar for a few months. It's a great sounding guitar for the price.
I have a Martin D28 collecting dust. I just can't put the Epiphone down.

I bought this guitar online a few months ago. I had been wanting a new acoustic for awhile now, and I decided to go with this guitar due to the astounding reviews on it. Anyways, as soon as I felt it for the first time I could tell that it was a really quality instrument. It felt as though it should be worth twice as much as it did. This guitar has a really bright, full tone while unplugged, and it sounds even better once plugged in. The only thing that is a little unimpressive are the lows, but with a little tweaking of the preamp of the eSonic2 should compensate for that.
Overall, this guitar is a true beauty from top to bottom. I played $2,000 after playing this guitar, and honestly this guitar sounds and feels better overall. I highly recommend this guitar for anyone

This has to be one of if not THE best acoustic guitar in it's price range, plus $1500.00 more! I own a Taylor 310, a 618e, a Marin HD-35, and now the AJ-45ME. This Epi blows me away! GREAT TONE, AND PLAYABILITY! Get one...what can I say?

I have almost a month with this guitar and I can't put it down, I feel bad for my other guitars. The setup was great out of the box, low action and perfect intonation. The finish is so good looking that even my girl like it, she's so jealous of my other guitars. Thanks, Sweetwater!

I've owned this guitar for a few weeks now and it just keeps getting better and better. Fit and finish is just great, the set up was perfect and it was in tune when it arrived. I can't wait to try my preferred string's on it, to see if it get's any better. Thanks Sweetwater, great job as always! Give this guitar a try, it won't disappoint.

Everything about this guitar is more than it should be for this price. I have had it for a month and it is my favorite acoustic guitar, that I have ever played. I traded a Gibson SJ100 about a year ago for an amp and a tele. This Epiphone plays and sounds better than the Gibson SJ did. Better than all the Gibson J-45s I played before buying the SJ. I was looking for a Martin but this guitar was always in the back of my mind. Thank goodness. None of the local shops had one. I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of YouTube reviews. They said it sounds and feels like a well worn in guitar right out of the box and they weren't kidding. This guitar also sounds great plugged in. Do yourself a favor and at least go try to find one to test out. Please? Your day will be made. I ordered it on a Thursday night and it got here on the following Saturday morning. Sweetwater is so fast! Tommy Winters was also very helpful in answering questions about cases and such. Work with him if you can.

I was originally looking to get the famed Gibson J45 but a friend of mine (who actually works for Gibson) told me to check out the AJ-45ME. So I went to the local guitar shop and picked up the J45, the AJ45, and several Martins and Taylors. I already own a Martin so I was using that more as a reference. The Taylors were too bright, the J45s action was too high and the tone a bit dull, but the AJ45 was amazing from the first strum. The tone was warm and open, the action was just right, and the look is amazing. Then add the electronics and you have a no brainer of a deal here. There is no guitar for the price that comes close to the AJ45. I purchased the AJ45 from Sweetwater even though my local dealer had it in stock. Why? Because as a 20 year customer of Sweetwater, I truly appreciate the Sweetwater difference. This is the second guitar I have purchased from Sweetwater and both guitars were delivered in excellent condition, ready to play. The setup was great, and the guitars were actually in tune... crazy. Epiphone deserves an award for the guitars they are producing these days. And Sweetwater, well, 20 years of purchasing gear from them and I`ve never been disappointed so that tells you how great they are as well.

This guitar is all that other reviews have said it is and then some. Neck is straight as an arrow, no buzz. The finish lets the wood breathe and, as a result, the beautiful tone that emanates from this guitar is full and warm which, the Shadow Electronics accurately reproduces through an amp. I am so pleased with the overall quality and tone of this guitar that I think it can (and will) give some of the Martin guitars a run for the money in a side by side competition. If you are looking for an acoustic guitar to add to your collection, I don't think you can go wrong with this one, especially if you consider the (undervalued) price of owning it.

Great fit and finish! Super customer service from Jimmy Hart! A word of advice regarding Jimmy, stay away from him unless you have deep pockets! He not only has a great knowledge base, is a great guy, but he works so darn hard to find great products regardless of price. Just when you think you got away safe he pulls a gem out of his inventory - this is certainly one!

Having lived and worked in Nashville for years I have played and own some great guitars and aside from brand loyalty bias, I'm always on the hunt for great axes on the cheap, in as much as you can never have to many!

This is a fine sonic cannon! It is great plugged, unplugged, records clear and clean across all frequencies with a 3K quality for peanuts!

I received my AJ45ME just 3 days ago and all I can say is wow, this guitar is everything I was hoping for. I love to play it and isn`t that at the end of the day what its all about?

Honestly, I had my eyes on the Gibson J45 for weeks but a friend pointed me in the direction of this beauty. At first I was skeptical because how is a $649 guitar supposed to compare to a $2300 guitar? But I trust my friends judgement and headed over to the local music shop and picked up the AJ45 and a Gibson J45 and began to strum away.

My first impressions of the AJ45 were wow, this is a really nice sounding guitar. The action is just right, it looks great, and the price is extremely reasonable. Then I picked up the Gibson J45 and my first thought was, the neck is a bit too wide for my liking, the action is a bit high but that can be adjusted, and its a bit muffled (lacking high end) for my tastes. Now granted, a guitars sound does change somewhat over time but why wait? The AJ45 sounded great from that first strum.

That day, I also tried several Taylors (too bright) and several Martins. Its hard to justify paying $2,000 or more for a guitar when you just played one costing a fraction of that and fell in love with it! So I went home and purchased the AJ45 from Sweetwater and yes, its everything the other reviewers are saying about it. For the price, this guitar cannot be beat.

Also, I know you may be reluctant to purchase a guitar on line as I was too a few years back when I purchased an Epiphone Les Paul from Sweetwater, (that guitar is also a beauty) but don`t be afraid to pull the trigger on this. Sweetwater does a phenomenal job setting up the guitars and they ship it with sufficient packaging to keep the instrument safe.

The last thing I`ll mention is that the electronics are cleverly hidden in the sound hole and can be easily adjusted. The low end and high end both have knobs to adjust how much feeds out to the amp (or mixer). The pickup sounds quite good. Again, you`re paying $649 for a wonderful acoustic instrument that also has really nice sounding electronic components built in. One of my biggest pet peeves is the placement of electronics on acoustic guitars. Epiphone did such a great job with this design that I completely forget about that feature the first day!

So the AJ45ME is a home run. There is no other guitar I can think of that accomplishes what this one does, even at twice the price. A great sounding acoustic that feels great to play, is really easy to look it, and has electronics to boot for the stage.

Bravo to Epiphone for making outstanding instruments at affordable prices and thanks to Sweetwater for their incredible customer support and set-up.

I usually like to give a guitar some time before I review it, but as I've had this guitar since this morning, I suspect that enough time has gone by. My Dad was a pro guitarist, and I've been playing since 1964. I've been around guitars all my life. This guitar isn't just good, it's already taken a spot as an old friend, a member of the family. The unamplified sound is pure Gibson jumbo. Balanced from string to string from E to E. It's punch is exactly what you put into it, like a good Gibson. It's amplified sound is warm. If you've played acoustic/electric before, prepare to be amazed. It isn't what the name says or the reviews you read/listen to, this guitar stands on its own regardless of price or place of origin. It's simply priceless for simple ear candy. Flawless workmanship is simply the icing on the cake. Thanks to Dave Snow and Sweetwater for letting me vent. I'm very happy with this purchase.

I got this guitar from Sweetwater after waiting for it to come back in stock. It only took a couple of days for them to sell out again and now I know why. I have been playing for about 20 years and have gotten my hands on a lot of acoustic guitars. For the price, or even a higher price, you cannot beat this guitar. I was a little nervous as I still own one of my first acoustics which was a lower end Epiphone 12 string which is not on the same level with this guitar. The quality and craftsmanship on this guitar is only rivaled by others that cost twice as much or more. All solid construction, flawless workmanship and man does it sing. The shorter scale length makes it a breeze to play, and I personally like the satin finish as others do not. It already feels like an old friend. Props to my sales engineer Tim, too. He grabbed the 3 they had in stock, played all of them and recommended the best one. This is my second acoustic purchase from Sweetwater, and both purchases have been a great experience.

It's just sick how good a guitar it is, especially for the price. Where my Martin beautifully rings the Epi sweetly sings. Pluck a chord and every note is hanging balanced in the air. Strum it and they all blend together just so well. So much of what I like about the Gibson J-45 is in this guitar---one of those guitars that catches your ear with inspiration. This was the first time I ordered a new guitar before I actually played it, and Sweetwater and Patrick came through for me. The action and setup, fit and finish were all what I hoped for. Inside and out, just wonderful craftsmanship. I actually had to closely inspect the front and back under different lights to see where the wood was bookmatched. I wasn't a fan of sound hole controls until I plugged it in heard what was coming out of my amp. I was even able to duplicate the sound of my Martin if I wanted to with very little effort. I would definitely look at another Epi, and trust Sweetwater to deliver it. Thank you, Patrick Cobley, for the service and attention. It was worth the wait. The guitar arrived in perfect condition and just so wonderfully playable that I'm taking my Martin back to my tech and specifying the same type of playability. Yay, Sweetwater!

I pre-ordered this guitar as soon as it was available on Sweetwater & it arrived at the expected date. I knew what I was getting into beforehand as I own another Epiphone Masterbuilt and am aware of their high quality and excellent workmanship. Even though the guitar is made in Indonesia it is a first-rate instrument and it every bit as good as advertised. In my opinion if you've ever wanted a solid wood J-45 at a bargain-basement price you're gonna put your name on the waiting list, hunker down & wait for it to show up.
Mine showed up set up perfectly (as has every other guitar I've ever bought from Sweetwater). If you want the $2500 Gibson version, knock yourself out. But for me, I'll take this one.
Oh, btw, I own a 1965 Gibson J-45 that I bought brand new when I was a kid. This Masterbuilt will be the J-45 I'll be playing from now on.

Excellent sounding guitar
When I pushed the strumming heavier and faster it really held up staying clear playing up and down the fingerboard plek setup
When picking single notes high E B G bright sustain On low E A D strings deep rich tone chords really sound great stayed well in tune even with capo
Plugged into-amp is a delight
Epiphone really did an outstanding job flawless workmanship I like the dull finish easy to clean
I have the the 500 dreadnought master built as well also from Sweetwater great combination
Thanks Nick from Sweetwater for taking such care of sending both guitars

I bought a brand-new Gibson J-45 guitar in 1965 & still have it. I recently bought this Epi Masterbuilt (swayed largely by my purchase of a Masterbuilt AJ a couple of years ago) and this new J-45 exceeded my already high expectations. And it sounds better than my '65 (thanks to Epi abandoning that disastrous 'adjustable' bridge' Gibson used back then).
I notice that this guitar weighs closer to my 1965 model than it does to most 'new' acoustic guitars (which seem to be a lot lighter than the older ones, implying that they're using extremely thin pieces of wood on many of the new acoustics).
The electronics are just fine and, as usual, Sweetwater did an excellent job of setting it up for me before shipping it out.
I highly recommend this guitar as a great sounding instrument with excellent playability for a very reasonable price. And I always appreciate the little 'extras' (like the setup) that you get when you buy a guitar from Sweetwater.

I ordered this Epiphone to take on the road instead of my Gibson Advanced Jumbo. I'm really amazed by the build quality of this guitar and the playability right out of the box. Might have something to do with the new PLEK setup- makes this guitar real easy to play. The shorter scale like the Gibson J-45 might have something to do with it as well. The satin finish is nice and makes the guitar look older than it is, hopefully it will last as long as a gloss finish. I don't know what brand of string came on it, feels like light gauge, I plan on trying out a few different sets for my personal sound preference. The guitar has a quiet sound but when pushed has a even projecting volume very much like a Gibson rather than a Martin, lots of midrange and a balanced tone, no harsh high end ringing. Over all a great guitar for the money, a welcome addition to the Masterbuilt line of guitars. Thanks to all the folks at Sweetwater and especially Chris Sanders for his excellent product knowledge and customer service. He kept me posted on my guitar and even helped me with the final selection, as I wanted one with a smaller sunburst. Even when I needed to return the case I ordered, there was no problems and I really felt like a valued customer. Thanks again Sweetwater!

After months of research, I contacted Sweetwater in February and pre-orderd my AJ45ME. I'm a novice when it comes to playing. I needed a good acoustic and nearly pulled the trigger on several other guitars before Epiphone announced this new Masterbilt. I've always loved the tone and look of a slope shouldered j-45 so this was worth the risk.

My AJ-45ME arrived last week and I could not be happier! The quality of build, feel and tone cannot be matched at this price. For that matter I think you could spend much more and not come close. Some do not like the dull finish but it is really growing on me. The only thing that makes it look a little off is the extra polished pick guard but I can live with that. I can honestly say I don't want to put this guitar down!

Last but certainly not least it the service and attention I received from Jeff Bohan at Sweetwater! Give him a call for your music needs, you will not be disappointed.

I got my AJ-45ME in October 2015. It was my 3rd Epiphone Masterbilt and my first round slope-shouldered and short-scale guitar. The sound was what I have come to expect from an all-solid Spruce and Mahogany tone wood recipe. I loved it then and I still love it now. I took 1/2 star from my rating because of it's Satin Finish. I really preferred a Gloss Finish. After procrastinating for almost 3 years, I decided to work on the finish in the Spring of 2018. No paint job. Just hours and upon hours of rubbing and polishing. I also changed the pick guard and bridge pins. When it was all over, I fell in love with it more. I love how it feels and I love how it looks. The experience was so overwhelmingly positive that I immediately bought another round slope-shouldered Epiphone Masterbilt to work on - the Spruce/Rosewood Limited Edition AJ-500RCE which I bought from another seller as Sweetwater did not carry that one. Today, I am the proud and satisfied owner of 4 Epiphone Masterbilt acoustic-electric guitars. And I am very certain that I will continue to buy more Epiphone Masterbilts. Of course, preferably from Sweetwater - the one and only.

Although I've played guitar for decades, I've actually owned very few guitars, and certainly none that could be considered high end. My original guitar, which I still own, is an early '70's Takamine ($400 then)that has a warm and rich sound but is a little worse for wear after banging on it for almost 50 years! Probably the nicest guitar I've owned and played regularly is my Taylor 214, which is a great sounding, great looking, very nice, very playable guitar in every way. I've always felt that despite its great playability it sounded somehow light compared to my old Takamine. My current goal is to record the large number of songs I've written over the years and I wanted another guitar(s) to complement, but not replace, the Taylor's sound. Which brings me to the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45 I just purchased a few weeks ago from Sweetwater. So many guitars, from many reputable makers with so many choices in this price range, decisions, decisions etc. I did have a budget, but also wanted a bigger sound reminiscent of the old Takamine so I researched many guitars. What kept popping up was the Epiphone Masterbilt DR500-MCE and the AJ-45ME. Reviews talking about big sound, solid wood, good craftsmanship. It was a difficult decision, however I ultimately chose the AJ-45ME. I long ago abandoned playing others songs as I wanted to distill my own style, play my own music write my own songs, and my guitar playing is a blend of picking and unconventional chords. I know when a guitar sounds good in my hands, stays reliably in tune, and since my playing is all over the scale in any given song I soon detect shortcomings in intonation. I am pleased to say that I made a sound decision in choosing the AJ-45. It arrived in perfect condition from Sweetwater. I gave it time to acclimate. It is a physically large bodied guitar. The fit and finish was very nice, with no marks, blemish or other detraction. I like the understated satin finish of the Vintage Sunburst. The neck has a wide feel to it, and strings feel to be spaced wider than my other guitars, yet in nut measurement comparison they are identical. The action is close and light, so easy for my fingers to find their place. The feel is different, and the scale is shorter, but not uncomfortable or inaccurate with very good playability. The sound is big, rich and warm, strumming or picking - I don't use a pick for either - but clear and inviting. The guitar holds tune through picking, strumming and plunking, thrashing, stabbing. No intonation issues whatsoever from one end of the scale to the other. The second day I felt the strings - shipped with cleartone strings per the manufacturer - were not what I prefer, so i changed them to Elixer 11-53. The guitar sounds great. Deep base and mids, but clear ringing treble and lots of clean sustain across the fretboard. What's not to like. So I've been getting to know the guitar. Plugged it in and it is a little effort to remember the controls of the NanoFlex, due to their being placed inside the soundhole... Not a great feature, imho, and no on board tuner. But I have and will install a Tonewood X brace for the Tonewood Amp at the next string change, something I have on all my guitars, for more control and effect. The AJ-45 sounds really nice through an amp. I've used it already on several recordings and very pleased with the sound. As I've thought about it, the guitar has many features that would be considered standard on guitars costing 3 times as much or more. Solid Sitka Spruce top, SOLID Mahogany sides and back, Mahogany neck, Rosewood bridge, Bone nut and saddle, Grover tuners... It is a substantial guitar with a sound to match. With a plush hardshell Epiphone case... My Taylor 214ce-Koa DLX was $1,400. It is a layered sides/back/synth nut and saddle guitar, albeit a very nice one. They both sound and play great at two very different price points. Anyway, I am very pleased with the Epiphone, and the pricing and service from Sweetwater. So much so that I just purchased a Yamaha APX600 from them, intending to make that a Nashville tuned guitar. Stay tuned, no pun intended, for that review. In the meantime, keep on strumming...

I can only give a 4.5 because I played a Collings CJ. I own a Martin, and several other acoustics. I absolutely love this guitar from Epiphone... The second I heard the lows this guitar was coming home with me. I got over the name on the headstock. I was so hung up on Gibsons and Taylor's. But this guitar has such a sweet tone. The only difference I can make between this guitar and the Gibson is the nitrocellulose finish on the Gibson. This Epiphone is dry. Like an old old 45 dry, but brand new and under warranty. It sounded better than the new J45 from Gibson. I'm picky as hell. It killed me to bring home a cheap guitar, but I love it. It rings like a record. It sounds iconic. Buy one. Or just go play one. It plays and sounds like a top shelf acoustic but it's so price friendly. I literally picked up a 12 string with the money I saved...

After researching this guitar for a bit, I was excited to get my hands on one. This guitar sounds and plays great, has its own character, and is an excellent value compared to guitars in the same price range and above it. It is now my go to couch/practice guitar. The build quality overall is better than I expected.

I only give it 4.5 stars because I am not sure about the open tuners. I have heard horror stories and I am not sure it was needed or best choice for this type of guitar. Also, it doesn't sound quite as good as my Martin (but the Martin is over twice the price!).

Great job Epiphone and another great buy from Sweetwater!

Best out-of-the-box experience ever!

After being disappointed by a few online acoustic guitar purchases over the years, to say I was being cautious is an understatement. After all, there can be & often are major variations in tone & playability, even from high-end makers' models.

After reading countless favorable online reviews and listening to online video/audio demos, almost all of which had flaws with presentation & recording techniques. Even with this, I as able to hear something I liked & wanted. So, I decided to order the Epiphone AJ-45ME. It exceeds my expectations!

Keep in mind, this is just out-of-the-box, tuned up & tested (often) over the last 5 days.

To me, the most important aspect of any guitar is the intonation. (I don't care what a guitar sounds like if I can't change from one chord to another without sounding like it's out of tune.) No problem here; all first position chords sound true. (Even the dreaded B string when switching back & forth from D to E major chords!) This holds true at least for the first 7 frets and I just don't play much above that. Plus it does very well with a capo on any of the first 5 frets. I rarely find it necessary to go any higher.

The tone is special; the low end is quite pleasing... not boomy but punchy. The mids, while present, have somewhat of a scooped & smoothed sound. The highs are crisp, somewhat subdued & even a bit dry... just as I feel a round-shouldered short-scaled dread should be! (Think early James Taylor.)

The narrow nut width & slim taper neck works well for me. But if you have large hands or thick fingers, it may not be the right choice. Also, the neck is a 14" radius. Most capos seem best suited for 15"-16" radius necks. I insist on placing the capo's edge directly on the fret - where it should be! My G7th Performance II works fine, but my Keyser doesn't get along with it well... just something to keep in mind.

The Epiphone AJ-45ME isn't just a great guitar for the price, it's a great guitar, period!

One more thing: I only gave it 4.5 starts because it doesn't come with a case. Other guitars in this range often have cases. If you feel this is just going to be your beater guitar, prepare yourself for a surprise. You will want to protect this baby! Order a case, maybe you can get a deal on the bundle!

I love this guitar. It sounds and feels so sweet. I'm glad I bought it and I have no regrets. It was packaged superbly and arrived in perfect condition quickly. I do wish that it came with a case though.

This is an impressive guitar for the money. I have been playing one on stage now for over a year. I replaced a D28H on stage with this Epi because of a nasty hum that was developing in the Fishman blend electronics in the Martin. The Shadow electronics are ok, you can dial in a fairly decent stage sound, but in the future I plan to convert the pickup to the Baggs Anthem system. The acoustic sound is very full and natural and the neck is better than the neck on my Gibson J45. If the electronics were a bit better I would rate this guitar a 5.

I have gone through a lot of acoustics latley, and this one is the best, even at the low price and orgin of manufacture, i dont care. I play it through an acoustasonic 90 with martin retro lights, great strings. Un plugged its not loud, but sweet, and the satin finish is retro looking. The neck is really fast and smooth. One of the most enjoyable acoustics in 45 years of playing.

I've purchased much more expensive acoustic guitars over the years (J45's, Taylor 710, etc) and they have little to nothing on this Epiphone. Hands down the best value acoustic guitar I've ever owned. Plays like a dream and sounds outstanding!
Couple tiny, almost unnoticeable, finish discrepancies - but nothing more than you would probably add yourself after playing for a few hours.
Zero complaints here on this instrument.
And thank you to Patrick, at Sweetwater, for always being on point with all my purchases. Incredibly responsive and knowledgeable. A joy to work with. Patrick and Sweetwater have earned much more of my business in the future. Don't tell my wife.

I've had the Epi AJ-45ME for over a year now and I can say that it is easier to play than my Martin D-35, or my Taylor GS Custom, which are the best sounding guitars in my collection of over a dozen. I would place the Epi at number three position in tone even though it rates number one in play-ability. That being said, the aforementioned guitars are much older than the Epi and have had time to "settle in " on their tone. The Epi, has a unique tone and has certainly improved in this area during the past year. Given time, I may have to change its position in the sound-hierarchy of my collection. I do have one very big caution to anyone who might purchase one of these wonderful guitars, especially if you live in an area where low Winter temperatures necessitate turning up the thermostat in one's house. I live in the Northeast, upstate NY to be more precise. Last Winter, I was a bit slow in getting a humidifier into the sound hole of my Epi and it dried out so much that it became totally unplayable. The strings were actually lying flat on the frets. Luckily, I caught it in time before any cracking occurred, and turned on the humidifier I have in my music room so that it ran at a high rate of humidification 24/7. After 3 weeks, the Epi was again playable and after another two weeks was almost as good as it had been in the first Summer. At this writing, a few weeks before Fall, it's as good as it was originally, and has been, all unbearably humid Summer long.
In another topic, here's a little experiment for AJ-45 owners: Try a set of light gauge Martin "Retro" strings. I did just recently and really like the sound combination created with the Epi. See what you think!

This guitar is wonderful. I have always wanted a J45, but I never felt like spending the cash on one. When Epiphone announced this Masterbilt AJ45 I knew I had to check it out. After hearing a lot of reviewers praise this instrument, I bought one. This guitar looks great, sounds fantastic, and feels great in the hands. Sweetwater set this guitar up nicely and it plays like a dream. You can definitely hear that classic J45 sound when you strum this beauty. As others have stated, there is a reason why you can't find this guitar in stock for long.

I am 66, been playing guitar since 12 and this is the first guitar I have purchased on line. I was extremely wary of what I was doing and did not expect much at all. That was about to change. When I first opened the box I was extremely impressed with the build and looks. I really like the satin finish. Nice fret work with very smooth edges. Very low action, which I had asked for, but had some string buzz when played hard. This was rectified by customer service. At first play It sounded very compressed. The neck is very easy to play. Now two weeks later, I find the guitar to really be opening up and singing with a very balanced tone all the way across and up the neck, I am honestly stunned at the quality of this instrument for the $. I love the voice and the playability of this guitar. I had left hand surgery 7 weeks ago it the short scale with less tension is just the ticket for me. Oh, by the way the electronics work great. I have other guitars, some expensive, some not so, I will be using this both in praise & worship music and in a bluegrass group that I am a member of. It is that versatile. Thanks Nick and Sweetwater!

I bought one of these AJ45ME units in November. I played 4 units in the store and found one particularly clearer voiced and had it shipped to me 7 days later. The only thing wrong I have found was a loose electric jack cover where you plug in. It was a blatant miss in Sweetwater's multipoint quality check.
I guess I can live with that, but a person should still check their guitar out thoroughly for themselves. Otherwise I would give it a 5.0 rating. With that said, I played the guitar 2 weeks with the Cleartone strings that came with it until I could no longer stand them. I put on a set of Black DIamond N600M strings and the guitar really started talking. I added Bone bridge pins and that brought more tonal clarity still. I put a tonerite on the guitar intermittently now for perhaps a total of 200 hours. The guitar is not the same guitar I bought. It's many times over a better unit since the personal adjustments. The unit was set up very nicely with the Plek, as the action is impressively low with great volume for Bluegrass. I am going to compare with a friends 1969 J45 this month for fun. The pick up system in this unit is very nice, and does not draw attention when unused. I read reports of folks degrading this pick up system, but It works well. I have a K&K in another guitar and feel this one holds its own. This guitar is a nice unit to start with for the price. Sure it's not an old Gibson, but I think I will hold on to this one for quite some time. Set up correctly, this unit is more fun than a Martin D18, in my opinion.

First of all kudos to Sweetwater for a great job with setup and a safe speedy delivery. 50 plus years of playing and buying guitars didn't prepare me for the surprising quality at this price point. My1954 Gibson J-50 sounds uniquely better but the playability and sounds of this Masterbilt blow me away!

Sound packaging. Nice satin finish and slender neck. Perfect set up with a comfortable action in all regions of the neck. The PLEK process gives you perfect intonation.The Shadow Nanoflex undersaddle pickup is a nice extra.
ED.

I read lots of positive reviews but still figured I would find some reason to return this one but what a great guitar! Just took all the labels and stickers off so it's a keeper. I love the neck, very comfortable and though I am mainly a 1 3/4" guy, this works just fine. Low end is powerful and I think the sustain is impressive. Great value. Thanks to Dylan for making this all work out.

It's a pretty well built guitar, all solid construction. It is not without flaw IMO and its certainly not a replacement for the mighty Gibson J45. It definitely has the vintage vibe and maybe after a few years of playing, it will get a bit closer. The reports are that it is the loudest guitar are not at all true at least for the one I got it has a rich but mellow tone gets a little hairy up the neck. The action had to be adjusted a lot because it was way too low! Other then that it is good for both strumming and picking.